This Christmas bread is my favorite way to get ready for the holiday season. It’s a dead simple bread recipe made festive with food coloring– so easy! Made with just 8 simple ingredients, this is a great beginner bread recipe, and it looks so impressive when you cut into it! It’s perfect for everything from your morning toast to your afternoon sandwiches.
Christmas Bread Recipe
I love baking loaves of this Christmas bread to share with all of my neighbors. With all the sweets being passed around, it’s nice to get a versatile loaf of bread during the holidays. Everyone loves freshly baked bread, and this is such a pretty recipe to share. The method is simple and the results are so worth it!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Christmas sandwich bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Enjoy at room temperature or gently toasted.
Tips for Success
- If the yeast doesn’t proof, it’s important to start over. If not, it won’t work, and you won’t be able to make the bread.
- Allow the bread to rise 2 times in a cool place with a towel over the bowl.
- Lightly flour your surface before rolling out the bread dough.
- Change out the colors of this bread to use for other holidays!
- This bread makes great festive French toast!
Swirled Christmas Sandwich Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups milk warm (100-110°F)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelope)
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 egg whites
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (¾ stick)
- Red food coloring
- Green food coloring
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Stand Mixer
- Rolling Pin
- 9×5-inch Loaf Pan
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the milk, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes, until frothy. Once the yeast is frothy, add in the honey and whisk to combine. Add in the egg whites, whisking to combine, followed by the flour and salt. Use the dough hook attachment to knead the flour into the dough until thoroughly combined. Add in the butter and continue to knead until smooth and sticky, about 4 minutes. The dough should come away from the sides of the bowl.1½ cups milk, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast, ¼ cup honey, 2 egg whites, 4½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface. Divide it into 3 equal-sized sections (about 391 grams each). Roll one section of dough into a tight ball and place into a well greased bowl. Cover with a towel to rise. Add red food coloring to one of the remaining sections and green food coloring to the other section. Knead for a few minutes to fully incorporate the color into the dough. Roll each colored section of dough into a tight ball and place into 2 separate, well greased bowls to rise. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.Red food coloring, Green food coloring
- Once the dough has risen, turn the uncolored ball of dough out onto a well floured surface. Roll out into a rough rectangle about 7 inches wide and 10 inches long. Carefully transfer the sheet of dough onto a separate baking sheet. Next, roll out the red ball of dough in the same manner. Transfer the red sheet onto the top of the white sheet of dough. Lastly, roll out the green ball of dough. Flip the red and white sheets of dough onto the top of the green sheet of dough with the red being sandwiched between the green on the bottom and the white on the top.
- Roll the sheets of dough together into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and 12 inches long. Starting at the 8-inch end, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the edge of the dough together with the log so that it stays together when transferring. Place the dough log into a well greased loaf pan. Spray the top with baking spray. Cover with a towel and set aside to rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size. In the last 30 minutes of rising, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the risen bread into the oven to bake for 1 hour, or until baked through and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (190°F internally). Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack to cool before slicing and serving.
Notes
How to Make Christmas Bread Step-by-Step
Mix the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 1½ cups of milk, 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and 2½ teaspoons of active dry yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes, until frothy. Once the yeast is frothy, add in ¼ cup of honey and whisk to combine. Add in 2 large egg whites, whisking to combine, followed by 4½ cups of all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Use the dough hook attachment to knead the flour into the dough until thoroughly combined. Add in 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter and continue to knead until smooth and sticky, about 4 minutes. The dough should come away from the sides of the bowl.
Color the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Divide it into 3 equal-sized sections (about 391 grams each). Roll one section of dough into a tight ball and place into a well-greased bowl. Cover with a towel to rise. Add red food coloring to one of the remaining sections and green food coloring to the other section. Knead for a few minutes to fully incorporate the color into the dough. Roll each colored section of dough into a tight ball and place into 2 separate, well-greased bowls to rise. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Layer the Dough: Once the dough has risen, turn the uncolored ball of dough out onto a well-floured surface. Roll out into a rough rectangle about 7 inches wide and 10 inches long. Carefully transfer the sheet of dough onto a separate baking sheet. Next, roll out the red ball of dough in the same manner. Transfer the red sheet onto the top of the white sheet of dough. Lastly, roll out the green ball of dough. Flip the red and white sheets of dough onto the top of the green sheet of dough with the red being sandwiched between the green on the bottom and the white on the top.
Proof the Bread: Roll the sheets of dough together into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and 12 inches long. Starting at the 8-inch end, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the edge of the dough together with the log so that it stays together when transferring. Place the dough log into a well-greased loaf pan. Spray the top with baking spray. Cover with a towel and set aside to rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size. In the last 30 minutes of rising, preheat oven to 350°F.
Bake the Bread: Place the risen bread into the oven to bake for 1 hour, or until baked through and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (190°F internally). Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack to cool before slicing and serving.
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