Recipe: Braided Bread for Christmas

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December 19, 2025 | 5:24pm

MANILA, Philippines — Nothing looks more festive than lovely braided breads.

Perfect for Christmas, they usually come in loaves of soft dough that one can slice or pull apart and eat as is or filled with ham and cheese or bacon, whatever tickles your fancy.

These Christmas Cheese Braids by Chef Jackie Ang Po actually need no filling or topping anymore, as they have already been stuffed and topped with cheese and sprinkled with fresh spring onion before being baked.

Braided breads are easy to make, because braiding only requires the usual braiding technique you use for the hair.

Try making your own batches of Christmas Cheese Braids this holiday season! Your guests will be impressed when you serve them.

You can even wrap them in food-grade plastic and give them to family and friends as edible presents.  

Christmas Cheese Braids

Bread Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 1/2 tsps. Bake Dream Yeast
• 2 Tbsps. Arla Butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup fresh milk
• 1/2 cup water

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Arla Mozzarella Cheese, 30 per strip
• 3/4 cup leeks or spring onion, chopped
• Sea salt

Finish ingredients:

• Eggwash (egg whisked with a little water)
• 100 grams Arla Mozzarella Cheese for topping
• 1/4 cup spring onion

Procedure:

1. Mix all ingredients for the dough for 15 minutes.
2. Form into a ball and put it in a bowl greased with oil.
   1. Cover with plastic wrap.
   2. Let rise at room temperature for an hour or until double in volume.
3. Check the stretch of your dough and its readiness by taking a small piece of the dough and stretching it out thinly.
   1. If it is at the windowpane stage and does not tear, it is ready.
4. Sprinkle flour on work surface, and turn out dough.
   1. Divide the dough into six, and shape each into a ball.
   2. Let rest for 15 minutes.
5. Roll out each dough into an oblong shape 14 inches long.
   1. Fill with mozzarella cheese, leeks or spring onion, and sprinkle with a little sea salt.
   2. Roll into a log. Pinch the edges to seal.
6. Braid three logs into one loaf.
   1. Let rise for 45 minutes to an hour or until it doubles in volume.
7. Brush top with egg wash.
   1. This will give the bread a glossy top.
8. Bake in a preheated 325°F or 165°C oven (if using fan oven) or 350°F or 180°C oven (if using oven with no fan) for 15 minutes.
9. After 15 minutes, add 100 grams grated mozzarella cheese for topping, and bake for another three to five minutes.
10. Top with spring onion or leeks.

RELATED: 'Tis the season for Roasted Chesnuts