Christmas Bread – A Festive Loaf Full of Joy and Sprinkles

When the scent of vanilla and sugar fills your kitchen and red-and-green sprinkles dance through a golden batter, you know the holidays have truly arrived. This Christmas Bread isn’t your everyday loaf — it’s a soft, cake-like treat that sparkles with holiday cheer in every bite. Baked with simple pantry staples like white cake mix and pudding mix, it’s the kind of recipe that makes your kitchen feel merry without the stress.

Whether you’re whipping it up for a cozy brunch, gifting a loaf wrapped in ribbon, or enjoying it with a steaming mug of cocoa, this festive bread brings back that child-like magic of Christmas morning.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

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Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Christmas Bread

Why You’ll Love This Christmas Bread

1. Easy holiday baking at its best.
   Using a boxed cake mix and instant pudding means you’ll spend less time measuring and more time sipping cocoa.
2. Soft, moist, and tender crumb.
   The pudding adds incredible richness, giving you that bakery-style texture without any fuss.
3. Looks like it came straight from Santa’s kitchen.
   Those red and green sprinkles baked inside (and sprinkled on top) make every slice sparkle.
4. Perfect for gifting.
   Wrap it in parchment and twine, tuck a little note inside, and you’ve got a heart-warming edible gift.
5. Customizable.
   Want to add white-chocolate drizzle, crushed peppermint, or a touch of almond extract? You can make it your own while keeping that signature holiday sweetness.

Ingredients Breakdown + Substitutions

Cake Mix:
A simple white cake mix forms the base. You can substitute with yellow or butter cake mix for a slightly richer flavor.

Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix:
This adds that signature soft texture and subtle vanilla flavor. For variety, try cheesecake pudding or white-chocolate pudding.

Water + Oil:
A combo of 1 cup water and ½ cup vegetable oil keeps the loaf moist. You can swap in melted butter for extra flavor or applesauce for a lighter version.

Eggs:
Three large eggs add structure and richness.

Sprinkles:
Use red and green jimmies (the long, soft kind). Nonpareils can bleed color into the batter, so stick to jimmies for clean, festive pops of color.

For the Glaze:
A simple mix of powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract. Use milk instead of cream for a thinner drizzle or add a splash of peppermint extract for holiday flair.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Christmas Bread

1. Prepare Your Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard loaf pan, making sure to coat all corners so the bread releases easily after baking.

2. Mix the Batter

In a large bowl, combine white cake mix, pudding mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs.
Beat with an electric mixer or whisk until smooth and creamy — about 2 minutes.

Gently fold in ¼ cup of red and green sprinkles. Don’t overmix, or the colors might streak through the batter.

3. Bake Until Golden

Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
The top should be golden and slightly domed — that’s your sign it’s perfect.

4. Cool and Remove

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully loosen the edges and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before glazing.

5. Whisk the Glaze

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 3 tablespoons heavy cream.
If the glaze feels too thick, add another tablespoon of cream at a time until it reaches your desired drizzling consistency.

6. Decorate and Serve

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread. While it’s still wet, sprinkle on the remaining festive sprinkles so they stick perfectly.

Slice with a serrated knife for neat edges. Serve with coffee, eggnog, or a little scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Variations, Storage & Serving Ideas

Variations:

• Peppermint White Chocolate Bread: Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract and sprinkle crushed candy canes over the glaze.
• Funfetti Christmas Loaf: Swap red and green sprinkles for rainbow jimmies and add a touch of almond extract.
• Cranberry Orange Bread: Fold in ½ cup dried cranberries and a teaspoon of orange zest for a fruit-forward twist.

Storage:

• Room Temperature: Keep tightly wrapped for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 4–5 days. Warm slices for 10 seconds in the microwave before serving.
• Freezer: Wrap individual slices in plastic and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature.

Serving Ideas:

Serving Ideas

• Serve warm with cinnamon butter or cream cheese spread.
• Pair with hot cocoa, spiced coffee, or even chai for a cozy breakfast.
• Slice thin and toast lightly for a sweet afternoon snack.

Christmas Bread FAQs

Quick answers to your most common questions about baking, storing, and gifting this festive loaf.

1) Can I make Christmas Bread ahead of time?

Absolutely. Bake and cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate up to 2 days. Add the glaze and sprinkles right before serving.

2) Can I use different colors of sprinkles?

Yes! For other holidays, use pastel sprinkles for Easter or red-white-blue for July 4th. Just avoid nonpareils since they bleed color.

3) Why add pudding mix to cake mix?

The pudding mix gives structure and moisture, making the bread rich and tender. It’s a baker’s secret for elevating boxed cake mix recipes.

4) Can I turn this into mini loaves or muffins?

Of course. Bake in mini loaf pans for 25–30 minutes, or as muffins for 18–20 minutes. Perfect for gift baskets!

Final Thoughts & Holiday Cheer

This Christmas Bread is a little slice of holiday happiness — soft, sweet, and so easy that it’s practically foolproof. It’s the kind of treat you can bake while Christmas music hums in the background and snow (real or imagined) falls outside your window.

For more festive recipes, explore these cozy favorites from My Flavor Recipes:

• Baked Apple Fritters
• Watermelon Gummies
• Homemade Gushers
• Ghost Linzer Cookies
• Raspberry Swirl Brioche Loaf
• Pumpkin Blondies
• Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
• Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears
• Italian Cheese Loaf
• Pistachio Cream Cookies
• Pumpkin Pie Twists
• Pumpkin Earthquake Cake
• Pumpkin Bars
• Pumpkin Muffins

And don’t forget to share your loaf on social media — tag us on
📌 Pinterest and Facebook.