Name: Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 3 h 35 min
Yield: 1 loaf (approx. 10-12 servings)
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled; ½ teaspoon almond extract; ½ cup Christmas sprinkles; 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted; 3 tablespoons buttermilk, plus more as needed; 1 tablespoon light corn syrup; ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (for glaze); Nonpareils (for garnish)

Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread is more than just a seasonal treat; it’s a slice of pure holiday joy, beautifully adorned and bursting with comforting flavors. I’ve always found that the holidays are best celebrated with warm, homemade goods, and this vibrant bread truly embodies that spirit. Imagine a perfectly tender, moist loaf, subtly sweet with a delightful buttermilk tang, all studded with a kaleidoscope of festive sprinkles that shimmer like tiny ornaments. It’s incredibly inviting, not only to taste but also to behold.

While it might not have ancient roots, the tradition of baking special breads for Christmas is deeply cherished in many cultures, symbolizing warmth, generosity, and sharing. This particular recipe brings a playful, modern twist to that beloved custom, making it an ideal centerpiece for a holiday brunch or a heartwarming gift for loved ones. You’ll discover that making this Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread is surprisingly simple, yet yields results that are absolutely show-stopping. Its delightful combination of sweet cheer and comforting richness makes it an instant favorite, capturing the magic of the season in every single bite. Prepare to spread smiles with this wonderfully festive creation!

Ingredients:

For the Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread:

2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour, sifted
1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks or 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 large eggs, also at room temperature
1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature is best
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup (about 90-100g) high-quality Christmas sprinkles (I highly recommend using jimmie-style sprinkles as they are less prone to bleeding their colors during baking compared to nonpareils, ensuring your bread looks vibrantly festive!)

For the Festive Vanilla Glaze:

1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar), sifted
3-4 tablespoons milk (whole milk or half-and-half works wonderfully for richness)
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
A tiny pinch of fine sea salt (this really brightens the flavor!)
Extra Christmas sprinkles for garnish (optional, but highly encouraged for maximum festive cheer!)

Preparing Your Workspace and Ingredients (Mise en Place)

Before we dive into the delightful process of creating our Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread, it’s always a fantastic idea to get all your ingredients measured out and ready. This practice, known as “mise en place,” which is a French culinary term meaning “everything in its place,” makes the baking process so much smoother and more enjoyable. It minimizes stress and ensures you don’t miss any crucial steps or ingredients.

First things first, let’s preheat our oven. Set it to a cozy 350°F (175°C). A properly preheated oven is key to even baking and a beautiful rise for our loaf.
Next, prepare your loaf pan. I use a standard 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan. Generously grease it with butter or a non-stick cooking spray. For an extra layer of non-stick insurance and easy removal, I like to line the bottom and two long sides with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This creates convenient “handles” to lift the bread out once it’s baked. This step is incredibly helpful for maintaining the bread’s perfect shape and prevents any sticking frustrations.
Ensure all your cold ingredients, like butter, eggs, and buttermilk, have had ample time to come to room temperature. This is not just a suggestion; it’s a critical step! Room temperature ingredients emulsify much better, meaning they blend together seamlessly, creating a smoother, more uniform batter and ultimately a lighter, more tender crumb in your finished Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread. If your butter is too cold, it won’t cream properly with the sugar; if your eggs are too cold, they can cause the butter mixture to curdle slightly.
Take a moment to sift your all-purpose flour. Sifting removes any lumps and aerates the flour, contributing to a lighter texture in the final bread. I always recommend this step for quick breads.

Crafting the Irresistible Buttermilk Bread Batter

Now that everything is prepped and ready, let’s get to the heart of the matter – mixing up this incredibly delicious and festive batter! This stage is where the magic truly begins to happen, and your kitchen will soon be filled with the most comforting aromas.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all your dry ingredients: the sifted all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Whisk them together thoroughly for about 30 seconds to a minute. This ensures that the leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda) and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which is vital for a consistent rise and flavor in every slice of your Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread. Set this bowl aside for a moment.
In a separate, even larger mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), place the softened unsalted butter. Begin to beat the butter on medium speed until it’s wonderfully creamy and light, about 1-2 minutes.
Next, add the granulated sugar to the softened butter. Cream these two ingredients together for a full 3-5 minutes on medium-high speed. This creaming process is essential: you want the mixture to become light in color, pale yellow, and noticeably fluffy. The sugar crystals will cut into the butter, creating tiny air pockets. These air pockets are what give our bread its delicate texture and help it rise beautifully in the oven. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure everything is incorporated.
One by one, add the room temperature eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Beat well after each addition, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. This typically takes about 1 minute per egg. The mixture might look a little curdled after the first egg, but it will smooth out as you continue to beat and add the others. The eggs add richness, moisture, and help bind our batter together. Don’t rush this step!
In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the room temperature buttermilk and pure vanilla extract. The vanilla extract is going to infuse our bread with that classic, warm, comforting flavor that pairs so perfectly with the festive sprinkles.
Now, we’re going to combine the wet and dry ingredients in an alternating fashion, a technique that helps build a stable emulsion and prevents overmixing. With your mixer on low speed, or by hand with a spatula, begin by adding about one-third of your dry ingredient mixture to the butter-egg mixture. Mix just until combined, don’t overdo it.
Immediately follow with about half of your buttermilk mixture. Mix until just combined.
Repeat this process: add the second third of the dry ingredients, mix, then the remaining half of the buttermilk mixture, mix.
Finally, add the last third of the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed just until no streaks of flour remain and the batter is smooth and homogeneous. This is a critical point: do not overmix! Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour too much, which can lead to a tough, dry bread. We want our Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread to be tender and moist, so mix just until combined. The batter will be thick and luxurious.
And now for the fun part – the Christmas sprinkles! Gently fold the ½ cup of high-quality Christmas sprinkles into the batter using a spatula. Be careful not to overmix here either; we want the sprinkles to be evenly distributed throughout the batter without their colors bleeding too much before baking. A few gentle folds are all it takes. This step transforms our lovely buttermilk bread into a truly festive creation, bursting with color and holiday cheer!

Baking the Festive Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread

The moment of truth is upon us! Getting this beautiful batter into the oven is the next exciting step. Soon, your home will be filled with the most incredible aroma of baking butter, vanilla, and sweet goodness.

Carefully spoon the prepared batter into your greased and parchment-lined loaf pan. Use your spatula to spread the batter evenly, making sure it reaches into all the corners of the pan. For an even more professional look and to help prevent a domed top from cracking excessively, I often create a slight “trough” down the center of the batter with the back of my spatula. This encourages the bread to rise more evenly.
Place the loaf pan in your preheated 350°F (175°C) oven. Now, let the magic happen!
Bake for approximately 60-70 minutes. Baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven, so it’s essential to keep an eye on your bread. The precise timing is key to ensuring it’s cooked through without being dry.
How do you know it’s perfectly baked? The Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread will have a gorgeous golden-brown crust. A wooden skewer or a toothpick inserted into the very center of the loaf should come out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs attached. If it comes out with wet batter, it needs a little more time. If the top is browning too quickly, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning.
Once baked to perfection, carefully remove the loaf pan from the oven. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes on a wire rack. This initial cooling period allows the bread to set and firm up, preventing it from crumbling when you remove it. It’s also crucial for developing that tender crumb.
After the initial cooling, use the parchment paper overhangs to gently lift the Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread out of the pan and transfer it directly to the wire rack. Allow it to cool completely, and I mean completely, before you even think about glazing it. This usually takes at least 1 to 2 hours. If you glaze a warm loaf, the glaze will simply melt and run off, rather than setting into that lovely, opaque finish we’re aiming for. Patience is a virtue, especially when it comes to quick breads!

Whipping Up the Festive Vanilla Glaze

While our beautiful Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread is cooling, let’s prepare the final touch – a smooth, sweet, and wonderfully vanilla-infused glaze. This glaze is not just for visual appeal; it adds an extra layer of moisture and a delightful sweetness that truly complements the bread.

In a medium bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk, ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and that tiny pinch of salt. The salt might seem insignificant, but trust me, it’s a flavor enhancer that balances the sweetness beautifully.
Whisk all these ingredients together until the mixture is completely smooth and free of any lumps. You’re aiming for a consistency that is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still pourable.
If the glaze is too thick, add the remaining tablespoon of milk (or even half a teaspoon at a time) until you reach your desired consistency. If, by chance, it turns out too thin, you can always whisk in a little more sifted powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until it thickens up. It’s all about finding that perfect balance for a beautiful drape over our Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread.

The Grand Finale: Glazing and Serving

With our bread completely cool and our glaze perfectly prepared, it’s time to bring it all together for a truly show-stopping Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread. This final step is where all your efforts come to fruition, resulting in a treat that’s as beautiful to look at as it is delicious to eat!

Once the bread is fully cooled, place the wire rack with the bread over a piece of parchment paper or a baking sheet. This will catch any drips from the glaze, making cleanup a breeze.
Generously pour the prepared vanilla glaze over the top of the cooled Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread. You can use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to gently spread it, ensuring it cascades down the sides in luscious rivulets. Don’t be shy; a good layer of glaze is part of the charm!
Immediately after glazing, and while the glaze is still wet, liberally scatter your extra Christmas sprinkles over the top. This is where you can truly make it your own and add as much festive sparkle as your heart desires! The sprinkles will adhere to the wet glaze, creating a dazzling finish that practically screams “happy holidays!”
Allow the glaze to set for about 15-30 minutes at room temperature. It will firm up slightly, creating a beautiful, slightly crackled shell that perfectly complements the soft interior of the bread.
Once the glaze is set, your magnificent Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread is ready to be sliced and served! Use a serrated knife for clean, even slices. Each slice will reveal a tender, moist crumb dotted with vibrant, colorful sprinkles – a delightful surprise in every bite.
This bread is absolutely perfect for a holiday breakfast, a festive brunch, an afternoon tea treat, or a delightful dessert. It’s a wonderful addition to any Christmas gathering and makes a charming edible gift for friends, family, and neighbors. I just love seeing the joy on people’s faces when they see the colorful sprinkles peeking out!
To store any leftover Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread, keep it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. The buttermilk keeps it incredibly moist, so it stays fresh and delicious for quite a while. You can also freeze individual slices, well-wrapped, for up to a month, allowing you to enjoy a taste of Christmas cheer whenever the mood strikes!

Conclusion:

And there you have it, my friends! We’ve reached the delicious conclusion of our journey with what I truly believe will become a staple in your holiday baking repertoire. This isn’t just another quick bread; it’s a celebration in loaf form, a testament to the simple joy that a beautifully baked treat can bring. If you’ve been searching for a recipe that combines comforting familiarity with an undeniable festive flair, then your quest ends here. I can confidently say that the unique combination of rich, tangy buttermilk with that perfectly tender crumb, all crowned with a kaleidoscope of festive sprinkles, makes this Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread an absolute must-try.

What truly sets this bread apart is its incredible versatility and heartwarming appeal. It’s so much more than just a dessert; it’s an experience. The buttermilk works wonders, not only imparting a delightful subtle tang that balances the sweetness beautifully but also ensuring an incredibly moist and tender texture that simply melts in your mouth with every single bite. The visual appeal, of course, is undeniable. Those bright, cheerful sprinkles aren’t just for show; they add a playful crunch and a burst of color that instantly transports you to a place of festive cheer and childlike wonder. Imagine the smiles this bread will bring to faces young and old alike when they see it gracing your holiday table.

Elevate Your Serving Experience: Beyond the Slice

Now, let’s talk about how to truly make this bread shine in various settings. While a simple slice is absolutely divine on its own, especially with a hot cup of coffee or a warming mug of cocoa, there are so many ways to elevate its serving. For a decadent breakfast or brunch, consider toasting a slice lightly and spreading it with a dollop of cream cheese, perhaps even a lightly sweetened vanilla cream cheese. The tang of the bread paired with the creamy richness is truly a match made in heaven. It also makes an exceptional base for a French toast casserole; imagine slices of this festive bread soaked in a custardy batter, baked until golden, and then drizzled with maple syrup. Talk about a showstopper for Christmas morning!

Looking for a more dessert-focused presentation? Try warming slices slightly and serving them alongside a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, allowing the ice cream to gently melt over the tender bread. For an extra touch of elegance, a light dusting of powdered sugar or a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and a touch of milk or lemon juice would be absolutely delightful. You could even get creative with the glazes – a cranberry glaze for added tartness, or an eggnog-flavored glaze for an even richer holiday feel. The possibilities are truly endless, allowing you to tailor this bread to any occasion or personal preference.

Creative Twists and Flavor Adventures

And don’t hesitate to experiment with variations to make this recipe uniquely yours! While I adore the classic festive sprinkles, you could swap them out for different colors to suit other celebrations – pastels for Easter, red and blue for patriotic holidays, or even Halloween-themed sprinkles. For an added layer of flavor and texture, consider folding in some chopped candied ginger, dried cranberries, or toasted pecans along with the sprinkles. A touch of orange or lemon zest grated into the batter would also brighten the flavor profile beautifully, adding another dimension to the bread’s already fantastic taste. For those who adore chocolate, miniature chocolate chips could be a delightful addition, creating a slightly more indulgent treat. Remember, the base recipe is incredibly forgiving and robust, making it the perfect canvas for your culinary creativity.

I truly hope you feel inspired to bring this delightful creation into your home this holiday season, or any time you need a sprinkle of joy. There’s an unparalleled satisfaction that comes from baking something so visually appealing and utterly delicious from scratch. I poured my heart into perfecting this recipe for you, and I genuinely believe it will become a cherished part of your family’s traditions. So, gather your ingredients, turn on some festive tunes, and let the magic happen in your kitchen. Once you’ve baked your very own loaf of this incredible Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread, please, please, please share your experience with me! I absolutely adore seeing your creations. Tag me on social media, leave a comment below, or send me an email. Tell me how it tasted, what variations you tried, and most importantly, how much joy it brought to your table. Happy baking, my dear friends!