This traditional Greek Easter bread, Tsoureki, becomes wonderfully accessible with the help of a bread machine.
Made in just under 7 hours, this sweet, aromatic bread combines the ease of modern baking with centuries-old Greek baking traditions.
The recipe yields one perfect loaf – beautifully braided and golden-brown, ideal for holiday celebrations or special weekend breakfasts.
While the prep time is minimal, the slow rising process ensures that classic, pillowy-soft texture that Tsoureki is famous for.
Main Ingredients
- Strong White Flour: 500g, ensures perfect bread texture
- Instant Dry Yeast: 5 tsp, essential for proper rising
- Sugar: 130g, adds sweetness and helps with fermentation
- Milk: 100ml, creates soft texture
- Water: 90ml, helps activate the yeast
- Butter: 80g, adds richness and flavor
- Eggs: 2, provides structure and golden color
- Spices: 5 tsp mahleb seeds, 1 tsp cardamon, 2-3 mastic teardrops (ground)
- Salt: 1/2 tsp, enhances overall flavor
For Glazing
- Egg Wash: 1 egg + 2 tbsp water
- Almonds: 4 tbsp slivers for decoration
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Initial Setup: Add flour to bread machine bowl, place yeast in one corner
- Spice Addition: Mix spices, salt, and sugar on the opposite side
- Wet Ingredients: Combine eggs and water, then add with milk and half butter
- Machine Process: Select brioche program (Menu 33 on Panasonic SD-ZX2522)
- Butter Addition: Add remaining butter when machine beeps
- First Proofing: Let dough rise for 3 hours until doubled
- Shaping: Divide into three equal portions and form 60cm ropes
- Braiding: Create a traditional braid, tucking ends underneath
- Second Proofing: Let rise for 1 hour until doubled
- Final Touch: Brush with egg wash, sprinkle almonds
- Baking: 45 minutes at 160C until golden brown
- Cooling: Allow to cool on rack before serving
Special Ingredients Guide
Hey there! Let’s talk about those unique Greek ingredients that make tsoureki so special. Mahleb gives a lovely cherry-almond flavor, while cardamom adds warmth and mastic brings a subtle pine-like taste.
If you can’t find mahleb, try using a mix of almond and vanilla extract. For cardamom, the ground seeds work best, but pre-ground cardamom will do in a pinch.
Mastic might be tricky to find outside Greek stores, but don’t worry – your tsoureki will still taste wonderful without it!
Bread Machine Tips
Making tsoureki in a bread machine is super easy! The most important thing is adding ingredients in the right order – flour first, then yeast in one corner, spices and sugar in another.
This keeps the yeast away from the salt and liquids until mixing starts. If your machine doesn’t have a brioche setting, the regular dough cycle works great – just remember to add that extra butter halfway through kneading.
Your dough should feel soft and a bit sticky when done – that’s exactly what you want!
Storage and Freshness
Your fresh-baked tsoureki will stay soft and yummy for up to 4 days when wrapped well in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature.
Want to keep it longer? Slice it up and pop it in the freezer in a sealed bag – it’ll stay good for about 2 months.
Just warm the slices in the toaster when you’re ready to enjoy them. The best part? Toasting brings out those amazing spice flavors all over again!
Serving Ideas
This sweet bread shines at breakfast or teatime! Try it warm with a spread of butter that melts right in, or go classic Greek-style with some chocolate spread.
It’s also amazing with honey or orange marmalade – the citrus really brings out the orange zest in the bread.
Having guests? Cut thick slices and serve with coffee or Greek mountain tea for a cozy treat that’ll make everyone feel special!
Braiding Success
Don’t worry if your first braid isn’t perfect! The key is making your three ropes the same length (about 24 inches).
Lay them side by side, pinch the tops together, and just cross the outside pieces over the middle, one at a time.
Keep it loose – the bread needs room to rise. Think of it like braiding hair, just bigger and yummier! The result will be beautiful, even if it’s not totally even.
Easy Tsoureki in Bread Machine
Equipment
- Bread Machine
- Baking Dish
- Parchment Paper
- Kitchen Scale
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 gr strong white (bread) flour (17.6 oz)
- 5 tsp instant dry yeast
- 130 gr sugar (4.6 oz)
- 100 ml milk (3.4 fl oz)
- 90 ml water (3 fl oz)
- 80 gr butter (2.8 oz)
- 2 eggs
- 5 tsp ground mahleb seeds
- 1 tsp ground cardamon seeds
- 2-3 ground mastic teardrops
- 1/2 tsp salt
To glaze and decorate
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp water
- 4 tbsp almond slivers
Instructions
- To prepare my easy tsoureki in bread machine start by adding the flour in the bread machine bowl.
- Add the yeast on one corner of the bread machine bowl.
- Add the tsoureki ground spices (mahleb, ground cardamon seeds, ground mastic), the salt, sugar and orange zest on the other side of the baking pan.
- Crack the eggs in a bowl, pour in the water and whisk.
- In the bread machine bowl, pour in the milk and the egg-water mixture and add half the butter.
- Place the bowl in the bread machine and start the brioche dough programme. In the Panasonic SD-ZX2522, use menu 33. On the Panasonic SD-ZB2512 use menu 29. When the bread machine beeps, add the remaining butter and resume the programme.
- If your bread machine doesn’t have a brioche dough setting, use the plain dough setting and half way through the kneading cycle add the remaining butter to your tsoureki dough.
- Once the programme is complete, your bread machine tsoureki dough should look soft, springy and a little bit sticky.
- Its now time to proof your bread machine tsoureki. Set your bread machine to the “rise” programme and let it proof for about 3 hours. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size and has almost filled the bread machine bowl.
- If your bread machine doesn’t have a “rise” programme, use the sourdough starter programme and let the tsoureki dough proof for about 3 hours. If your bread machine doesn’t have a rise or sourdough starter programme, simply switch off the bread machine and leave the tsoureki dough in it for about 4 hours to proof.
- Once the tsoureki dough has proofed, remove the bowl from your bread machine and gently deflate your dough.
- Pour out the dough and using your scale split it in three equal portions.
- Take one portion of dough and roll it a little using your hands. Then grab it by the ends and shake it to stretch it into a rope. Each tsoureki string should be around 60cm/24 inch long. This technique will align the gluten in the dough and help it form that delicious stringy texture that characterises there traditional tsoureki.
- Lay your three tsoureki dough ropes side by side. Pinch the three dough ropes together on the top and fold the ropes over each other, forming a braid. Finally tuck the edges underneath.
- Transfer your tsoureki dough in a large baking dish lined with some parchment paper. Cover with some cling film and let it proof for around 1 hour, until it has doubled in size. If your house is cold, try turning the oven light on and putting your dough in it, to accelerate the proofing.
- Your dough is now ready to decorate. Crack one egg in a bowl, add a couple of tablespoons of water in it and whisk. Brush your tsoureki in a bread machine dough with the egg wash and sprinkle the almond slivers over it.
- Preheat your oven to 160C / 320F and bake your tsoureki for 45 minutes until it turns golden brown on top. Halfway through the cooking time rotate your baking dish so that the tsoureki is evenly coloured.
- Remove your bread machine tsoureki from the oven and let it cool down on a cake rack. Slice and serve with some chocolate spread or jam! Wrap it with some cling film to help keep it fresh!