Bake a loaf of this delicious nutmeg flavored Braided Bread that is studded with lots of pecans and just the right amount of sweetness. This egg-enriched yeast bread is fluffy inside and bakes golden brown outside with a pretty braided top.
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Nothing is better than the aroma of a beautiful loaf of homemade bread baking in your oven. And, I find it hard to find recipes with nutmeg, and that is what this bread is all about.
This sweet yeasted bread has a unique flavor, with a rich and creamy nutmeg butter filling and roasted pecans scattered throughout the loaf; it is then rolled and artfully braided. As a kid, I thought this bread was the best thing ever and is still a favorite.
You might know this bread as Sweet Easter Bread or German Sweet Bread. The original recipe I found in the ’70s is called Sweet Nut Braid. No matter what, this is delicious throughout the year.
Making bread takes time; the process can’t be rushed, but then, after several hours of smelling that enticing aroma, you finally pull from your oven a fragrant golden brown loaf of bread that tastes insanely delicious.
Recipe Highlights
- The ingredient list is full of pantry staples, so there is nothing fancy you need to buy.
- Don’t let the looks of this bread scare you away; the yeasted dough is super simple to make, and rolling and braiding the bread is surprisingly simple to do. And, it’s fun! Really!
- Enjoy this loaf any time of the year, but this nutty bread recipe makes a statement for delicious Christmas bread to give as a gift or to set on the holiday table, and we like to serve this for Easter.
Variations
Make simple changes for some different flavors
- Change the nutmeg to cardamom or cinnamon. You can find more spices to use on the Baking with Spices list.
- Mix spices together, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, or simply add some pumpkin pie spice.
- Change the pecans to walnuts or pistachios.
- You can drizzle the top of the bread with a simple powdered sugar icing for some sweetness.
Bread Ingredients
- Active dry yeast
- Water
- Unsalted butter – room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Whole milk for richness
- Large eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Ground nutmeg – try grating some fresh nutmeg for the best flavor
- Chopped pecans -try toasting pecans for a great nutty flavor
How To Make Pecan Nutmeg Bread
Start with a sweet, tender, egg-rich dough
Step 1. In a small bowl or ramekin, mix the yeast with warm water to dissolve
Step 2. Add the milk to a glass measuring cup and heat it in the microwave until hot. Then add it to a stand mixer bowl with the softened butter, sugar, and salt and stir until combined. Now, let this mixture cool.
Step 3. Beat the eggs together, add to the milk mixture, then add the yeast and stir until it’s combined.
Step 4. Fit the mixer with the dough hook. Next, add the flour one cup at a time until a stiff dough forms.
Step 5. Turn the dough on a floured board and knead for about five minutes until smooth. Put the dough into a greased bowl and let rise for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or let it rise in the refrigerator overnight.
Dough rising tip – Make sure there is room in the bowl for the dough to double in size. I like to cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then a towel and place it in a warm, draft-free place.
Step 6. While the dough is rising, make the nutmeg butter filling by mixing the softened butter, powdered sugar, milk, nutmeg, and vanilla
Step 7. Turn the dough onto a floured board and roll the dough into a 12″ x 15″rectangle.
Step 8. Spread the butter filling over the dough.
Step 9. Cut the dough into three strips that are 5″ wide.
Step 10. Top the dough with chopped pecans; if you have time, toast the pecans first for a truly nutty flavor.
How to toast pecans on the stovetop – This takes just a few minutes. Place the pecans in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until you can smell the nutty fragrance of the pecans. This should take about two minutes. Remove from the skillet and let cool.
Step 11. Roll each strip up long-wise in rolls and lay the rolls side-by-side. If the filling oozes out of the roll, you can scrape it off and spoon it into the end of the roll.
Starting at the top, braid the three rolls together. Turn the ends under the braid and then transfer the braided bread dough into a prepared bread pan.
Cover the bread pan with a towel and let the dough rise in the pan for 1 hour.
Bread pan tip – To remove the baked bread easily from a bread pan, spray the bottom of the pan with cooking spray, then cut a piece of parchment paper to fit into the bottom and sides of the pan with a bit of an overhang. When the bread is baked, remove the bread, pulling the parchment paper ends.
Or, buy this amazing silicone bread lifter that works like a charm.
Step 12. Bake the bread at 350 degrees F. for 50-60 minutes. You can check the temperature of the bread with a digital thermometer to make sure it is done; it should be 200 degrees. When the bread is done, let it sit for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack. Slice and enjoy
Note: Please check the top of your bread; if it is getting too brown, cover it with a piece of foil or parchment paper.
Baked and sliced, this sweet and tender homemade Sweet Nut Braid is filled with buttery nutmeg and pecans—a delicious slice to serve with your morning coffee or tea.
Bread FAQ’s
Many bread recipes require this step since it helps the bread rise. Because the whey in milk can inhibit yeast from working properly, scalding milk makes the whey in milk weaker so the yeast can do what it’s supposed to do and rise.
This aromatic, warming spice has a sweet, spicy, earthy taste.
Nutmeg is a spice from East India. Is it really a nut? No, it is a seed. Nutmeg is the dried inner fruit seed that comes from the nutmeg tree. You get two spices from this fruit, nutmeg and mace, which is the lacy red covering of the nutmeg seed.
More favorite bread recipes
- Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread is similar to cinnamon monkey pull-apart but much faster and easier to make.
- Spiced Orange Cranberry Bread has been pinned over 8000 times. We love this bread so much and make two loaves at a time.
- Pumpkin Cranberry Bread with Orange Glaze is perfect to serve in the fall and for Thanksgiving. You will love all the delicious flavors and warming spices.
- Spiced Apple Cider Oatmeal Bread makes a hearty slice of delicious apple-flavored bread.
- Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls are always a favorite and so easy to make.
- If you love sourdough, try this recipe for Sourdough Brioche that bakes up soft and tender.
More Pecan Recipes
- For pecan lovers, these Mini Pecan Tarts are always a favorite anytime I serve them. They are perfect for the holidays; they freeze well and make great gifts for food.
- These Butter Pecan Blondies are thick, rich, and chewy with browned butter and toasted pecans.
More to make and eat!
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Nutmeg and Pecan Braided Bread
Ingredients
Bread ingredients
- 1 package active dry yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons
- ¼ cup warm water
- ¼ cup butter room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk scalded
- 2 large eggs
- 2¾ cups AP flour may need extra
Cream Filling Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅔ cup chopped pecans optional to toast the pecans
Instructions
- Place the yeast in a small bowl and add the hot water, stir to dissolve and let set.
- Scald the milk then pour into the bowl of a stand mixer, then add the butter, sugar, and salt and stir to combine. Let cool.You can scald the milk in a saucepan on the stove;simply heat the milk over medium heat, just to the point it starts boiling, and you will notice small bubbles appearing around the edge of the saucepan.The microwave method – measure the milk in a glass measuring cup, use 70% power and heat it at 20-second intervals about 3-4 times. Scalded milk should be 185 degrees F.
- Beat the eggs, then add to the milk mixture along with the yeast. Stir to combine.
- Using a dough hook, gradually start adding in the flour one cup at a time, until you have a stiff dough. You may need to add more flour to get the right consistency of dough.
- On a floured board knead the dough for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel. Let the dough rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. You can also let this dough rise overnight in the refrigerator.
Butter Nutmeg Filling
- In a small bowl add the softened butter, powdered sugar, milk, nutmeg, and vanilla extract then mix until smooth and creamy.
Putting it all together
- Punch down the dough ball then place it on a floured surface and roll into a 15" x 12" rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough. Cut the rectangle into three strips 5" x 12" and then sprinkle pecans over each strip.
- Gently roll each dough strip lengthwise and place them side-by-side and braid them together. Turn the ends of the braided dough under the braid. Transfer the dough to a greased bread pan and cover with a towel. Set the pan in a warm-draft-free space and let rise for 1 hour.
- When ready to bake preheat your oven to 350 ° F and bake for 50-60 minutes. The internal temperature should be 200 degrees.When done, let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Storage
- This bread will keep for about two days. Place the bread in an airtight container or a plastic food storage bag.
- You can freeze this bread. Wrap the uncut loaf in plastic wrap, then wrap tightly in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat let the bread thaw on the counter.
Notes
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Nutrition
First published: July 8, 2022; last updated: Dec. 21, 2024, for better readability.
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About Jere’ Cassidy
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place. I am glad to be sharing sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
This was very good. I did make it with only one egg, and turned out, but I can see how 2 eggs would make a difference.
Thanks for letting me know about the eggs. Yes, two eggs is going to make a delicious enriched bread and give it a golden color.
So your recipe calls for 1 egg but as I was reading the step-by-step instructions you says eggs(2), which is it??
Thank you so much for catching that! The recipe does take two eggs, and I’ve updated the recipe card now to reflect the correct info. I really appreciate your help!
This was so good!
Found this on Pinterest- Turned out buttery and soft!
Yeah, for Pinterest. And I am glad you enjoyed the bread.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe, and glad you found me on Pinterest.
This recipe is awesome, and my family loved it, especially the nutmeg flavor. It reminded me of the holidays.
This Nutmeg and Pecan Braided Bread is so good. Thanks for sharing!