This Paska recipe is my go-to Easter bread — light, fluffy, and filled with sweet raisins in every slice. It’s a traditional Ukrainian recipe I make every year, and nothing feels more festive than topping it with sprinkles.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Stands Out
This Paska is more than just Easter bread to me — it’s a celebration, a memory, and a tradition all in one. Here’s what makes it so special every time I bake it:
- Made to Be Shared: I usually divide the dough into three molds and always end up gifting at least one loaf. This bread travels well and stays soft for days, which makes it perfect for sharing with friends and family.
- Tall, Golden, and Beautiful: I love how this bread rises up into tall, golden domes that look stunning on the Easter table.
- Fluffy but Rich: The combination of yolks, butter, and sweetened milk gives the dough a soft, enriched texture that’s light but substantial.
- Sweet Glaze that Sets Just Right: I love the texture of the gelatin-based sugar glaze. It sets into a glossy finish and holds the sprinkles perfectly — no drips, no fuss.
- Lemon Zest Makes a Difference: I never skip the lemon zest in this dough. It brings brightness that cuts through the richness and gives the bread a lovely aroma while it bakes.
Key Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – I use basic all-purpose flour for this recipe. It gives the dough just the right balance of softness and structure.
- Active Dry Yeast – This is what gives the bread its beautiful rise. I always make sure it’s fresh — if it doesn’t foam in the first step, I start over.
- Egg Yolks – Ten yolks might seem like a lot, but they’re what give Paska its rich golden color and tender crumb.
- Butter – Melted butter makes the dough soft and slightly rich. I love how it adds depth without being too heavy.
- Raisins – I toss them in flour before folding them in so they don’t sink. They bring sweet little bites of flavor throughout the loaf.
- Lemon Zest – Just a bit adds a beautiful aroma and a subtle brightness that balances all the richness.
Substitutions and Variations
- Flour Options: I always use all-purpose flour, but you can swap in bread flour if you want a slightly chewier crumb. Just keep in mind it may affect the rise time a bit.
- Dried Fruit Add-Ins: Raisins are classic, but sometimes I switch things up with golden raisins, chopped dried apricots, or even candied orange peel. Just make sure to toss them in flour so they don’t sink.
- Glaze Alternatives: If you’re not into the sugar glaze, a simple egg wash before baking gives the top a nice sheen. Or skip the glaze altogether and dust with powdered sugar after baking.
How to Make Paska Recipe
Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, yeast, and 3 tablespoons of flour. Whisk to combine, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 30–40 minutes until foamy.
Step 2: In a large bowl, sift the flour and remove 3 tablespoons. Add the proofed yeast mixture, salt, and whisked egg yolks. Mix to combine.
Step 3: Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, knead the dough for about 5 minutes until small bubbles form. Add the melted butter and lemon zest, and continue kneading for another 10 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
Step 4: Stir in the floured raisins just until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, then let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 40–50 minutes.
Step 5: Divide the dough between three parchment-lined baking molds. Let the dough rise again until it reaches the tops of the molds.
Step 6: Bake at 360°F (180°C) for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove from molds and lay the breads on their sides to cool completely.
Step 7: While the breads cool, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in 2 tablespoons of cold water and let sit for 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of water with sugar until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, stir in the gelatin mixture, and whisk until fully dissolved.
Step 8: Beat the glaze mixture with an electric mixer for 2–3 minutes until white and glossy. Let it cool slightly, then brush over the tops of the cooled breads. Top with sprinkles while the glaze is still tacky.
For a full list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
Tips For Making the Best Paska Easter Bread Recipe
- Use Fresh Yeast: Make sure your yeast is fresh for the best rise. If your yeast doesn't bubble after combining it with warm milk and sugar, it may be too old and you'll need to start over with a fresh batch.
- Don't Rush the Dough: Allow the dough to rise in a warm place. Rushing the rising process can result in a dense bread. The dough should double in size before you move on to the next step.
- Soak Raisins in Flour: Rinse and drain your raisins before mixing them with a tablespoon of flour. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the dough during baking.
- Monitor the Kneading Process: When using a stand mixer, knead the dough until it's smooth and stretchy, about 10 minutes. This will guarantee a soft, fluffy bread.
Serving Suggestions
- For Breakfast: Start your day with a slice of Paska, toasted and slathered with butter or your favorite jam. The sweet, citrusy flavors are a perfect way to begin your morning.
- For Dessert: Paska can also be enjoyed as a dessert. Try it as a base for a bread pudding or in a sweet, indulgent French toast. The rich, buttery bread pairs perfectly with creamy custards and sweet syrups.
- As a Gift: Paska loaves make a thoughtful gift during Easter celebrations. Wrap them in a festive cloth and tie them with a ribbon for a traditional touch. They're sure to be appreciated by friends and family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Paska is a traditional Ukrainian Easter bread that’s enriched with egg yolks, butter, and milk. It’s sweet, fluffy, and often filled with raisins. I bake it every year as part of our Easter celebration — it’s a centerpiece as much as it is a treat.
Yes! I’ve made this by hand plenty of times. It just takes a bit more kneading — about 15–20 minutes — until the dough becomes smooth and stretchy.
I usually use tall paper baking molds, but you can also use clean coffee cans, cake pans, or even small loaf tins. Just make sure to line them with parchment so the bread doesn’t stick.
The top should be golden and feel firm to the touch. If you're unsure, you can insert a skewer into the center — it should come out clean. I also check the sides to make sure they’ve pulled slightly away from the mold.
Once it’s cooled completely, I cover the bread with a clean tea towel or place it in an airtight container at room temperature. It stays soft for up to 5 days. For longer storage, I wrap it tightly and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Recipe
Paska (Ukrainian Easter Bread)
Ingredients
- 1 kg (8 cups) all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 32 grams (3 ½ tablespoons) active dry yeast
- 10 egg yolks
- 200 grams (14 tablespoons ) butter
- 200 grams (1 cup ) sugar
- 100 grams (⅔ c) raisins rinsed, drained and mixed with 1 tablespoon of flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 lemon zested
- sprinkles
For sugar glaze
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine yeast, sugar, 3 tablespoons of flour and warm milk. Whisk, cover with a plastic wrap and leave it to rise in a warm place for about 30-40 minutes.
- In a large bowl of a food processor, sift flour. Remove 3 tablespoons from it. Add yeast mixture, salt and whisked egg yolks.
- Attach the bowl to a stand mixer with an attached dough hook and knead the dough until small bubbles start to appear, about 5 minutes. Then, add melted butter, lemon zest and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and stretchy, about 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from a food processor and stir raisins into a dough. Mix just until combined.
- Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and dry kitchen towel and place it in a warm place. The dough should increase 2 times in size. It will take approximately 40-50 minutes depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
- Divide the dough between 3 parchment lined molds and leave it to rise until molds are full. Bake at 360 F for 45 minutes. When Paska's are ready, carefully remove them from a mold and lay them on their side to cool.
- Brush them with a sugar glaze and top with sprinkles.
For sugar glaze
- In a small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon of gelatin with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Leave it for 5 minutes.
- In a small sauce pan, add sugar and the remaining 4 tablespoons of water. Heat on a medium heat until sugar dissolves.
- Off the heat, add gelatin and whisk until gelatin is fully dissolved.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the gelatin and sugar mixture until completely white, about 2-3 minutes.
- Let the glaze cool slightly and using a pastry brush cover the top of Paska with a glaze.
- Top with sprinkles.
- Enjoy on Easter Sunday!
Notes
Nutrition
Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
Zina P says
The recipe instruction says in "large bowl of a food processor," which is confusing, since the photo shows a stand mixer with a dough hook. This can be confusing to readers who wish to prepare a paska. A food processor cannot handle the amount of flour and would overheat a processor. I do love your wonderful recipes! Thank you!
Iryna Bychkiv says
Zina, you are right. In the instructions, I meant a stand mixer. Thanks for the heads up; I made a correction in the post.
Petro says
Incredible
Nina Kulish says
That's the best Easter bread I've ever tried. Flavorful, fluffy and just very very delicious. And the recipe is easy to follow and make. I'm gonna use it again very soon. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Valentyna says
Щиро дякую!! Thank you very much for incredibly delicious recipes. I am from Ukraine but 23 years I leave in the USA. My mother always made Paskas on Easter. They were delicious. Unfortunately, I never made it by myself and didn't took the recipes from mom. A lot of things I should learn from her, but it's too late. That's why I was so excited when I sow your Paska. Thank you so much to share the Ukrainian culture and recipes.
Ще раз щиро дякую!
Iryna Bychkiv says
Valentyna, thank you so much for your lovely comment and 5-star rating! I hope you'll have a chance to make this delicious Paska bread. I make this recipe every year, and it never disappoints:)
Natalia Bartkova says
This is the best recipe of the Easter bread, it is delicious, light, delicate and not too sweet bread. Highly recommended to try.
Iryna Bychkiv says
Thank you so much!
Becki says
Everyone is so exhausted during Holy Week, I'm sure we all have disaster stories! One time I did not set my oven rack low enough and my paska/kulich rose up and baked around the heating element in the oven!
Iryna says
Becky, thank you for your comment. I hope you'll give this Paska a try. In family we use this recipe all the time and it never disappoints.
Becca says
Hi! I going to try your recipe this year for pascha! The one I have used since we converted 7 years ago never turns out right. I’m wondering if the baking times differ based on the size pan you use to bake the bread? Thank you! Becca
Iryna says
Hi Becca!
Good question. We usually bake our Paskas for about 45 minutes and they all have different sizes. However, if your Paska is very small, I would check on it at about 30-35 minute mark. If it's brown on the sides, then it should be ready. Alternatively, if it's larger, it might need an extra 5 minutes. Here's a weight-based guideline I found on the internet: if Paska weighs less than 1 lb, the baking time will be around 30 minutes, 2 lbs - 45 minutes, more than 2 lbs - 1hr 30 minutes. Also, look at the color of Paska, it should have a beautiful brown color on the sides, not too dark, not to light. Hope this helps!
Gina says
Dear Iryna,
Thank you for sharing your recipes. I am looking forward to trying them. Would you be able to tell of the difference between Paska and Babka?
I am also wondering of the correct Ukrainian term for the polish pierogi.
My Ukrainian Baba called them “perehe”. We loved making them together along with stuffed cabbage and borsch. Although, the recipes I have don’t involve measurements. 😉
Thank you again for sharing the love!
Iryna says
Dear Gina, I'll be happy to answer your questions:)
Paska is a type of dessert specifically prepared for Easter. Some people also call it "Baba." In fact, Paska recipe that mom loves to make is inspired by a famous Ukrainian pastry chef Daria Zweck who called the dessert "Festive Baba". So Paska and Baba are basically the same thing.
"Babka" on the other hand is a savory potato casserole. That being said, I've seen some sweet Babka recipes, but they're not Easter specific.
In Ukraine Pierogy are called "Varenyki".
I wonder where in Ukraine your grandma lived? People who live in the Western Ukraine which borders with Poland and Hungary are very much influenced by those countries cuisines. So, they may call the recipes just like what people in Poland, Hungary or Romania would call them. And in case with "pierogy" people in the Western Ukraine call them very similar - "pyrogy".
Yulia says
Keep up the great work Lilya, your recipes are amazing, glad to see a post 1950s Soviet Ukrainian migrant whose actually proud to be Ukrainian and describe her recipes as Ukrainian. Alot of Ukrainians that came out in the 80s are highly Russified, don't know their own history and language and describe their own national dish like borsch as Russian. In the 1950s the Ukrainian language was phased out of schools, Ukrainian publications were intentionally lowered and Russian language publications intentionally increased in the Ukrainian SSR, poets and academics were targeted and killed e.g. Ivasyuk, Stus etc. So many Ukrainian writers and patriots were killed in the Soviet Union yet so many Ukrainians are ignorant of it and are still confused. You bring pride to your country and nation by not forgetting them. дякую пані Ліля, ви дивовижні
і ваші рецепти дуже смачні.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holodomor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russification_of_Ukraine
julia alona karanfilova says
is it possible to use condensed milk in the recipe? how much would you use and what changes would you make to the recipe? so it doesnt become to sweet or "runny"
cheers
Alona
Iryna says
Hi Alona! Sorry for the late response! Unfortunately I've never tried making Paska with condensed milk and I'm not sure how it will behave in this recipe. If you give it a go with a condensed milk, please let me know how it turned out.
Cathy Fudala says
These kulich were so easy to bake and texture was beautiful. I was quite pleased until I tasted it and oh dear, I forgot the sugar. They were still good ,but I will be remaking them for Easter with sugar. Haha, won't be my first Holy week baking disaster.
Iryna says
Oh no...lol! Let's just say you had a Western Ukrainian version of Paska:) They love it without sugar and glaze. That's actually how my husband prefers it too.
Well, I hope your second try will be a success. I hope you have a happy Easter!
Jeannette Torossian from Armenia says
Thank you for sharing such a great recipe. I made two satisfying paska.
Iryna says
You're welcome Jeannette:)!
AnnMarie says
Hi, if milk is not warm will that cause an issue? Thank you,
Iryna says
Hi Ann Marie, if milk is not warm enough, the yeast might not get activated hence there might be a problem with the dough rising. It shouldn't be hot either. Milk should be at 110-115 F.
Lily says
I would really appreciate a conversion of the ingredients to cups and tablespoons. For example, how much is 32 grams of yeast?
Дякую!
Ліля
Iryna says
Hi Lily, I updated the recipe to cups and tablespoons. Hope that helps!
Lily says
Thank you so much!
Iryna says
You're welcome:)