Cozonac: Romanian Easter and Christmas 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 03/21/22
Cozonac: Romanian Easter and Christmas Bread

The Spruce / Christine Ma

Prep: 35 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 95 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 1 bread
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
570 Calories
18g Fat
86g Carbs
14g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 570
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 24%
Saturated Fat 9g 46%
Cholesterol 195mg 65%
Sodium 158mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 86g 31%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 30g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 93mg 7%
Iron 4mg 24%
Potassium 301mg 6%
*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.)

Romanian cozonac is a slightly sweet yeast-raised egg bread, similar to houska, that is traditionally eaten for Easter, Christmas, and New ​Year's. Bulgarians call this bread kozunak. It's considered the Italian panettone of the Romanians. When the cozonac dough is filled with farmer's cheese, it becomes a pasca, similar to a Polish kołacz.

This recipe calls for egg yolks only so freeze the leftover egg whites and save them for a recipe like this meringue torte.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups milk, divided

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast

  • 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature

  • 3/4 cup superfine sugar

  • 4 ounces raisins, light or dark

  • 1 lemon, zested

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 tablespoon dark rum

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or canola oil

  • 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

  • 1 tablespoon water

  • 1 ounce walnuts, optional

  • 1 tablespoon raisins, optional

  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Cozonac: Romanian Easter and Christmas Bread ingredients

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  2. Scald 1/2 cup of the milk and stir in 2 1/2 tablespoons of the flour until smooth. Let cool 10 minutes.

    milk and flour in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  3. Heat another 1/2 cup of the milk just until lukewarm. Do not scald. Place yeast in a small bowl and pour lukewarm milk over, stirring until dissolved.

    milk and yeast mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  4. Add yeast mixture to the cooled milk-flour paste and beat until large air bubbles appear.

    milk, flour and yeast mixture in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  5. Cover and let rise at least 15 minutes.

    milk and yeast mixture in the saucepan

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  6. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup milk to lukewarm. Do not overheat. Pour into a warmed large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Add the egg yolks, sugar, raisins, zest, yeast mixture, and the 3 1/2 cups flour, stirring after each addition.

    Add the egg yolks, sugar, raisins, zest, yeast mixture, and flour to a bowl with milk

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  7. Knead about 10 minutes by machine or 15 to 20 minutes with buttered hands while still in the bowl, adding some melted butter as necessary to achieve a nonsticky, pliable, moist ball of dough. It will probably take about 3 ounces of the melted butter. Save the rest.

    dough in a stand mixer

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  8. Add rum, vanilla, and oil and knead another 2 to 3 minutes.

    Add rum, vanilla, and oil to the dough in the stand mixer

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  9. Cover bowl with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.

    dough in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  10. Punch down and, with hands dipped in some of the remaining 1 ounce of melted butter, knead another 5 to 10 minutes.

    dough in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  11. Pre heat oven to 350 F. Coat a 10- to 12-inch-round pan that is at least 3 inches deep or a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Using buttered hands, twist the dough and place in the pan.

    dough in a baking pan

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  12. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until dough reaches the top of the pan.

    dough in a baking pan

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  13. Brush top of dough with egg wash (1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water). Sprinkle with optional walnuts and raisins, if desired.

    dough in a baking pan covered with egg wash, nuts and raisins

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  14. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick tests clean or an instant-read thermometer registers 190 F.

    Cozonac: Romanian Easter and Christmas Bread in a baking pan

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  15. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. If you wish, while the cake is still hot, sprinkle with optional confectioners' sugar. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

    Cozonac: Romanian Easter and Christmas Bread on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Christine Ma