Wake up on Easter Sunday to this delicious German Easter bread with a marzipan and almond filling. This easy bread is full of the sweet richness that is perfect for breaking Lent. This wreath cake will make your Easter Brunch extra special.
Easter Bread Tradition
The tradition of baking Easter bread is still very much alive in Germany and Southern Europe. The traditional time to bake Easter bread is on Easter Saturday (Kar-Samstag in German), as families begin preparing for the Easter breakfast. While the kitchen fills with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked bread, patience is required—you must wait until Sunday to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
In Germany, Easter bread is traditionally made with sweet yeast dough and is used to break the fast after Lent. [Das Osterbrot und seine Symbolik]
Osterbrot Translation
Easter bread in German is called “Osterbrot”. "Ostern" is the word for Easter in German. "Brot" is the word for bread. However, there are several different shapes for the bread. Each shape has a different name.
- If the Easter bread has the typical round bread form, it is referred to as "Osterbrot".
- Braided bread, also called Hefezopf, is called “Osterzopf” .
- A wreath-shaped bread, like this recipe, is called “Osterkranz”.
Symbolism of the Easter Bread Form
The traditional shape of Easter bread is typically round, symbolizing the sun and representing Jesus as “the light of the world.” Sometimes, the dough is made with saffron or brushed with egg yolks, giving the bread a golden color, reminiscent of the sun.
Easter bread is often braided using three strands to symbolize the Holy Trinity—the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
When decorated with the symbol of the cross, Easter bread represents Jesus' crucifixion.
How to Make German Easter Bread with Marzipan and Almonds.
Ingredients
For exact measurements please see the printable recipe card below
For the yeast dough
- flour (Germany type 405, UK plain flour, US all purpose flour)
- instant yeast (1 packet or 2 tsp)
- granulated sugar
- milk (lukewarm)
- egg – at room temperature
- butter at room temperature
- salt
- sliced almonds
For the Almond-Marzipan Filling
- marzipan (see here how you can make German Marzipan from scratch)
- ground almonds (affiliate link)
- sugar
- melted butter
- milk.
Recipe Steps
- Preheat the oven to 50°C (122°F) (or the lowest setting on your oven).
- Whisk the egg in a small bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture and mix with 2 tablespoons of lukewarm milk in a separate bowl. Place in the refrigerator to rest.
- Add the yeast and sugar to the remaining lukewarm milk, stir, and leave to rest for 10 minutes until bubbles form on the surface.2 teaspoon instant yeast
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter, salt, and remaining egg. Pour in the yeast-milk mixture. Knead with a hand or stand mixer for 10 minutes until smooth.
- Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a moist tea towel. Turn off the oven and place the dough inside to rise for 1 hour, until it doubles in size.
- Meanwhile, prepare the marzipan-almond filling. In a bowl, mix together the marzipan, ground almonds (affiliate link), sugar, melted butter, and milk. You can leave the mixture crumbly or blend it into a smooth paste.
- Once the dough has risen, roll it out into a rectangle approximately 30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 inches), on a floured surface or non-stick silicone mat. (Watching the video might help the assembly)
- Evenly sprinkle or spread the marzipan-almond paste over the dough. Roll the dough tightly along the long edge to form a log.
- Place the roll on a parchment-lined baking tray. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough roll lengthwise into two strands. Twist the strands together and shape into a wreath. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Place the roll on a parchment-lined baking tray. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough roll lengthwise into two strands. Twist the strands together and shape into a wreath. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).
- Before baking, brush the bread with the reserved milk-egg mixture. Sprinkle with sliced almonds
- Bake for 45 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a skewer into the center; if it comes out clean, the bread is ready.
- Let it cool before serving. If desired, dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy with butter and jam.
How to serve
This bread is traditionally served at breakfast with butter and jam. You can also serve it in the afternoon for Kaffee and Kuchen. (German cake and coffee time).
Storage Instructions
Don’t store the bread in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature. The bread should stay good up to three days after baking. After this, it may start to taste a bit dry.
This post was first posted in April 2015. I updated the recipe and updated this post in February 2021. The easter bread changed from a fruit and nut recipe to a marzipan and almond recipe. You can download the old recipe for German Easter Bread with Fruit and Nuts here.
More German Easter Recipes
Have you made this recipe?
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Recipe
Amazing German Easter Bread with Marzipan
Ingredients
For the yeast dough
- 1 egg medium size, at room temperature
- 250 ml milk 1 cup, 8.4 fl oz, lukewarm
- 2 teaspoon instant yeast 1 packet, 7 gr
- 60 g granulated ¼ cup
- 500 g all-purpose flour 4 cups,, UK plain flour, Germany type 505,
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 80 g butter ⅓ cup, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoon sliced almonds to decorate (optional)
For the almond marzipan filling
- 200 g marzipan 7 oz - see how to make homemade marzipan here
- 200 g ground almonds 2 cups, 7 oz
- 50 g granulated sugar ¼ cup, 1.7 oz , melted
- 50 g butter (3.5 tablespoons, 1.8 oz)
- 6 tablespoon milk
To decorate
- 3 tsbp sliced almonds
- 3 tablespoon powdered sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 50°C (122°F) (or the lowest setting on your oven).
- Whisk the egg in a small bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture and mix with 2 tablespoons of lukewarm milk in a separate bowl. Place in the refrigerator to rest.1 egg, 250 ml milk
- Add the yeast and sugar to the remaining lukewarm milk, stir, and leave to rest for 10 minutes until bubbles form on the surface.2 teaspoon instant yeast, 60 g granulated
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter, salt, and remaining egg. Pour in the yeast-milk mixture. Knead with a hand or stand mixer for 10 minutes until smooth.500 g all-purpose flour, 80 g butter, ½ teaspoon salt
- Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a moist tea towel. Turn off the oven and place the dough inside to rise for 1 hour, until it doubles in size.
- Meanwhile, prepare the marzipan-almond filling. In a bowl, mix together the marzipan, ground almonds (affiliate link), sugar, melted butter, and milk. You can leave the mixture crumbly or blend it into a smooth paste.200 g marzipan, 200 g ground almonds (affiliate link), 50 g granulated sugar, 50 g butter, 6 tablespoon milk
- Once the dough has risen, roll it out into a rectangle, approximately 30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 inches), on a floured surface or non-stick silicone mat. (watching the video might help the assembly)
- Evenly sprinkle or spread the marzipan-almond paste over the dough. Roll the dough tightly along the long edge to form a log.
- Place the roll on a parchment-lined baking tray. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough roll lengthwise into two strands. Twist the strands together and shape into a wreath. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).
- Before baking, brush the bread with the reserved milk-egg mixture. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.3 tablespoon sliced almonds
- Bake for 45 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a skewer into the center; if it comes out clean, the bread is ready.
- Let cool before serving. If desired, dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy with butter and jam.
Video
Notes
Storage Instructions:
The Bread tastes best the day it is baked, but keeps in an airtight container up to three days.Baking with Yeast: Steps for Sucess
Baking with yeast is not rocket science. Here are my best tips to ensure that your yeast dough rises every time.- Use lukewarm milk. The microorganism in the yeast will activate through heat and sugar. The ideal temperature of the milk should be around 30-35°C / 86-95 °F. If the temperature rises above 45°C/113°F, the cells will die and your dough will not rise.
- Make sure your yeast is in-date. Using out of date yeast is a common reason for the dough not rising.
- 35°C/95 °F is the perfect temperature for the dough to rise. The temperature should not get hotter than 40 °C/104°F. If your kitchen is cooler, then preheat the oven to the lowest setting. Turn the oven off and place the dough in the oven. Cover it with a moist tea towel so it does not dry out. (If your lowest setting is hotter than 40 like mine 50, leave the door open for a couple of minutes before placing the dough in)
- Knead the dough thoroughly - To ensure that the bread becomes light and fluffy you need to knead it for a long time. A well-kneaded dough hardly sticks. After the dough rises it is important to knead it again, as during the rising process gas bubbles form. This will ensure that your bread bakes evenly.
Lisa says
Can this be prepared the night before and baked in the morning?
Marita Sinden says
Hi Lisa, sorry I just saw your comment. You can prepare it the night before. I think the important thing is to give it enough time for the dough to get back to room temperature so the yeast dough will be nice and fluffy.
Choclette says
I finally got around to making this for Easter this year. Well your recipe was the inspiration anyway. I made a sourdough version and used a big block of marzipan rather than your almond filling. My photos are lousy, but oh my it tastes good.
Marita says
Thanks so much for your review Choclette, I am glad you enjoyed it.
luca says
Hey Marita, thank you for the amazing recipe! What's the difference between Osterkranz/Osterzopf/Hefezopf/. I can't find any information in English and I am a little confused.
Marita says
Hi Luca, thanks for your comment. The difference is basically just the from. "Kranz" is a wreath form. "Zopf" means braid. "Oster" and "Hefezopf" can be interchanged. One just means "Easter Braid" the other "Yeast Braid" but they are essentially the same thing. Hope this helps.
Terri Christians says
This looks delicious and I’m going to try it tonight. My question is do I need to knead it after the rise? The recipe (step 8) indicates I would not but the tips on baking with yeast say to knead after rise. I have very little experience baking yeasted bread so I’m not sure how to interpret that.
Thanks!
Marita says
Hi Terri, yes you need to knead it after the rise, to remove the air bubbles that have built up. Hope that helps.
Marita
Malou says
Just made this with marzipan and the other with fruit. Marvelous recipes both. Very very good and so delicious. Thank you for sharing. Malou
Happy Easter
Marita says
Hi Malou! Thanks for the feedback! I am glad you like the recipe! Happy Easter!
Louise Fairweather says
This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing #cookblogshare
Laura - Mummy Lauretta says
This sounds amazing, I love anything with almonds and marzipan, the Germans are great at using them in recipes #cookblogshare
Janice says
This sounds wonderful, I absolutely love marzipan and I’m keen to try out your recipe.
Marita says
Thank you! There is nothing better than marzipan at Easter x
Carrie Carvalho says
Oh this looks lovely, perfect with some strawberry jam!
Marita says
Thank you. Yes Jam and butter are my favourite toppings x
Choclette says
Ooh, that does look good. I’m happy to eat marzipan pretty much any which way, but your bread sounds particularly good.
#CookBlogShare
Marita says
Thank you!
Sandhya S says
This Easter bread looks delicious.. I can’t wait to try it!
Marita says
Thank you I hope you like it x
Eva says
The sweet bread was very delicious. I recommend eating it with butter.
Erin says
Is there any way to get this recipe with cups and tsp/tbs as measurements? I’m having a hard time converting. I’ve checked multiple sites to convert the grams to cups but none of them match up.. (for example, some sites say 500g of flour = 2 cups, another said 3 cups and another said it’s 4 cups! That’s a big difference!) Help please. I really want to make this bread!
Marita Sinden says
Hi Erin,! Thanks for our email. I have converted the recipe into cups for you. just go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post and next to "Ingredients you can select US Customary". Weighing the ingredients is more accurate, which is better. Especially for baking. But I hope this will help you. Let me know how you like the recipe.