Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

it tastes delicious and looks amazing with its beautiful braided appearance!

Reviewed by Arturs Arnicans
Prep Time: 3h 55m
Cook Time: 25m
Total Time: 4h 20m
Temp.: 350°F
Servings: 20
Difficulty: Easy
4.9 (7 Reviews)
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Ingredients

Adjust servings:

Nutritional Information

248
Calories
13.8g
Fat
26.8g
Carbohydrates
4.5g
Protein
54mg
Cholesterol
230mg
Sodium
Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

Recipe Description

This sweet and addictive Braided Choereg (Armenian Easter Bread) can be made all year round, not only for Easter! Choereg, or choreg, is like many other celebration bakes in that it uses an enriched dough. This does mean that it takes a little more time to make, but don’t be put off – it tastes delicious and looks amazing with its beautiful braided appearance!

The secret ingredient to Choereg is mahleb, an aromatic spice made from ground cherry seeds. If you can’t get hold of it, try cardamom or fennel seeds instead, or a little ground cinnamon mixed with ground cloves.

Just follow the recipe carefully and you’ll soon be enjoying this tasty Armenian classic!

To make Braided Choereg (Armenian Easter Bread), you will need the following ingredients:So, how to make Braided Choereg (Armenian Easter Bread)?

Ingredients for Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

Recipe Features

No specific features for this recipe

Steps to make

  1. 1

    Prepare the yeast

    10 min
    Step 1 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Add the warm water and 2 teaspoons of sugar to a small bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Scatter the yeast over the water and leave for about 10 minutes, until the yeast is frothy.

  2. 2

    Melt the butter, margarine, and milk together

    2 min
    Step 2 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Add the butter, margarine, and milk to a pan over a medium heat and heat until melted. Do not let it boil.

  3. 3

    Add the sugar

    1 min
    Step 3 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Add 1 cup of sugar and stir in until dissolved. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

  4. 4

    Add the eggs to the milk mixture

    2 min
    Step 4 - Choereg – Armenian Easter BreadStep 4 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Crack 3 of the eggs into a large bowl, and lightly whisk. Add the cooled milk mixture a little at a time, beating constantly.

  5. 5

    Add the yeast mixture

    1 min
    Step 5 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Pour in the yeast mixture and stir until just combined.

  6. 6

    Combine the dry ingredients

    1 min
    Step 6 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Sift together the flour, baking powder, mahleb, and salt

  7. 7

    Combine the wet and dry ingredients

    5 min
    Step 7 - Choereg – Armenian Easter BreadStep 7 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Make a dip in the center of the flour and pour in the egg mixture. Incorporate the flour a little at a time, stirring until all the flour is incorporated and you have a sticky dough.

  8. 8

    Knead the dough

    10 min
    Step 8 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Dust a work surface with flour. Knead the dough, incorporating the flour until you have a less sticky dough, then continue to knead for a further 10 minutes.

  9. 9

    Leave to rise

    2h
    Step 9 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Lightly oil a bowl. Place the dough inside, cover, and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

  10. 10

    Knock the dough, then leave to rise again

    1h
    Step 10 - Choereg – Armenian Easter BreadStep 10 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    When the dough has risen, knock it a few times to punch the air out, then cover and leave to rise until doubled in size again, about 1 hour.

  11. 11

    Roll the dough into strands

    5 min
    Step 11 - Choereg – Armenian Easter BreadStep 11 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Divide the dough into 4 equal balls, then divide each of those balls again into 3. Roll each portion into a rope about 12 inches long.

  12. 12

    Braid the strands

    5 min
    Step 12 - Choereg – Armenian Easter BreadStep 12 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Take 3 strands at a time and braid them together, pinching the ends and tucking them under to seal, so that you have 4 braids.

  13. 13

    Prepare the braids for baking

    20 min
    Step 13 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Lay the loaves onto lined baking trays, with about 4 inches between each braid. Leave to rise once more until your finger leaves an indentation when you lightly press the dough.

  14. 14

    Heat the oven

    5 min

    Preheat the oven to 350°F.

  15. 15

    Brush the braids with egg wash

    2 min
    Step 15 - Choereg – Armenian Easter BreadStep 15 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Brush the braids with the beaten egg, before sprinkling the sesame seeds over the top.

  16. 16

    Bake the braids

    25 min
    Step 16 - Choereg – Armenian Easter BreadStep 16 - Choereg – Armenian Easter Bread

    Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown.

About the author

Dasha Vakulova

Dasha is an enthusiastic and cheerful mom. She knows as well as any parent that children can be really picky when it comes to food. And she’s had plenty of experience trying to cook meals that are both tasty and nutritious, and able to satisfy the tastes of a fussy kid right away! To save you some precious time, Dasha is going to share with you all the tricks she learned the hard way, so you don’t have to! She has a wealth of recipes for quick and easy meals for kids and families on a budget.

Recipe Reviews

Have you made this recipe? Share your experience and help other cooks!

★★★★★
★★★★★
4.9 out of 5 (7 reviews)
Penny
April 3, 2025
Verified

I was super excited to make Choereg for the first time this Easter! The fragrance of mahleb filled my kitchen, and the bread turned out so pretty. My husband loved it warm from the oven! Can’t wait to make it again.

Jasmine
May 1, 2021
Verified

Simply divine bread!

Larry A
July 20, 2020
Verified

Mahleb can be found at middle eastern grocery stores.

Athina
July 18, 2020
Verified

Mahleb is an aromatic spice made from ground cherry seeds.

Edward de Bruin
July 18, 2020
Verified

Can anybody tell me in English what Mahleb is? I tried to translate but I cannot get to under stand this word meaning. This recipe looks so delicious!

Veronica
August 22, 2019
Verified

Amazing! I made this Choereg for my friends' Easter gathering, and it was a hit! The aroma of mahleb filled my house, and everyone's face lit up when they took a bite. Definitely a new favorite for any occasion!

Made by Cook.me
April 12, 2019
Verified

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