Holiday Bread Recipes For Gifts

Bread expert Elizabeth Yetter has been baking bread for more than 20 years, bringing her Pennsylvania Dutch Country experiences to life through recipes.

Handing out sweet bread loaves during the holidays is a tradition kept in many families, especially when it comes to Christmas gift-giving. Although these delicious mini loaves require a little bit of work, they are not difficult to make and can also be great for a novice cook looking for an easy loaf of quick bread. Filled with cranberries and a fragrant touch of cinnamon, this recipe doesn't require any difficult-to-find ingredients and after a good mix, the batter is ready to go into the oven for one hour. The hands-on work is short, and the wait is worth it, as this moist and perfectly sweet bread makes a great coffee break companion, and of course a fantastic holiday gift. Besides, the small size of the mini loaf guarantees that it's going to be eaten in its entirety and not left to dry on a counter.

If the holidays are approaching and fresh cranberries are aplenty in the produce section of the supermarket, give this bread a try. Most people only eat cranberries during the holidays, and only in the form of an overly sweet cranberry sauce that is served with classic dishes like roasted turkey and mashed potatoes. But cranberries are a powerhouse of flavor and nutrition on their own and don't need a load of sugar to taste great. Our recipe highlights their acidic notes and adds enough sugar to make them shine without overpowering your palate. An easy glaze makes a pretty addition to the loaf.

Gifts You Can Make: Effortless & Elegant Quick Breads

The recipe does contain eggs and dairy, so if you're giving them away, do make a cute little tag that points out the ingredients so the recipient knows what's in it. For a dairy-free version, you could replace the butter with vegan margarine and the milk with a plant-based option like oat milk. There are many baking tricks for replacing eggs, such as using bananas, applesauce, flax or chia seeds instead, so you can always try and make your own allergy-friendly loaf. For our recipe, you need three small loaf tins. Plan ahead, as the loaves need to cool off completely before being wrapped for gifting. Cellophane bags and a little bow make a pretty package.

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2, 000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

I don't like this at all. It's not the worst. Sure, this will do. I'm a fan—would recommend. Amazing! I love it! Thanks for your rating!

Holiday Eggnog Bread

We and our 100 partners store and/or access information on a device, such as unique IDs in cookies to process personal data. You may accept or manage your choices by clicking below, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, or at any time in the privacy policy page. These choices will be signaled to our partners and will not affect browsing data.

Store and/or access information on a device. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content. Measure advertising performance. Measure content performance. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content.There is no doubt that the holidays are a time for baking, baking and more baking! From Christmas cookies to cupcakes that are decorated with red and green frosting galore, there is always something delicious to bake around this time of the year. Whether it’s a tradition to make cinnamon rolls every Christmas morning or if you were inspired by The Great British Baking Show and want to experiment in the kitchen, this is the best time of the year to get in the kitchen and whip up some beautiful Christmas bread.

Christmas breads are often more decorative and have celebratory qualities to them, such as the Bulgarian Christmas Bread that symbolizes prosperity for the upcoming year. Other classic Christmas breads from around the world include Panettone or Stollen which are filled with fruits and nuts. Whatever type of bread that you like, you can’t go wrong with the ones we have listed below! Alternatively, if you have your hands full this holiday season but still want to enjoy a warm, fresh loaf of bread, you can add one of these bread makers to your wish list. Just add the ingredients to the machine, and a few hours later you will have a freshly baked loaf.

Holiday And Christmas Bread Recipes And Sweet Loaves

This butter-brushed and sugar-dusted classic German loaf is made 3-4 weeks before serving so it has time to develop its balanced flavor. A good stollen should have a consistency similar to quick bread or biscuits, says Julia Foerster, the blogger behind Plated Cravings.

Foerster grew up in a small village in northern Bavaria, where her paternal grandparents would dole out stollen as Christmas gifts. She recommends making the bread from scratch because the dessert lasts “forever” — she once forgot about a loaf she'd baked, and upon discovering it months later, it was still flavorful.

Buñuelos are a popular Christmas bread that you'll find in Colombia. However, according to food blogger Erica Dinho, these can also be enjoyed all year round with a hot cup of chocolate or coffee.

Christmas Bread Recipe: This Cinnamon Bread Is A Favorite Neighbor Gift!

Make this tasty Russian Christmas bread that has a soft, fragrant dough with a delicious filling of pears, apricots, apples and more!

The author of this recipe suggests that you allow enough time to let the dough rise before baking. It's an important step that you don't want to rush, or else you may be left with a dense loaf. If your kitchen is cooler, you may need more time for it to properly rise.

This loaf of bread is meant to symbolize and celebrate Earth’s abundant gifts and bring in a prosperous year. It's decorated with flowers, ears of wheat and even has a token hidden inside.

Best Christmas Breads

Although you have to shape and attach separate pieces of dough to this loaf, the author of this recipe noted that it was surprisingly easy to do. So, what are you ready for? It's time to create a beautiful Bulgarian Christmas bread this year!

Make sure to include this sweet Bobalki bread on the Christmas table this year! You'll be loving the honey and poppy seed glaze that coats each bun — the perfect amount of sweetness for each bite!

If you love cardamom, then this bread is for you! Cardamom is the star of the show here but there are other winners that make this bread complete; like cinnamon and sugar, raisins and sliced almonds. You won't regret making this come Christmastime, especially accompanied with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Quick Bread Recipes

Good Panettone is practically a religion in Italy. Originating in Milan, the traditional version can take three days to make, according to food blogger Rosemary Molloy. But Molloy's sped-up version makes it easy. One of her top tips is to double-check the temperature of the water you add to the dough. Go too hot, and you’ll kill the yeast, but go too cold, and your dough won’t rise.

The fruit- or chocolate-filled sweet bread takes a tall, domed shape and is best served when soft. Molloy’s recipe, in particular, needs no glaze, but she does recommend a cup of espresso to pair it with.

Rosca de reyes, or Three Kings Bread, is a ring-shaped bread baked to celebrate the Epiphany on January 6. Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack of Muy Bueno says this bread is often decorated with “jewels” — usually colorful candied fruits — to symbolize a crown. A baby figurine is typically tucked somewhere inside the loaf (not unlike Mardi Gras King Cake).

Cranberry Bread With Orange Glaze (video)

Learning from her grandmother who was born in Mexico, Marquez-Sharpnack honors her Tejana upbringing by teaching her children techniques for a good Rosca: checking that the dry yeast is active and using a long rolling pin — one passed down through her family.

Christopsomo translates to “Christ’s bread” in Greek, so it’s no wonder the traditional bread is adorned with the shape of a cross. Often sweetened with sugar or honey and mixed with raisins and walnuts, the dough serves as an offering to Christ.

Katerina Sakelliou, creator of Katerina’s Kouzina, grew up working in her parents’ restaurant on the rural Greek island of Poros, and some of the earliest recipes she remembers making are Christmas ones. She says you can’t have Christmas without Christopsomo — it would be considered bad luck in Greece. Her recipe is simple and straightforward, but keep one tip in mind: When you’re pulling the loaf out of the oven, check that it’s not too heavy, Sakelliou advises. You know you’ve got it right when it sounds “hollow” as you knock against the crust.

Cozy Holiday Breads To Bake And Share All Season

A soft roll that requires lots of kneading, Cozonac cu Nuca is a bit like Romania’s version of panettone, explains Jo Cismaru, baker and writer of Jo Cooks. Raisins and walnut paste add an extra burst