These Easter Egg Braids and Egg Nests are going to look beautiful on your Easter table! Don’t let the braids intimidate you. They are easy and fun to make, and the egg nests would be a festive treat at each place setting.
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What to Love About This Recipe –
- You can “dress ’em up” or “dress ’em down” to get the look you want for your Easter dinner.
- The kiddos will love all the sprinkles and colors. The adults will love the more simple, farm-house look.
- The Egg Nests are fun when set at each place setting if you have a smaller group.
Printable Directions for Making Braided Easter Egg Bread
Braided Easter Egg Bread
These Easter Egg Braids and Egg Nests are going to look beautiful on your Easter table! Don’t let the braids intimidate you. They are easy and fun to make, and the egg nests would be a festive treat at each place setting.
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Servings: 2 loaves
Calories: 2579kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 ½ tsp. quick rise yeast
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 5-6 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 6-7 uncooked eggs dyed to preferred Easter colors
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tbs. milk
- rainbow pastel nonpareils
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat milk in microwave for 45-50 seconds on full power just until warm; stir in yeast and 1 tsp. granulated sugar; set aside.
- In bowl of electric mixer, combine softened butter and 2 cups of the flour on medium speed.
- One at a time, beat in all 3 eggs. Slowly add reserved yeast mixture, granulated sugar, and salt, beating until combined; add vanilla, lemon juice, and zest.
- Using the dough hook, add remainder of the flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough is stiff and not longer sticky, but still slightly tacky to the touch. Knead dough in mixer until smooth.
- Place dough into a well-oiled bowl and cover with a lightweight towel; let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 1 – 1 ½ hours. (If dough has been refrigerated at this point, it may take 2 – 2 ½ hours for dough to rise until doubled in size.)
- Punch dough down, then divide into half then divide each half into 3 equal portions. Using lightly floured hands and work surface, roll each portion of the dough into a 16”-long-rope with tapered ends. (If dough wants to pull back at this point, simply cover dough and let rest for 10 minutes to allow dough to relax a bit.)
- Arrange 3 ropes side-by-side onto a greased sheet of parchment paper placed onto a baking sheet; pinch top ends together, then braid dough ropes pinching bottom ends together, creating a braid about 12” long. Nestle dyed eggs into braid, spacing evenly throughout the braid; repeat with remaining 3 dough braids to create 2nd braid. Cover each braid with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until slightly puffed, approx. 45-50 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Carefully brush each braid with a bit of melted butter, taking care not to touch dyed eggs. Bake braids, uncovered, on center racks of oven, for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on the top and bottom. Let braids rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then slide on parchment paper over to cooling racks.
- Meanwhile, create glaze by combining all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth, adding milk until glaze reaches desired consistency. Using a pastry brush, gently brush glaze onto each braid, then sprinkle with rainbow nonpareils.
Notes
Braids can be stored in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 2579kcal | Carbohydrates: 362g | Protein: 65g | Fat: 96g | Saturated Fat: 53g | Cholesterol: 933mg | Sodium: 361mg | Potassium: 847mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 120g | Vitamin A: 3394IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 333mg | Iron: 18mg
Individual Easter Egg Nests
This recipe makes the most simple and beautiful Egg Nests, too! I prefer to make one Easter Egg Bread Braid along with several smaller Individual Egg Nests to decorate the table with.
These nests would make adorable treats at each place setting, or could be wrapped in cellophane and given as Easter gifts for take-home….if they last that long.
Recipe Tips for Making Individual Easter Egg Bread Nests-
- One recipe make 12-15 individual nests, or one braid and 6-8 nests per recipe.
- Sometimes I skip the glaze and nonpareils to give the nests a more farm-house fresh look.
- Individual Easter Egg Bread Nests rise faster and bake up faster than the larger braid, so they are much easier and quicker to complete.
More Fun Easter Treat Recipes –
-
Easter Toffee Bark
-
Adorable Easter Cup Cake Trio
-
5-Ingredient Peter Rabbit Cheese Ball
-
No-Bake Easter Nest Treats
Printable Directions for Making Individual Easter Egg Bread Nests
Individual Easter Egg Bread Nests
These Easter Egg Nests are going to look beautiful on your Easter table! They are easy and fun to make, a festive treat at each place setting.
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Servings: 12 nests
Calories: 430kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 ½ tsp. quick rise yeast
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 5-6 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 6-7 uncooked eggs, dyed to preferred Easter colors
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tbs. milk
- rainbow pastel nonpareils (sprinkles!)
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat milk in microwave for 45-50 seconds on full power just until warm; stir in yeast and 1 tsp. granulated sugar; set aside.
- In bowl of electric mixer, combine softened butter and 2 cups of the flour on medium speed.
- One at a time, beat in all 3 eggs. Slowly add reserved yeast mixture, granulated sugar, and salt, beating until combined; add vanilla, lemon juice, and zest.
- Using the dough hook, add remainder of the flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough is stiff and not longer sticky, but still slightly tacky to the touch. Knead dough in mixer until smooth.
- Place dough into a well-oiled bowl and cover with a lightweight towel; let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 1 – 1 ½ hours. (If dough has been refrigerated at this point, it may take 2 – 2 ½ hours for dough to rise until doubled in size.)
- Punch dough down, then divide into half then divide each half into 3 equal portions. Using lightly floured hands and work surface, roll each portion of the dough into a 16”-long-rope with tapered ends. (If dough wants to pull back at this point, simply cover dough and let rest for 10 minutes to allow dough to relax a bit.)
- Divide dough into 12-15 equal portions, rolling each portion into a long rope.
- Gently twist each rope, forming a circle and pinching ends together, placing each rope onto greased parchment paper placed onto baking sheets.
- Let nests rise a bit in a warm place; then gently nestle a dyed egg into the center of each one; brush each bread nest with a bit of melted butter.
- Bake nests, uncovered, on center racks in preheated 350 degree F. oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown; let cool on cooling racks. Brush nests with melted butter instead of glaze for a beautiful, simplistic look.
- (I often create one braid with half of the dough and then 6-8 nests with the remaining half so I can have some of each.)
Notes
(I often create one braid with half of the dough and then 6-8 nests with the remaining half so I can have some of each.) www.ChefAlli.com
Nutrition
Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 566IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg
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Are the eggs mainly for decoration or can you eat them? Wasn’t sure since it said you can store up to 3 days.
Thanks