Holiday Wreath Bread Recipe

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Do you want to surprise your family and friends this holiday season? Why not wow them with a homemade Wreath Bread Recipe! It’s surprisingly easy to make, so even if you’re a beginner baker, you can follow these simple steps and create your own festive loaf of deliciousness. Plus, it makes for a beautiful addition to the dinner table. Make sure to try this homemade bread recipe for the holidays and you won’t be disappointed!

Bread Recipes have become quite popular in recent years, as more people are looking for ways to make healthier and tastier breads. Whether you’re a beginner baker or an experienced one, there is a wide range of recipes out there to help you create the perfect loaf. If you’re looking for the perfect wreath bread recipe, make sure to browse through the variety of recipes available online and in cookbooks. You’ll be sure to find one that fits your tastes and skill level.

This Wreath Bread Recipe is the same base recipe as my Holiday Peppermint Bark Bread except I used a cinnamon brown sugar filling inside instead of the peppermint. It’s such a fluffy and light bread it works for any kind of bread that you want to put a filling in and roll up.

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What Makes Bread Really Soft and Fluffy?

The key to soft, fluffy bread is all in the ingredients and the method. A wreath bread recipe will typically call for milk, sugar, butter, eggs, and yeast. The milk and sugar help to feed the yeast, which causes the bread to rise. The butter adds richness and flavor, while the eggs contribute structure. The key is to combine these ingredients gently, without overmixing.

If the dough is too tough, the gluten will develop and the bread will be tough. However, if the dough is too soft, it will collapse when it bakes. The goal is to find a balance between these two extremes. By taking care with the ingredients and the mixing process, it is possible to produce bread that is light, fluffy, and full of flavor.

Can You Knead Bread Too Much?

If you’re a fan of wreath bread, you might be wondering if it’s possible to knead the dough too much. After all, the dough is pretty tough and can take a lot of punishment. However, there is such a thing as over-kneading bread dough, and it can lead to some undesirable results.

Over-kneading bread dough will make it tough and difficult to work with. It can also cause the bread to be dense and heavy, rather than light and fluffy. In addition, over-kneading can break down the gluten proteins in the flour, which will result in a less elastic dough that is more difficult to shape.

So, what’s the best way to knead wreath bread dough? The general rule of thumb is to knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. You should be able to shape it into a ball without too much difficulty. If you find that the dough is too sticky or difficult to work with, you can add a little more flour. However, don’t be tempted to add too much flour, as this will make the bread dense and heavy.

wreath bread recipe frosted with sprinkles

More Amazing Bread Recipes!

How Do I Put Together the Holiday Wreath Bread?

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the warm milk and half of the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over top of the milk, stir gently and allow the yeast to activate, about 5 minutes. The mixture should froth and foam slightly.
Once the yeast has been activated, stir 1/2 cup of the flour in to the milk mixture with a whisk.
Once combined, add the remaining sugar, 1 egg, and salt, and stir to combine.
On low speed, add the remainder of the flour and beat to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Once evenly combined, increase the speed to medium and add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and then continue to beat on medium speed for an additional 4 minutes. The dough will be quite moist and sticky.
Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough inside, covering it tightly with a piece of plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
Melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar, and cinnamon until well combined. Set aside until the dough is ready. Once the dough has risen, roll it out into a 12”x18” rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Spread the brown sugar filling evenly over the rectangle, leaving a 1” border around the perimeter of the dough.
Then, starting with one of the long sides, roll the dough gently into one long tube. If you put it on parchment paper you can transfer it to a pan later without ruining your dough.
Roll it up and join the ends to make a ring. Slightly overlap the ends of the dough. Don’t pinch as that will create unnecessary bulkiness. This part of the ring will be where the bow will go.
Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors starting at one end of the ring, make cuts 1″ apart up to 1/2″ from inside and bottom of ring, all the way around at a slight slant. Less is more. You can always cut more but you can’t fix cuts.
When you are done cutting, gently pull the dough pieces away from each other using the edge of a knife or spatula. Using your fingers will cause the dough to become dimply. Pull the dough away so it sits slightly on the piece under it and the filling is exposed evenly around.
Cover the dough with a piece of plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the dough is puffed and golden brown throughout. Allow to cool before adding cream cheese frosting and sprinkles.
To add the frosting like I did, use a plastic sandwich bag and add the frosting to it. Cut a 1/4″ hole in the corner and squeeze the frosting onto the bread and then add the sprinkles.

Another amazing holiday bread to make is this Stollen Recipe (a Christmas bread recipe)!

Wreath Bread Baking Tips

I opted not to twist this bread like the peppermint bark bread. On the first try, when I twisted it, the brown sugar went everywhere and the inside part of the bread ended up baking on the outside causing it to be too crusty. I recommend making a loop with the bread and then cutting the slits an inch apart as shown in the photos and pulling the dough out.
Don’t rush! I used the edge of the knife to help move the bread instead of my fingers and that helps to keep the bread from getting mangled.
Add a pan under the bread in the oven just in case the filling runs off while baking.

Wreath Bread Baking Essentials

Holiday Sprinkles By Unpretentious Baker, 2 Cups, Bright & Colorful, Decorative & Fun Topping for Baking 2.5” Wide Christmas Velvet Ribbon Waterproof Wrapping Velvet Ribbon for Christmas Craft Decoration, Xmas Wreath Bow, Wrapping Crafts (Red, 60 Yard)Portmeirion Sophie Conran White Round Platter American Metalcraft 12 Pizza Baking Pan Pizza Tray – Deedro 12 inch Stainless Steel Pizza Pan Round Pizza Baking Sheet Oven Tray Pizza Crisper Pan, Healthy Pizza Cooking Pan for Oven, 2 Pack Home-Complete Cast Iron Pizza Pan-14” Skillet for Cooking, Baking, Grilling-Durable, Long Lasting, Even-Heating and Versatile Kitchen Cookware

More Holiday Bread Recipes

Wreath Bread Recipe

Yield: 1

This homemade bread recipe is perfect for the holidays! It's festive, delicious, and surprisingly easy to make. Follow these simple steps to create your own wreath-shaped loaf of bread.

Ingredients

½ Cup Whole Milk, lukewarm
¼ Cup Sugar
2 1/4 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Large Eggs, divided
½ Teaspoon Salt
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
Holiday Sprinkles, optional

Filling

2 Tablespoons Butter, melted
1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened
3 Tablespoons Butter, softened
3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the warm milk and half of the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over top of the milk, stir gently and allow the yeast to activate, about 5 minutes. The mixture should froth and foam slightly.
Once the yeast has been activated, stir 1/2 cup of the flour in to the milk mixture. Once combined, add the remaining sugar, 1 egg, and salt, and stir to combine.
On low speed, add the remainder of the flour and beat to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Once evenly combined, increase the speed to medium and add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then continue to beat on medium speed for an additional 4 minutes. The dough will be quite moist and sticky.
Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough inside, covering it tightly with a piece of plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, about 1-1/2-2 hours.
Melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla until well combined. Set aside until the dough is ready.
Once the dough has risen, roll it out into a 12”x18” rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Spread the brown sugar filling evenly over the rectangle, leaving a 1” border around the perimeter of the dough.
Starting with one of the long ends, roll the dough into one long tube and roll it up to make a circle. Place the ring of dough into a lightly greased 10” cast-iron skillet or on a round pizza pan.
Join the ends of the dough to make a ring, pinching the ends together slightly so they attach. Using a sharp knife, make cuts 1" apart up to 1/2" from inside of ring, all the way around. When you are done making the cuts, gently pull the cut pieces away from each other to expose the rolled up inside. each piece will sit slightly on the piece before it.
Cover the dough with a piece of plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Stir the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush a thin layer of the mixture over the surface of the dough.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the dough is puffed and golden brown throughout. Allow to cool before adding cream cheese frosting and sprinkles.