Braided Jam & Cheese Bread is a heavenly combination of freshly baked bread, overflowing with sweet cream cheese and smothered in fruity jam. This recipe is a tradition in my family for Christmas morning, but so addictive you will find yourself craving it year round!
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There are foods and recipes that will bring you back to your childhood. This recipe for Braided Jam & Cheese Bread is that recipe for me. My mother traditionally made this sweet bread for Christmas morning brunch and I looked forward to it every year! One taste today brings back all of those warm family memories of Christmas growing up. Food is not only nourishment for the body, it feeds the soul. This recipe is happiness to me. Nanna is now passing down this happy family tradition to my kids and oh do they look forward to cheese bread!
This recipe is so easy to make as it uses frozen bread dough! Most major grocer’s carry frozen bread dough in the freezer section. I use Rhodes Bake N Serv white bread. This comes in bags of 5 loaves for under $6 and is carried by major chains including Walmart.
Fruit Topping
You can choose your favorite fruit for the jam topping, traditionally I prefer strawberry however raspberry and apricot are also delicious options!
The sweet cream cheese filling is so gooey and yummy, it will tempt you to find other recipes to use it in. It makes an absolutely perfect filling for crepes! Check out my easy crepes recipe here!
Easy to make the day prior and stored in the refrigerator, this is a great recipe for holidays, Christmas morning, or to bring to brunch. It is so good, plates will be scraped clean!
Braided Jam & Cheese Bread
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Loaf of frozen white bread dough Thawed
- 1 8oz Cream Cheese Softened
- ½ Cup Sugar
- 1 TBSP Lemon Juice
- ¼ Cup Jam
Instructions
- Roll out bread dough on a floured counter or board to a 14×9 inch rectangle. Move prepared bread dough to a cookie sheet.
- Whip cream cheese, sugar, and lemon juice until creamed together, scraping down the sides occasionally.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture down the center of the bread dough, leaving three inches on either side.
- Make 3 inch cuts at 1 inch intervals on both sides. Fold cut flaps of dough in at angles.
- Cover with wax paper and allow to rise for about 45 minutes in a warm kitchen.
- Once the bread has risen, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake bread for 20 minutes.
- Spoon jam down the center of the bread. Bake an additional 5 minutes.
- Cool for at least 10 minutes, slice and serve.
- Bread can be prepared ahead of time, stored in the fridge and served the next day.
Live fully. Eat well. Bake often.
