Russian Easter Bread Recipe

This traditional Russian Easter Bread is a sweet, fluffy yeast bread that's often baked for Easter celebrations. Depending on where you are in the world, you may hear it called Babka (sweet yeast cake), Kozunak in Bulgaria, or Kulich in Russia. No matter the name, it's a festive, lightly sweet bread that makes a wonderful addition to Easter dinner, holiday brunch, or a special springtime treat.
Russian Easter bread (kulich-style) sweet yeast bread with raisins-pxb

Russian Easter bread (kulich-style) sweet yeast bread with raisins-pxb

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Russian Easter Bread (Kulich-Style Sweet Yeast Bread)

By Kids Cooking Activities

This rich, lemony Russian Easter Bread is a sweet yeast bread made with eggs, plenty of yolks, butter, vanilla, and raisins. Often baked in tall cans for a classic Kulich shape, it's a beautiful holiday bread for Easter dinner, brunch, or a special springtime treat.

Prep: 25 minutes | Rise: 2 hours | Bake: 25- 40 minutes (varies by size)
2 loaves (or 6-8 rolls, depending on shape

Russian Easter bread (kulich-style) sweet yeast bread with raisins-chgt

Ingredients

1 cup warm milk
1 tablespoon yeast (or 1 packet)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2 eggs
10 egg yolks
3/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
Juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup raisins
5 1/2- 6 cups flour

Instructions

Warm the milk and pour it into a large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, combine warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar, and yeast. Let sit 510 minutes until foamy.
In the mixing bowl, add 2 eggs and 10 egg yolks. Reserve some egg whites for brushing later.
Add melted butter, vanilla, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth.
Add 2 cups flour and the yeast mixture. Mix well.
Add raisins and enough remaining flour (up to 5 1/2-6 cups total) to form a soft dough.
Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead several minutes until smooth. (Knead raisins in if they didnt distribute evenly.)
Place 1 tablespoon oil in a large clean bowl. Add dough, cover, and let rise 1 hour. Punch down and let rise another 30 minutes.
Shape dough into loaves, braids, or rolls. For a traditional Kulich-style bread, place dough into clean coffee cans or tall cans, filling about 1/2 full. Cover and let rise 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix reserved egg whites with 2 tablespoons water and a sprinkle of sugar. Brush tops of dough.
Bake until golden brown. Baking time will vary by size and shape (generally 25- 40 minutes). Cool before slicing.

Kid-Friendly Tips

Kids can help zest lemons, measure raisins, and brush the egg wash (with supervision).
If dough feels sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time while kneading.
Make mini rolls for quicker baking and easy serving.

Notes

Baking in tall, clean cans creates the classic Russian Kulich shape. If using cans, grease well and place on a baking sheet. Bread is done when the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.

** This Easter Bread recipe is similar in many countries including Ukraine, Bulgaria, Moldova and Poland.

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