Swedish Tea Ring – Freeze Ahead Christmas Morning Recipe

Swedish Tea Ring is a sweet yeast dough shaped like a wreath – a beautiful presentation perfect for Christmas morning breakfast!

My mother-in-law was a master bread maker. At least once a week, her house was filled with the heady scent of fresh baked bread.

It was only natural then, that one of her family’s Christmas traditions was sweet bread on Christmas morning.

I loved the idea of that, but getting up before  dawn to make bread dough, wait for it to rise, and then actually baking it wasn’t my idea of fun on Christmas day!

Thankfully, I discovered a little secret. Not only does this Swedish Tea Ring freeze well, I found a bread machine friendly recipe. (Shhh… don’t tell!;))

OTHER FREEZE AHEAD FRIENDLY CHRISTMAS RECIPES:  Christmas Dipped Chocolates, Rolled Sugar Cookies,  Overnight Buns,  & Old Fashioned Steam Pudding & Sauce

How to make Freeze Ahead Swedish Tea Rings:

1. Assemble the ingredients

• 1 cup milk

• 1 beaten egg

• 1 Tablespoon butter

• 3 Tablespoons white sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 1/4 cups flour

• 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

2. 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.

3. When dough is finished, remove from bread machine pan and divide in half.

4. Roll each half into a 12x 16″ rectangle.

5. Spread each half with softened butter,

and sprinkle with a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon.

(I mixed 3/4 cup brown sugar with 2 teaspoons cinnamon but didn’t use it all).

6. Roll up, jelly roll style, and pinch together the seam.

7. Bring the ends together to form a circle and pinch together. Place seam side down on greased baking sheet.

8. Using clean scissors, snip into the roll 2/3 of the way every inch.

9. 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).

10.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.

11. 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.)

OTHER FREEZE AHEAD FRIENDLY CHRISTMAS RECIPES: 

• Christmas Dipped Chocolates,
• Rolled Sugar Cookies, 
• Overnight Buns,  & 
• Old Fashioned Steam Pudding & Sauce
• These Mexican Sweet Breads recipes would make delicious Christmas treats!

Looking for more Christmas Morning recipes?

Find a round up of over 30 Christmas morning breakfast recipes here!

(Update: This post was updated Oct. 2021)