German Easter Bread (Osterbrot)

German Easter Bread on a wooden stand sliced into wedges.

German Easter Bread (Osterbrot)

Celebrate the season with an easy German Easter Bread called Osterbrot. A rich, soft sweet bread with hints of citrus, and utterly delicious!

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Rising Time2

Total Time2 45

Servings: servings

Calories: 147kcal

Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup dried fruit like raisins, golden raisins and/or currants soaked
3/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons instant yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour (to 4¼ cups) spooned and leveled
1 ½ teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon orange zest or lemon zest
2 large eggs

Topping

egg wash egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water.
sliced almonds for garnish

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Soak the raisins in hot water for up to 30 minutes, then drain off the liquid and pat dry.
Warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter melts. Let cool to lukewarm.
Add sugar, yeast, flour, salt, zest, lukewarm milk mixture, and the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, mix and knead until combined. Then add the soaked (and pat dried) fruit and knead for 5-7 minutes. The dough will be tacky but not sticky. Depending on how wet and plump the dried fruit is, you may need to add a little extra flour (1 tablespoon at a time). For me, I haven't needed to add any additional flour.
Shape the dough into a round ball or "boule," cover, and let it rise in an oiled bowl in a warm place until puffy, about 90 minutes to 2 hours.
Deflate gently and form the dough into a round "boule" shape. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375℉ and place a tray with water on the bottom shelf. This will create steam in the oven. Prepare the egg wash and set aside.
When ready to bake, brush the risen dough with the egg wash. Use a sharp knife or a dough etching tool (which I absolutely love), and score a cross on the top of the loaf. Sprinkle generously with sliced almonds and additional sugar if desired.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until it's a deep golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the center reads 185-190℉. Loosely tent with foil if it's browning too quickly. Let cool before slicing.

Nutrition