Soft and fluffy Christmas wreath brioches made with simple ingredients and natural dyes (or food dyes if you have them on hand). The bread recipe is very easy to follow, and results in a soft and fluffy brioche texture. I have also included step-by-step instructions so you can follow along!
Published: November 22, 2025 by Pamela.
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It’s been really fun making Christmas recipes for this season and these brioches breads were one of the best things to make so far! I love making bread and of course I had to make ones that look like a Christmas wreath. I first tested the vision with a bagel recipe but they fell apart when I tried to cut them so I went with my brioche recipe (that I still haven’t shared here) but I reduced the amount of yeast so that they keep there shapes better.
If you’re also baking for Christmas, you might like these recipes I shared:
- Puff Pastry Christmas Tree (filled with pesto and cream cheese)
- Sugar Cookie Cinnamon Rolls
- Gingerbread Tiramisu (no eggs)
Ingredients to make Christmas brioche:
The ingredients of my brioche recipe are very simple! You will need:
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour. If you’re in Europe, T65 works really well too. Skip cake flour because it’s too delicate and won’t give the wreath enough structure.
- Active dry yeast: For my usual brioche, I add around 1 to 1.5 teaspoons, but for this wreath I lowered it to ½ teaspoon. This helps the brioche keep its pretty shape while still staying soft and fluffy.
- Granulated sugar: Just a little to lightly sweeten the dough and help with browning.
- Milk: No need to warm it. Cold milk works fine here and keeps the dough from getting too soft during shaping. I use 2% milk, you can use richer milks as well. You will also need milk to spray or brush on top of the wreaths before baking.
- Eggs: They make the brioche tender and give it that rich, classic taste. I use large eggs, you can use medium but you ight need less flour or more milk. You can adjust accordingly.
- Unsalted butter: This brings the soft texture and the buttery flavor everyone loves. Make sure it’s slightly softened so it mixes in easily.
- Salt: A small amount is enough to balance the sweetness and bring out all the flavors.
- Natural dyes: You can absolutely keep them plain, I used beetroot powder for the bows, and green spirulina for the wreath, the spirulina smells a bit like fish but don’t worry once you add it you cannot smell or taste it! You can definitely use food dyes, I would recommend gel because they blend beautifully, they are pigmented, and they won’t mess up the consistency of the dough.
Measurements are posted in the recipe card below the instructions.
How to make Christmas wreath brioche:
Before you start, here’s what you need to know ⚠️
This recipe makes 5 brioches. Each bow is about 25 g, so you’ll remove 125 g of dough from the full batch to dye it pink or red for the bows. The rest of the dough will be dyed green for the wreaths.
If you’re using beetroot powder, you only need a small amount. It gives a strong color, so add a little at a time until you reach the shade you want.
[In this section, you can follow the decorating process, the dough process is listed in the recipe card]
1. Make the bows
Once you divide the pink dough into 5 pieces, roll each one into a ball. Flatten each ball into a small circle, then make the cuts the way you see in the photo. Lift the right middle piece and tuck it under the top and bottom sections. Do the same on the left side to shape the bow. Take the long strip that’s left, wrap it around the center, and pinch it firmly at the back to hold everything in place.
2. Make the wreath
Just like the bows, divide the green dough into 5 pieces and roll each one into a ball. Flatten each ball and roll it into a thin oval. Roll the oval into a small cylinder and pinch the seam to close it firmly so it holds its shape while rising and baking.
3. Shape the wreath
Cut the cylinder into 3 equal strips, leaving a small section at the top uncut. Braid the strips all the way down. Flatten the top part you kept intact so you can connect both ends.
4. Finalize the wreath
Bring the braid around to form a wreath, and pinch the ends together to secure the circle. Add the bow, press it down a bit then place the brioche on your baking tray lined with baking paper.
5. Rest and bake
Allow the wreaths to rest for 30 minutes before baking, don’t leave them for more, over-proofing will not do any good. Then brush them or spray them with milk and bake them, in a preheated oven, at 180 °C (356 °F) for 15 to 20 minutes.
⚠️ Tips to bake them:
To bake the brioches, make sure you turn off the top element so they don’t brown a lot and keep their colors. I also use the fan on and bottom element. If your oven doesn’t have the option to turn off the top element, add a baking tray on the top rack to prevent the browning as much as possible. I place the baking tray with the brioches on the middle rack.
💬 Tried this Christmas bread recipe? I’d love to know what you think! Leave a quick comment or tap the ⭐️ to rate, your feedback helps me keep improving recipes.
After baking the brioche, take them out of the oven and let them sit for a few minutes. You can dust them with powdered sugar, brush them with butter, enjoy them with Nutella… Whatever you want!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make brioche ahead of time
Yes, you can prepare the dough the day before. Let it rise once, punch it down, cover it well, and keep it in the fridge overnight. Shape and bake the next day.
Can I freeze the brioche
You can freeze the baked wreaths once they cool down. Store them well-wrapped and thaw at room temperature. Warm them briefly in the oven before serving.
Can I make one big wreath instead of five small ones
Yes, just keep an eye on the baking time. A larger wreath will need a bit more time in the oven.
How to store Brioche buns
Keep the brioche covered or in an airtight container for up to 2 days. It stays soft and fluffy if you wrap it well. You can store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, but warm it slightly before serving so it gets its softness back. Freeze the baked brioche once it has fully cooled. Wrap it tightly and store it for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and warm it briefly in the oven to refresh it.
🎄 If you tried this brioche recipe, be sure to leave a rating and share your thoughts in the comments below. I’d love to hear your feedback!
Christmas Wreath Brioches
Ingredients
- 2½ Cups All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Active dry yeast
- 2 Tbsps Granulated sugar
- ⅓ Cup Milk (cold or room temperature)
- 2 Eggs (I used large)
- Pinch Salt
- ⅓ Cup Unsalted butter (softened)
- Red and green dyes (read note*)
Instructions
To make the Dough:
- Add all the ingredients to the stand mixer except the butter. Mix on low until everything comes together. The dough will look a bit dry at this stage. It won’t stick to the sides, but it might not look perfectly smooth yet.
- Add the softened butter and keep mixing on low until it’s fully incorporated. The dough will relax and soften.
- Once the butter is absorbed, raise the speed to medium and let it mix for at least 5 minutes. You can go up to 8 minutes max. The dough should look smooth, stretchy, and soft.
To color the dough
- Take out about 125 g of dough and set it aside. This will be your bow dough. Add a little beetroot powder to this small piece and knead it by hand until the color is even. You can use red food dye instead of beetroot powder of course.
- Color the remaining dough with green spirulina or any green dye you prefer. I let the mixer do this part since it’s a bigger portion.
- Once both colors are fully mixed in, place each dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover them and let them rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until they double in size.
Shape the dough
- Divide the red dough into 5 pieces and roll each into a ball. Flatten each ball into a small circle, make your cuts, then fold the middle sections underneath to form the bow shape. Wrap the long strip around the center and pinch the back to secure it.
- Divide the green dough into 5 equal portions and shape each into a ball. Roll each one into a thin oval, then roll it up into a tight little cylinder. Pinch the seam so it stays closed.
- Cut each cylinder into 3 strips, leaving the top attached. Braid the strips, flatten the uncut top, then bring the braid around into a circle. Pinch the ends together to close the wreath.
- Once your wreaths are ready, add the bows, press them down a bit, and place all the shaped wreaths and bows on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Rest and bake
- Cover them lightly and let them rise again for about 30 minutes. They should look a bit puffier but still hold their shape. At 15 minutes into resting, preheat your oven at 180℃ (356 °F). Turn on fan, and bottom element, make sure you turn off the top element so they don't brown much.
- Right before baking, brush each wreath and bow with a little milk or egg wash for a shiny, golden finish. Bake at 180 °C (356 °F) (in the middle rack) until they turn lightly golden. Depending on your oven, this usually takes around 15 minutes for small brioches.
- Let them cool on a rack so the crumb stays soft. You can dust them with a bit of powdered sugar, brush them with butter, or however you like brioches.
Notes
- You can use food dye or natural dye like I did. I used beetroot powder and green spirulina. If you want to use food coloring, try to go for gel based colors instead of water-based because they are more pigmented and won’t mess up the consistency of the dough. If you only have water-based it’s totally fine, you might need to add a tiny bit more flour of you add too much.
- Nutrition info is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and portions. For the most accurate details, consider using a nutrition tool or checking our full Nutrition Information Disclaimer.
Nutrition
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