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–+ servings
image of top down mise en place shot featuring fresh ingredients for festive christmas bread arranged on a white marble kitchen counter with healthy clear glass bowls and rustic brown wooden kitchen utensils under soft diffuse daylight
Benjamin

Festive Christmas Bread

A soft, colorful Christmas sweet bread bursting with holiday sprinkles and topped with vanilla glaze, perfect for breakfast or gifting.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour can substitute with 1:1 gluten-free flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon optional, for warmth
Wet Ingredients
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup whole milk or buttermilk for extra tenderness
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled, or use neutral oil
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract pure
  • 1 tsp orange zest from 1 medium orange
  • 1/2 cup Christmas sprinkles jimmies style
Vanilla Glaze
  • 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 3-4 tbsp heavy cream or milk for a thinner glaze
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp extra Christmas sprinkles for topping

Equipment

  • 9x5 inch loaf pan
  • Mixing bowl
  • Medium bowl
  • - Whisk
  • - Spatula
  • wire cooling rack
  • oven

Method
 

Prepare and Bake
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon if using.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, then add milk, sour cream, melted butter, vanilla, and orange zest. Mix until smooth.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined; do not overmix.
  5. Fold in the Christmas sprinkles gently to avoid color bleeding.
  6. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Bake 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted in center comes out clean.
  7. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Glaze and Serve
  1. Whisk powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more cream if too thick.
  2. Drizzle glaze over cooled loaf. Immediately sprinkle with extra sprinkles while glaze is wet.
  3. Slice and serve. Store leftovers wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 5gFat: 12g

Notes

For a cinnamon swirl version, mix 2 tbsp brown sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp melted butter, swirl into batter before baking. To make vegan, use flax eggs, plant-based milk, vegan butter, and dairy-free sour cream alternative.
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