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–+ servings
holiday bread wreath with rosemary and tomato garnish- marinara dipping sauce in center
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5 from 4 votes

Holiday Bread Wreath

A Holiday Bread Wreath is a festive and delicious addition to any holiday appetizer table or to serve alongside the main dish. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Additional Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 5 minutes
Course: Breads
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bread wreath, Christmas wreath bread, holiday bread recipe, Italian bread, yeast bread wreath
Servings: 20 Servings
Calories: 301kcal
Author: Milisa

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups warm water 95 - 100°
  • 1 package Red Star Platinum Yeast 2 ¼ teaspoons or active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for greasing the bowl
  • 3- 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • fresh rosemary for garnish
  • 1/2 cup grape tomatoes sliced in half
  • 1 cup marinara sauce for dipping

Instructions

  • Add warm water to a large bowl with yeast, sugar and olive oil, stir to combine. Set aside about 5 - 10 minutes until yeast starts to bubble. 
  • Add 3 cups of flour and salt. Use a dough hook or wooden spoon to mix on low until ingredients come together. Knead for 3- 5 minutes until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, adding additional flour as needed ¼ cup at a time.
  • Coat a large bowl with olive oil  and add dough, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft- free place for about 1 hour to double in size. 
  • Punch down the dough and place on a lightly floured board. Knead out any air bubbles. 
  • Divide dough into 4 pieces.
  • Shape the dough into 4 rope- like rolls. Rolling the dough between your hands is an easy way to shape the dough. 
  • Braid three of the strands together and pinch the ends together.
  • Bring the ends of the dough together to form a circle. 
  • Divide the remaining strand of dough into 8 pieces and twist into knots. 
  • Line or grease a baking sheet and place dough wreath and rolls onto the pan.
  • Place an oven-safe bowl in the center. 
  • Cover with a flour sack towel and place in a warm place to rise 30 minutes to one hour. 
  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Beat the egg together with a tablespoon of water. Brush all over the dough.
  • Bake for 22- 25 minutes or until bread is golden brown.
  • Remove from oven.
  • Use a large spatula to move the bread wreath onto a serving platter with the bread rolls.
  • Fill the bowl with marinara sauce - which can be heated for a few minutes in the microwave or room temperature works too.
  • Garnish bread with sprigs of fresh rosemary and sliced tomatoes.
  • Slice and serve as needed.

Notes

Recipe Notes and Variations:

  • Yield: 20 Servings
  • Garlic Butter Bread Wreath: Bread wreath can be brushed with garlic butter when removed from oven. Melt 1/4 cup of butter over low heat. Add 1 grated garlic clove and a tablespoon of fresh parsley, cook for 2 minutes. Brush over bread wreath. 
  • Dipping Sauce: Olive oil with Italian herbs and spices is a great alternative to the marinara sauce if preferred.
  • Storage: Store leftover bread wreath in a zip top bag at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 6 days.
  • Reheat: Sliced bread wreath can be reheated in a toaster oven for 3- 4 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 127mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g