Make an Easter Braided Egg Bread using a Bread Machine

I grew up in Toronto’s Roncesvalles Village, also known as Little Poland. Down the main street, there were many Polish Bakeries, Delicatessens, and Restaurants. At Easter, my Polish Grandma, whom we lived with, would go to the local bakery and pick up some special Easter Egg Buns. You could buy egg bread all year round, however, at Easter, these were made special by adding a sweet glaze and sprinkles. We are all about keeping life simple and in this post, I will show you how easy it is to make egg bread using your bread machine.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

What’s special about egg bread at Easter?

Many cultures have a version of egg bread as part of their Easter traditions. Eggs represent new life or rebirth so it is fitting that eggs are used in a holiday all about the resurrection of Jesus! Fun fact, during medieval times eggs, were forbidden during Lent (the 40 days leading up to Easter) and so receiving an egg on Easter was a real treat!

Why do I use a bread machine?

I love using a bread machine because it takes the guesswork out of creating the perfect loaf of bread. The machine I have has 14 functions. My favourite one is the dough function. The dough function will knead the dough, allow it to rest and rise, punch it, and does another rest and rise. It also adds the right amount of warmth to the dough to allow it to rise. It’s a perfect ball of dough every time.

What to look for in a bread machine?

My bread machine was an investment, but I’ve had it for almost 10 years! I have the Breadman bread machine. My advice on what to look for in a good bread machine is:

1. A collapsible kneading paddles. This is a must for me. Right before the bread starts to bake the paddle collapses flat against the bottom of the pan. This allows you to remove it with little damage to the loaf of bread.
2. A dough-only option. You could use a standup mixer, but you will still need to babysit the dough through the resting and rise period. I prefer to leave the hard work to the machine!
3. Multiple functions for different types of bread. The Breadman has 14 functions including French, gluten-free, low-carb, and even a jam!
4. Automatic “extra” dispenser perfect for adding fruit, seeds, or nuts to your bread.

How to make the Egg Bread?

Recommended Tools:

• Bread machine, Breadman, Cusimax,
• Cookie sheet
• Pastry Brush
• Parchment paper

Egg Bread Dough Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups organic all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1 tsp active dry or bread machine yeast
• 1 egg, whisked for egg wash

Lemon Glaze Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup Confectioners sugar
• 1/2 Lemon
• 1 tsp decorating sprinkles (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

Making the Dough

1. Setup your bread machine according to the manual. I use the Breadman machine, so my setup involves attaching the collapsible kneading paddle to the bottom of the bread pan.
2. Add the water and 1 egg to a bowl and whisk until fully mixed and full of bubbles. Pour into the bread pan.
3. Measure the next 5 ingredients into the bread pan in the order listed.
4. If your bread machine has a collapsible kneading paddle, like mine, make sure it is in the upright position.
5. Turn on the bread machine and select the dough setting. The dough process on my machine takes 130 minutes.
6. When the dough is ready, remove the bread pan from the machine and dump the dough onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Remove the kneading paddle from the dough.
7. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Braiding the Dough

1. Cut the dough into 3 equal parts. Stretch each section out as far as it naturally will go without breaking.
2. Lay the 3 long pieces of dough side-by-side about 1 inch apart. Pinch the ends together on one side. Slowly braid the dough.
3. Carefully braid the dough. When the braid is complete, carefully bring both ends together to form a ring, then pinch the ends together so the bread stays in the shape of the ring.
4. Cover, and let sit for 40 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.
5. Beat 1 egg. Using a silicone pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the dough.
6. Place the dough on the middle rack in a 375F preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Lemon Glaze

1. Add confectioners sugar to a small bowl.
2. Stir in the juice of 1/2 a lemon.
3. Using a silicone basting brush, brush the glaze over the cooled eggs bread.
4. Top with some decorating sprinkles and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

• This recipe yields a 1lb loaf. You can double the recipe to make 2 rings (it will still fit into the bread machine).
• Instead of shaping the braid into a ring, pinch the ends and bake it straight. You can omit the lemon glaze. This makes great toasting or sandwich bread. I love making french toast using egg bread too.

Save this recipe for later!

More from the blog:

• Low-Carb Cornbread in a Cast-Iron Skillet
• Immersive Van Gogh – Is it Worth the Money?
• How to Make DIY Cleaners for Your Home
• 6 Tips on How to Simplify Your Cleaning Routine
• Travel Backpack Review – Nest Everyday Adventure Backpack by Tropicfeel