Italian Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua)
Updated May 14, 2025, Published Mar 26, 2022
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Italian Easter Bread – This is a festive and delicious braided brioche bread served for Easter. Beautifully decorated with colorful eggs, sprinkles, and a sweet glaze to stand as the centerpiece of your Easter table.
It’s a light and fluffy treat to enjoy as part of your Easter dinner with roasted rack of lamb and oven-roasted potatoes. See all of my Italian Easter Recipes.
“I nailed it!!! I’ve tried every Italian Easter bread to replicate my grandmother’s and until now were always duds. This truly was my last attempt at making one, the dough seemed too slick and I was losing faith… then it blossomed in the rising … Unbelievable how on point this texture and flavor is to what she used to make, wish I could show you!!! I can’t wait to try again and again.”
-Judy
What Is Italian Easter Bread?
Italian Easter bread (pane di pasqua in Italian) is similar to a challah bread, Greek Easter bread (tsoureki), or paska bread (Ukrainian Easter bread).
The soft kneaded dough is twisted together, braided, and formed into a circle. This shape represents the crown of thorns worn on Jesus’s head. You can make one large loaf or two smaller loaves.
Try these festive Italian Easter recipes: Pizza Rustica, Italian Easter Rice Pie Recipe (Pastiera di Riso), Overnight French Toast Bake (Challah), and Ricotta Pie.
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
For the brioche dough recipe, we are using our basic Brioche Bread Recipe (Italian Style) ingredients.
For the Dough
- Warm water
- Warm milk
- Eggs
- Active dry yeast
- Salt
- Sugar
- Bread Flour or all purpose flour
- Butter
- Orange zest or lemon zest
- Vanilla Extract
For the topping
- Dyed hard-boiled eggs (if you are worried about the dye you can use without)
- Egg wash
- Colorful sprinkles
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk
How to Make Italian Easter Bread
Follow these steps to make a delicious Easter bread dough. See the printable recipe card at the bottom for more.
1-2. Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Stir gently until foamy.
3-6. Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Mix the wet and dry ingredients with a dough hook.
7-10. The dough will be very sticky and shaggy. Add the salt. Mix to incorporate. Add the butter a little at a time. Mix with each addition.
Mix on low speed for about 10 minutes until butter is completely incorporated.
11-14. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl. The dough is ready when it’s smooth and stretchy and can be gathered together and picked up in one piece. The dough will remain sticky.
Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 60 minutes in a warm place.
At this point, the dough may also be frozen or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
How to Shape and Decorate
For this sweet bread braid- make 3 ropes of roughly the same size and length.
1-3. The best way is to weigh the whole dough and divide it into three equal pieces. Or, simply use your best judgment.
4-7. Start with three equal part dough balls and roll each piece into ropes. Gather them at the top and pinch the dough to secure it.
Simply make a long braid- as you would for braiding hair. After every braid section add one egg.
8-10. Transfer the braided pieces of dough into a round baking pan. Spray tin can or oven safe glass with cooking spray and place in the middle of the circle to keep the shape.
Let the dough rise a second time before baking. Brush the dough with egg wash just before baking.
Why Do You Add Hard-Boiled Eggs To This Bread Recipe?
The colorful eggs in this recipe make it festive and fun. The eggs also signify rebirth after the cold winter months. This concept relates to the religious aspect of Christ and His rebirth.
On the Italian Easter table, bread often represents religious significance – Christ is often referred to as “the bread of life.” Leave out the eggs if desired; the sweet dough is perfectly delicious without them!
Top Tips
- Use room temperature eggs and butter – Let them sit out for about an hour before mixing. This helps the dough come together more easily.
- Check your yeast – Make sure it’s fresh and active, or the dough won’t rise properly.
- Add butter after mixing – First mix the dough, then gradually add in softened butter a little at a time.
- Expect sticky dough – It will feel slimy at first as the butter incorporates—keep mixing until smooth.
- Understand enriched dough – Fat (from yolks and butter) slows gluten development but gives brioche its soft, rich texture.
- Knead longer – Brioche dough needs extra kneading to develop gluten. A stand mixer makes this much easier.
- Use bread flour – It has more protein for stronger gluten and a fluffier, lighter finished bread.
Variations
Braided breads are beautiful! If you don’t want to go trough the trouble make this dough into brioche bread. You can also lay it as a single flat large braid on a baking sheet.
Flavorings: Add ground spices and extracts to the dough – cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, even saffron, and/or almond extract. Or, try this bread: St. Lucia Sweet Saffron Rolls (almond filling)
Storage Instructions
To store– Make sure the baked bread is completely cool before storing it in an airtight container. It can be kept at room temperature for a couple of days. In the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
To freeze – To keep the bread longer, freeze the baked bread (without the dyed eggs) in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 2 months.
Serving Suggestions
If you want to make this bread’s presentation a little “extra,” try serving it with a delicious Italian Pastry Cream, Italian Chocolate Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera), or Best Italian Pistachio Cream.
More delicious recipes for you:
- BEST Authentic Sicilian Cannoli Recipe
- Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl)
- Best Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust
- Cream Horn Recipe
- Classic Italian Tiramisu (without alcohol)
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Italian Easter Bread Recipe
Ingredients
For the brioche bread
- ½ cup warm water at 110 – 115 degrees F, 120 grams
- ½ cup warm milk, 120 grams
- 4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast, 2 packages
- 3 ¼ cups bread flour, 400 grams
- ⅓ cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon, 82 grams
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 8 tablespoons, at room temperature, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
For the topping
- 6-7 hard boiled and dyed Easter eggs
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
- colorful sprinkles of choice
- 1 cup powdered Sugar
- 3 teaspoon milk
Instructions
For the Brioche Bread
- Stir the warm water and yeast together and allow the yeast mixture to sit for 2 minutes.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment add the flour. In a separate bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the salt and butter. Mix wet ingredients well and add to the flour.
- Mix the ingredients on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until the dough has come together.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides as needed, pushing the dry ingredients into wet patches. Once the dough has come together, beat on low speed for 3-4 additional minutes. The dough will be stretchy and sticky.
- Add the salt. On low speed, add the butter a little at a time, mixing after each addition until it disappears into the dough.
- Then, continue mixing on low speed for about 10 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. It is important for all of the butter to be mixed thoroughly into the dough. If necessary, stop the mixer to break up the dough with your hands to help mix in the butter.
- Once the butter is completely incorporated, turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for another 8-10 minutes, or until the dough becomes sticky, soft, and somewhat shiny. Continue beating until the dough turns smooth and silky.
- Then, turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat for 1-2 minutes. You should hear the dough making slapping sounds against the sides of the mixer bowl. Test the dough by pulling it and stretching it thin.
- You want the dough to stretch, but also give a bit. If it feels too loose, easily breaks off into pieces, or looks shaggy, continue to mix on medium speed for 2-3 additional minutes. It’s ready when it’s smooth and stretchy and can be gathered together and picked up in one piece. The dough will remain sticky.
- Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 60 minutes in a warm place. At this point, the dough may also be frozen or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Optional: place dough in fridge overnight to allow the dough to proof and develop flavor.
- Deflate the dough and place it onto a floured surface. Divide Easter Bread dough into three equal pieces and form balls. Using hands roll each ball into a long roll about 36 inches long. Next, braid the long strands, pinching the top to secure it. Place 1 egg for every braid section, creating total of 6-7 sections for 6-7 dyed eggs. Seal the ends together creating a ring.
- Next, carefully place the dough on parchment paper over a baking sheet, spring form pan, or cast iron skillet. Spray an oven safe cup (or tin can) with cooking spray and place in the middle of the circle to keep the shape during the second rise.
- Cover the bread lightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot (75-85 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal) for 45-60 minutes, or until the bread is nearly doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Brush risen easter bread with egg wash and bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown color. Let cool.
- Make glaze. Combine powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over the bread and add sprinkles. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolute, gorgeous hit!!!!!!!! A must-have. I didnt ice it because it had such a gorgeous golden color that I didnt want to cover. The bread was perfectly soft, the flavor was on point, it was breathtakingly beautiful. A show stopper.
Yay! So happy you loved this one as much as we do. Agreed! No need to ice it that is just a fun addition.
Good day Elena, I’m just curious on this recipe for the Easter bread -have you experimented with making two smaller loaves from this one recipe? I’m wondering what temperature and timeframe might be appropriate in trying this.
Thanks so much and have a blessed upcoming Easter.
Hello! Yes, you can make two smaller loaves and bake as directed. Check 10 minutes early! Enjoy!
This may be stupid but do we keep the can in the center while baking??
Yes, you can! Spray it well, so it doesn’t stick, or use parchements. This helps keep the shape.
I nailed it!!! I’ve tried every Italian Easter bread to replicate my grandmother’s and until now were always duds. This truly was my last attempt at making one, the dough seemed too slick and I was losing faith… then it blossomed in the rising … Unbelievable how on point this texture and flavor is to what she used to make, wish I could show you!!! I can’t wait to try again and again.
YAY! So happy to hear this! It’s an Easter tradition!
I made this for Easter it was gone in 1 hour! Every family member was losing it. It’s so soft and sweet. Very unique and delicious. It was my first time attempting this, it took patience and it was so fun I made it with my 4 year old daughter. Will now be our Easter tradition, I also love the Catholic symbolism!
Love that it is now your Easter tradition! So fun.
I made this for Easter this past weekend and it was soooo good. The bread was perfectly light, fluffy and sweet. Everyone loved it, thanks!
Amanda, I am so happy to hear everyone loved it! We make it all year around (leave out the eggs).
Awesome recipe! I made for Easter and gave up my previous go to recipe with many more eggs. This was light and flavorful. I even made another batch of dough and made cinnamon rolls with it.
So happy you loved it! Yes, the dough is versatile you will have to try my Sweet Saffron Rolls (St. Lucia buns) next!
Perfectly moist! Well-loved recipe! Could eat the whole thing in one sitting!
This is the BEST Easter bread. It is soft, tender, and perfectly sweet. So festive and beautiful too!