White Chocolate Blueberry Bread Wreath (Christmas Yeast Bread)

White chocolate blueberry bread wreath is a soft, sweet yeast bread rolled around dried blueberries and white chocolate, then twisted into a ring. I like it best still warm, with butter and jam. The twisted top looks fancy, but it’s easy to shape. Let me show you how.

Baking for the holidays? My Romanian cozonac and cinnamon rolls are two more sweet breads worth making this season.

This bread wreath started with my late grandpa’s kolach, the braided Ukrainian bread he baked for years, along with fried piroshki. He loved food and couldn’t stand anything bland. One bite, and he’d tell you exactly what it needed. He gave me his recipe the way grandparents do: a little of this, a little of that, never a measurement. I baked it until every amount was pinned down, and now the dough comes out soft and rich every time.

The blueberries and white chocolate came from Great Harvest Bread Co. on Sunnyside Road, where they hand you a thick slice of any loaf, with butter, the moment you walk in. One bite of their blueberry white chocolate bread and I went home and worked it into Grandpa’s dough. For more filled sweet breads, try my sweet buns with poppy seed filling or start with my basic sweet yeast dough.

Kolach: the Ukrainian Christmas Bread Behind This Bread Wreath

Kolach (also spelled kalach) is a braided Ukrainian bread baked in a ring. The name comes from kolo, the Ukrainian word for circle. On Christmas Eve, families set three kolachi stacked in the middle of the table with a candle in the center.

A traditional kolach is lightly sweet with tall, flat sides. My bread wreath keeps the soft, rich dough and the ring, then rolls in blueberries and white chocolate. Want it closer to the classic? Bake it in a springform pan for flat sides, and add ½ cup more flour for a denser bread. Both are in the steps below.

Ingredients for White Chocolate Blueberry Bread Wreath

A sweet milk dough, a filling of dried blueberries and white chocolate, and an egg wash for the shine. Amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom.

Bread Wreath Dough

• Milk: whole milk, warm. The milk fat and milk sugar give the bread a softer crumb and a deeper golden crust than water does.
• Sugar: plain granulated sugar sweetens the dough and feeds the yeast. It also browns the crust quickly, so keep an eye on the color in the oven.
• Yeast: Platinum yeast is my pick for a forgiving dough and a big rise. Regular active dry yeast works the same way here.
• Bread flour: its extra protein builds a strong, stretchy dough that holds the filling and the twist. All-purpose flour works too, and the crumb comes out a little softer.
• Kosher salt: Morton kosher salt seasons the dough and slows the yeast just enough for an even rise. Without it, the bread tastes flat next to all that sweetness.
• Egg and egg yolk: the extra yolk makes the crumb richer, softer and more golden than a whole egg alone. I use eggs with deep orange yolks.
• Sour cream: full-fat sour cream keeps the crumb tender and moist. Plain full-fat Greek yogurt works in its place.
• Vanilla extract: pure vanilla extract gives the dough a warm, bakery flavor that goes well with the white chocolate.
• Butter: unsalted and soft. It gives the bread a rich flavor and a soft, tender crumb.

Blueberry White Chocolate Filling

• Dried blueberries: they stay whole and chewy through the bake. Dried cranberries or cherries work the same way.
• White chocolate chips: they soften in the oven but hold their shape, so every slice has pockets of white chocolate. Good white chocolate like Callebaut white chocolate tastes creamier than most chips.

Egg Wash and Optional Vanilla Glaze

• Egg: one beaten egg gives the wreath its deep, shiny brown top. A pinch of kosher salt thins the egg so it brushes on smoothly.
• Powdered sugar: the base of the optional glaze, drizzled over the cooled wreath.
• Milk: just enough to make the glaze pourable.
• Vanilla extract: pure vanilla extract goes into the glaze too, so it tastes like the bread.

How to Make White Chocolate Blueberry Bread Wreath

This wreath is my take on the Red, White and Blue Bread from Great Harvest. You mix a soft sweet dough, let it rise, then roll it around the filling, twist it into a ring and let it rise once more before baking.

How to Make the Bread Wreath Dough

The whole dough comes together in a stand mixer. The butter goes in last, after the gluten has formed, so the bread bakes up soft and tall.

1. Proof the yeast – stir the yeast and a spoonful of the sugar into half of the milk, warmed to 90°F to 100°F (32°C to 38°C), about as warm as bath water, and let it sit for about 10 minutes, or until it foams up.
   
   How foamy should the yeast be?

   A tall, fluffy layer of foam means the yeast is strong and ready. A thin, patchy foam means the yeast is alive but tired, so the dough will rise slowly and needs extra time. No foam at all means the yeast is dead or very old, and the dough will barely rise or not rise at all. Start again with a fresh packet.
   Can I use instant yeast?

   Yes. Instant yeast, like Platinum yeast, can be proofed the same way as active dry, and the dough may rise a little faster. Proofing it first also tells you the yeast is alive before a whole bowl of flour goes in.

   

2. Combine the dough – in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, the rest of the sugar and warm milk, the egg and yolk, the sour cream, the vanilla and the yeast mixture, and mix into a rough, shaggy dough.
   
   Want a denser, kalach-style bread?

   Add ½ cup (75 g) more flour. The dough turns firmer, and the bread bakes up with a tighter, denser crumb, closer to a traditional kalach.

   

3. Knead the dough – knead on low until it stops sticking to the sides of the bowl, feels elastic and passes the windowpane test. Stop once it is elastic.
   
   How do I do the windowpane test?

   Pinch off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. If it stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing, the gluten is ready. If it tears, knead 2 more minutes and test again.
   Can I knead the dough too long?

   Yes. Once the dough is elastic and passes the windowpane test, stop. Past that point, the gluten starts to tear, and the dough can’t hold a good rise.

   

4. Add butter and salt – knead in the softened butter and kosher salt until no streaks of butter remain.
   
   The butter won’t mix in.

   Tear the dough into a few chunks and keep kneading. The butter works in faster, and in 5 to 7 minutes you won’t see any streaks.

   

5. Let the dough rise – shape it into a smooth ball, set it in an oiled bowl, cover it loosely and let it rise somewhere warm until doubled, about 1½ hours. This is a slow riser – lots of butter, lots of sugar, and the blueberries and white chocolate weigh the dough down. Expect the rise to take longer, but your patience will be rewarded.
   
   What if it rose to more than double?

   Check it against these:

   • A little past double – that’s fine. Punch it down gently and move on.
   • Tripled, or the top sank – the yeast ran out of food. Punch it down and keep going, and the wreath will bake up a little flatter.
   • Smells sour or boozy – it rose far too long. Punch it down, keep the second rise short and watch the dough closely.
   Where’s a warm spot for the dough to rise?

   Yeast dough rises best around 80°F (27°C), away from drafts. Set the bowl over a larger bowl of warm water, or put it up on top of your kitchen cabinets, where the air is warmer.

   

How to Fill and Shape the Bread Wreath

Soak the blueberries while the dough rises, so they’re drained and dry by the time you need them. The dough makes one large wreath.

1. Soak the blueberries – while the dough rises, soak the dried blueberries in warm water for about 10 minutes, then drain them and blot them dry with paper towels.
   
   Why soak dried blueberries?

   Dried berries pull moisture out of the dough around them and leave dry spots in the crumb. Soaked berries stay plump and juicy, and the ones near the surface are less likely to burn. Blot them well, because extra water on the dough makes the layers slide apart.

   

2. Punch down the dough – press the air out gently and turn it out onto a well-oiled counter.
3. Roll out the dough – roll the dough into a 24 x 12-inch rectangle. Roll gently so you keep the air bubbles.
   
   The dough keeps shrinking back.

   Cover it and let it rest for 5 minutes. The gluten relaxes, and the dough rolls out and stays put.
4. Fill the dough – scatter the blueberries and white chocolate over it, leaving a 1-inch strip bare along one long edge, and press them in lightly.
   

   

5. Roll it up – roll the dough up tightly like a jelly roll, with no air gaps, pinch the seam shut and let it rest seam side down for 5 minutes.
   
   Why rest the roll before stretching it?

   Five minutes lets the gluten relax after rolling. The roll then stretches out long and even instead of tearing or springing back.

   

6. Stretch the roll – with both hands in the middle, roll it back and forth while moving your hands out toward the ends, until it’s twice as long and half as thick.
7. Twist into a wreath – fold the rope into a V, twist the two strands around each other starting at the fold, then tuck the loose ends into the loop to close the ring.
   
   Can I skip the twist?

   Yes. Bend the filled roll into a ring and pinch the ends together, or bake it as a straight loaf. The swirl inside is the same. Bake it the same way and check it with a thermometer.

   

8. Let the wreath rise – set the wreath on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover it loosely and let it rise until almost doubled, about 1 hour. With the filling in, this rise takes longer too.
   
   How do I know the wreath is ready for the oven?

   Flour a fingertip and press it gently into the side of the wreath.

   • Under-proofed – the dent springs right back. Give it 10 more minutes and check again.
   • Proofed – the dent fills in slowly and a small dip stays. Bake it now.
   • Over-proofed – the dent stays and doesn’t fill in. Bake it right away. It will be a bit flatter, but still good.
   Can I bake it in a springform pan?

   Yes, and that’s how a traditional kolach gets its tall, flat sides. Line the bottom of a springform pan with parchment, set the twisted ring inside for this rise and bake it right in the pan. The sides hold the dough in, so it rises up instead of out. Go by color and the thermometer to know it’s done.

   

How to Bake the Bread Wreath

The wreath gets an egg wash right before it goes into the oven.

1. Heat the oven – about 20 minutes into the second rise, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the middle.
   
   Lower the heat if using a dark nonstick baking sheet

   Dark nonstick sheets soak up more heat and can burn the bottom of a sweet bread before the inside is baked. Set the oven about 25°F (15°C) lower, or slide a second baking sheet underneath. I bake on light aluminum sheets.
2. Brush with egg wash – beat the egg with a pinch of kosher salt and brush it over the risen wreath, all the way into the twists.
   

   

3. Bake the wreath – bake at 350°F (175°C) until the crust is deep golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Go by how it looks, not the clock; mine takes 35 to 40 minutes. If the top browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil.
   
   How do I know the bread wreath is done?

   The crust turns deep golden brown, and the bottom sounds hollow when you tap it. The surest check is an instant-read thermometer: 190°F to 195°F (88°C to 91°C) in the thickest part means the crumb is baked through. Past that, this soft dough starts to dry out.
   My wreath is browning too fast.

   The sugar in the dough and the egg wash brown the crust fast. Lay a loose sheet of foil over the wreath for the rest of the bake. The inside keeps baking while the top stops darkening.

   

4. Cool the wreath – let it cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
   
   Why wait before slicing?

   The crumb keeps setting as the steam escapes. Sliced hot, the bread squashes under the knife and the warm white chocolate smears.
5. Glaze the wreath (optional) – whisk the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth and pourable, and drizzle it over the cooled wreath.

Marina’s Pro Tips for theBest White Chocolate Blueberry Bread Wreath

Get these right and the wreath bakes up light, even and full of swirls.

• Knead the wreath dough until it stretches thin. Well-developed gluten holds the filling and the twist without tearing, and the bread bakes up tall and soft.
• Keep the air in the bread dough when you roll it. Roll gently and stop at about ⅓ inch. The bubbles keep the crumb light, and dough pressed flat bakes up dense.
• Roll the filled log tight. Air pockets inside the roll turn into gaps between the layers, and the swirl falls apart when you slice it.
• Twist the wreath from the fold out. Working from the fold toward the ends keeps both strands the same thickness, so the ring bakes evenly all the way around.

How to Serve White Chocolate Blueberry Bread Wreath

Serve it warm with butter and jam, or toasted with your morning coffee or tea. A whole wreath on a board makes a pretty centerpiece for Christmas morning or a holiday brunch, next to the rest of my Christmas dinner menu.

Leftover bread wreath makes really good French toast, and an even better baked French toast casserole. Slightly stale slices soak up more custard, so the casserole bakes up extra gooey. My tip: double the recipe. Serve one wreath fresh and save the other for a fancy Christmas morning breakfast.

How to Make White Chocolate Blueberry Bread Wreath Ahead

Bake it a day ahead: cool the wreath completely, wrap it well and keep it at room temperature. Add the glaze on the day you serve it.

For gifts: wrap the cooled wreath in cellophane with a ribbon the day before you give it.

If your wreath didn’t turn out the way you hoped, start with the first two questions.

More Sweet Yeast Breads to Try

Soft, sweet breads from my kitchen for the holiday season.

Romanian Cozonac

A swirled Romanian sweet bread for Christmas and Easter. →

Sweet Buns with Poppy Seed Filling

Soft sweet buns rolled around a poppy seed filling. →

Best Cinnamon Rolls

Gooey cinnamon rolls for a holiday breakfast. →

Basic Sweet Yeast Dough

One sweet dough for buns, rolls and filled breads. →

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White Chocolate Blueberry Bread Wreath (Christmas Yeast Bread)

5 from 1 vote

White chocolate blueberry bread wreath: a soft, sweet yeast bread rolled around dried blueberries and white chocolate, then twisted into a ring.

Author: Marina | Let the Baking Begin!

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bread, bread recipe

Calories: 368 kcal

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 55 minutes

Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients

Bread Wreath Dough

• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk warm, 90°F to 100°F (32°C to 38°C), divided
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar divided
• 2 tsp (6 g) active dry yeast or instant yeast, like Platinum
• 3 cups (450 g) bread flour 1 cup = 150 g (Note 1); or all-purpose flour
• 1 large (50 g) egg room temperature
• 1 large (18 g) egg yolk room temperature
• 2 Tbsp (30 g) sour cream full-fat
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract
• 3 oz (85 g) unsalted butter softened
• ½ tsp (2 g) kosher salt Morton

Blueberry White Chocolate Filling

• 1 cup (140 g) dried blueberries soaked and blotted dry
• 1 cup (170 g) white chocolate chips

Egg Wash and Optional Vanilla Glaze

• 1 large (50 g) egg for the egg wash
• 1 pinch kosher salt for the egg wash
• 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar optional, for the glaze
• 1½ Tbsp (22 ml) whole milk optional, for the glaze
• ½ tsp (3 ml) vanilla extract optional, for the glaze

Equipment: The pans and tools I use are in my Amazon shop.

• Stand mixer or hand mixer Or knead by hand on an oiled counter
• baking sheet Light aluminum, lined with parchment
• Parchment Paper
• Rolling Pin
• Bench Scraper Handy for a sticky dough
• Instant Read Thermometer 190°F to 195°F (88°C to 91°C) when done
• Serrated bread knife For slicing
• Cooling Rack

Instructions

How to Make the Bread Wreath Dough

1. Proof the yeast: warm ½ cup of the milk to 90°F to 100°F (32°C to 38°C), like warm bath water. Stir in 1 tsp of the sugar and 2 tsp active dry yeast, and let it sit about 10 minutes, or until it foams up. A tall, fluffy foam means strong yeast (Note 2).

2. Combine the dough: in the bowl of a stand mixer, add 3 cups bread flour, the rest of the sugar, the remaining ½ cup warm milk, 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 Tbsp sour cream, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract and the yeast mixture. Mix with the dough hook until a rough, shaggy dough forms.

3. Knead the dough: knead on low (speed 2 to 3) for about 20 minutes, until the dough stops sticking to the sides of the bowl, feels elastic and passes the windowpane test (Note 3). Stop once it is elastic, since over-kneaded dough tears and cannot hold a good rise.

4. Add the butter and salt: add 3 oz unsalted butter and ½ tsp kosher salt and knead 5-7 minutes, until no streaks of butter remain. Tearing the dough into chunks helps the butter mix in faster.

5. Let the dough rise: shape the dough into a smooth ball by tucking the edges under. Set it in a large oiled bowl, cover loosely and let it rise somewhere warm and draft-free, about 80°F (27°C), until doubled, about 1½ hours. If it more than doubles, punch it down and keep going (Note 4).

How to Fill and Shape the Bread Wreath

1. Soak the blueberries: while the dough rises, cover 1 cup dried blueberries with warm water for about 10 minutes. Drain them and blot them dry with paper towels.

2. Punch down the dough: press the air out gently and turn it out onto a well-oiled counter.

3. Roll out the dough: roll the dough into a 24 x 12-inch rectangle. Roll gently so you keep the air bubbles.

4. Fill the dough: scatter 1 cup dried blueberries and 1 cup white chocolate chips over it, leaving a 1-inch strip bare along one long edge. Press them in lightly.

5. Roll it up: roll the dough up tightly like a jelly roll, with no air gaps. Pinch the seam shut and let it rest seam side down for 5 minutes.

6. Stretch the roll: place both hands in the middle and roll it back and forth while moving your hands out toward the ends, until it is twice as long and half as thick.

7. Twist into a wreath: fold the rope into a V and twist the two strands around each other, starting at the fold. Tuck the loose ends into the loop and pinch to close the ring.

8. Let the wreath rise: set the wreath on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover loosely with a towel and let it rise until almost doubled, about 1 hour. With the filling in, it can take longer (Note 4).

How to Bake the Bread Wreath

1. Heat the oven: about 20 minutes into the second rise, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the middle (Note 5).

2. Brush with egg wash: beat 1 large egg with 1 pinch kosher salt and brush it over the risen wreath, all the way into the twists.

3. Bake the wreath: bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown, a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the inside reads 190°F to 195°F (88°C to 91°C). If the top browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil (Note 6).

4. Cool the wreath: cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

5. Glaze the wreath (optional): whisk 1 cup powdered sugar, 1½ Tbsp whole milk and ½ tsp vanilla extract until smooth and pourable, and drizzle over the cooled wreath.

Recipe Notes

1. Measuring flour: 1 cup = 150 g. Fluff the flour, scoop, and level. Weigh it if you can.

2. Yeast check at 10 minutes: a tall, fluffy foam means strong yeast. A thin, patchy foam means the yeast is alive but slow, so give the rises extra time. No foam at all means the yeast is dead or very old, so start over with a fresh packet. Instant yeast, like Platinum, can be proofed the same way.

3. Windowpane test: stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers. If it stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing, it is ready. If it tears, knead 2 minutes more and test again.

4. Rise time: this is a slow riser - lots of butter, lots of sugar, and the blueberries and white chocolate weigh the dough down. Expect the rise to take longer. A little past double is fine. If it tripled or the top sank, punch it down and keep going, and it bakes a little flatter. If it smells sour or boozy, keep the second rise short.

5. Dark baking sheets: if your baking sheet is dark nonstick, lower the oven by about 25°F (15°C) or nest it inside a second sheet, so the bottom does not burn.

6. Doneness: an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part should read 190°F to 195°F (88°C to 91°C).

7. Two wreaths: set the servings to 24. Everything doubles, including the yeast to 4 tsp. Divide the dough in half after the first rise and shape the second wreath while the first one rises.

8. Variations: for a denser, kalach-style bread, add ½ cup (75 g) more flour. For tall, flat sides like a traditional kolach, let the wreath rise and bake in a springform pan with the bottom lined with parchment. Other fillings: any dried berry, soaked and blotted dry; finely chopped walnuts with brown sugar; sliced apples with cinnamon sugar; or poppy seed filling. Keep it thick, since runny fillings like cherry pie filling leak out.

9. Storage: wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze sliced and unglazed for up to 3 weeks. Reheat a frozen slice in the microwave for 10 seconds, then toast it.

Nutrition Facts

White Chocolate Blueberry Bread Wreath (Christmas Yeast Bread)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 368 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Cholesterol 60mg20%

Sodium 120mg5%

Potassium 142mg4%

Carbohydrates 56g19%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 26g29%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 273IU5%

Calcium 67mg7%

Iron 1.8mg10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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I first shared this bread wreath in November 2012 as a holiday gift bread for friends. In October 2026 I rebuilt it on my sweet yeast dough, with milk, butter, sour cream and an extra yolk instead of water and oil, sized it to one wreath, and rewrote the steps with tips under each one, a thermometer doneness check, an optional vanilla glaze, and storage and make-ahead notes.