Easter Bread

Easter Bread Ingredients

Ready to make some amazing Easter bread? Don’t stress—it’s super simple and doesn’t require a ton of fancy ingredients. You probably already have most of what you need in your kitchen! Here’s what you’ll need to whip up this holiday treat:

Bread Dough: Using Pillsbury™ Original French Bread Dough makes this Easter bread a breeze to prepare! No need to worry about making dough from scratch. This handy refrigerated dough skips all the yeast work and saves you time. Grab 2 cans of French bread dough, and you’re all set!

Sugar: You’ll need two kinds of sugar—granulated and powdered. Rolling the dough ropes in granulated sugar gives the bread that lightly sweet crust. Then, mix powdered sugar with citrus juice to make a zesty glaze that takes it to the next level.

Egg: Brushing the dough with an egg gives this Easter bread its gorgeous golden color once it’s baked. Any size egg works here, just beat it well. You can also use melted butter or milk if you prefer.

Citrus Juice: Fresh lemon or orange juice will give your glaze a fresh, bright flavor that balances the sweetness of the powdered sugar. If you’re out of fresh citrus, no worries! Bottled juice works just as well, or you can use a splash of milk and a dash of vanilla for a different twist.

Rainbow Nonpareils: These colorful sprinkles are the star of the show, adding a fun and festive touch to your bread! Feel free to use any sprinkles or decorating sugars you have on hand—pastel-colored are perfect for that spring vibe.

Colored Easter Eggs: For a traditional touch, you can color hard-boiled eggs with food color and a splash of vinegar. If you're short on time, you can leave the cooked eggs plain or swap them for some unwrapped chocolate candy eggs for an extra-sweet treat!

Cookware You’ll Need

Before we start baking, let’s quickly go over the tools you’ll need to bring this Easter bread to life. No need for anything complicated—just a few simple essentials to make things easier and the outcome even more delicious. Sound good? Let’s get started!

Cookie Sheet: You’ll need a large, flat aluminum cookie sheet to bake your Easter bread to perfection. Since a cookie sheet has no sides it helps the bread bake evenly and brown beautifully all over. If all you’ve got is a rimmed baking sheet, that works too—just keep an eye on your bread as it bakes.

Cooking Parchment Paper: Parchment paper is your best friend here—it makes everything so much easier! Line your cookie sheet with it, and not only will it keep things clean, but it’ll also help the bread slide off the sheet once it’s baked. If you bake a lot, it’s totally worth picking up.

Kitchen Ruler: A kitchen ruler might seem like an unexpected tool, but it’s a game-changer for rolling out your dough ropes! It’s perfect for measuring each piece to ensure they’re all the same length.

Pastry Brush: A pastry brush is an essential tool for brushing on your egg wash, helping the bread achieve that golden-brown color. It is super easy to use and gives your dough just the right amount of shine. Whether you go for a silicone or natural bristle brush, it’ll make your egg wash application smooth and fuss-free!

Dying the Eggs for Easter Bread

Not all egg dyes are created equal—some are meant just for decoration, while others are food-safe. Since these eggs will be placed on your baked Easter bread, it’s important to skip any chemical dyes, paints, or decorative techniques that aren't food friendly. Read labels carefully to be sure egg dyes are food-safe, or stick with food color or even natural dyes made from fruits and veggies to keep everything edible when you dye the cooked hard-boiled eggs.

How to Make Easter Bread

Using Pillsbury™ Original French Bread Dough for this Easter bread recipe slashes the prep time and makes this easy to pull together. Take a look at our quick overview and then follow the recipe for the full list of ingredients and instructions. 

Roll Out the Dough

Sprinkle the work surface with a tablespoon of sugar. Place the dough, one can at a time, on top of the sugar, and press flat with your fingers. Roll the dough into a log. Then working the palms of your hands back and forth, form each log of French bread dough into a 24-inch long thin rope. 

Twist and Shape Dough

Twist the two dough ropes together, and shape into a circle. Pinch the ends of the ropes together with your fingers to seal. Place onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet, and brush the beaten egg over the top using a pastry brush.

Bake and Cool

Bake about 28 minutes or until deep golden brown and baked through. The Easter bread needs to cool about 30 minutes on the cooling rack so the frosting will stick.

Make the Frosting

In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice together until thin enough to drizzle.

Finishing Touches

Take a spoon, and drizzle frosting over the bread. Sprinkle rainbow-colored nonpareils over top or go for more pastel spring-colored sprinkles to make your bread festive. Once the glaze has set up, place colored hard-boiled Easter eggs, or mound unwrapped chocolate candy Easter eggs in the center of the bread.

How to Serve Easter Bread

Easter bread is served for Easter celebrations and is often enjoyed during breakfast, brunch, or as a sweet snack during the day. Add these recipes to your Easter breakfast or brunch:

Slow-Cooker Maple Brown Sugar Ham takes the stress out of hosting for the holiday. With only 4 ingredients, it could not be any easier!

Ham and Cheese Omelet Bake is quick to make, so you have more time with family and friends.

Cheddar-Bacon Au Gratin Potatoes is the perfect side dish for an Easter brunch and easily serves a crowd.

Need more ideas? We’ve got even more Easter recipes for you to browse!

Storing Easter Bread

This Easter bread is best enjoyed the same day. If you've topped it with those colorful hard-boiled eggs, try to serve it within 2 hours. Or, if you need more time, just pop the eggs in the fridge to keep them food-safe.

Got leftovers? No problem! Just remove the eggs before storing the bread. Keep it fresh by covering it loosely with plastic wrap so the frosting doesn’t stick. If you don’t have plastic wrap, a large bowl or container turned upside down works great, too.

When you're ready to enjoy a slice, just pop it in the microwave! Place a slice on a microwavable plate, cover it with a paper towel, and heat it for 5 to 10 seconds. Don’t walk away while it’s heating, or the frosting might get a little too melty!

Want to get a head start? You can make the Easter bread ahead of time, and freeze it! Simply bake the bread, let it cool completely, and skip the frosting for now. Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing. When you're ready to serve, just thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Make your frosting to drizzle over top, and sprinkle the nonpareils to finish your bread. It's a great way to save time on the big day.