Decorative breads are so fun to make and enjoy around the holidays! And they are actually a lot easier than you might think! Really, if you can make cinnamon rolls, you can make this Star Bread. It’s even easier than making challah or babka, and it never fails to impressive at a Christmas brunch! I can totally see making this and serving it as part of a family lesson about the Star of Bethlehem that appeared on the night of Jesus’ birth. But it also looks a lot like a snowflake, especially once you dust it with powdered sugar around the edges. Either way, it’s perfectly festive and such a fun themed treat to make during the holiday season. Saying, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” – Matthew 2:1-2 This star bread is a fun alternative to Cinnamon Rolls on Christmas morning or for a sweet dessert to serve on New Year’s Eve! We like to enjoy it for breakfast with my Green Chili Egg Casserole! It can be filled lots of different ways, although my family particularly loves it when I make it with layers of Nutella. The swirls are made by layering circles of enriched dough with Nutella in between, then cutting strips and twisting them away from each other a couple of times before pinching the ends together. I will share some of my other favorite filling ideas below though! And you can make it even sweeter by drizzling it with a simple, sweet glaze or serving it on the side for dipping.
Star Bread Ingredients
A few simple ingredients are all it takes to whip up this showstopper breakfast centerpiece!
Yeast: I always use active dry yeast because I can buy it in bulk and store it in the fridge to always have on hand. But instant yeast can also be used and you don’t even need to proof it first. All-purpose flour: You could also use bread flour for this recipe, although all-purpose flour works just fine. Sugar: A little sugar helps feed the yeast as well as sweetens the bread dough. Milk: This ingredient makes for a more tender, flavorful bread. Whole milk, is best if you have it. Water: Some warm water is added with the warmed milk to help proof the yeast. Butter: I use salted butter in almost all of my baking and this recipe is no exception. It enriches the dough, almost like a brioche dough, giving a wonderful buttery flavor. Egg: The egg is for binding and it also contributes some flavor and fat through the egg yolk, which is typical of enriched sweet breads. Salt: A little salt helps bring out the other flavors in the bread and keep it from tasting bland. Nutella: For spreading between the layers of bread dough.
How to Make Star Bread
More Star Bread Filling Ideas
Although we love this bread with Nutella, this are some other delicious ideas for filling your Christmas star bread!
Cinnamon sugar filling: Spread each layer of dough with about 2 tablespoon of softened salted butter, then sprinkle with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and ⅓ cup of granulated or brown sugar. Jam: I love this bread with raspberry jam spread between the layers and a glaze on top! Raspberry is my favorite, but really any jam will work. I recommend about 2-3 tablespoons of jam for each layer of dough. Cookie Butter: Cookie butter is AMAZING and a wonderful twist on this star bread, although it’s light brown color doesn’t showcase the twists as well as some other fillings. I recommend adding a couple of tablespoons of cookie butter to the basic glaze recipe to amp up the cookie butter flavor.
Make-ahead and Storing Instructions
Make-ahead: You can make the dough the night before and place it in the fridge instead of letting it rise for 60-90 minutes. In the morning, take the dough out and let it rise on the counter until doubled in size and proceed as directed. The dough can also be frozen for up to 2 months and thawed in the fridge overnight. Storing: Keep any uneaten bread wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container on the counter for 3-4 days. It starts to get sticky on top from the powdered sugar by day 2, but it still tastes good for a few days. You could also freeze leftovers and reheat in the microwave for a few seconds.
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