15 Christmas Bread Recipes for Holiday Baking

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Nothing says the holidays like the smell of bread baking. Many cultures have a special Christmas bread, from Germany’s sugar-dusted stollen to Italy’s tall panettone and Finland’s cardamom-scented pulla. A pretty braided wreath or star bread can also be the centerpiece of a Christmas brunch.

This list has traditional holiday loaves, festive shaped breads, savory tear-and-share breads for the dinner table, and easy quick breads that make great gifts. Each one comes from a talented baker, with their photo and a link to the full recipe.

How to Choose Your Christmas Bread

• Traditional holiday breads: stollen (No. 1), panettone (No. 2), and Finnish pulla (No. 3).
• Showstopper shapes: the challah wreath (No. 4), Nutella star bread (No. 5), or the baked brie bread wreath (No. 6).
• For the dinner table: the herby potato tear and share bread (No. 7) or crusty cranberry pecan bread (No. 12).
• Christmas morning: chocolate babka (No. 8), apple pull-apart bread (No. 9), cinnamon swirl bread (No. 10), or brioche (No. 11).
• No yeast, great for gifting: cranberry orange bread (No. 13), gingerbread loaf (No. 14), and pumpkin cream cheese bread (No. 15).

Holiday Bread Baking Essentials

• A tilt-head stand mixer: does the heavy kneading for rich, buttery doughs
• A digital kitchen scale: weighs flour for consistent results
• A 1-pound loaf pan: for babka, swirl breads, and quick breads
• A bench scraper: divides and shapes dough cleanly
• A half sheet pan with cooling grid: for wreaths, braids, and star breads
• A silicone pastry brush: for egg wash and melted butter
• A wire cooling rack: cools loaves without soggy bottoms

1. Authentic Stollen (German Christmas Bread)

This traditional stollen starts with raisins, candied citrus peel, and almonds soaked in rum. They get folded into a rich, buttery yeast dough scented with lemon zest, cardamom, mace, and cinnamon. A log of marzipan runs through the middle, and the baked loaves get brushed with butter and buried in powdered sugar.

Make-ahead: Traditionally, stollen is wrapped tightly and aged in a cool place for 2 to 3 weeks so the flavors meld.

Skip the marzipan: The recipe notes you can leave it out if marzipan isn’t your thing.

Tools you need: a tilt-head stand mixer, a silicone pastry brush, and parchment paper

👉 Get the recipe at The Daring Gourmet

2. Panettone

A sponge starter gives this Italian Christmas bread its tall, airy crumb. The enriched dough is studded with rum-soaked raisins, golden raisins, dried cranberries, and apricots, plus lemon and orange zest. The recipe makes two large loaves, one to keep and one to give.

Tall-loaf trick: Cool the panettone upside down, hanging from skewers, so the airy crumb doesn’t collapse.

Leftovers: Day-old panettone makes amazing French toast or bread pudding.

Tools you need: a tilt-head stand mixer, an instant-read thermometer, and a wire cooling rack

👉 Get the recipe at RecipeGirl

3. Finnish Pulla (Cardamom Bread)

Pulla is Finland’s beloved braided sweet bread, fragrant with freshly ground cardamom seeds. This version adds plumped raisins or dried cranberries and chopped almonds to the dough. Each braid gets brushed with egg and sprinkled with more almonds, and one batch makes two big loaves.

Flavor tip: Grind whole cardamom seeds yourself. It makes a huge difference.

Serve with: Coffee. In Finland, pulla and coffee go together.

Tools you need: a tilt-head stand mixer, a silicone pastry brush, and a half sheet pan with cooling grid

👉 Get the recipe at Wholefully

4. Orange, Vanilla & Cardamom Challah Wreath

A tender challah dough flavored with orange zest and juice, vanilla bean seeds, honey, and a little cardamom is braided and shaped into a wreath. It bakes until golden, then gets a drizzle of white chocolate glaze. It is a gorgeous centerpiece for a Christmas brunch table.

Dairy note: The dough uses coconut oil instead of butter; only the glaze has cream.

Shaping: Braid three ropes, then curve the braid into a ring and pinch the ends together.

Tools you need: a half sheet pan with cooling grid, parchment paper, and a silicone pastry brush

👉 Get the recipe at The Kitchen McCabe

5. Nutella Star Bread

Layers of soft, buttery dough and Nutella are cut and twisted into a snowflake-like star that looks far harder to make than it is. A dusting of powdered sugar finishes it, and each guest pulls off a twisted point.

Tip: A round of parchment on a 12-inch pizza tray makes it easy to shape and move.

Swap it: Try cinnamon sugar, jam, or Biscoff spread instead of Nutella.

Tools you need: a half sheet pan with cooling grid, a French rolling pin, and parchment paper

👉 Get the recipe at Sugar Salt Magic

6. Baked Brie Bread Wreath

Soft homemade bread dough is shaped into balls and arranged in a ring, with the brie baked in the middle until molten. Right out of the oven, the golden rolls get brushed with a garlic and sage butter. Tear off a roll and dunk it.

Best for: A Christmas Eve appetizer that doubles as the bread basket.

Make-ahead: Shape the rolls ahead, then let them rise and bake right before guests arrive.

Tools you need: a tilt-head stand mixer, a half sheet pan with cooling grid, and a silicone pastry brush

👉 Get the recipe at Simply Delicious

7. Herby Potato Tear and Share Bread

Mashed potato (and the potato cooking water) makes this Italian-style pane di patate incredibly soft. Fresh rosemary and chives go into the dough, and the rolls are arranged in a ring and topped with sesame seeds, nigella seeds, and flaky salt.

Make-ahead: The creator says it can be made up to a day in advance without going stale.

Serve with: Your Christmas roast, or warm with salted butter.

Tools you need: a tilt-head stand mixer, a stainless steel potato masher, and a half sheet pan with cooling grid

👉 Get the recipe at Supergolden Bakes

8. Sourdough Chocolate Cinnamon Babka

A buttery brioche-style dough leavened with active sourdough starter is filled with bittersweet chocolate, cocoa, cinnamon, and sugar, then twisted into a loaf pan and finished with a sweet crumb topping. Every slice has dramatic chocolate swirls.

Plan ahead: Sourdough needs time, so start this the day before you want to serve it.

Starter note: Use a fed, bubbly 100% hydration starter.

Tools you need: a 1-pound loaf pan, a tilt-head stand mixer, and a digital kitchen scale

👉 Get the recipe at The Gingered Whisk

9. Apple Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

Homemade sweet dough is rolled out and layered with Granny Smith apples cooked in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. It gets stacked into a loaf pan with a cinnamon butter mixture. Think apple pie meets monkey bread.

Apple swap: Granny Smith is ideal, but any firm baking apple works.

Best for: A cozy Christmas morning or a holiday brunch.

Tools you need: a 1-pound loaf pan, a 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, and a French rolling pin

👉 Get the recipe at The Wicked Noodle

10. Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread

A simple dough made with bread flour, olive oil, and yeast is rolled out, showered with cinnamon sugar, and rolled up into two small swirled loaves. Toast a slice and spread on some butter on a cold morning.

Tip: Roll the dough thinner if you want more swirls in every slice.

When in doubt: The creator suggests leaning toward overbaking so the center isn’t gummy.

Tools you need: a 1-pound loaf pan, a French rolling pin, and a wire cooling rack

👉 Get the recipe at Pinch of Yum

11. Homemade Brioche Bread

Six eggs and two sticks of butter make this brioche rich, golden, and feathery-soft. The butter goes in a little at a time, and the dough rests in the fridge for a slow rise that builds flavor. One batch makes two loaves.

Plan ahead: This is a long, mostly hands-off recipe because of the chill time.

Use it for: Christmas morning French toast, bread pudding, or holiday sandwiches.

Tools you need: a tilt-head stand mixer, a 1-pound loaf pan, and a silicone pastry brush

👉 Get the recipe at Sweet Tea + Thyme

12. Crusty Cranberry Pecan Bread (No Knead)

A simple no-knead dough is studded with dried cranberries and toasted pecans and baked in a preheated Dutch oven. You get a crackly, bakery-style crust and a festive, jewel-flecked crumb.

Why it works: The hot Dutch oven traps steam, giving you that crisp artisan crust at home.

Serve with: A holiday cheese board, or toasted with honey butter.

Tools you need: an enameled cast iron Dutch oven, a digital kitchen scale, and a bench scraper

👉 Get the recipe at Life As A Strawberry

13. Cranberry Orange Bread

An easy quick bread with fresh orange juice, orange zest, and a hint of cinnamon, packed with chopped fresh cranberries. It is tender and tangy, with no yeast and no waiting.

Tip: Chop the cranberries so you get a little tart burst in every bite.

Gift it: Bake in small loaf pans for neighbor gifts.

Tools you need: a 1-pound loaf pan, a 6-speed hand mixer, and a wire cooling rack

👉 Get the recipe at Plated Cravings

14. Gingerbread Loaf

Molasses, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves go into a moist, buttermilk-tender loaf that tastes like a gingerbread cookie in cake form. It is perfect with coffee all December long.

Room temperature: Bring the eggs and buttermilk to room temperature so the batter stays smooth.

Top it: A drizzle of cream cheese or lemon glaze is a nice extra.

Tools you need: a 1-pound loaf pan, a tilt-head stand mixer, and a wire cooling rack

👉 Get the recipe at Chef Savvy

15. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Spiced pumpkin bread with a sweet cream cheese filling running through the middle and a buttery brown sugar streusel on top. The recipe makes two loaves, so there’s one to share.

Tip: Layer the batter and cream cheese so the filling stays in a neat stripe.

Storage: Wrap it well and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to a month.

Tools you need: a 1-pound loaf pan, a 6-speed hand mixer, and a silicone spatula

👉 Get the recipe at My Baking Addiction

Tips for Baking Christmas Bread

• Watch the dough, not the clock. Rise times depend on how warm your kitchen is. Dough is ready when it has roughly doubled in size.
• Rich doughs rise slowly. Breads with lots of butter, eggs, and fruit, like stollen, panettone, and brioche, take longer, so plan ahead.
• Check doneness. Most enriched yeast breads are done at about 190°F in the center, which you can check with an instant-read thermometer.
• Bake ahead and freeze. Most of these freeze well. Wrap the cooled loaves tightly and thaw them overnight on the counter.

Pick one traditional bread for the holidays and one easy loaf for gifting. For more Christmas morning ideas, see our Christmas breakfast recipes, and pair the savory breads with one of our Christmas dinner main dishes. Click through to each baker’s full recipe for exact amounts and steps.

You might also like: Yorkshire puddings, cozy winter soups, and Christmas cake recipes.