From Christmas dinner to Christmas desserts, this is one of the most highly anticipated feasts of the year. And as far as the start of the meal goes, it’s all about bread. Whether you like yours soft and pillowy, crusty and crunchy, or chewy and gooey, this list has it all. I decided to go global in this lineup, too. So aside from our beloved American classics, you’ll also see traditional bread recipes from other countries. Want to learn how to make the fluffy condensed milk of Japan? How about the sweet and spicy cardamom bread of Finland? Or maybe you just want some crumbly cornbread. Can’t decide which recipe to go for? Here’s an idea – try them all! Christmas isn’t Christmas without good food, after all.
Traditional Christmas Breads From Around the World
1. Panettone
Dreaming of flying to Italy? If the budget still doesn’t permit, how about baking panettone instead? This traditional Italian sweet bread (which is more like a cake) will give your Christmas an Italian feel. This cake is insanely light and fluffy, with raisins and candied orange lending flavor and textural contrast. It’s easily customizable, too. Don’t feel like you absolutely need to add raisins and candied orange if you don’t want to!
2. Rosca De Reyes
Rosca de reyes is a traditional Spanish bread served during Epiphany. This Christian holiday is celebrated on January 6th, the 12th day of Christmas. It commemorates the visitation of the three kings to the newborn Christ. Meaning “the ring of kings,” rosca de reyes is a round yeasted bread adorned with dried and/or candied fruit, giving it a crown-like look. A tiny, baby Jesus figurine is hidden somewhere inside the bread. Whoever gets the slice with the baby Jesus on it will be in charge of hosting a dinner on Candlemas day, which is celebrated on February 2nd.
3. Stollen
Next up, how about we head to Germany? There are many variations of the classic fruitcake, but the German version is one of the best. Stollen is a moist and flaky yeasted bread studded with tons of dried fruits, nuts, and candied citrus peel. Flavored with sugar, cinnamon, mace, and cardamom, it has a beautiful balance of sweetness and spice.
4. Scones
To be clear: these scones are American, not English. English scones, which are called biscuits here, are round, light, and airy. They have a buttery and crumbly exterior and a moist and tender interior. Meanwhile, American scones are triangular and taste like muffins, but a bit denser. As quick breads, they’re also a lot easier to make. Serve these fancy pastries with jam or honey and butter and pair them with tea or coffee. They’ll be delicious any which way.
5. Star Bread
Its name alone tells you how appropriate it is for Christmas. The star bread is as festive as can be. This bread has a super intricate design, so I understand if you’re reluctant to make it. But trust me, it’s not as difficult as you think it is! Also, you’ll love how you’re free to flavor it however you want to. You can make it savory with pesto or cheese or sweet with jam or Nutella.
6. Monkey Bread Muffins
These muffins are soft, sticky, and pillowy pull-apart bread covered with cinnamon sugar. They taste as if you worked hard on them, but the truth is, you’ll hardly work on them at all. Who would’ve thought that you can make these scrumptious monkey bread muffins with store-bought biscuit dough? Done in just 30 minutes, this recipe is ideal if you want to impress your guests with your baking skills, but are rather inexperienced.
7. Wreath Bread
This wreath bread will be the star of your Christmas spread. First of all, it’s gorgeous. Again, by the looks of it, you’d think it requires some pro-baking skills. But it doesn’t. If I can pull it off, so can you. Its texture is also quite phenomenal. With a crispy outer crust and a soft, spongy interior, it’s the Christmas French bread you didn’t know you needed.
8. Cornbread
The number of times I’ve had cornbread that’s just way too crumbly is too darn high. Oh, how I hate biting into cornbread that disintegrates like wet sand! That’s why I made it a mission to find the recipe that’ll yield the perfect cornbread consistency. After many attempts, I finally found it. This copycat recipe creates the most delicious cornbread I’ve ever had in my life, and I’m not exaggerating. It’s soft and buttery and has just the perfect balance between moist and crumbly.
9. Christmas Tree Spinach Dip Breadsticks
If holiday-worthy is what you’re looking for, you have just found it. I mean, how ridiculously festive is this Christmas tree breadstick?! The tree looks stunning in its golden brown hue. But those streaks of green are what knocks it out of the park. Filled with a mix of cream cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, spinach, and herbs and spices, this breadstick tree is the ultimate Christmas treat. Here’s the best part: this seemingly intimidating tree only takes 30 minutes to make. We have refrigerated pizza crust to thank.
10. Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
If you can’t decide between chocolate muffins and pumpkin bread, I have just found you the solution. This chocolate chip pumpkin bread is calling out your name! With the combined flavors of chocolate, pumpkin, and spices, it has all the delicious flavors you want in a holiday bread. It’s moist and tender, and dense without being rubbery. Its flavors and textures are so fantastic, it doesn’t even need any frosting.
11. Cranberry Bread
This cranberry bread is actually a buttery loaf cake studded with fresh cranberries. Merry Christmas, indeed. Flavored with milk, instead of the usual orange juice, this cranberry bread is one of a kind. It’s moist and wonderfully dense with a perfect balance of sweet and buttery. It’s perfect for the holidays, but if you have frozen cranberries on hand, you can make them any day of the week. It’s amazing as-is, but you can take it up a notch by garnishing it with a white chocolate glaze.
12. Biscuits
American scones are great, but if you’re going for the English classic, this biscuit recipe is what you’ll need. I know it’s confusing, so let me explain. English scones are called biscuits here, while American scones are more like muffins. If you’re craving the former, then you’re in luck! This recipe creates light and crumbly biscuits that’ll make your Christmas teatime a sure hit. Best of all, this simplified Bisquick recipe comes together in no time.
13. Butternut Squash Rolls
Butternut squash and sage combine to make these unique rolls. They’re everything you can ask for in dinner rolls, and then some. They’re super soft and fluffy and they smell out-of-this-world amazing. Plus, the combo of squash and sage creates a wonderful balance of sweet and earthy. Smear a little (or a lot) of butter on top for the perfect bite.
14. Condensed Milk Bread
Condensed milk bread is a loaf of white bread with a sweet and milky flavor. Have you ever seen a bread recipe with sweetened condensed milk in it? So intriguing, am I right? Trust the Japanese to come up with such innovative ideas. This bread is insanely light and fluffy. The flavor is quite like no other, too. Sweet, milky, and buttery, it’s like a sponge cake in bread form.
15. Russian Krendl Bread
The Russian krendl bread is a sweet yeasted bread that takes the form of a giant pretzel. If that alone doesn’t entice you, wait until you find out what lies inside. Biting into the bread will release a sweet and fruity jam made of apples, apricots, and plums. But it doesn’t end there. The bread is also filled with cinnamon sugar and sprinkled with powdered sugar to boot. Delicious is an understatement.
16. Cinnamon Rolls
Who needs Cinnabon when you can make your own cinnamon rolls? The smell of dough, ground cinnamon, and brown sugar brings such joy that nothing else can. These pillowy rolls are filled with cinnamon and sugar and frosted with a smooth and glossy glaze. If you find making yeasted bread intimidating, don’t fret. With this recipe, you’ll get help from Bisquick. There’s no kneading, rolling, or proofing necessary.
17. Nutella Star Bread
Here’s another version of star bread the kids will surely enjoy. Nothing makes bread taste sweeter than a good smearing of Nutella. While the delectable hazelnut spread makes this bread a treat, it’s the unique shape that makes it festive. While it will take more time and effort than baking quick bread, yeasted breads are not that difficult to make, either. Plus, nothing beats the fulfillment of seeing how beautiful the finished product is.
18. Raisin Bread
Here’s another yeasted bread recipe that’s 100% worth the time and effort. This bread loaf is soft and fluffy with sweet raisins in every bite. It may be simple, but sometimes, all you need is some good bread slathered with butter. It’s also fantastic with fruit jam and preserves, or turkey, cheese, or ham. Whether you’re on team sweet or savory, this bread won’t disappoint.
19. Golden Santa Bread
How adorable, am I right? This golden Santa bread is almost too cute to eat! Just take as many photos as you can to preserve its beauty, and then dig in. Trust me, you don’t want to miss the deliciousness that is this bread. Served fresh, it’s crusty on the outsides and fluffy on the inside. It’s terrific even on its own, but also scrumptious with butter, cheese, and other spreads.
20. Trinidad Coconut Sweet Bread
This coconut sweet bread from Trinidad is much like a fruitcake, but with shredded coconut, and candied fruit peel instead. You’ll love how the fruit, coconut, and butter give this bread a chewy consistency and a tropical flavor. Cinnamon and nutmeg give it that cozy and warming characteristic.
21. Pulla (Finnish Cardamom Bread)
Pulla is a Finnish braided loaf bread with a buttery texture and a sweet and spiced flavor. Ideal with coffee, think of it as a coffee cake, but with a Finnish flair. Infused with cardamom seeds, this bread has a mesmerizing aroma and a mildly fruity and menthol-like taste.
22. Kolach (Ukrainian Christmas Bread)
Kolach is a Ukrainian bread traditionally served on Christmas and other special celebrations. It’s a very basic yeasted bread recipe with no flavorings or mixins. What makes it unique is that it’s braided and formed into a giant ring. In Ukraine, Kolach is served as part of the Christmas Eve dinner and is said to symbolize prosperity and bounty.
23. Gingerbread Loaf
Dusted with powdered sugar, this gingerbread loaf is as rustic as can be. While the look is impressive, its flavor and texture are what will make you love it even more. This bread loaf has a wonderfully moist and tender crumb. Infused with molasses, cinnamon, and cloves, it has a lovely depth of flavor. The warmth from the spices makes it cozy as well. Serve this at Christmas with coffee and tea, and your day will be made.
24. Dinner Rolls
When it comes to dinner rolls, Texas Roadhouse knows what’s up. Theirs are wildly tender and fluffy. They also have that amazing balance of sweet, salty, and buttery, as well. No wonder they’re one of the most popular items on their menu. If you’re looking for the perfect dinner rolls to serve with ham and other Christmas meal staples, this copycat recipe is exactly what you’ll need.
25. Cranberry Orange Bread
Just looking at this bread already makes me crave it. I know what I’m baking today! Oranges and cranberries unite to create a sweet, tart, and fruity treat. Besides the flavor, the cranberries also serve as a pretty Christmas decoration. The orange glaze adds another layer of festiveness, too. They’re what makes the bread perfect for Christmas breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner.
26. Honey Beer Bread
Bet you didn’t think honey and bread made an awesome combination! But it does, and this bread is proof. Unlike other quick breads that are 100% tender and moist, the honey beer bread has a crispy outer crust. It’s what makes it special. Here’s another great thing about it: it only calls for four ingredients. If you have self-rising flour, honey, beer, and sugar in your pantry, you’ll know what to do.
27. Julekake (Norwegian Christmas Bread)
Julekake is Norwegian for “Christmas cake.” However, don’t expect a soft and moist slice of cake with this one. Julekake is actually a type of bread, leavened with yeast. It has a brioche-like texture, albeit firmer and less rich. Flavored with cardamom seeds and made more festive with raisins, Julekake should not only be a must-have in Norwegian households, but in your home as well.
28. Jamaican Banana Bread
Jamaican banana bread is made even more epic with toasted pecans and coconut on top. It’s spiked with rum and frosted with caramel glaze to boot. Jamaicans definitely know how to have fun. If you’re looking for something more extra this Christmas, don’t settle for basic banana bread. Try the Jamaican version for a delicious tropical twist.
29. Christmas Morning Bagels
With these bagels, Christmas morning has never been this colorful. Let’s take a moment to appreciate just how pretty those red and green swirls are! They’re perfect for the occasion. The concept is taken from the trending rainbow bagels, but instead of seven colors, you’ll go for two. While they do look a bit like watermelon, don’t expect them to be sweet. Instead, they have a mild flavor, making them a perfect vessel for sweet and savory spreads.
30. Blueberry French Toast Casserole
This blueberry French toast breakfast casserole is so good, I can’t even begin to explain how much I love it. The casserole is loaded with cream cheese and blueberry, so it has that beautiful sweet and salty flavor profile going on. With this recipe, you can make 12 slices-worth of toast, all at once. There’s no need to wait in front of a hot stove for the toast to cook. The oven will take care of everything. Trust it to turn your bread into scrumptious toasts! Click on a star to rate it!
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