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    Home » Recipes » Christmas Recipes

    Candy Cane Braided Bread Recipe with Cherry Filling (Video)

    Modified: Jun 5, 2025 · Published: Sep 25, 2020 by Brandy · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This delicious cherry-filled candy cane braided bread is drizzled with sweet vanilla icing! This sweet bread is the perfect treat for the holidays. The best part? It's a 90-minute recipe! 

    This is just one of many recipes that I make using this same sweet dough recipe. If you like this one, you might also like these homemade bread recipes: quick-rise pumpkin cinnamon rolls, lemon sweet rolls, or quick-rise cinnamon rolls.

    Watch our step by step video!

    I have a slight problem with baking an insane amount of goodies during December. And yes, I've already started! Here is a sneak peek into my busy kitchen!

    Years ago a friend gave us a beautifully braided tree pastry as a Christmas gift. It was made out of sweet dough, filled with cinnamon and sugar, braided to look like a tree, then drizzled in vanilla glaze. She added maraschino cherries after baking to look like ornaments. It was so fun and delicious too.

    Inspired by her creativity, I made a cherry-filled candy cane braided bread for our family to enjoy!

    candy cane cherry loaf sliced into

    How To Make a Braided Candy Cane Loaf

    The inside of the braided bread is filled with cherry pie filling---my FAVORITE. So yummy. Drizzled in vanilla glaze and topped with extra cherry pie filling, it is a fun and festive treat. And since it is made with 90-minute sweet dough, it is really quick to make as well!

    ball of sweet dough on floured work surface

    Cherry Candy Cane Braided Bread Recipe

    (scroll down for printable version)

    Ingredients

    ¾ cup milk
    ¼ c. butter softened
    3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
    1 T. instant yeast
    ¼ cup white sugar
    ½ tsp. salt
    ¼ cup water
    1 egg
    1 can cherry pie filling
    Vanilla Glaze (recipe below)

    Instructions

    • Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove it from the heat. Mix in butter; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 ¼ cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. (Note: You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook, or use a danish dough hook (my favorite kitchen tool) to make your dough. Either way works, it’s a pretty simple dough to make.)
    • When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, 2-3 minutes.
    • Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.

    sweet dough rolled out into rectangle
    Roll out dough into a 15×10 inch rectangle.

    dough on baking sheet with cherry pie filling spooned down the center
    Transfer dough to a greased baking sheet and spoon pie filling down the center, about 3" wide.

    sides of dough cut into strips for braiding
     Cut strips down each side of the dough, just to the filling. ¾"-1" wide.

    dough strips braided over cherry pie filling
    Begin folding sides over each other, alternating left to right. Press down to seal ends.

    braided cherry loaf on baking sheet
     You can leave it as is, or shape into a candy cane braided bread.

    forming loaf into candy cane shape on baking pan
    Stretch loaf out to about 20" long and fold down to form candy cane shape.

    unbaked cherry loaf
    Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then drizzle with vanilla glaze.

    whisk with vanilla glaze dripping off end

    Cherry Christmas Loaf

    This delicious cherry filled candy cane braided bread is drizzled with a sweet vanilla icing! It's the perfect treat for the holidays.
    4.69 from 19 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 1 hour hour
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    0 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories: 371kcal
    Author: Brandy Nelson

    Ingredients

    • ¾ cup milk
    • ¼ cup butter softened
    • 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 Tbsp. instant yeast
    • ¼ cup white sugar
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup water
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 can cherry pie filling

    Vanilla Glaze

    • 2 cup powdered sugar
    • ⅓ cup butter or margarine melted
    • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
    • 2-4 Tbsp. hot water

    Instructions

    • Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in butter; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 ¼ cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. Add water, egg and the milk/yeast mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.
    • When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, 2-3 minutes.
    • Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.
    • Roll out dough into a 15×10 inch rectangle.
    • Transfer dough to a greased baking sheet (or parchment paper lined baking sheet) and spoon pie filling down the center, about 3″ wide.
    • Cut strips down each side of the dough, just to the filling. ¾″-1″ wide.
    • Begin folding sides over each other, alternating left to right. Press down to seal ends.
    • (You can leave it as is, or shape into a candy cane.)
    • Stretch loaf out to about 20″ long and fold down to form candy cane shape.
    • Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then drizzle with vanilla glaze.
    • Vanilla Glaze: Mix powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla. Stir in water, 1 T. at a time until smooth.
    • Drizzle over warm loaf of bread.

    Notes

    For a quick alternative, use puff pastry dough.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 371kcal
    Tried this Recipe? Like it Today!Mention @Gluesticksblog or tag #gluesticksblog!

     

    I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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    About Brandy

    Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you!

    Comments

    1. Caity says

      June 14, 2025 at 5:49 pm

      5 stars
      i didn't turn it into a candy cane because its currently june; i was craving cherry breading and found this recipe. not only is it extremely easy to make (i am honestly the worst baker in the world, i cook with my heart and dont measure often and baking can smell fear) but its extremely forgiving and very versatile. i loved it, it tasted amazing. thank you

      Reply
      • Brandy says

        June 14, 2025 at 7:34 pm

        Caity, so glad to hear that you had success with this sweet bread! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Cookie says

      January 01, 2025 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      This was the first time I have tried to make a braided bread like this. Directions were easy to follow and it was delicious!

      Reply
      • Brandy says

        January 01, 2025 at 4:49 pm

        Awesome! So glad to hear! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Michele says

      December 20, 2024 at 9:45 am

      5 stars
      Will be making this again this year! It’s a go to for Christmas, Easter in shape of a wreath dotting the top with berries. Also, make it during the year with different homemade fillings. This year I may add a sweetened cream cheese bottom layer.
      My family L❤️VES IT!! THANK YOU FOR MAKING ONE ASPECT OF THE SEASON OR 1 OF MY BAD TBI HEAD DAYS EASIER!!
      Now to see what of your new cookie recipes to add this year..Gideon's dup...Definitely!

      Reply
      • Brandy says

        December 20, 2024 at 1:12 pm

        Michele, I love hearing this! Merry Christmas!

        Reply
    4. Laura says

      December 11, 2023 at 6:28 pm

      Can this dough be started in a bread machine?

      Reply
      • Brandy says

        December 12, 2023 at 11:42 am

        Sure!

        Reply
    5. Teresa says

      December 10, 2023 at 3:16 pm

      Could you put cream cheese in this with the pie filling?

      Reply
      • Brandy says

        December 10, 2023 at 4:43 pm

        I don’t see why not! I bet it’d be yummy!

        Reply
    6. Jalane says

      December 25, 2021 at 1:06 am

      I remember making these braided candy canes for Christmas every year in Home Ec in High school w/ our Teacher Mrs. Linda Bennett. She was awesome. We always ate most of it before we made it home lol.

      Reply
    7. Judy says

      August 01, 2019 at 9:38 pm

      Brandy, Thanks so much for this recipe. I can't wait to try it. I am planning to pick cherries sometime next week and I will make some into pie filling to use in your recipe which sounds wonderful. I love cherries and they are healthy for you too. I love to bake so this should be fun.
      Judy

      Reply
    8. Marilyn says

      January 02, 2019 at 6:48 pm

      5 stars
      Congratulations! Your post was my feature pick at #ThursdayFavoriteThings this week. Visit me at https://www.marilynstreats.com on thursday morning to see your feature! All hosts choose their own features from the comments left on their blog so be sure to return to my blog to see your feature. I invite you to leave more links to be shared and commented upon. Please don’t forget to add your link numbers or post title so we can be sure to visit!

      Reply
    « Older Comments
    4.69 from 19 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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