Braided sweet bread is a delicious and gorgeous homemade bread that looks as good as it tastes. With a sweetened golden top crust and fluffy bread inside, you’re going to love this sweet bread recipe.
Sweet bread is really popular during Spring as people seek out sweet braided Easter bread recipes. This braided bread is perfect for the holidays, fun dinner parties, or simply wanting to enjoy the fun of making a loaf of homemade bread from scratch.
Tips for Making This Braided Bread Recipe
Unlike other yeast bread, this sweet bread is made using a baking sheet instead of a bread pan. Having your baking sheet lined with parchment paper helps to give a good bottom crust and makes clean up easier.
Topping the braided bread with turbinado sugar gives it a great way to add extra sweetness while making the bread look sparkly.
How is turbinado sugar different from regular sugar?
Turbinado sugar is a more natural brown sugar with more coarse granules and a darker coloration than regular sugar. The flavor is also a little different because it retains some of that natural plant flavor and molasses that more refined sugars lack.
How can you tell when the bread is fully baked?
Most bread needs to cook until they reach 190-200 degreed F. Bread recipes that contain milk need to reach 200 degrees, whereas those that don’t need to reach 190. This recipe doesn’t have milk, so you can pull it out of the oven once a digital thermometer reaches 190. The tops should be a nice golden brown color.
My all-time favorite cooking thermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Another great thermometer is the ThermoPop which is a more basic version that works just as well!
Braided Sweet Bread Ingredients
-2 TBSP yeast
-1 cup warm water
-1/4 cup granulated sugar
-1/3 cup canola oil
-1 egg
-1 1/2 tsp salt
-3-3 1/2 cups flour
-1 egg whisked with 1 TBSP water for textured top
-2 TBSP turbinado sugar
How to Make Braided Sweet Bread
In a large bowl, dissolve the granulated sugar in warm water. Add yeast and let stand for 5 minutes.
Add in the canola oil, egg, salt, and enough flour to form a soft dough. Knead the dough for 5 minutes.
Form the dough into a smooth ball. Keeping the dough in the bowl, spray it with non-stick spray and then cover then bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for about 15 minutes.
Punch down the dough before kneading for 1 minute, then divide the dough into 3 same sized portions.
Roll each portion out into long logs and set them up on the counter side by side.
Braid the three pieces of bread together and then pinch together then end pieces and tuck them under the roll. Carefully place the loaf on the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Brush the tops thoroughly with egg mixture and then sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
Let the loaf sit while the oven is preheating to 350 degrees F, or for about 10 minutes.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the outside is a golden brown color and the internal temperature of loaf registers 195-200 degrees. Let it cool. Slice & then enjoy with butter!
Sweet Braided Bread
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp yeast
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3-3/12 cups flour
- 1 egg whisked with 1 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Add yeast; let stand for 5 minutes.
- Add the canola oil, egg, salt and enough flour to form a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes.
- Form dough into a smooth ball. Keeping the dough in the bowl, spray with non-stick spray and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 15-20 minutes.
- Punch down dough. Knead for 1 minute, then divide the dough into 3 same sized portions.
- Roll each out into long logs and set them up on the counter side by side.
- Braid the three pieces of bread together and then pinch together then end pieces and tuck them under the roll. Carefully place the loaf on the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Brush thoroughly with egg mixture and then sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
- Let the loaf sit while oven is preheating to 350 degrees F, or about 10 minutes.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until outside is golden brown and internal temperature of loaf registers 195-200 degrees. Let cool. Slice & enjoy with butter!
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Why does my braided bread split?
This is often a result of your bread not being braided tightly enough, or the dough not being kneaded enough. With practice you should be able to get more comfortable with the dough and figuring out the right way to make a tight braid.
How to cut braided bread
Despite the different appearance, you can still slice your bread like normal using a bread knife. Making slices is a great way to serve the braided bread in multiple same sized pieces, but if you want to be creative and cut each lump to be its own piece, you can do that as well.
More homemade bread recipes that you’re going to love:
- Honey Whole Wheat Bread
- Soft Country French Bread
- Soft White Bread
- Homemade Hawaiian Bread
- Homemade Bread
- Apple Pumpkin Bread
- Peaches and Cream Bread
- Easy Lemon Bread
- Easy Banana Bread
- Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread
You’re going to love this golden topped, light and fluffy braided sweet bread recipe. It’s a show stopping homemade bread that tastes great and looks incredible.
Sam says
great recipe! I was able to make this just with what I had around the house (though I used brown sugar instead of turbinado) and it turned out great! though it is a tad floury, but that could be my own fault. I also added about a tablespoon of honey to the egg wash, to add a bit more sweetness, and I’m so glad I did. definitely saving this recipe for later
Rebecca says
This bread was so good!!! Amazing flavor. It was a bit crumbly because I let it rise too long… But my family devoured it!!!
Nicole says
Thats awesome to hear rebecca! Glad your family approves!
Shane Mungal says
Can you add rasins , as well ?
Nicole says
Yes!
Seyi Doa says
I didn’t get the measurement of the flour 3 1/2 cups . what is the equivalent in grams.
Juli says
I just made this for the first time today. I elongated the 3 portions of dough to braid and attach as an Easter wreath. It turned out beautiful
Jessica says
Such a lovely idea Juli! Thank you!
Evelyn says
How long do you roll the 3 rolls? Or how thick should the logs be? Ty!
Jessica says
Divide the dough in thirds and roll them out with your hands. Use the pan you’re baking on as a guide- mine were about 15-18″ long. (They shorten once braided.)
Alen says
how long were the strands if you got 4 loaves? I made 14 inch and I could only make two and one that was 5 inches long! Help…
Jessica says
Recipe yields just 1 loaf…
ally says
so so so so so good. thank you so much for this recipe. it is such an easy and fast bread.
Mojo says
Can this bread be made without the egg?
Jessica says
I’ve not tried it without egg.
Stephanie Leonard says
I used RedMills egg replacement (powder).
It turned out exquisite!!!
Better than with real egg I must say.
The glaze that brushes on the top is perfect with vegan egg!
A serendipity result!!
Nicole says
Im so glad to hear this, I’ve been wondering how that would turn out!
Colby Ferris says
Is the yeast active dry yeast or instant yeast or something else?
Nicole says
Either yeast will work well with this recipe
Mary Wynne says
Ive jut now made the dough. It was super sticky using 3&1/2 cups of flour. I had to put in 4&1/4th to make like bread dough…
Nicole says
Unfortunately with bread baking flour adding is always different and can vary on so many different things including the weather, humidity, and then some. So this should be expected.
Karen says
This recipe is very similar to my Grandmothers Czech sweetbread. She put an apricot mixture in it. I don’t have her recipe and she’s long passed so I tried this and did it her way with the apricots and it was to die for!! Awesome recipe.
Nellie says
I love the idea of adding apricots! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Habibah Jaffar says
Instead of canola oil can I use extra virgin olive oil?
Nicole says
olive oil tends to leave a different flavor profile in breads and while it will work, the flavor may not be what you’re looking for in this particular recipe (only way to know is to try it though). Other ideas for canola oil substitutes include melted butter or vegetable oil
Addi says
DO NOT USE 3 CUPS OF FLOUR. I tried, and it did not create a dough. It was just thicker flour and I’m kinda pissed right now cause now I’ve wasted all of these ingredients. Thanks a lot.
Nicole says
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had a rough time with this recipe. The amount of flour needed in bread doughs will vary based on a lot of different factors including the weather and your location and elevation. Sometimes more flour is needed and other times you can get by with less. I do hope you give this recipe another try. Just add in the flour slowly until you get to a good dough consistency.
Bry says
There is no reason to be upset but your feelings are valid. We all get that it sucks wasting ingredients but that is part of the learning curve. I had to throw away a dough that was meant for bread bowls for 7 people because it had too much flour in it and it was dry and cracking, but now I know what happens to bread when there is too much flour/not enough water. A trick that I’ve learned is to add the flour slowly that way I can judge the texture of the bread as I am going along. And remember that the texture of the bread will change as it is needed.
Jessica says
agree 100%! Everyone’s baking conditions are slightly different.
Ellen says
Just curious – why are the times to let the dough rise so short as compared to other sweet bread recipes like cinnamon rolls? Does it affect the texture of the bread, etc.?
Nicole says
We use a lot of yeast in this recipe so the bread rises quite nicely in the oven as well as during those few minutes of time.
Pam Smith says
Thank you for this recipe! I’ve made it several times. I’m curious about the yeast amount though. It’s a lot for 3 cups of flour. 1 tbsp seems more than the norm, can you tell why this recipe needs 2 tbsp?
Nicole says
Different bread recipes require different amounts of yeast and this recipe has been tested and found that 2 tablespoons is what works best for the greatest and tastiest results.
Sharon says
hi Nicole,
Thank you for a short and simple recipe. It looks delicious! I am wondering if I can use a loaf pan to bake this bread?
Nicole says
You should be able to bake it in a loaf pan! Just make and braid it as directed and then tuck the ends in under the middle section while placing it into the loaf and then continue with the recipe as directed
Mallory says
Yummy! We sliced it and slathered it with raspberry preserves. So easy to make and so quick. It’s a slightly rainy day here in Seattle and I used about 3-1/4 cup of flour. It’s a perfect recipe and even better that I only used one bowl.
Nicole says
🙂 love it!
grace says
Do you use bread flour or all purpose?
Nicole says
You can use either one! 🙂
Rev says
Just made this bread and it was so simple to do, quick and yummy!
Ended up using 3 cups plus 1tbsp of flour in total. Only change I made was to reduce the yeast to 1.5tbsp and baked it for 25mins.
Thanks for the recipe.
Nicole says
Sounds good! 🙂
Christy Jackson says
This is delicious!! I’ve made this as part of hand therapy and it is amazing!
Jessica says
So glad you liked it- this is easily one of my favorite bread recipes ever!! Good luck with the hand therapy!
lily says
i struggle SO much with yeast recipes as a novice baker, but this is by far the easiest i’ve ever followed!! the bread turned out fantastic!
my grandmother’s trick was always to let the bread rise in its bowl on a small burner set to the lowest heat to ensure it would rise to its full potential, which worked great here 🙂
thanks so much and i’ll be using this again!!
Jessica says
So glad you liked it Lily!!
Ryan says
I love this recipe. It’s my favorite thing to make. There’s nothing better than warm bread and butter.
Nellie says
Agreed!