Vasilopeta Greek New Year's Bread Recipe

Ring in the New Year with this irresistible Vasilopeta, a traditional Greek New Year's bread! This recipe, made entirely by hand (no bread machine needed!), results in a deliciously soft and subtly sweet loaf perfect for sharing with family and friends. Legend says hiding a coin inside brings good luck in the coming year! Our family recipe is so good, even our Labrador Retriever, years ago, prioritized it over the Thanksgiving turkey! (Prep time includes rising times)

Prep Time 290 mins
Cook Time 320 mins
Calories 3501.6 kcal
Protein 190g
Rating 5.0 (3 Reviews)
Vasilopeta Greek New Year's Bread 30

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Recipe Author

Chef Forktionary, author of this recipe

Recipe adapted from Food.com. Standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for Vasilopeta Greek New Year's Bread

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How to Make Vasilopeta Greek New Year's Bread

  1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add warm milk and salt; stir to combine.
  2. Stir in 3 cups of flour; the batter will be lumpy.
  3. Cover the bowl and let rise in a warm place for about 90 minutes, or until doubled in volume.
  4. Add sugar, eggs, egg yolks, softened butter, and lemon zest to the risen batter.
  5. Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.
  6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  7. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a large greased bowl, turning to coat the top with grease.
  8. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 60-70 minutes.
  9. Gently punch down the dough and knead for 1-2 minutes.
  10. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
  11. Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
  12. Divide the dough in half.
  13. Divide one half into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 15-inch cylinder.
  14. Braid the three cylinders together, pinching the ends to seal.
  15. Tuck the ends under and place the braided loaf in one of the prepared pans.
  16. Repeat steps 13-15 with the remaining dough.
  17. Cover the loaves and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
  18. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush the tops of the loaves with a beaten egg.
  19. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If the bread is browning too quickly after 20 minutes, loosely cover with foil.
  20. Remove from oven and let cool in the pans for 5 minutes.
  21. Remove loaves from pans and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Sodium

62 g

Sugar

408g

Fat

209g

Carbs

197g

Recipe Categories (Choose a category and find related recipes!)

Sweets & Sides Desserts European Mediterranean Vegetarian Holiday Recipes Baking

Recipe Tags (Choose a tag and find related recipes!)

Weeknight Time To Make Course Cuisine Preparation Occasion Healthy Breads Greek European Holiday Event Dietary New Years Low Sodium Yeast Low In Something Number Of Servings