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Russian Easter Bread (Kulich-Style Sweet Yeast Bread)

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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

  1. Warm the milk and pour it into a large mixing bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, combine warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
  3. In the mixing bowl, add 2 eggs and 10 egg yolks. Reserve some egg whites for brushing later.
  4. Add melted butter, vanilla, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth.
  5. Add 2 cups flour and the yeast mixture. Mix well.
  6. Add raisins and enough remaining flour (up to 5 1/2–6 cups total) to form a soft dough.
  7. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead several minutes until smooth. (Knead raisins in if they didn’t distribute evenly.)
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix reserved egg whites with 2 tablespoons water and a sprinkle of sugar. Brush tops of dough.
  11. 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.

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Recipe, image and content from Kids-Cooking-Activities.com