Individual Italian Easter Bread Rings are baked around an egg and decorated with icing and sprinkles. Not only are they really easy to make, but taste absolutely fantastic. Make one large ring if you prefer, but this authentic, traditional Italian Easter bread will elate children and adults alike!
Originally published A .
Before you decide that there’s no way that you can make these lovely, individual Italian Easter bread rings, let me tell you that if you have a bread machine or stand mixer, they are very easy to make! If you don’t have either machine, the only thing is that making the dough will be a bit more time-consuming, but still easy.
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The bread machine (the link takes you to the one I have, but there are many to choose from, starting at about $50) or a stand mixer will make the dough for you, which is the most time-consuming part. Once you have the dough, if you can roll and pinch it, you have all the necessary skills (little ones love to make these-my children helped to make them every Easter).
Not only are Italian Easter bread rings beautiful, but the light, airy texture of brioche-like dough perfectly partners with the sweetness of the icing.
Take a look at the step by step photos and you’ll see, you can make these lovely Italian Easter Bread Rings.
You may also like this recipe for a Colomba di Pasqua (Italian Easter dove bread)
Individual Italian Easter Bread Rings
Makes 6 rings
printable recipe below
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs (PLUS 6 more, colored, but still raw; DO NOT USE HARDBOILED EGGS)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2/3 cup (5 1/3 fl oz) milk
- 3 cups (1 lb) good quality all-purpose flour (bread flour is better if you have it, though)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp bread machine or quick rise dry yeast (you can use regular or even cake yeast, but the rise will take longer)
For glaze:
- 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
- about 2 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- colored sprinkles (optional)
FOR STAND MIXER DIRECTIONS, SEE BELOW.
Heat milk and butter gently, in a small saucepan, just until butter melts.
Remove from heat and place in bread machine pan.
Beat eggs, just to break yolks, then add to milk and butter in pan, then add the dry ingredients: flour, salt and sugar.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the yeast.
Set machine for “dough” and press “start.”
This is what the dough should look like after it is finished kneading. It should be very soft and pliable, but not sticky. If it is very wet or very sticky, add a little flour and let it knead again.
Let rise until doubled.
IF USING A STAND MIXER: place lukewarm milk in a jug and sprinkle the yeast on top with a pinch of sugar, and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the rest of the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Melt the butter, (but make sure it’s not hot when you add it to the bowl or it can kill the yeast), and slightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl.
Pour the milk and yeast mixture, melted butter and beaten eggs into the well in the flour. Using the dough hook, start the machine slowly, until a dough begins to form, then increase the speed a little and allow to knead for about 10 minutes. Dough should be smooth, and a bit firm. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled. If it is cold in your kitchen you can place the bowl, uncovered, in your oven, along with a jug of boiling water alongside it (or just keep it covered with the plastic wrap).
If you do warm your oven at all, please just turn it on for 1 or 2 minutes, then turn it off, as the bread won’t turn out correctly if it rises under overheated conditions). These directions can also be followed if you want to make these by hand.
WHETHER USING THE BREAD MACHINE OR STAND MIXER, CONTINUE HERE…
Put the dough onto a lightly floured mat or counter and knead gently, then cut into 6 equal pieces.
Cut each of the 6 pieces in half and roll out to about 9 inches long. It doesn’t have to look pretty at this point.
Pinch one end together.
Now twist the two ropes together like this. Again, it won’t look very pretty, but it’s okay; pinch the other end together.
Next, join the ends to each other to form a ring, twisting as necessary to keep the ropes from undoing themselves. Place a colored egg into the center of the ring. If you’d like to make ONE large Italian Easter bread ring, do so by using all of the dough to make one large twisted ring. Afterwards, place the 5 eggs nestled evenly into the dough.
Place the ring on a silicone sheet or parchment lined baking tray and continue with the rest of the dough and eggs.
Once you have made all six, place them in a slightly warm oven to rise for about an hour.
After they have risen, remove from the oven and turn the heat to 350°F (175°C).
When oven is at the correct temperature, bake the rings for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown, turning the tray midway through baking if necessary for even browning.
Remove from tray and place the Italian Easter bread rings on a cooling rack.
When rings are cool, mix together confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and milk to make a slightly runny glaze. Glaze rings, adjusting with more sugar or milk for correct consistency.
See the photo below: the drip in the forefront ran too quickly, so I made the icing thicker, and you can see it looks much better as it pours onto the ring.
The glaze should slowly drip down the side of the ring.
Sprinkle with colored sprinkles if desired, and allow glaze to harden/dry before serving.
See, not difficult at all!
NOTE: due to the fact that these are made from brioche dough, iced and have an egg in the middle, I don’t advise making these too far in advance. In fact, I usually have the dough ready and shape and bake them on Easter morning because I love them fresh. If you do make them in advance, try to make them the night before, but they should be refrigerated due to the egg.
Happy Easter!!
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Individual Italian Easter Bread Rings...Easy Step by Step Directions
A traditional, authentic Italian Easter lightly sweet treat that the family will love. Great for children to help make.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs (6 more, colored, but still raw; DO NOT USE HARDBOILED EGGS)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2/3 cup milk
- 3 cups good quality all-purpose flour (like King Arthur)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp bread machine dry yeast
For glaze:
- 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
- about 2 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
FOR STAND MIXER DIRECTIONS, SEE BELOW.
Heat milk and butter gently, in a small saucepan, just until butter melts.
Remove from heat and place in bread machine pan.
Beat eggs, just to break yolks, then add to milk and butter in pan, then add the dry ingredients: flour, salt and sugar.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the yeast.
Set machine for "dough" and press "start."
This is what the dough should look like after it is finished kneading. It should be very soft and pliable, but not sticky. If it is very wet or very sticky, add a little flour and let it knead again.
Let rise until doubled.
IF USING A STAND MIXER: place lukewarm milk in a jug and sprinkle the yeast on top with a pinch of sugar, and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the rest of the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Melt the butter, (but make sure it's not hot when you add it to the bowl or it can kill the yeast), and slightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl.
Pour the milk and yeast mixture, melted butter and beaten eggs into the well in the flour. Using the dough hook, start the machine slowly, until a dough begins to form, then increase the speed a little and allow to knead for about 10 minutes. Dough should be smooth, and a bit firm. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled. If it is cold in your kitchen you can place the bowl, uncovered, in your oven, along with a jug of boiling water alongside it (or just keep it covered with the plastic wrap). If you do warm your oven at all, please just turn it on for 1 or 2 minutes, then turn it off, as the bread won't turn out correctly if it rises under overheated conditions). These directions can also be followed if you want to make these by hand.
WHETHER USING THE BREAD MACHINE OR STAND MIXER, CONTINUE HERE...
Put the dough onto a lightly floured mat or counter and knead gently, then cut into 6 equal pieces.
Cut each of the 6 pieces in half and roll out to about 9 inches long. It doesn't have to look pretty at this point.
Pinch one end together.
Now twist the two ropes together like this. Again, it won't look very pretty, but it's okay; pinch the other end together.
Next, join the ends to each other to form a ring, twisting as necessary to keep the ropes from undoing themselves. Place a colored egg into the center of the ring. If you'd like to make ONE large Italian Easter bread ring, do so by using all of the dough to make one large twisted ring. Afterwards, place the 5 eggs nestled evenly into the dough.
Place the ring on a silicone sheet or parchment lined baking tray and continue with the rest of the dough and eggs.
Once you have made all six, place them in a slightly warm oven to rise for about an hour.
After they have risen, remove from the oven and turn the heat to 350°F (175°C).
When oven is at the correct temperature, bake the rings for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown, turning the tray midway through baking if necessary for even browning.
Remove from tray and place the Italian Easter bread rings on a cooling rack.
When rings are cool, mix together confectioner's sugar, vanilla and milk to make a slightly runny glaze. Glaze rings, adjusting with more sugar or milk for correct consistency.
See the photo below: the drip in the forefront ran too quickly, so I made the icing thicker, and you can see it looks much better as it pours onto the ring.
The glaze should slowly drip down the side of the ring.
Sprinkle with colored sprinkles if desired, and allow glaze to harden/dry before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 255Total Fat: 11gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 10g
Sweet Crispy Easter Pasta Nests
Casatiello (Neapolitan Easter Bread)
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[…] Getting ready for an Italian Easter? I have recipes for that, too. Try these wonderful Individual Italian Easter Bread Rings (they double as a great table […]
Hello Christina, I have been trying to piece together my grandmothers Easter bread recipe but it is very incoherent to me on the paper. I do remember the sweetness of the bread and the joyful colorful eggs & glaze. My question: If I instead wanted to do a single round Easter bread instead of all the mini ones, how would I cut the recipe? Or, would I just use the recipe as is and create one Easter bread?
Im the only one left in the family over the past 40 years who has continued her baking but this is the one that is a stickler for me. Thank you so much for bringing these traditional recipes for everyone to enjoy.
Hi Judy, that’s wonderful that you’re keeping the tradition from your grandmother! Yes, make the recipe exactly as written except divide it in three and make a braid and join it together then put in the 5 eggs. I often do this, too. Enjoy!!
Thank you so much for your reply; I am so delighted to find a site with traditional styles and basic, home pantry ingredients.
I so appreciate your time and effort in making this website, it has inspired me to revisit some of gramma’s old scribbled recipes that she passed to me and help me possibly decipher them a little easier as you have many of the older traditional ones I have drove myself crazy trying to replicate. The last time she and i did hearty baking was in the mid 1970’s as she passed in ’79. Good memories made better in this website thanks to you. Peace~
Im sorry, may I ask one more question: can I add more sugar to give more sweetness or will this affect the overall quality considering yeast in involved? Also, are you using unsalted butter in your baking recipes? Thanks again.
Hi Judy, I’m so please you appreciate my site; yes, it’s a lot of work, but it’s worthwhile when I receive comments like yours!
I wouldn’t add more sugar unless you’re going to skip the icing as it would be much too sweet. There’s only 2 Tbsp of butter in this recipe, so salted or unsalted will work well. Unsalted is the way to go with baking, but always with salt added, but I know many people only buy salted so that’s okay, and skip the added salt. :) Enjoy!
I fully understand, I thank you for the information, it certainly makes sense. Best of luck and I look forward to spending more time here and checking out some of the items you highlight on Amazon. Well deserved. God Bless
Thank you so much, Judy! Looking forward to hearing from you once you’ve tried some recipes :)
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Hello! I made this last year and loved it. I want to do it again, but instead of making them a day before, get it together tonight and bake in the morning…I’ve seen a couple comments about having it completely ready for the oven the night before…but would it be better to store the dough in the fridge overnight and THEN shape it first thing in the morning, then allowing the oven rise, then bake? If so, should the dough be taken out of the fridge earlier than the shaping needs to occur so the temperature can get back down to room temp? I want it fresh for Easter lunch tomorrow, but I don’t want to ruin the yeast’s work.
Hi Lindsay, I agree it’s better the day it’s made, however, I’ve never made it beforehand so I don’t know which method would yield the best results. I would probably keep it in the fridge and then shape it and bake it in the morning, if I had to choose. Let me know how it goes and Happy Easter! CC
Happy Easter! He is risen!
So I made it all up to the point of rising for a couple hours on the counter, covered in cling wrap, and put it in the fridge overnight (8-9 hours). Brought it out in the morning and as soon as I tried to knead it, it very obviously lost all of its air at once. So maybe it would have been better if I had kneaded it prior to putting it in the fridge? But I kept going and shaped them and placed them in the warm oven for the next prove. It thankfully got most of the rise back in the warmth, and ended up turning out beautifully.
Side note: I’d heard of some Easter bread recipes including a citrus flavor, so I decided to experiment and add the zest of 2 lemons in the dry ingredient mixture, and we totally loved it.
Happy Easter, Lindsay! That’s not a bad thing! It still rises in the fridge and you’re meant to knead the air out of it (maybe it over proved a little). However, as you discovered, they turned out! Lemon zest would be a lovely addition. Thanks so much for letting me know how they came out! Yay! :) CC
Thanks for great directions and recipe!
You’re so welcome, Lindsay! Hope you discover more of my recipes to enjoy! :)
Cute idea and my girls loved making these, but Ours didn’t turn out nice and fluffy like your pic, our were a little flat
Sorry to hear that, Kristen. Could be a few factors: was your yeast fresh? Maybe it didn’t rise long enough before baking? Not sure what it could be without being there, but hopefully they taste good! Happy Easter!
Hi there!
My family used to have something like this all the time when I was little. About 5 years ago we found out that my mother has major problems with gluten. Do you think this recipe would work with an all-purpose gluten-free flour? I’d love to surprise my mom with these.
Thanks!
Amy
Hi Amy, to be honest, I’ve never baked with gf flour with yeast, so I have absolutely NO idea how it would turn out. It might be grand, and it might be a disaster. If you’re willing to gamble, add some xantham gum (1/4 tsp), cut down on the salt and give it a try, but do let me know how it turns out! Good luck and Happy Easter, CC
No. Gluten free baking will NOT yield the same result, no matter what you do. The gluten is what gives bread it’s texture. I’ve been schooled in and done a lot of gluten free baking. The only baked goods that are still good without regular flour are quick breads like pumpkin bread and pie crust. And those must be eaten the same day as their made because they start to turn gluey, dense and brick like.
Thank you for your input, Melody! I’ve never tried making anything with yeast and gf flour.
I just heard about using King Arthur GF Measure for Measure flour yielding awesome results for those that are gluten free. Give it a whirl…..
Going to try to make for this Easter. May be a silly question: if served with dinner do we just butter roll as s normal dinner roll?
Hi Betsy, these aren’t meant to be served with dinner, but afterwards as dessert. You could reduce the sugar (I would omit it) and not ice them, then you could eat them with your meal. Happy Easter!
What happens to the raw eggs? I’ve never baked Easter bread with raw eggs, can you eat the eggs after will they be cooked?
Oh they are baked, but turn out exactly like hard boiled eggs, Nina! Of course, you can eat them. Just treat them as you would hard boiled. Happy Easter!
What is the best way to store them until easter? Aluminium fiol?
Hi Heather, they really should be in the fridge because of the egg, but that will make the brioche hard. They’re not great for storing for any length of time, tbh, so I’ve never kept them more than 2 days. Any airtight tin or even tin foil would be fine if you have to keep them.
Can you prepare everything the day before and then put the twisted rings, after all the rising is done, in the fridge and bake the following day so it is fresh? Also, is it necessary to use the plastic type mat in the pan? I don’t have one, if s needed, what can I use to substitute?
Hi Jen, I’ve never done that, but it might work. The only thing I would suggest is try to do it late at night so it just has about 8 hours in the fridge, versus much longer (it may over prove and make the dough sour). You don’t have to use a silicone sheet, but it’d good if you have parchment paper. If you don’t have that either, try a little semolina or rice flour so that they don’t stick to the pan. Let me know how it goes! CC
I did a test batch of these yesterday – I loved them, but was a little disappointed with the finish. Can you egg wash them before baking?
Hi Cece, I’m assuming you’re not icing them as I did? If you are, the finish is hidden which is why I don’t bother giving them a wash before baking, but absolutely do it if you like. Glad you loved them! :) Happy Easter!
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Hello!
I am currently making these and they are resting now, how long does it typically take for them to rise fully? They are in the warm oven now!
to clarify i am on the first rise
Hi Diana, I think it’ll be doubled in size by now (2 hrs later). I didn’t put an actual time as it all depends on how fresh your yeast is and how warm the temperature is. Just wait until it doubles. :)
What size bread machine? I tried to see if others asked, but too many comments and could not find. If it matters, what size would be best. I see a 2 pound capacity I like. Thank you!
Yes, that’s a pretty average size that works well, it’s not too small! :)
This reminds me of my childhood! Every Easter we would eat this bread! I’ve been trying to find a good recipe to follow and this one looks great! I’ve seen others use orange zest, juice and anise, do we need to incorporate that? Also if I don’t have either machine can I just knead the dough by hand?
Yes, on all of your questions, Nicole! I wouldn’t add juice as I don’t think it will add any flavor to the bread, but add the zest and anise if you like. Knead the dough until it’s really soft and you’ll have a good end result. Enjoy!
Thank you for step by step instructions. Ques. How do you store the Easter bread after prepared? Does it need to be in the refrigerator?.
You can, Lisa, obviously, it’s the hard boiled eggs that are the issue. Just let it come to room temperature before serving and try to not make it more than a day before you plan to serve it. Enjoy!
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