The Cherry Filling Makes It Absolutely Amazing
Years ago, when our daughters were still in high school, a cherished family friend brought a cherry-filled braided bread loaf to our house every Christmas. Our families were connected in many ways, and Valerie always baked the yeast dough from scratch. We were always delighted when she arrived with that beautiful loaf.
It looked so perfect and complicated that I hesitated to try it. Now that our youngest granddaughter has graduated, I finally gave it a go—and she was right. It’s easier than it looks and tastes wonderful.
You can start with frozen bread dough or puff pastry, but nothing beats a homemade, from-scratch sweet enriched yeast dough for flavor and presentation.
I adapted my versatile One Great Bread Dough to create a slightly richer, softer dough with a fine texture that works beautifully for cherry braided bread.
Bread baking is simple, satisfying, and economical. A stand mixer makes the process easiest, but you can knead by hand if needed. Below I outline the enriched sweet yeast dough and the steps to shape it into a lovely cherry braid.
Begin By Making a Batch of Sweet Yeast Dough
I prefer to keep yeast bread straightforward so you’ll want to bake it often. The single most important rule is to have the liquid at the right temperature: about 105–115°F (warm to the wrist but not hot).
If you don’t have a thermometer, the wrist test works well—the liquid should feel comfortably warm, not cold or too hot. Yeast, like a baby’s bottle, prefers that cozy range.
Yeast needs warm liquid, a little sugar, and salt to activate. I use instant (rapid-rise) yeast because it’s convenient—you can add it directly to the flour mixture without proofing. If you only have active dry yeast, follow proofing instructions for best results.
I buy yeast in bulk and store unopened packages in the freezer; once opened, I keep it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. If you find old packets, check the expiration date or proof them before starting.
Step-by-Step Directions for Making Yeast Dough
Place warm milk, yeast, sugar, salt, and butter in the mixer bowl and add one cup of flour. Using the whip attachment, mix thoroughly, scraping down the sides as needed. Add one egg and two cups of flour, one cup at a time, and beat well.
A handy tip: drape a clean dish towel over the mixer head and bowl when you add flour to cut down on dusting and cleanup.
Switch to the dough hook and add flour gradually until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Stop the mixer occasionally and test the dough: if it feels sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time and resume kneading.
Good dough should be soft but not cling to your fingers—satiny, elastic, and smooth. Remove the dough hook and shape the dough into a ball.
Generously oil or spray the bowl, return the dough to it, lightly coat the dough surface with a little oil, cover with a dish towel, and set in a warm spot to rise for about an hour. When doubled, the dough is ready to shape.
How to Fill the Dough to Make Braided Bread
Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rectangle roughly 10 x 15 inches. Transfer each rectangle to a rimmed, parchment-lined or greased baking sheet. Rolling the dough over your pin and unrolling it onto the sheet makes this step easier.
Stir 1 teaspoon almond extract into a 21-ounce can of cherry pie filling. Spread half the filling down the center third of each rectangle. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, make diagonal cuts along the sides (think Christmas tree branches) and fold the strips over the filling, alternating left and right to form a braid.
After braiding, allow the loaves to rise again until doubled—this second rise usually takes less time. If you accidentally open a different filling, like strawberry, it can still be delicious; apricot or apple would be lovely choices as well.
Pinch and tuck the ends to seal the braid neatly. Brush the top with an egg wash (one egg whisked with a little water) to create a shiny golden crust. While the wash is still wet, sprinkle sanding sugar, sliced almonds, or coarse sugar for decoration.
Bake in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is a beautiful golden brown. Cool completely before adding a powdered sugar glaze and before slicing—this helps the filling set and makes cleaner slices.
With a little practice, the dough is enjoyable to work with, and homemade braided loaves make wonderful gifts. They’re perfect alongside other favorites like simple cinnamon rolls, easy cinnamon bread, pumpkin bread, or cranberry-orange loaf.
PRINTED RECIPE CARD
Braided Bread With Cherry Filling
Here is a recipe for enriched sweet roll dough with a soft, tender crumb and instructions for transforming it into a beautiful braided bread with cherry filling.
15 minutes
30 minutes
1 hour 30 minutes
2 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
Yeast Dough
- 2 cups warm milk (about 110°F). You can use half milk and half water if preferred.
- 5 tsp yeast (about two packets) or equivalent instant yeast
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Approximately 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs at room temperature (one for the dough, one for egg wash)
Cherry Filling
- One 21-ounce can cherry pie filling
- 1 tsp almond extract
- Optional toppings: sanding sugar, sliced almonds, powdered sugar glaze
Instructions
- Combine warm milk, yeast, sugar, salt, and butter in the mixer bowl. Add one cup of flour and mix using the whip attachment, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Wrap a clean dish towel around the mixer to minimize flour dust and cleanup.
- Add one egg and two more cups of flour, one cup at a time, beating well between additions.
- Switch to the dough hook and add flour gradually until the dough pulls away from the bowl sides.
- Pause the mixer and feel the dough. If sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time and continue kneading.
- Stop adding flour when the dough is soft but not sticky—smooth and elastic.
- Gather the dough into a ball, oil the bowl, return the dough to the bowl, and coat the dough lightly with oil.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.
- Divide the dough in half and roll each portion into a rectangle about 10 x 15 inches.
- Place each rectangle on a parchment-lined or greased rimmed baking sheet.
- Stir 1 tsp almond extract into the cherry pie filling and spread half the filling down the center of each rectangle.
- Cut diagonal strips along the sides and fold them over the filling, alternating sides to create a braid.
- Let the braided loaves rise again until nearly doubled; this rise will be quicker than the first.
- Brush with an egg wash (one egg whisked with a little water) for a shiny crust. For a softer crust, brush with melted butter after baking.
- Add toppings such as sanding sugar or sliced almonds while the wash is still wet.
- Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
- Cool completely before adding any glaze and before slicing to ensure clean slices.
We love giving baked goods to everyone on our Christmas list. If you try this braided cherry bread, consider pairing it with other favorite quickbreads like cinnamon bread, pumpkin bread, or a cranberry-orange loaf.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it on your social media or leave a review or comment—it helps a small kitchen grow.
Love, GB (Betty Streff)