Baking Great Bread at HomeThe aromatic, pull-apart Greek Easter bread you'll make every spring
IntermediateTsoureki — Greek EasterBraid
by Henry Hunter
Soft, stringy, and impossibly fragrant. This is Easter bread done right.
Fermentation
2-3 hours bulk + overnight cold proof
Bake Time
30-35 minutes
Yield
Serves 10-12
Perfection is not required
"Perfection is not required. Progress is."— Henry Hunter
By Henry Hunter Jr., founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and Baking Great Bread at Home.
Authentic Flavor
I first encountered tsoureki at a Greek Orthodox Easter celebration and immediately needed to know how to make it. The smell alone — that mahlab and mastic combination — is unlike anything else in a bread kitchen. This is the version I've landed on after working through the tradition and making it accessible for home bakers who may not have a Greek grandmother in the kitchen.
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
The Dough
Mahlab is a unique spice made from the pits of St. Lucie cherries — it gives Tsoureki that signature almond-and-cherry aroma. If you don't have it on hand, swap it for an equal amount of almond extract or ground cardamom to keep that warm, fragrant vibe.
Mastic is a natural resin from trees on the Greek island of Chios — it adds a subtle piney, slightly sweet aroma. If you can't find it, you can leave it out entirely. The mahlab carries the heavier lifting flavor-wise, so your Tsoureki will still taste wonderful without mastic.
Egg Wash
Optional Topping
Pro Tip
Mastic is sticky and will gum up your grinder. Always grind it with a pinch of sugar, which acts as an abrasive and prevents clumping. Mahlab is ground cherry seeds with an almond-cherry flavor. Both are worth sourcing online — they're what makes tsoureki taste like nothing else you've ever baked.
Step 1 — Spices
Grind the Mahlab and Mastic
These two spices are what separate tsoureki from every other enriched bread. Do this step first while you gather your other ingredients.
Click each step to mark complete
Grind Mahlab
Place the mahlab seeds in a mortar and pestle and grind to a fine powder. It smells like almonds and cherries. If you have pre-ground mahlab, check that it smells fresh and fragrant — stale mahlab gives you nothing.
Grind Mastic with Sugar
Add the mastic pieces to the mortar with a pinch of sugar (about 1g). Grind until the mastic becomes a fine powder. The sugar prevents it from clumping into a sticky mass. Set both spices aside.
Mahlab
Mahlab comes from the seeds inside the pits of a specific type of cherry grown in the Mediterranean. The flavor is a combination of almond, cherry, and a faint bitterness that rounds out the sweetness of the dough. It's used in Greek, Turkish, Lebanese, and Armenian holiday breads. You can find it on Amazon or at Middle Eastern and Greek grocery stores.
Mastic
Mastic is a natural resin that comes from mastic trees grown on the Greek island of Chios. The flavor is piney, slightly sweet, and deeply aromatic. You use only a tiny amount — 1g — but it makes a noticeable difference. If you can't source it, the bread is still excellent. The mahlab is the more important of the two.
The Takeaway
These spices are worth the effort to source. They're what give tsoureki its distinctive pull-apart aroma that fills the whole kitchen.
Step 2 — Mix
Make the Dough
Enriched doughs need patience. The butter goes in last, in stages. Rushing this step gives you a greasy, under-developed dough. Take your time and let the stand mixer do the work.
Click each step to mark complete
Activate Yeast
Warm the milk to 95-100°F (35-38°C). Combine with the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in the mixer bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
Add Eggs, Sugar, and Spices
Add the eggs, remaining sugar, ground mahlab, ground mastic, and orange zest to the yeast mixture. Mix with the paddle attachment until combined.
Add Flour and Salt
Switch to the dough hook. Add the bread flour and salt. Mix on low until a shaggy dough forms, then increase to medium. Knead for 8 minutes. The dough will be smooth and slightly tacky.
Add Butter in Stages
With the mixer on medium-low, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time, waiting for each piece to fully incorporate before adding the next. This takes 8-10 minutes. When done, the dough should be smooth, silky, and pull away cleanly from the bowl. It should pass the .
Pro Tip
Resist adding extra flour. Tsoureki dough is meant to be slightly tacky. The most common mistake is over-flouring — it makes the bread dense instead of soft and stringy.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Knead Dough
Add Butter
Step 3 — Bulk
Bulk Fermentation
Cover the dough and let it until it has grown by 50-75%. With the butter and sugar in the dough, this takes longer than a lean bread.
Click each step to mark complete
First Rise
Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature (72-75°F / 22-24°C) for 2-3 hours until 50-75% larger. It won't double the way a lean dough does — that's normal for enriched breads.
Refrigerate Overnight
Once the dough has risen, cover it tightly and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. The cold retard develops flavor and makes the dough much easier to braid the next morning.
⏱ Wait Time
10-15 hours total
Fat and Sugar Slow Fermentation
Butter coats the gluten strands and creates a barrier between the yeast and the sugars it needs to feed on. Sugar, at high percentages, actually pulls water away from the yeast cells through osmosis, slowing their activity. This is why we keep the inoculation rate higher in the yeasted version — the yeast needs every advantage it can get in this environment.
The Takeaway
Don't rush the rise. A 50-75% increase is all you need before refrigerating. The flavor comes from the long, slow cold ferment.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Room Temperature Bulk
Step 4 — Shape
Braid and Final Proof
Cold dough is the key to clean braiding. Work quickly and confidently. The braid should be tight — it will relax during proofing.
Click each step to mark complete
Divide the Dough
Remove the cold dough from the refrigerator. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. For one large braid: divide into 3 equal pieces (~290g each). For two medium braids: divide into 6 equal pieces (~145g each).
Roll the Strands
Roll each piece into a smooth rope about 18 inches long for a large braid, or 12 inches for medium. Try to keep the thickness even throughout. Taper the ends slightly.
Braid
Pinch the three strands together at one end. Braid loosely but evenly: left strand over center, right strand over center, repeat. Pinch the ends and tuck them underneath. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Final Proof
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours, until noticeably puffier and the braid looks filled out. Don't wait for a full double — this is an enriched dough.
⏱ Wait Time
1.5-2 hours
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Final Proof
Step 5 — Bake
Egg Wash and Bake
That deep mahogany color comes from the egg yolk wash. Don't skip it and don't brush it on thin — you want a generous, even coat.
Step by Step
Preheat
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). This lower temperature than a standard bread gives the enriched dough time to cook through without burning the crust.
Apply Egg Wash
Whisk the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of milk. Brush generously over the entire surface of the braid, getting into every crevice. If topping with almonds or sesame seeds, scatter them on now.
Bake
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes until deep golden brown. Check at 20 minutes — if the top is darkening too fast, tent loosely with foil and continue baking. Internal temperature should reach 190°F (88°C).
Cool
Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before tearing into it. The stringy pull-apart texture — what Greek bakers call the ines — sets as it cools.
Preheat Oven
Bake
Cool Before Tearing
Baking Methods
Standard method. Parchment-lined sheet pan, middle rack.
Equipment: Parchment-lined baking sheet
Preheat
350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes.
Bake
30-35 minutes, tent with foil if browning too fast.
Nutrition Facts
Per 1 slice (approximately 1/10 of loaf) • 10 servings per recipe
* Values are estimates based on standard ingredients; actual values vary by brands and portion size.
Storage
Room Temperature
2-3 days wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or a bread bag
Refrigerated
Up to 5 days, tightly wrapped. Bring to room temperature or warm briefly before serving.
Frozen
Up to 2 months. Slice before freezing.
Refresh
Warm slices at 325°F (165°C) for 8 minutes, or toast. Makes exceptional French toast.
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Troubleshooting
Baker's Notes
Common questions and solutions for perfect results
If you're serious about scoring, you need the right blade in your hand. Wire Monkey makes handcrafted bread lames from black walnut — built to last, balanced in the hand, and sharp enough to glide through cold dough cleanly every single time. No dragging, no hesitation marks. Just a clean cut.
Wire Monkey Handcrafted Bread Lames
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