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!
How To Make a Braided Candy Cane Loaf
Cherry Candy Cane Braided Bread Recipe
(scroll down for printable version)
Ingredients
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.
Cherry Christmas Loaf
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
Nutrition
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Miz Helen says
Your Candy Cane Braided Bread looks fabulous! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and thanks so much for sharing your awesome recipes with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Amy says
This candy cane braided bread turned out so cute. Found you at Best of the Weekend.
Lisa says
This was amazing! Thank you for sharing.
Brandy says
You are welcome! I'm glad you liked it! 🙂
Renee says
Hello,
Is the instant yeast you use considered the rapid rise kind or regular instant yeast?
Thank you,
Renee
Brandy says
I just use the regular instant yeast.
Aunt Charley says
I’ve seen regular yeast and rapid rise yeast, but never heard of or seen instant yeast.
Brandy says
https://www.allrecipes.com/article/yeast-the-basics/
I buy it at Sam's Club in a 2-pack and it lasts forever. I attached a link that explains the differences in active, instant and fresh yeast.
lavande says
Bonsoir,
Que signifie "1 peut remplir de tarte aux cerises"? Est-ce simplement des cerises?
Merci
Lavande
Brandy says
Hello!
Cherry filling is a cooked cherry pie filling that you can buy in a can here in the United States. I'm not sure what it would be called internationally! Here is what it looks like: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Comstock-Original-Country-Cherry-Pie-Filling-Or-Topping-21-oz/10307753?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=1841&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42423897272&wl4=pla-51320962143&wl5=9008492&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=10307753&wl13=1841&veh=sem
Jack says
The vanilla glaze is unclear....how much of each ingredient is needed? Thanks so much
Brandy says
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons to 4 hot water
Miz Helen says
Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Come to next weeks Thanksgiving party on Tuesday at 8:00 am, CST, see you then!
Miz Helen
Linda on Poinsettia Drive says
This looks so festive and delicious. I must share.
Jess says
Pinned! This sounds amazing! 🙂
I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Theresa @ Shoestring Elegance says
Brandy, This looks absolutey heavenly!
Brandy says
Thank you, Theresa!
Joleen says
Could I am it the day before and then cook it Christmas morning ?
Brandy says
Hi Joleen! I would think that you could put it together the night before and leave it in the refrigerator until Christmas morning then bake it, but I've honestly never tried that before.
Katie says
I'm assuming it would be ok, but I don't like cherries and was going to use strawberries instead. Do you think it would still turn out ok? I am not really a baker but this is really cute for Christmas!
Brandy says
Hi Katie! I haven't made many recipes with baked strawberries so I'm not sure how they would hold up or change. Cherries work well and are sturdy. But it would be worth a try! Or use apple pie filling, or pretty much any kind of pie filling...except for cherry 🙂
Jess says
This looks great! I'm wondering if i could use some pre-made dough instead? I am not a great baker so starting easy would be great! Thank you!
Brandy says
I think you totally could! Maybe even a puff pastry or pre-made frozen bread dough. Good luck!
Kathryn says
So cute and yummy looking! I wonder how it would be with a cream cheese/powdered sugar mixture under the cherry pie filling? I must try it!
Cristall Garkins says
This looks great! What are your thoughts about making this ahead of Christmas morning?
Brandy says
I think making it the night before would be just fine! 🙂