Braided Orange Holiday Bread Recipe

Braided Orange Holiday Bread is a soft, feathery enriched yeast bread dough with lovely citrus flavor braided into a wreath and topped with a sweet orange glaze & dried cranberries!

Prep Time30

Cook Time25

Rise Time1 30

Total Time2 25

Course: homemade bread, Side Dish, Snack, Yeast Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Braided Orange Holiday Bread

Servings: slices

Calories: 321kcal

Author: Jessica & Nellie

Ingredients

4 - 4½ cups flour
½ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
3 TBSP butter
.25 oz active dry yeast 2 ¼ tsp
3 eggs
3 TBSP orange juice
3 tsp grated orange peel

GLAZE:

1 ½ cup powdered sugar
2 TBSP orange juice
1 tsp grated orange peel
¼ cup dried cranberries

Instructions

Whisk 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Set aside.
In a small microwave safe bowl or a 2 cup measuring cup, heat butter 30 seconds. Pour in the milk and heat for another 30 seconds.
Pour all but about ¼ cup of the milk mixture into the dry ingredients; begin mixing on low just until moistened.
Add the yeast to the remaining ¼ cup milk mixture. Quickly whisk then let sit for 5 minutes, until yeast has bubbled up.
Meanwhile, add the eggs, orange juice, and orange zest to the batter, mix until combined. Pour in the yeast mixture and 1 more cup of flour. Knead for 2-3 minutes, then add in 4th cup of flour. Knead again and assess if you need additional flour. Dough should be soft and most of the bowl should be clean, with a small circle at the bottom still sticking. (Too much flour and the entire bowl will be clean and the dough will feel more solid. Not enough flour and the dough looks shaggy, with remnants sticking to the bowl. Go slow and don't add more flour if it's not needed.)
Turn the dough onto a floured surface & knead until it's smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Grease the mixer bowl and return the dough to the bowl. Spray with additional oil, then cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down, turn onto a lightly floured surface & divide dough into thirds. Roll each into a 30-in. rope. Braid the ropes, then shape into a wreath and tuck ends under to seal. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with a light towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake at 350°F for 22-26 minutes or until golden brown. Test the internal temp of the bread to make sure it's fully baked. It should register 200°F- 205°F on your cooking thermometer. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool for 15-20 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice and peel; drizzle over bread while it's still warm. Sprinkle with cranberries. Enjoy!

Notes

Leftover cranberry orange bread stays fresh at room temperature for about 3-5 days. Store in an airtight container to retain its softness and flavor.

Freeze this bread for up to 3 months for longer storage. Wrap it in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. To thaw, leave it at room temperature for a few hours or overnight.

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