Each holiday has its emblems. For Easter, colored eggs and Paska Bread are must haves in the Slavic tradition. I bake Paska Bread every Easter. That just goes without says. However, traditionally they are made as larger loaves that everyone happily shares. I like to make mini ones for the kids as well. These cupcake size little Paska Bread - or Paska cupcakes - are the cutest little things. They're easy to hold, a perfect serving size for little ones and so adorable! Plus, they make a perfect addition to baked-goods gift baskets, if you like giving away those.
This recipe was the first time I experienced making yeast dough over 15 years ago. I remember it turned out great and it’s still one of my favorites to bake because it’s pretty simple and tasty. The recipe doesn't call for a lot of eggs (which makes the dough a little rubbery, due to the egg whites). The mayonnaise gives them a rich aroma and makes the bread pillow soft. I also use this dough to make Poppy Butter Roulades and sweet buns, which I will post later on.
You and your family will enjoy these little things, I'm sure of it! Especially when you won’t have to take the time to slice a piece each time someone wants another one (and someone usually does!) and then cleaning up the crumbs. That means minimal crumbly messes! Whoever has little kids can relate and would appreciate any opportunity to limiting crumbs at the table. But I guess they can’t help it because they're so delicious you just want to gobble it down. I hope you enjoy these as much as my kids do.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. (45 ml) – warm water
1 tbsp. (15 ml) – organic sugar
1 tsp. (5 ml) – dry east
1.5 cups (355 ml) – boiled milk (cooled)
4 oz. (113 g) – unsalted butter
2 tbsp. (30 ml) – mayonnaise
5 large – eggs
1 cup – organic sugar
¼ tsp. (1.25 ml) – sea salt
1tsp. (5 ml) – pure vanilla extract
7 cups (875 g) – organic all-purpose flour
Glaze Ingredients:
I doubled the portion of my Paska Easter Bread glaze recipe.
½ cup (112 ml) – organic whole milk
5 cups (550 g) – powdered sugar
2 tbsp. (30 ml) – fresh lemon juice
Sprinkles of your choice
Mini - Panettone Paper Molds (click this link to order yours)
Instructions:
1. Firstly, I prepare everything for the dough. Start by proofing the yeast. Sprinkle sugar into a glass of warm water. Stir until just almost all is dissolved, and add yeast. Stir until well combined and dissolved. Set aside to proof (it takes about 30 minutes before it's ready for you).
2. Place butter into a small sauce pan and melt it over a hot burner. Set aside to cool until just barely warm.
3. Pour hot water into a bowl with raisins. Let them soak for 15 minutes or so. Drain and rinse raisins. Let them sit in a strainer a bit for the excess water to drip off. Set aside until ready for use.
4. After the butter is cooled to warm add mayonnaise stir well to combine. Set aside until ready for use.
5. Pour milk into a separate small sauce pan, bring it to a boil. Set aside to cool until just barely warm. After the milk cools, add proofed yeast to the milk. Stir it well and set aside until ready for use.
6. Beat eggs with sugar for 5 minutes on high. Reduce the speed to low and add salt, vanilla, milk, yeast/milk mixture, and melted butter/mayonnaise mixture.
7. Switch to the dough hook attachment and gradually add sifted flour, one cup at a time. After 4 cups of flour add the raisins. Then continue adding ½ cup of flour thereafter, scraping down the sides of the bowl with each flour addition. The dough should be soft and not sticky to a rubber spatula.
8. Cover the bowl of dough with plastic food wrap. Puncture about 5 small holes in the plastic wrap with a knife for the dough to breath (while preventing hardening on the top), then place a clean kitchen towel over the plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place for the dough to rise, for about 2 hours.
9. After the dough rises, pinch off a piece of dough and weigh it on the scale to get exactly 2 oz.
10. Roll the dough into a round little ball and place it into a baking mold. The entire dough makes 50 mini Paskas. Or as I like to make; 25 little ones and 2 large ones.
11. Place all the molds filled with dough on a cookie sheet and let it rise again in a warm place for 30 – 45 minutes. Halfway through the rising time, preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
12. Bake 25 mini Paskas for 40 – 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes.
Glaze Instruction:
While mini Paskas are cooling, prepare the glaze. Pour milk into a small bowl then add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time stirring gently at first then quicker with each addition. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Mix it well again. Cover the bowl tightly with a lid (to prevent hardening) and set aside until ready for use.
Decorating Instructions:
1. Remove paper molds from the mini Paska Breads.
2. Then place them on a cooling rack for glazing. Stand by to begin glazing as soon as the mini Paskas have cooled down to warm. (Place a silicone mat under the cooling rack for easy cleanup.)
3. Place a piping bag with the biggest round tip attachment into a tall glass. Pour the glaze into the piping bag. (This helps with neat decorating of each individual mini bread, as well as prevents the glaze from drying out. And believe me, it dries pretty fast!) While still warm, pipe a large circle of glaze on top of a mini Paka, and then create the side drips with the tip (this works best on barely warm bread).
Sprinkle with any sprinkles of your choice. Repeat the same steps with each mini Paska bread. Finish one mini Paska completely before moving on to the next. Add the sprinkles immediately after glazing, before the glaze dries (or it won't stick). Keep in mind that the bread continues to cool down, so it's best to complete the glazing with the side drips while the bread is warm (but not too warm or the glaze will be translucent and runny). For best results, you will want to work fast with minimal distractions. 🙂
Have fun! Totally worth it!
Mini Paska Easter Bread Recipe (Cupcake Size Paska - Kulich)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp. 45 ml – warm water
- 1 tbsp. 15 ml – organic sugar
- 1 tsp. 5 ml – dry east
- 1.5 cups 355 ml – boiled cooled milk
- 4 oz. 113 g – unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp. 30 ml – mayonnaise
- 5 large – eggs
- 1 cup – organic sugar
- ¼ tsp. 1.25 ml – sea salt
- 1 tsp. 5 ml – pure vanilla extract
- 7 cups 875 g – all-purpose organic flour
- 1 cup 225 ml – raisins
- Glaze Ingredients:
- I doubled the portion of my Paska Easter Bread glaze recipe.
- ½ cup 112 ml – whole organic milk
- 5 cups 550 g – powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp. 30 ml – fresh lemon juice
- Sprinkles of your choice
- Mini - Panettone Paper Molds
Instructions
- First of all I prepare everything for the dough. I start by proofing the yeast. Sprinkle sugar into a glass with warm water. Stir until just about all melted, and then add yeast. Stir until all combined and melted. Set aside to proof (It will take about 30 minutes until you are ready for it).
- Place butter into another small sauce pan and melt it over the hot stove top. Set aside to cool just until barely warm.
- Pour hot water into a bowl with raisins. Let it sit for 15 minutes or so. Drain and wash raisings and let the excess water to drip off. Set aside until ready.
- After the butter is cooled to warm add mayonnaise stir well to combine. Set aside until ready for it.
- Pour milk onto a small sauce pan, bring it to a boil. Set aside to cool just until barely warm. After the milk cools add proofed yeast into a sauce pan with cooled milk. Stir it well and set aside until ready for it.
- Beat eggs with sugar for 5 minutes. Reduce the mixing speed to low and add salt, vanilla, milk and yeast mixture, melted butter and mayonnaise mixture.
- Switch to a dough hook attachment and add sifted flour one cup at a time. After adding 4 cups of flour add raisins, and then continue adding ½ cup of flour thereafter, scraping the sides of the mixer bowl after each flour addition. The dough should be soft and does not stick to rubber spatula.
- Cover a bowl with a plastic wrap and puncture about 5 holes with a knife for the dough to breath and then place a clean cloth over plastic (plastic prevents from the top layer of dough from hardening). Place into a warm place for the dough to proof, about 2 hours.
- After the dough proofs, pinch off a little piece of dough and weigh it on the scale to be exact 2 oz. Roll the dough into a round little ball and place it into a baking mold. Entire dough makes 50 mini Paskas. I make 25 little ones and 2 large ones.
- Place all the molds filed with dough onto a cookie sheet and let it proof again in a warm place for 30 – 45 minutes. Half way into dough proofing, preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
- Bake 25 mini Paska for 40 – 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Glaze Instruction:
- While Mini Paskas are cooling, prepare the glaze. Pour milk into a small bowl then add a cup of powdered sugar at a time mixing it from low speed to high after each addition. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Mix it well again. Cover the bowl tightly with a lid and set aside until ready (not covering the glaze with a lid will make the outer layer of the glaze harden).
- Decorating Instructions:
- Remove paper molds from Mini Paska Bread and place it onto a cooling rack (place silicon mat under cooling rack for easy clean up).
- Place decorating bag with a biggest round tip attachment into a tall glass. Pour the glaze into a piping bag (this helps with decorating each individual mini bread, and also prevents the glaze from drying out, and believe me it dries very fast). Pipe large circle of glaze on top of a mini Paka bread, and then make drips with a piping tip. Sprinkle with sprinkles of your choice. Repeat the same instructions with each mini Paska bread, pipe the glaze, make the drips and sprinkle with sprinkles (glaze dries very fast, like I already said, and glazing multiple mini Paskas will not work as the top layer of the glaze will be dry and sprinkles will not stick anymore; you will need to work fast with a minimal distraction, because you need to remember that bread cools fast too and glaze will not drip nicely as it will on the warm bread ;).
Enjoy with milk, tea or Hot Vanilla Caramel Late.
If you make this Mini Paska Easter Bread Recipe (Cupcake Size Paska - Kulich), please share a picture with me on Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. Tag with #valyastasteofhome. I'd love to see your creations! 🙂
Looking for more Easter Recipes? Here are more to choose from:
HEDGEHOG COOKIES RECIPE – EZHIKI
PASKA EASTER BREAD RECIPE
SWEET BRAIDED EASTER BREAD WITH RAISINS
CARROT CHEESE SPREAD WITH SMOKED SALMON APPETIZER
Kitchen items I used in making this recipe:
(If you need any of these items, simply press on the picture to order. Thank you for your support!)
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Kristina says
Can a cupcake baking sheet be used?
Valya's Taste of Home says
Absolutely. Thanks for asking!
Olga says
Hello, these are beautiful! Love the idea of minis ☺️ I was wondering if baking them on the convection option would make a difference in the way these are baked? Has anyone tried this?
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Yes, it does. Convention setting is stronger, so I usually bake at 325 F. You may have to cover them with aluminum foil towards the end of the baking time to prevent the tops from burning.
Vicki says
Just made these today and they turned out so perfect and delicious! My daughter loved helping me decorate the mini paska. Definitely will be making these again as an Easter tradition. Thank you for the recipe!
www.valyastasteofhome.com says
That is so awesome! I make them every Easter. They are just super adorable not to include on the holiday menu! Thank you for sharing your experience with me! 🙂
viktoriya says
Valya, how many days in advance you can bake them? to prevent drying on Easter??
www.valyastasteofhome.com says
Hi Viktoriya! I bake them (10 minuets less then instructions suggests) early in the week and freeze unglazed in air tight container. Then on Friday night I take them out of the freezer to thaw and the next day I heat/bake them in preheated oven to 350 F for about 10 minutes. Cool to warm then glaze. That way they are really fresh for Sunday. Store them in the same container but uncovered, so the glaze stays beautiful. I hope this helps. Happy Easter!
Lena says
Hi Valya! These look stunning. Does the icing dry out a bit or stays moist? Thanks in advance.
www.valyastasteofhome.com says
Thank you, Lena! They are truly delicious little things!
Oh, and I’m working on posting a new super delicious glaze recipe (coming to blog very soon) for those cute mini paska’s, stay tuned!
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Emmilee says
Am i able to divide this recipe in half? Just to get 25 mini ones?
www.valyastasteofhome.com says
Yes, that is correct.
Masha says
These turned out perfect for me! I will be making them next year as well. Ppl use hot milk to delude the yeast and sugar and waiting all day for the dough to rise, it just won’t happen, because the yeast got burned. Thank you so much for amazing recipe Valya!
www.valyastasteofhome.com says
Im glad to hear that the recipe turn out great for you! I never had a problem with dough rising either. Yes, if the milk is too hot it will rune the rising process. I learned that from my own experience shortly after I got married. You live, you learn, right? Thank you so much for an amazing 5-star review! 🙂
Raya says
Hello Valentina. I tried your mini kulich recipe and didnt work for me. It took the whole day for the dough to rise..it was standing on the door of my opend oven on to 170° since my house temp is always at 68° finally when i baked it at sundown it did not taste sweet at all.. Im a sweet person so for all who likes sweet bread this one is not sweet at all. If i knew i would add more sugar.. Other recipes i made from your site are great. Love them. Keep up the beautiful job:)
valya'stasteofhome.com says
I am so sorry to hear that! It's hard for me to tell what went wrong with out seeing the actual preparation process. What will cause the dough rise for too long (or not rise at all) is if the yeast got exposed to a high heat such as water and then milk in this recipe.
So what you're saying is the oven was turned on to 170 degree Fahrenheit entire proofing time while the dough was standing on the door of open oven? If so, that caused the dough to over heat preventing from proper rising. As far as sweetness goes, everyone is different. The bread is sweet enough for me and my family although I consider my self a big sweets fan. Try adding more sugar if you like. Give this recipe another try. Practice makes perfect. Thank you for your comment.
Vika says
They are so cute! I just have a question. Can I use cupcake liners to make these mini Paskas?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
The dough will stick to the liners. You can try using muffins pan instead. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Natalia says
Can i use this recipe to bake big paskas?how many big paskas can be in this recipe? Thanks
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Hi Natalia. You sure can. It depends how big of a mold you are going to use. Fill the mold half way with non proof dough. I hope this helps.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
That is a absolutely great question! I forgot to mention that in the post. I bake them separately (I have 2 ovens). The big Paskas needs a little more proofing time. So, if you have one oven bake the mini ones first. Then bake the 2 big one's for about 10 to 15 minutes longer (but use your judgement tho, oven temperature may differ). When the top of the Paska bread is dark golden brown in color, it's the sign that it is most likely done baking. I hope that helps. Have a blessed Easter Sunday!
Lily says
Can this recipe be used to make ruleti with walnut and raisins filling? Thanks!
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Absolutely! This dough recipe is perfect for ruleti, pirozhki etc... Thank you for your comment 🙂
Lily says
I made ruleti with this recipe, and they turned out very delicious. The taste of the dough brought back many wonderful childhood memories. This recipe is a keeper for sure. Thank you Valya for sharing this recipe with us.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Aww... you made my day Lily 😉 I'm glad to hear that you liked the recipe. Thank you for trying out my recipes!
Anna says
Hi Valya! Thank u, I ordered the mini molds and will be making them in couple days. I just have a little question as you stated you made 25 mini ones and two large ones...this mind sound weird but did u bake the mini ones separate than baked the larger two next and was it same baking time ?? Thank you! Love your blog , -all your recipes I made are super delicious and loved by my family.
Emma says
Absolutely beautiful!
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Thank you Emma!
Sveta says
They are absolutely adorable. I ordered mini molds and cannot wait to make them next week. Thanks for the recipe Valya!
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Thank you! You will love making them! Have fun 🙂
Olga says
Valya- they look gorgeous. I am wondering how come you doubled the icing recipe and not the cake recipe? Since you've doubled it, I'm assuming it's a must.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
I doubled the icing, because it takes much more icing to decorate mini Paskas, than the regular 2 big Paskas. I hope that clarifies.
Joanne | No Plate Like Home says
Looks good. This reminds me of Italian Panetone bread. You're pix are so nice too. The lighting is perfect without being overexposed. Your blog is doingg so well. I look to you for inspiration to stick with blogging.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Thank you Joanne! Blogging is definitely not an easy career, especially first couple of years. Do your best and be you, is the most important thing in blogging. Hang in there dear, it will get better!
Oksana says
Hi Valya! Love your site! Great recipes! Question is this dough more on the moist side or dry? Thanks
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Hello Oksana! This dough recipe turns out pretty moist, especially when the bread is still warm. Thank you for kind words! 🙂
Oksana says
Valya,what is the difference in texture and taste in this paska and the one you posted a few years ago?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Hi Oksana. They are very similar, but what makes the difference in taste is addition of mayonnaise. You just have to try both recipes to notice the difference. I hope this helps, and thank you very much for your comment.
Natalya Mann says
Hi , Valya ! Your kilich looks amazing! Where did you buy a paper molds . ?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Hi Natasha. Thank you very much, they taste amazing too! I order paper molds on Amazon (I posted this recipe way before Easter so people have enough time to receive their order and make this delicious mini Paska bread). Simply click on any link or a picture of the molds in the recipe post, and it will take you to the right place to order. Thank you for your comment 🙂
Natalya Mann says
Thank you so much !!! God Bless you and your family
valya'stasteofhome.com says
You are very welcome! Enjoy!
Annie says
These are soo adorable! Does the glaze stay white like that or does it dry clear?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
I took final pictures of the product 2 days later after it was glazed, so as you can see, the glaze stayed white. Not thick enough glaze will make the glaze clear after drying like on the large Paska bread in this post (the bread was a little too hot for glazing, which made the glaze melt and translucent after drying). I hope this helps.