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Overhead view of two leaves of tsoureki with one loaf half sliced.
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Tsoureki

This Tsoureki recipe makes two delicious fluffy loaves of sweet bread infused with aromatic Greek spices, orange zest, and almond flavors. Enjoy for Easter, breakfast, dessert, or as a tea-time treat!
Course bread
Cuisine Greek
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rise Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings 2 loaves
Calories 1798kcal
Author John Kanell

Ingredients

For the Bread:

  • ¾ cup whole milk (180 mL)
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter (75g)
  • ½ cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar divided (100g)
  • ¼ cup luke warm water (105° to 110°F) (60 mL)
  • 1 (0.25-ounce/7g) envelope active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 4 to 4½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting (480g to 540g)
  • 1 orange zested
  • ½ teaspoon mahlepi (or 2 teaspoons almond extract)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon mastiha (mastic) or ground anise seed

For the Glaze:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds slivered almonds, or 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (20g)

Instructions

For the Bread:

  • In a small saucepan, heat the milk, butter, and ½ cup of the sugar over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm, about 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the water, yeast, and remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let stand until very foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Add the warm milk mixture and eggs to the yeast mixture, and whisk until combined.
  • Add the flour, orange zest, mahlepi, salt, and mastiha. Attach the dough hook and mix on medium-low speed, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed, until a sticky and elastic dough forms, about 6 minutes. (It should cling to the bottom of the bowl but be pulling away from the sides and making a slapping sound when it’s ready.)
  • Place dough on a lightly floured work surface, and form it into a ball. Lightly oil the mixing bowl and place the dough ball back in it, turning to coat the dough with oil. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F), until doubled in size, about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half.
  • Working with one half at a time, cut the dough into 3 equal pieces, and roll each piece into a 12-inch long rope. Braid the ropes together. Tuck the ends under to keep the braid intact and place it on the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining dough half. Loosely cover, and let rise in a warm place (75°F) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  • While loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Make the Glaze:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk until smooth. Brush the risen loaves with egg wash. Sprinkle evenly with almonds or sesame seeds.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and a deep golden brown. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store cooled bread in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or slice and freeze in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.

Video

Notes

  • Use the right water temperature. Ideally, the water you add to the dry yeast should be around 105-110ºF. This is the best temperature to activate the yeast. If the water is too cold, the yeast won’t activate, and if it’s too hot, the yeast will die.
  • Don’t add too much extra flour. The Tsoureki dough should be soft and tacky. You don’t want to make the dough too stiff with more flour, as it will make the texture of the baked bread dense instead of light and fluffy. So, when shaping the dough, only lightly flour it enough to keep the dough from sticking to your hands and the counter.
  • Stop mixing the dough once it makes a slapping sound. You’ll know the dough is ready to remove from the mixer when it clings to the bottom of the bowl while also pulling away from the sides. As the mixer kneads the dough, it will make a light clapping sound as the dough slaps against the sides of the bowl when it is ready.
  • Allow the dough to rise in a warm place. This is a crucial step for the Tsoureki dough to rise properly because the temperature must support the yeast’s growth. Make sure the dough is covered to prevent it from drying out and rests in a space that is 75ºF with no drafts – which change the temperature and create an uneven dough texture. If your kitchen is cold, you can place the bowl in a turned-off oven with the oven light on; the temperature inside is typically close to the suggested resting temperature.
  • Use flavor substitutes! Don’t worry if you can’t find the traditional spices. The flavor substitutes given in the recipe (almond extract and anise seed) make a really delicious Tsoureki bread. Or, if you don’t like either of those flavors, use vanilla extract and another ground spice you like (cinnamon, cardamom, and fennel seeds would all be very tasty). While it may not technically be the traditional Greek Easter bread with other spices, it will be a great variation on it.

Nutrition

Calories: 1798kcal | Carbohydrates: 282g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 372mg | Sodium: 1318mg | Potassium: 828mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 1660IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 294mg | Iron: 15mg