Festive Dried-Fruit & Nut Bread (Kolach-Style)
A braided, honey-enriched holiday bread laced with dried fruit and nuts — kolach, the round bread of Slavic Christmas symbolizing eternity and good fortune. Beautiful on the festive table, sliced thick for guests.
Why you'll love this recipe
- An old world recipe, made the way it always was
- Not one spoon of refined sugar
- Sweetened with real honey
- Makes enough for 14
- Advanced, with clear steps and nothing fussy
What you'll need
Everything here is a real ingredient you can find in a normal shop. Nothing artificial, no powders pretending to be sugar. Here is the full list, with the quantities I actually use.
- 4 cups (480 g) bread flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm milk
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast
- 1/3 cup (110 g) honey
- 2 eggs + 1 yolk, 1/4 cup (60 g) butter, 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- Zest of 1 orange; egg wash
How to make it
Foam yeast with 1 tsp honey in warm milk.
Beat in honey, eggs, yolk, butter and salt; work in flour to a soft dough. Knead 10 minutes. Rise 1 hour.
Knead in raisins, apricots, walnuts and orange zest.
Divide into 3 ropes; braid, then join into a round wreath on a lined tray. Rise 45 minutes.
Brush with egg wash; bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35–45 minutes until deep golden. Cool fully before slicing.
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Storage
Keep it covered in the fridge and it will hold for three to four days. If you are making it ahead, hold back any fresh topping until just before you serve so nothing goes soft. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months.
Questions about this recipe
Is Festive Dried-Fruit & Nut Bread (Kolach-Style) really made without refined sugar?
Yes. All the sweetness comes from honey - there is not one spoon of white sugar in it. That is the whole point of how I cook.
How long does Festive Dried-Fruit & Nut Bread (Kolach-Style) keep?
Kept covered in the fridge it holds for three to four days. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months - hold back any fresh topping until just before serving.
How many does Festive Dried-Fruit & Nut Bread (Kolach-Style) make?
This makes enough for 14. It scales cleanly, so use the 1x / 2x / 3x buttons on the recipe card if you need more or less.
Festive Dried-Fruit & Nut Bread (Kolach-Style)
A braided, honey-enriched holiday bread laced with dried fruit and nuts — kolach, the round bread of Slavic Christmas symbolizing eternity and good fortune. Beautiful on the…
Ingredients
- 4 cups (480 g) bread flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm milk
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast
- 1/3 cup (110 g) honey
- 2 eggs + 1 yolk, 1/4 cup (60 g) butter, 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- Zest of 1 orange; egg wash
Instructions
- Foam yeast with 1 tsp honey in warm milk.
- Beat in honey, eggs, yolk, butter and salt; work in flour to a soft dough. Knead 10 minutes. Rise 1 hour.
- Knead in raisins, apricots, walnuts and orange zest.
- Divide into 3 ropes; braid, then join into a round wreath on a lined tray. Rise 45 minutes.
- Brush with egg wash; bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35–45 minutes until deep golden. Cool fully before slicing.
