I have been enjoying a variation of this bread since I was a child. Every Christmas, our close family friend Charlotte always made a similar bread, and I routinely made a pig of myself. It was just so amazingly delicious.

So, when I started making bread in my early twenties, I found this recipe which was very like Charlottes, but also included a small amount of candied citron and candied cherries. And I liked it even better. (Some days an angel really does land on your shoulder.) Well, as you might have guessed, I have been making this bread ever since.

One of the fun Christmas events when my kids were young was to have an open house. All kinds of goodies were served including this Christmas bread. It was a way to share Christmas with our friends. And to teach the kids the enjoyment that can come from hosting. Other years we would deliver goodies to friends and family. The picture you see below was taken I believe in 1974. Ursala on the left and Paula on the right.

I didn’t bake this bread every year because there are just so many incredible breads out there that make wonderful Christmas treats. Like cinnamon rolls (several recipes on site), Christmas Berliner Stollen, Krendl (Russian Christmas Bread), Dried Cranberry and Almond Braided Danish, Bread Pudding with Spiced Rum Sauce, Baba Au Rhum, and Cream Cheese Danish. To name a few.  

But as with other favorite recipes of mine, I just make them and assume the recipe has already been posted on this site. Silly me. So, I apologize for not getting this braided yeast bread recipe posted sooner. (Like in time for Christmas 2023.) Also, this year, I changed things up a bit. Shape wise that is. I decided to make 5 small loaves instead of three braided breads. Every year I give 4 of our neighbors a small loaf of some type of sweet bread for Christmas. This year, as you can see from the picture above, it was a loaf of this delightful bread. (And yes, the fifth loaf stayed here and was gobbled up very quickly.)

So, if you too are a bread lover, and want to make something special for Christmas (or any other day of the year for that matter), this is a bread I am sure you will enjoy as much as I do. If you aren’t a candied fruit lover, just leave it out. Or change the type of candied fruit. Or add more nuts. Whatever appeals. Just don’t forget the glaze. It is just so wonderful. Not too sweet – just perfect. And if you have never used vanilla paste, get some at your earliest convenience. It is tantamount to heaven in a jar.

Well, it’s still raining here in NW Washington. But at least we aren’t having the same terrible snowstorms that are battering the East Coast and California. But there is a small chance of snow this weekend. And I say – bring it on! I love snow. Especially when there is nothing on our calendar. And for more weeks than I care to count, our weekend is free. And to that I say – HALLELUJAH! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

And as always, peace and love to all.

2 c. whole milk, scalded

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

2/3 c. granulated sugar

2 tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. crushed cardamon seed

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

scant 2 T. active dry yeast

¼ c. lukewarm water

2 lg. eggs

8 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1½ c. chopped walnuts

1 c. diced citron

1 c. chopped candied red and green maraschino cherries, plus more for decoration

veggie oil

½ c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla paste or vanilla extract

milk

Combine the scalded milk, butter, salt, crushed cardamon seeds, and cinnamon in the bowl of your stand mixer. Cool to lukewarm

Add the yeast softened in water. Add eggs. Mix well. Add 4 cups of the flour and beat well. Add the nuts, citron, chopped candied cherries, and enough remaining flour to form a firm dough (dough will be sticky).

Pour a bit of veggie oil in the bowl, and using your hands and a stiff spatula, form the dough into a lightly greased ball. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes. Punch down the dough.

For three braided loaves:

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into thirds. Divide each portion into thirds again. Shape each into a 14-in. rope. Place 3 ropes on parchment paper or a greased baking pan and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise for 40-50 minutes or until doubled in size. Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 195-degrees.

Remove from oven and place on wire racks. Make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste together with enough milk to make a thin consistency. Using a pastry brush, coat the braids with a thin layer of icing. Decorate with holly leaves and additional red and green candied maraschino cherries.

For 5 small loaves:

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 5 equal sized pieces. Shape into footballs and place in small, lightly greased loaf pans.

Cover and let rise for 40-50 minutes or until doubled in size. Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 195-degrees.

Remove from oven and place on wire racks. (If you have baked the loaves in aluminum foil pans, let the bread cool in the same pans. If not, remove from pans. Make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste together with enough milk to make a thin consistency. Using a pastry brush, coat the braids with a thin layer of icing. Decorate with holly leaves and additional red and green candied maraschino cherries.