This festive sourdough braided brioche wreath is a showstopper for holiday gatherings. It looks impressive but is surprisingly easy to make. The enriched brioche dough, bright orange zest and jammy raspberries give it a panettone-like feel without the fuss of a traditional panettone.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
Tried & tested dough – this brioche dough is the same reliable base used in other recipes and is easy to handle when shaping. It’s enriched but manageable in a stand mixer or by hand with patience.
Festive color and flavor – orange zest and fresh raspberries make this wreath vibrant and seasonal. The combination adds fragrance, a hint of citrus brightness and pretty jewel-toned swirls in the crumb.
Flexible variations – swap raspberries for cranberries and use a maple glaze, or try blueberries with lemon zest. The dough works with many fillings and toppings for different occasions.
Ingredients
You don’t need specialty items—just common baking staples and fresh fruit.
- All-purpose flour (or bread flour)
- Sourdough starter (use active starter or discard with a bit of instant yeast if you prefer faster rises)
- Whole milk and one egg (room temperature)
- Butter (salted or unsalted, softened to room temperature)
- Granulated sugar for the dough and powdered sugar for the glaze
- Orange (zest for the filling, juice for the glaze)
- Fresh raspberries (or frozen; blueberries or cranberries also work)
- Flaked almonds (or crushed pistachios for a different texture)
How to Make the Braided Wreath
Although there are many steps, the method is straightforward. The dough is enriched and best made in a stand mixer, but you can knead by hand if you prefer. When adding butter by hand, be patient and work it in gradually until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
1. Combine sugar and room-temperature milk, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add sourdough starter (or discard plus yeast), flour and the egg. Mix into a rough dough and let rest for 15 minutes. It may feel dry initially; it will soften when you add butter.
3. Add room-temperature butter and salt, then knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the bowl. Allow the dough to rise until it increases by roughly 50%.
4. Turn the risen dough onto a clean surface and shape it into a rectangle with the long edge facing you, similar to preparing cinnamon rolls.
5. Spread softened butter over the rectangle, leaving about a 1-inch strip at the top unbuttered. Zest the orange over the butter and gently press or squish the raspberries across the surface. Sprinkle the granulated sugar evenly.
6. Roll the dough tightly from the bottom edge toward the unbuttered strip, sealing the seam with that strip. Place the roll seam-side down on the counter.
7. Using a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut the roll lengthwise into two pieces so the layers are exposed. Twist the two pieces around each other to form a long braid.
8. Shape the twisted rope into a wreath, gently pressing the ends together. Imperfections are fine—you can hide the join with a ribbon after baking.
9. Proof the shaped wreath for several hours until the brioche is soft and puffy.
10. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the wreath for about 30 minutes or until golden brown, watching carefully to prevent burning.
11. While it bakes, whisk the orange juice with powdered sugar to a runny glaze and set aside. When the wreath is baked and cooled slightly, drizzle the glaze over it and decorate with fresh raspberries and flaked almonds.
Recipe Tips
- Be patient with enriched sourdough brioche dough—kneading and incorporating butter take time. Once the dough is smooth, shaping is easy.
- Try different fillings: fresh or frozen berries, diced apple with cinnamon, or other seasonal fruit work well. Adjust the glaze to match the filling (maple for cranberry, lemon for blueberry, etc.).
Baking Timeline (Example)
| Time | Process |
|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | Mix and knead the dough. |
| 9:00 AM | Cover and bulk ferment. |
| 5:30 PM | Roll out dough, add filling and shape. |
| 6:00 PM | Chill in the fridge overnight if desired. |
| Next morning | Bring to room temperature then bake. |
| 8:00 AM | Bake about 30 minutes at 180°C / 350°F. |
| 8:30–9:00 AM | Cool, glaze and decorate. |
Notes on Shaping
The dough is versatile—if you prefer not to make a wreath you can:
- Double the dough and bake it as a filled loaf.
- Make individual mini wreaths—perfect for gifts.
- Form small rolls (about 70 g each) for individual pastries.
Flavor Variations
- Lemon & Blueberry – swap orange for lemon zest and juice, use blueberries.
- Cranberry, Orange & Maple – use cranberries in the filling, keep orange zest and finish with a maple glaze.
- Apple & Cinnamon – add diced green apple and cinnamon to the filling; finish with a milk-vanilla glaze.
How to Serve and Store
Serve the wreath on the day it’s baked for the best texture and flavor. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days; warm slightly before serving. You can freeze the wreath unglazed—add glaze, raspberries and almonds after thawing.
Festive Sourdough Braided Brioche Wreath
This recipe yields a decorative, flavorful brioche wreath filled with orange zest and raspberries, finished with an orange glaze and flaked almonds. Prep time is short, but proofing takes longer: total time is roughly 13 hours including proofing, with about 30 minutes active prep and 30 minutes bake time. Makes about 8 servings.
Ingredients (summary)
- 270 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g sourdough starter (or discard plus 7 g instant yeast)
- 100 g full-fat milk, room temp
- 1 egg, room temp
- 50 g butter, room temp (for dough)
- 25 g sugar, 5 g salt
- 50 g fresh raspberries (or blueberries/cranberries)
- Zest of 1 orange (save juice for glaze)
- 20 g softened butter for filling, 20 g granulated sugar for filling
- Powdered sugar and reserved orange juice for glaze
- 100 g raspberries and flaked almonds for topping
Instructions (summary)
- Mix sugar with room-temperature milk until dissolved.
- Add starter (or discard + yeast), flour and egg. Mix into a rough dough and rest 15 minutes.
- Add butter and salt; knead until smooth and elastic. Bulk ferment until ~50% increase.
- Shape into a rectangle, spread softened butter leaving a 1″ strip unbuttered, add orange zest, squished raspberries and granulated sugar.
- Roll tightly, seal with the unbuttered strip. Cut the roll lengthwise and twist the halves together into a braid.
- Form into a wreath, proof until very puffy, then bake at 180°C (350°F) for ~30 minutes until golden.
- Whisk orange juice with powdered sugar into a runny glaze while baking. Cool slightly, glaze and decorate with raspberries and flaked almonds.
Notes
If using sourdough discard instead of active starter, add 7 g instant yeast to shorten fermentation and proofing times. Adjust your timeline accordingly.
