Slovak Easter Paska Bread

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/3/22
Charles slovak easter bread recipe

​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 60 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 100 mins
Servings: 30 servings
Yield: 3 loaves
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
239 Calories
11g Fat
31g Carbs
5g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 30
Amount per serving
Calories 239
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 45mg 15%
Sodium 234mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 40mg 3%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 86mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for Slovak Easter bread or paska (PAH-skah) is made into round loaves decorated with religious symbols made of dough.

The dough used in this recipe also can be used to make paska peeps—small, chick-shaped dinner rolls.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups milk

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter

  • 3 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 cup warm water, no hotter than 110 F

  • 3 large eggs, room temperature

  • 8 cups all-purpose flour, divided

  • 1 cup milk, or 1 egg yolk, beaten, for the egg wash

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Charlottes slovak Easter bread
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Grease 3 (7 x 3-inch) round bread pans and set aside.

    Butter pan
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. In a small saucepan, heat 2 cups milk, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, and butter over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm (no hotter than 110 F) and set aside.

    Heat milk, sugar, salt
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water placed in a mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl that has been warmed. Let proof for 5 minutes.

    Dissolve yeast
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Add eggs, reserved milk mixture, and 4 1/2 cups of the flour. With the dough hook attachment, mix on speed 2 for 1 minute.

    Add eggs
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Continue mixing on speed 2, and add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix about 2 minutes or until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of the bowl.

    Continue mixing
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Continue mixing 2 minutes longer or until dough is smooth and elastic. It will be sticky to the touch.

    Continue mixing
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1 to 2 hours or until doubled.

    Place dough in bowl
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  9. Punch down dough and divide into thirds, reserving a small piece of dough from each to make decorations.

    Punch down dough
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  10. Shape each third piece of dough into a round loaf in the prepared pans. Using reserved dough, decorate with a cross in center or braids around the edge.

    Shape
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  11. Cover and let rise in warm place 1 to 2 hours or until doubled.

    Braid dough
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  12. Pre heat oven to 350 F. Gently brush tops of risen dough with milk or beaten egg yolk.

    Brush dough
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  13. Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 190 F.

    Bake
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  14. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire rack.

    Remove from pan
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  15. Serve during your Easter dinner and enjoy!

    Slice
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

To Make Paska Peeps

An alternate way of using this dough is to form it into little bird-shaped rolls known as Peeps. Follow the recipe above up to the first rising.

  • After dough has risen the first time, portion out 1/8 cup dough for each peep. Let rest, covered, a few minutes.

  • Roll each portion into a 10-inch rope. Form a knot with a short end sticking out for the head and the long end of the tail. Position the knot so that it looks like wings sticking up and the head is in an upright position.

  • Tweak the head to shape a beak and embed cloves (cut off the stem end) or 1/6 of a raisin for the eyes. Place on greased cookie sheet. Flatten long end a bit and make 3 to 4 slashes on it, being careful NOT to cut completely through the dough, to give the appearance of tail feathers.

  • Cover and let rise for 20 minutes. Brush with milk or egg yolk and bake at 350 F for 15 minutes or until golden brown.