The Best Old-Fashioned Christmas Bread Recipe is a holiday tradition you can’t miss. Christmas is a time for family, traditions, and, of course, delicious food. While we all look forward to the big holiday meal, it’s the smaller, more intimate foods that often make the season feel truly magical. One of those holiday desserts is Christmas bread—an aromatic, flavorful bread that has been baked and enjoyed for generations.
Whether served alongside a holiday meal, gifted to neighbors, or enjoyed by the family on Christmas morning, this bread is as much a part of the holiday as the decorations on the tree. Your holiday dessert table will not be complete without including the best old-fashioned Christmas bread recipe.
Today I will share the best old-fashioned Christmas bread recipe, a recipe that combines rich, buttery dough with spices, dried fruits, and nuts. This bread is soft, slightly sweet, and utterly irresistible—a true comfort food that encapsulates the warmth and joy of the season. A traditional dessert that is flavorful and easy to prepare.
The Tradition of Christmas Bread
Old-fashioned Christmas breads are steeped in history and are often a part of holiday celebrations around the world. Whether it’s panettone in Italy, stollen in Germany, or kringle in Scandinavia, each country has its own take on the holiday bread tradition. In many cases, these breads are made with a sweet, enriched dough that is flavored with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and filled with dried fruits, nuts, and sometimes even a bit of alcohol like brandy or rum.
The common thread among these traditional Christmas recipes is that they are meant to be shared—either at a holiday meal, as a gift to loved ones, or simply as a delicious treat to enjoy throughout the season.
In the United States, old-fashioned Christmas bread is one of those simple classic desserts which are easy to prepare yet still offer all the warmth, flavor, and richness that everyone appreciates. Whether you call it Christmas bread, holiday bread, or sweet bread, it’s a comforting and nostalgic part of the holiday season. This is easy to whip up on Christmas Eve and makes an enjoyable addition to breakfast on Christmas morning. My grandkids and I often do Christmas baking together. This makes a perfect Christmas dessert.
Why This Recipe is the Best
What sets this Christmas bread recipe apart from others? It’s all about the balance of flavors and textures. This bread is rich but not too heavy, sweet but not cloying, and spiced just enough to evoke the warmth of the season without overwhelming the palate. It uses ingredients that are easy to find and gives you that homemade, old-fashioned feeling that many modern recipes lack.
This recipe is also versatile and forgiving. A make-ahead dessert makes my life easier on the actual day of the family gathering or event I am preparing for. This is an extra-special treat to share with others.
The batter is easy to work with and easy to assemble making it less intimidating than some of the more complicated holiday breads. And, most importantly, the end result is a loaf that is beautifully golden, soft on the inside, and with a lovely, slightly fall flavor. I have many fond memories of baking with my kids when they were small. Now I bake with the grandkids. We love to make sweet treats, especially around the holidays.
This simple recipe is one of the Christmas dessert recipes we use over and over. The recipe is for 2 loaves of delicious bread. This is a good thing because my family gets to eat one loaf and we can bring the additional loaf to the family gathering. Food is a great way to share during the holiday season. It is consumable so there is no additional clutter to contend with.
We love Christmas cookies, especially Christmas sugar cookies, and bake cookies for many holidays throughout the year. In addition to the many dozens of cookies we prepare for the holidays every year, our Christmas season is not complete without making this simple recipe. This is an old recipe.
Sometimes, the vintage recipes stand the test of time quite well. I get many recipes from my mother-in-law, however, this is not one of grandma's recipes. If you have a sweet tooth, this classic recipe will make you happy. The cinnamon and sugar swirled throughout the bread satisfy a sweet tooth. Sometimes I serve this savory delight at the breakfast table with fresh fruit.
Ingredients You Will Need
This vintage Christmas dessert recipe calls for simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantry. Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Batter:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup of butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 2 teaspoons of baking soda
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 2 cups of buttermilk or homemade buttermilk (2 cups milk plus 2 Tablespoons lemon juice)
For the Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture :
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
Grease 2 Loaf Pans and Set Aside
Step-by-Step Instructions
Now that we’ve gathered our ingredients, it’s time to get baking! Here’s how you can make this beautiful old-fashioned Christmas bread step by step.
Step 1: Cream Butter, Sugar, and Eggs
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, 2 cups of sugar, and the eggs.
Step 2: Combine the Flour and Baking Soda
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.
Step 3: Add Milk, Flour, and Baking Soda Mixture
Once you add the milk, flour, and baking soda mixture to your creamed ingredients this batter comes together quickly.
Step 5: Pour Batter into Greased Loaf Pans
Pour ½ of the batter into greased loaf pans. Only put ¼ in each pan. You will need the other half of the batter for the next step.
Step 6: Combine the Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture
Pour ½ of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the batter in the loaf pans. Only ¼ of the mixture should be put in each loaf pan over the layer of batter.
Step 7: Add Remaining Batter to Pans
Add the remaining batter equally to the loaf pans.
Step 8: Sprinkle Remaining Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture
Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon and sugar mixture over the top of the batter in each pan. Swirl with a knife. The swirling adds an old-school touch and spreads the cinnamon mixture throughout the bread. This tastes so good when you bite into a cinnamon sugar swirl.
Step 9: Bake the Bread
Bake the loaves of bread in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Step 10: After Baking
Once the bread is baked, remove the loaf pans from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for approximately 10-15 minutes. I usually run a butter knife around the edges before transferring the bread over to a serving platter for cutting. It should be golden brown on the outside and soft and tasty on the inside. This makes 2 loaves.
Enjoy The Best Old Fashioned Christmas Bread Recipe!
This bread is perfect for enjoying with your morning coffee or tea, for serving as part of a holiday brunch, or for gifting to friends and family. The combination of sweet batter with the rich swirls of cinnamon and sugar is next level irresistible. Whether you enjoy it fresh out of the oven or later with a bit of butter, this old-fashioned Christmas bread is sure to become a cherished holiday tradition in your home. Traditional Christmas desserts are so much fun to prepare and eat. Although this recipe is for bread, it has some similarities to pound cakes. The texture is a little different than a pound cake, but similar.
Tips for Making Perfect Christmas Bread
- Don’t rush the cooling time: If you try to remove the loaves from the pan too soon, it will be hard to cut into slices. The slices provide an elegant look with the swirls of cinnamon sugar mixture visible throughout.
- Make ahead: You can bake this the day before you need it. Remember to place it in an airtight container as it will dry out if not covered well.
Old-fashioned Christmas bread is the perfect way to bring some warmth and cheer into your home during the holiday season. With its rich, spiced flavor, tender crumb, and festive filling, this bread is sure to become a family favorite for years to come. Whether you’re baking it for your enjoyment or giving it as a thoughtful homemade gift, it captures the essence of the season and makes the holidays even more special.
Vintage holiday recipes like the one described here today offers the opportunity to enjoy a slice yourself and share with others. This recipe makes enough for 2 loaves, with very little additional cost. Add this classic Christmas dessert to your recipe box. It will become a holiday favorite for the whole family. Happy baking!
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