A Swedish Tea Ring is a delightful sweet yeast dough shaped like a wreath, perfect for a Christmas morning breakfast presentation!
My mother-in-law was a truly skilled bread maker; her home often smelled wonderfully of freshly baked bread at least once weekly.
Consequently, having sweet bread as part of her family's Christmas morning tradition felt quite natural.
Although I admired the custom, waking before dawn to prepare dough, allow it to rise, and then bake it wasn't my preferred Christmas day activity!
Fortunately, I found a helpful trick: this Swedish Tea Ring keeps well when frozen, and I located a recipe suitable for a bread machine. (Keep this a secret!)
OTHER CHRISTMAS RECIPES FOR FREEZING: Christmas Dipped Chocolates, Rolled Sugar Cookies, Overnight Buns, & Old Fashioned Steam Pudding & Sauce
Instructions for Freeze Ahead Swedish Tea Rings:
1. Combine the following components
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 Tablespoon of butter
- 3 Tablespoons of white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 3 1/4 cups of flour
- 3/4 teaspoon of active dry yeast
2. Put all these items into the bread machine following the manufacturer's suggested sequence. Select the “Dough” setting and begin. While this is happening, butter two cookie sheets and prepare a lightly floured surface for rolling.
3. Once the dough process is complete, take it out of the bread machine pan and divide it into two equal portions.
4. Shape each portion into a 12x 16″ rectangle.
5. Evenly coat each rectangle with softened butter,
and then sprinkle it with a blend of cinnamon and brown sugar.
(I combined 3/4 cup brown sugar with 2 teaspoons cinnamon, but not all of it was used).
6. Roll the dough up, like a jelly roll, and secure the seam by pinching it.
7. Join the ends to form a circle and pinch them closed. Position it seam-side down on a greased baking sheet.
8. Using sharp scissors, make cuts into the roll every inch, stopping 2/3 of the way through.
Carefully extend each portion you have cut.
Cover it with a fresh cloth and allow it to swell in a cozy spot until it doubles in volume, which takes roughly one hour.
Bake in an oven set to 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
The bread should achieve a golden hue, and the interior filling will be bubbling and spilling out. Follow these identical steps for the second loaf.
Transfer to a cooling rack to cool, then brush with a touch of butter while it is still warm.
For freezing in advance, put the cooled tea rings into zip-loc bags and store them in the freezer until needed.
To prepare for eating: Allow them to thaw by leaving them on the counter overnight. Warm them in the microwave or oven. Finish with a drizzle of powdered sugar icing. (For the icing: Combine 1 cup icing sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract in a small bowl.)
MORE CHRISTMAS RECIPES THAT FREEZE WELL:
- Chocolate Dipped Christmas Treats,
- Cookies Rolled in Sugar,
- Buns Made Overnight, &
- Traditional Steam Pudding and Sauce
- These sweet bread recipes from Mexico are perfect for delightful Christmas offerings!
Seeking additional ideas for Christmas morning meals?
Discover a collection featuring more than 30 Christmas morning breakfast options here!
(Note: This article received a revision in October 2021)
Swedish Tea Ring
Featuring a mildly sweet yeast dough filled with cinnamon, this Swedish tea ring's wreath shape makes it ideal for a Christmas morning breakfast presentation. To simplify your holiday morning, prepare and freeze this treat in advance!
Ingredients
Method
- Place all the above ingredients in the bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select the “Dough” cycle and hit start. Meanwhile, butter two cookie sheets and set aside. Lightly flour the surface you are going to roll the dough on. When dough is finished, remove from bread machine pan and divide in half.Roll each half into a 12x 16″ rectangle.
- Spread each half with softened butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar.Roll up, jelly roll style, and pinch together the seam.Bring the ends together to form a circle and pinch together. Place seam side down on greased baking sheet.Using clean scissors, snip into the roll 2/3 of the way every inch.Gently stretch each cut piece.Cover with a clean towel and let it rise in a warm place until double in size (about an hour).
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.The loaf will be golden brown and the filling will be oozing and bubbling through. Repeat the same steps for the second loaf.
- Place on wire rack to cool and spread with a little butter while hot.To freeze ahead, place cooled tea rings in zip-loc bags and place in freezer until ready to use.
- When ready to use: Thaw them by placing out on the counter the night before. Heat in microwave or oven. Drizzle with powdered sugar icing. (To make icing: Mix in a small bowl 1 cup icing sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract.)
