This recipe comes from my grandmother and is the way we’ve been making easter bread in Ukraine for many years. The recipe features a sky high brioche bread stuffed with plump raisins and topped with a sweet frosting.
If you’re in Easter mode, check out our guide on Ukrainian Easter Eggs (with Grandma’s Secrets).
Paska bread is almost too pretty to eat. Baked tall and festively decorated with frosting and sprinkles, it’s always the centerpiece of any easter celebration. In this paska recipe, you’ll learn all you need to know to bake it just like my family has for many years.
Note: You’ll need paper paska molds or a springform cake pan to make this recipe.
What is Paska Bread?
Ukrainian Easter bread, or paska, is a tall, cylindrical egg bread that’s speckled with raisins and baked in festive paper molds (much like Italian panettone or Russian kulich). Slightly sweet, it’s often eaten early in the day at church alongside other baked goods like chocolate babka and brioche braids. Below, find a breakdown of the flavor, texture, and time it takes to make our version of this classic Easter bread recipe.
- Flavor: The flavor of paska bread is a balance of slightly sweet, eggy brioche and tart, juicy raisins. This is all capped off with a super sweet powdered sugar frosting.
- Texture: The texture of paska is light and fluffy. When baked right, it will almost melt in your mouth!
- Time: From start to finish, this paska recipe takes 3 hours to make.
How to Make Paska Bread from Scratch
Making Easter paska bread requires a bit of patience, but if you follow the instructions closely you’ll be golden.
- Make the Bread Base: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warmed milk, active dry yeast and two cups of all-purpose flour. Cover the bowl with a towel. Set it aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Make the Egg Mixtures: Next, separate the egg yolks and egg whites into different bowls. Whisk the yolks with 1 cup sugar and beat the whites until they reach stiff peaks.
- Finish Building the Dough: Mix the sweet egg yolks into the dough, followed by the butter, vanilla extract, and foamy egg whites. Next, mix the rest of the flour into the dough in small portions. Knead the dough until elastic and sticky.
- Allow the Dough to Rise: Cover the dough with a towel and set it aside to rise for 30 minutes.
- Soak & Add the Raisins: Next, soak the raisins in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain the raisins and mix them in to the dough. Allow the dough to rise for another 30 minutes.
- Bake the Paska Bread: Fill each paper bread mold halfway with dough. Cover the molds with a towel and allow them to rise for 30 more minutes. Bake the bread at 350°F in the oven for about 30 minutes.
- Make the Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth. Using a piping bag, drizzle the frosting all over the top of the bread. If you’d like, add some sprinkles right on top. Enjoy!
Don’t have a stand mixer? No problem! You can make paska bread the old-fashioned way with a wooden spoon and a well-floured surface for kneading.
Tips for The Perfect Paska Bread
Some handy tips will help you make the most authentic paska bread.
- Use high-protein, high-quality flour. If you can get your hands on Canadian flour, do it! It tends to have a higher protein count and makes for such a killer texture.
- Adjust the flour if necessary. Depending on the kind of flour you use, you may need to add a little more. This dough should be on the sticky side but it shouldn’t be runny.
- Get the milk to the right temperature to activate the yeast. To activate the yeast, the milk temperature should be at around 110 °F – 120 °F. If you have a candy thermometer, use it to help you gauge when the milk is ready.
- Don’t skip the soak. Soaking the raisins for a quick 15 minutes before adding them to the dough will bring such a wonderful texture and moisture to the bread. Don’t skip this step!
Hot Tip: All-purpose flour will work for this recipe, but the best option we’ve used is Bob’s Red Mill Bread Flour. So worth it for the texture and taste!
Storing & Freezing Best Practices
Whether you have leftovers to store or you want to freeze some paska for a rainy day, here’s all you need to know.
- Storing: To keep paska on hand for up to 4 days, store them in an airtight container on the counter to prevent the bread from drying out. If you want them to keep for even longer, transfer the container to the fridge.
- Freezing: You can freeze paska for up to 3 months in an airtight container. For best results, make sure to keep them unfrosted before popping them in the freezer. To thaw the bread, place it on the counter for a couple of hours.
FAQ
Can you bake paska bread in a loaf pan?
Yes, you can bake paska bread in a greased loaf pan instead of a paper mold. This bread can be baked in just about any pan.
Can you use coffee cans for the paska bread molds?
Yes, you can use coffee cans for the paska bread molds. This is actually the old-fashioned way to make this Easter bread. Oftentimes, bakers will use different sized cans to create many different sizes of the breads. This makes for such a cool presentation!
Can you use panettone molds for paska bread?
You can absolutely use panettone molds for paska bread. They’re pretty much identical and are often used interchangeably.
Should you use bleached or unbleached flour for paska bread?
Unbleached flour is the best choice for baking paska bread. It has a denser, tougher texture that makes the bread that much more decadent.
Other Sweet Bread Recipes to Try
- Easy Brioche Bread – Braided sweet bread
- Best Challah Bread Recipe – Sweet, fluffy Jewish bread
- Whole Wheat Banana Bread Recipe – Hearty banana bread
- Honey Wheat Bread – Slightly sweet honey bread
Recipe
Ingredients
Bread
- 2 cups lukewarm milk
- 1 1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter melted
- 2 cup raisins
Topping
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp milk
Instructions
Baking the Paska Bread
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the lukewarm milk with the yeast and two cups of flour. Cover the bowl with a towel and set it aside in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and place them in separate bowls. Whisk the egg yolks with 1 cup of sugar. Then, beat the egg whites until they turn foamy and reach stiff peaks.
- Mix the egg yolk mixture into the dough, followed by the melted butter, vanilla extract, and foamy egg whites.
- Mix the rest of the flour into the dough in small portions. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough until it becomes elastic, smooth, and a bit sticky.
- Cover the dough with a towel and set it aside to rise for 30 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, soak the raisins in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain the raisins and mix them into the dough. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise for 30 more minutes.
- With oiled hands, fill up each paska bread mold about halfway with the dough. Cover the molds with a towel and allow them to rise for 30 more minutes.
- Bake the bread at 350°F for about 30 minutes, depending on the size of your paska. Let the bread cool completely at room temperature.
Making the Paska Bread Topping
- In a medium bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth. Transfer the frosting into a piping bag or a plastic storage bag with one of the edges snipped off.
- Drizzle the glaze along the sides of the bread and completely cover the tops. Optionally, add some sprinkles on top. Enjoy!
I remember my mom telling me that my Ukranian Nanna's paska needed to rise 3 times and b/c it took time to make didn't get the recipe. This is the closest to what I remember and I've been looking for a recipe for a very long time. Thanks.
Hi Mary, I am thrilled that you found a recipe that brings back happy memories for you! Thank you for sharing, enjoy!
I would like to make a tall one about 11 inches tall in a coffee can. Do I use on full recipe for a full size can number 10 vegtable can or full size can coffee? Should I just fill any can 2/3 full before rising the dough for the second time?
Hi carolyn, You can absolutely make it in a can. I would recommend that you fill it half way. Hope this helps!
How many molds does this call for?
Hi Tara, typically I get 3-4 of larger size molds. It depends on the size you go for. Sometimes, I make 10 mini breads and they are so adorable a smaller serving.
It turned out beautifully!! Great recipe! I have never made bread before!
Thank you, Tara! I'm so glad you loved it. This is one of my favorite sweet breads as well 😀
great ,Mom always baked in a coffee can
Thank you! Resourceful cooks use whatever they have on hand; I love the coffee can tradition for this bread!
Thanks for the recipe! Turn out great 😊
Yay! Thank you so much. Really appreciate the feedback and happy it worked out for you. Happy Easter!
My favorite Paska recipe!
Ina, thank you! So great to hear this feedback! Enjoy it!
The best paska!!!! Thank you for this recipe! I made it on Thursday and today is Saturday and it’s so soft and moist. May God Bless you!!!
Thank you so much, Linda! It makes me so happy to hear that others love this recipe as much as I do! 🙂
I am not sure what I'm doing wrong (and I 've baked before :-)). I had to add anotehr cup *7th of flour and I still cannot get to the 'ball like' consistency on the picture. I stopped there and let it rise as I don't want the double to be too tough. I'm using all purpose KAF/ The is still on a 'liquid' side, definately not able to form a ball...
I find that is the case when you don’t mix the dough long enough in the mixer, the dough needs to be mixed for approximately 15 minutes to reach elastic and ball consistency, trust me I’ve tested it so many times, and I always set a timer.
Hi Ela- that's ok, let the dough rise and see what happens. If it's still a bit tacky or sticky, that's fine. You'll use oiled hands to shape the balls into the baking pans/paper forms so you'll be able to get the round shape later. Do you have Instagram? If so, please see my "easter bread" stories on my page (Momsdish), there are some videos of what the dough will look like that I think you'll find helpful!
Natalya, working on your recipe now. Is it possible that I will need more flour than 6 cups? I am using Costco all purpose flour. Thank you for such a good recipe!
Hi Lk- it depends on how your dough is looking. If you're using a kitchen aid mixer with a dough hook, let it knead the dough for a few min and see how sticky/soft it is to the touch. It should be tacky and a little sticky. If it's too runny/too sticky, then yes, you may need a bit more flour.
First time making paska- it came out amazing!!! So flavorful and soft, fluffy. I will definitely use this recipe again.
Hi Natalya, would bread flour work for this recipe? Thank you.
Hi Aly- yes, bread flour is actually recommended for the paska! Enjoy!
How long is it good for? Would it still taste ok in 3 days?
Hi Victoria- Other commenters have mentioned that they lasted 3 days without any issues. Personally, I like them best fresh. I'd recommend keeping them in an air tight container so they stay as soft as possible.
I just did a test run before Easter and the result blew me away. This bread is delicious!
Ah, I'm so happy to hear that, Anna!!
It is too pretty to eat!! My kids love the glaze & sprinkles on top! It's the perfect touch for this soft bread!
The kiddos always love the glaze and sprinkles on top, they eat that first! 🙂
I've always wanted to try making Paska - I'm so glad I found this recipe! It was super straight forward and easy to follow....it came out looking beautiful and tasting great!
I'm so glad to hear that, April!! This bread is such a fun Easter treat.
I had such a hard time replicating my Mother's paska and when she passed away I started trying all kinds of recipes to see if I could find one close enough. Your recipe is the one! I made a test batch the other day and I almost cried it was so good! And so close to my Mother's recipe. Thank you for putting this on the internet for me to find. For anyone worried about making it, this recipe is very straightforward and easy to make. I used fresh yeast (19grams) and next time I will add orange zest for flavour (as my Mother did) but the recipe as it is written is perfect. Even 3 days later, the bread tastes even better. It did take a longer time to bake but other than that it is perfection. I cannot thank you enough!
Hi Anna, this comment is so special, thank you for sharing your feedback! It means so much to hear stories like yours. Depending on the size of the pan, it may take a longer time to bake. Glad you figured it out. Have a wonderful day!
Hi!
I am making these right now and am on step number 6. When you say "set aside," is that just to get the molds ready or to let it rise again? This recipe has the least rising time from other recipes I have used so I just want to make sure. Sounds like it's a total of an hour and 45 minutes from start to finish?
Hey Carla, you would need to let it rise again. When it rises, add the dough to molds and let it rise again. Enjoy!
It was delicious and rose beautifully!! I made mini size for all my neighbors and they loved it 🙂 May I suggest adding that small detail into your instructions, to let them rise a second time? I think most unexperienced bakers would find that very helpful 🙂 Thank you for a great recipe!
Hey Carla, such a great tip. Thank you. I will add it in the future.
Hi! Can I make this in like a banana bread baking dish? If I can, will one batch be enough if I split into two loaf pans? And how long would I bake for? Thank you so much!
Hey, you can use any baking pan. You can also create a taller side using parchment paper.
Hi I made them today, they turned out perfect! How can I store them? How many days are they ok to be left out at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap?
The best way to store them is sealed in an air-tight container. They will be great for at least 4 days. After that you can refrigerate them. You can also freeze them for months.
Hello Natalia, for how long do I whisk egg yolks with sugar? Untill it gets light in color? Also, after mixing in raising for how long do I let it rise again about an hour? Thank you!
Hey Svetlana, you would whisk it until it turns light color and it's fluffy. Rise until doubles in volume.
I'm not much of a baker, but I've made this last year, and it turned out amazing! Got many compliments such as "best paska I've ever had". Thank you for such a great recipe!
Question, with this recipe, how many 15oz molds will it turn out into?
And, can I double the recipe? Or should I just mix in two separate bowls/batches for best results?
Hey Alesya, I think one or two 15oz molds. Just guessing because it depends on how tall you wanted them. I would probably have two separate portions going because your kitchen aid may not be able to handle so much dough.
I can only find 15 ounce, 5x4 inch panettone molds. How long would I bake those for? And how many of that size would the recipe make? Thanks. I’m excited to try them.
Depending on how tall you want them. You should get 2-3 bread. Also, depending on the height, you may need to bake them for longer or shorter.
Best Paska recipe!
Can I use Platinum yeast for this recipe?
Hey Ina, I think so but I dont have experience with Platinum yeast.
The best Paska recipe!
I want to try to use Platinum yeast this year, never used them before
Is there a way of substituting the milk for anything else non dairy.?? My daughter cannot eat dairy
I used almond milk and it came out perfect. I did use the butter, though.
Oh wow, really cool tip! Thank you for sharing!
Hey Stephanie, this bread is also heavy in butter. When you remove both, it will not be the same. I don't think I have a good solution for you.
Hi, your Easter bread recipe is the best, I made for Easter last year it was great and extra I add 0/5 cup vodka too, it was delicious. So today I made my first for Easter.Thank you so much for sharing . God bless you!
Why would you add in 1/2 cup Vodka?
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for taking the time to comment!
difficult to get any flour lately cause I sheltering in Place ,,,but scored 10 pounds of 00 flour on Amazon ,,,will start using this weekend ,,any tips on using 00 flour ,,,????
No, I am not familiar with it. Maybe Google or read the label. I think label would have some tips.
thank you so very much for your quick response. so many chefs never answer. I will let you know what I find out about 00 flour and it is from Italy
Hello Joseph, I just found this site. I'm sure you've had a year of trial and error, but will say what I know with 00 flour. When adding your water, do it slowly to the right consistency. Usually 00 flour takes less water than called for when using all purpose or bread flour, 00 flour is super fine compared to other 2, so it doesn't need a much hydration. I hope this helped someone.
Thank you for sharing these tips, Kathy!
hello, can I make dough in a bread machine on dough setting also Mom always baked in old coffee cans that what your looked like ???? what are those paper deals you show in photo. Bin cooking for 65 years. was an associate of James ,Jimmy to his friends ,,Beard . just found your site today bin reading and commenting on breads ,,,,, I'm a Lithuanian Italian with a touch of Polish ,Mom was a great cook Italian every Sunday Fish on Friday and you name it in-between may GOD bless young Family ,,,stay safe and as Jimmy would say Good Eating
Joseph, welcome to the blog. I love Italians because they are amazing in working with the dough. We traveled to Italy a few years ago and I would always watch bakery chefs do the magic. As far as the mold, you can sue coffee cans and I have done it before. But now I use a mold that I got on amazon, I liked to it in the recipe notes. You can use a bread machine, I just hope it's large enough.
Hello, by 1 cup how much grams / ml do you mean?
Hey Moon, which ingredient are you referring to.
This year I tried out two different Easter bread recipes, and my husband loved this recipe. He said only make this recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing your recipes and tips! I appreciate you!
Hi Kristina, I am so happy to hear your feedback. Thank you for sharing.