Authentic SECRET Tsoureki Recipe For DELICIOUS Easter Bread

Learn how to make authentic Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki) with this traditional family recipe! This sweet, braided bread with its distinctive stringy texture is a cornerstone of Greek Easter celebrations. Follow along as I share my grandmother’s secrets for creating the perfect Tsoureki with those special red-dyed eggs that symbolize rebirth and new life.
🍞 INGREDIENTS (American Measurements):
• 2¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
• ½ cup lukewarm water
• 1 tsp ground mastic (masticha)
• 2 tsp ground mahlepi (mahlab)
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup milk, room temperature
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• Zest of 1 orange
• 7 cups bread flour (13% protein content)
• 1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)
• Sliced almonds or sesame seeds for topping
• 3-6 eggs for dyeing red (1 per loaf)
⏰ BAKING TEMPERATURE & TIME:
• Preheat oven to 340°F (170°C)
• Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown
This traditional Greek Easter bread is flavored with aromatic spices (mastic and mahlepi) that give it its unique taste. The three-strand braid symbolizes the Holy Trinity, while the red eggs represent the blood of Christ and rebirth. Perfect for your Easter celebration or anytime you want to bring Mediterranean flavors to your table!
👩‍🍳 TIPS:
• Don’t rush the proofing – allow the dough to double in size
• The dough should be slightly sticky for a soft, fluffy texture
• For the perfect stringy texture, use the special stretching technique shown in the video
• Store in an airtight container for up to 5-6 days or freeze for up to 2 months
🌍 CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Tsoureki is traditionally served to break the Lenten fast on Easter Sunday and is often given as gifts to express friendship and love. The red eggs are used in a game called “tsougrisma” where family members tap eggs against each other – the person whose egg remains uncracked is said to have good luck for the year!
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This video is generated assisted with Ai

[Music] Yasu friends, I’m Elena and today I’m going to share with you one of Greece’s most treasured Easter traditions. How to make authentic churi. This sweet braided bread has been part of my family’s Easter celebrations for generations. Churki isn’t just any bread. Uh it’s a symbol of celebration and rebirth. The three strand braid represents the Holy Trinity. And these beautiful red eggs, they symbolize the blood of Christ and new life. Maya, that’s Greek for grandmother, taught me how to make this when I was just a little girl. And now I’m passing this tradition on to you. What makes Churki special is this amazing stringy texture and the unique spices we use. Trust me, once you smell this baking in your oven, you’ll understand why Greek homes smell so heavenly during Easter. Let’s get started on this beautiful bread that will surely become your new Easter tradition. Before we begin, let’s go through all the ingredients you’ll need. Don’t worry about writing everything down. I’ll have the full recipe in the description below. For the dough, you’ll need 2 and 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast. That’s one standard packet. and 1 teaspoon ground mastik or masticha. This is a special Greek spice from the island of Kios. You’ll also need 2 tespoons ground mahi or mahlab. Another unique spice that gives chorei its distinctive flavor. Now, these two spices might be new to you, but they’re absolutely essential for authentic churi. You’ll need half a cup of unsalted butter at room temperature and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Add 2/3 cup of milk and four large eggs, all at room temperature. Don’t forget the zest of one orange. It adds a wonderful aroma to our turki. And finally, 7 cups of bread flour. Look for high protein content, about 13%. For the egg wash and garnish, we’ll need one egg mixed with a tablespoon of water and some sliced almonds or sesame seeds for topping. For the traditional red eggs, you’ll need three to six eggs, red food coloring or natural dye. A tablespoon of white vinegar and a little olive oil for polishing if you like. Mastic comes from the resin of mastic trees on the Greek island of Kios. Did you know it was the original chewing gum? And maleppi comes from the seas of wild cherries. You can find these at Greek specialty stores or online. Trust me, they’re worth seeking out for that authentic flavor. A little secret from my kitchen to yours. Don’t skip these spices. They are what makes turki taste like turki. Now that we have all our ingredients ready, let’s start making our delicious turki. Let’s start by preparing our beautiful red Easter eggs. Traditionally, we dye these on Holy Thursday, but you can make them a day or two before baking your churi. One, place your eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Two, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Three, let them cool completely. Now for the fun part, dyeing them this beautiful, vibrant red. In Greece, many families still use natural dyes made from onion skins, but red food coloring works perfectly, too. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to help the color adhere better. Submerge your eggs completely and let them sit for at least 30 minutes. The longer they sit, the deeper the color will be. Did you know that these red eggs are used in a game called tisugma after our Easter feast? Family members tap their eggs against each other and the person whose egg remains uncracked is said to have good luck for the year. It’s one of my favorite Easter memories from childhood. For an extra beautiful shine, you can polish them lightly with olive oil. Aren’t they gorgeous? Set these aside while we prepare our dough. Now, let’s start on our turki dough. First, we need to activate our yeast. In a small bowl, combine the lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar and the yeast. The water should feel like the temperature of your wrist. Not too hot, not too cold. Too hot will kill the yeast and too cold won’t activate it. Give it a gentle stir and set it aside for about 7 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it gets foamy on top like this. While we wait, let’s prepare our special spices. I like to grind the mastic and mahali with a little sugar to help break them down. The mastic comes in little crystal-like pieces that can be a bit sticky, so the sugar helps. M. Smell that? That’s the scent of Greek Easter right there. Now, in a saucepan, we’ll combine our butter, sugar, and milk. Heat this gently. We just want to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar, not cook it. My yaya always said the key to good turki is patience. She would tell me stories of grease while we waited for the dough to rise. Did you know that in some regions of Greece they shape turki into different forms? Some make it round like a crown to symbolize the crown of thorns. Once your butter mixture is melted, let it cool until it’s just warm to the touch. If it’s too hot, it will cook our eggs. In a large bowl or stand mixer, we’ll combine our butter mixture with the eggs, one at a time, please. Now, add our activated yeast mixture and those wonderful spices we ground. And don’t forget the orange zest. It adds such a beautiful aroma. Now comes the flour. Add it one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. We’re looking for a soft, slightly sticky dough. Don’t be tempted to add too much flour. That’s the number one mistake people make. A slightly sticky dough means your turki will be soft and fluffy, not dry. See how it’s still a bit sticky, but pulls away from the sides of the bowl? That’s perfect. Now for the first rice, place your dough in a large oiled bowl. and cover it with a damp kitchen towel. This will need to rise for about 3 to four hours or until it doubles in size. In Greece, we say this is when you catch up with family gossip. Look at that beautiful dough. It’s doubled in size and is so light and airy. Now comes the fun part, shaping our sorei. We’ll divide our dough into six equal pieces. This will make two large loaves with three strands each. I like to weigh mine to make sure they’re even, but you can eyeball it, too. Now, roll each piece into a long rope about 15 18 in. Here’s a special technique my yaya taught me. Hold each end and shake it gently up and down like this. This stretches the gluten and gives turki that amazing stringy texture when you pull it apart. Now we braid. Lay three strands side by side. Pinch them together at the top and braid just like you would hair. Right over middle, left over middle, and repeat. Not too tight. We want to leave room for the dough to expand. Pinch the ends together and tuck them under slightly. Now for our beautiful red eggs, gently press them into the braided dough. Traditionally, we place them up after the s after the second rise, just before baking, but I find they stay in place better if we add them now. Did you know that in some parts of Greece, they make turki with five red eggs to symbolize the five wounds of Christ? In my family, we always use three eggs to represent the Holy Trinity. Place your beautiful braided loaves on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover them loosely with a kitchen towel. While we wait, let me tell you about Easter in Greece. It’s our biggest holiday of the year. Even bigger than Christmas, the entire Holy Week is filled with beautiful traditions, processions, and of course, preparations for the Easter feast. They’ll need to rise again for about an hour. Chu reki is just one part of our celebration, but it’s one of the most beloved. Look how beautifully they’ve risen. Now they’re ready for the oven. Preheat your oven to 340° 170°. Before we bake, we’ll brush our turki with an egg wash to give it that beautiful golden color. Be gentle around the red eggs. Then sprinkle with sliced almonds or sesame seeds, whichever you prefer. These will bake for about 30 to 40 minutes until they’re beautifully golden brown. Your home is about to smell amazing. Oh my goodness, look at these beautiful loaves. The moment of truth is tapping the bottom. If it sounds hollow, they’re done. Perfect. Now the hardest part. We need to let them cool before slicing. Look at that beautiful stringy texture. That’s what makes churiki so special. The aroma of the mahppy and mastic. The subtle sweetness, the soft fluffy texture. This is the taste of Greek [Music] Easter. Yiki will stay fresh for about 5 to 6 days if wrapped well. Though in my house it never lasts that long. If it does get a bit stale, 10 15 seconds in the microwave brings it right back to life. In Greece, we enjoy chorei with our morning coffee, as an afternoon snack, or really anytime. It’s especially delicious with a spread of Greek honey or jam. [Music] I hope you’ll try making this beautiful bread for your Easter celebration or anytime you want to bring a taste of Greece into your home. This recipe has been in my family for generations and now it’s part of your family too. Calopasca that means happy Easter. And as we say in Greece, calorexi bonapeti, don’t forget to subscribe for more authentic Greek recipes and let me know in the comments if you try making churi yas friends. [Music]