We’ve selected the best recipes from all over the world. Every bread can be enjoyed as a holiday breakfast or evening dessert with family and friends. This keeps the holiday special and in line with heartwarming traditions.
Loaf of Spiced Apples
The spiced apple loaf is filled with warm apple chunks, butter, sweet raisins, nutmeg and cinnamon. It’s a warm, comforting way to enjoy winter in North America. This heart-warming, delicious cake can be baked and sliced right out of the oven to make a moist, fruit-filled slice. It’s great with hot tea, coffee, or hot cocoa.
German Christmas Stollen
This yeasted, German-inspired cake is a favourite in any home with an Oma (a German term that means “grandmother”). Each slice is filled with a fiery combination of currants, raisins, and citrus peel. You’ll find cloves and nuts in this German stollen. A rich swirl of marzipan accompanies these wonderful ingredients.
Mexican Three Kings Bread
This Mexican traditional holiday bread is made in a wreath shape and filled with vanilla extract, cinnamon, anise seeds, vanilla extract and several cups of candied fruits. The loaf also includes a small figurine of Jesus. The slice with the figurine in it is baked into the bread by the dinner guest.
Ontbijtkoek (Dutch Breakfast Cake)
The original recipe for gingerbread loaf comes from Holland. There, the warm, spicy scents of cinnamon, nutmeg and molasses fill families’ kitchens during the holiday season. After baking, this delicious aroma of moist bread will draw people from all walks of the community to try it.
Twelfth Night Epiphany bread
Spanish King Cake (also known as Twelfth Night Epiphany Bread) is named after the twelve-hour Spanish bread made on the twelfth day and served during the Feast of the Epiphany. French and English traditions say that each Twelfth Night cake contained a pea or a bean. The lucky guests who discovered them were honoured to be crowned the night’s king and queen.
Julekake
Julekake is a traditional Norwegian Christmas bread. It’s like a warm hug on a cold winter day. For Norwegians, each cardamom-scented piece is a true Christmas treat. They love thick, raisin-and candied citron-studded pieces of bread smeared in butter and topped off with slices of brown goat cheese. The yeast bread is slow to bake because the dough needs to be prepared in the morning to rise several times before baking.
Pompe de Noel
This Pompe de Noel is a traditional Provence Christmas bread that will make you wonder how Christmas mornings are spent in Provence. This traditional sweet holiday bread gets its delicate sweetness from floral waters, but most often orange flower water.
Nana’s Potica
You will enjoy a potica that tastes just like it did in Nana’s kitchen. This traditional Slovenian nut roll is served at Christmas and Easter. You can make four loaves from this recipe. This allows you to keep one for yourself and give the other two to your family members or friends. This delicious savoury bread is filled with ground walnuts, sugar, and other ingredients.
Czech Christmas Bread (Vanocka).
This version is simpler than the traditional Czech Christmas bread. The traditional loaf was made from 3 braids that decreased in size and were placed over each other. This recipe calls for a 3-strand braid. This bread is infused with chopped citron, raisins, and sliced almonds.
Italian Panettone
Italian panettone, light and fluffy Christmas bread that your entire family will love Christmas morning, is made from Italian panettone. This sweet bread is made with raisins and candied oranges. Bake the bread in a round pan. Sprinkle icing sugar over it. Take a slice and enjoy with hot coffee, tea or wine.