Swedish Tea Ring Recipe (Freeze Ahead for Christmas Morning)

A soft, cinnamon-swirled Swedish tea ring made easy with bread machine dough. Bake it ahead, freeze it, and enjoy a stress-free Christmas morning.

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, but getting up before dawn to make dough, wait for it to rise, and then bake it wasn’t my idea of fun on Christmas Day!

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

Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s make-ahead and freezer-friendly.
• The bread machine does the kneading for you.
• It looks so pretty on the Christmas table.
• It makes two rings: one to keep and one to give.

Ingredients you’ll need for this Swedish Tea Ring Recipe

For exact measurements, see the recipe card.

For the dough:

• Milk makes the dough soft and tender.
• Egg adds richness and a lovely golden colour.
• Butter gives just a little bit of richness to the dough.
• White sugar sweetens the dough and helps the yeast along.
• Salt balances the sweetness.
• All purpose flour is the base of this soft, sweet bread.
• Active dry yeast makes it rise.

For the filling:

• Softened butter is spread over the dough so the filling sticks.
• Brown sugar and cinnamon are mixed together for that classic cinnamon swirl.

For the icing:

• Icing sugar (powdered sugar), milk, and vanilla or almond extract stir together into a simple drizzle.

How to make Swedish Tea Ring (with pictures)

Let the bread machine do the work. Add the dough ingredients to your bread machine in the order your manufacturer suggests, choose the “Dough” cycle, and walk away. While it runs, butter two baking sheets and lightly flour your counter.

Divide and roll. When the cycle is done, turn the dough out and cut it in half. This recipe makes two tea rings, one to keep and one to share or freeze! Roll each half into a large rectangle.

Add the cinnamon filling. Spread softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle on your brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. You may not need all of it, so just use enough for a nice even layer.

Roll it up. Starting from the long side, roll the dough up like a jelly roll and pinch the seam closed.

Shape the ring. Bring the two ends together to make a circle, pinch them together, and set it seam-side down on your baking sheet.

Snip and twist. This is the fun part! With clean kitchen scissors, snip into the ring about two-thirds of the way through, every inch or so. Then gently pull and turn each piece to the side so the cinnamon swirl peeks out.

Let it rise. Cover it with a clean tea towel and let it rise somewhere warm until it’s doubled, about an hour.

Bake until golden. Bake until it’s golden brown and the filling is bubbling through. Your kitchen will smell amazing! Repeat with the second ring.

Butter it while it’s warm. Move it to a wire rack and brush on a little butter while it’s still hot.

Drizzle and serve. Just before serving, drizzle it with the icing.

How to Freeze Swedish Tea Ring Ahead

This is my favourite part of the whole recipe. Once the tea rings have cooled completely (no icing yet), slip them into freezer bags and tuck them in the freezer. The night before Christmas, set one out on the counter to thaw. In the morning, warm it in the oven or microwave, drizzle on the icing, and enjoy a fresh-tasting sweet bread without getting up before dawn!

Frequently Asked Questions about Swedish Tea Rings

What is a Swedish tea ring?
A Swedish tea ring is a soft, sweet yeast bread filled with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, then shaped into a ring and snipped so it fans out like a wreath. It’s often drizzled with icing and served for breakfast or with afternoon coffee, which makes it perfect for Christmas morning.

Can I make a Swedish tea ring without a bread machine?
Yes! Mix and knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer until it’s smooth and stretchy. Then let it rise in a warm spot until doubled before you roll it out. The bread machine just saves you the kneading.

Should I ice it before freezing?
No. Freeze the tea rings plain, then add the icing after you’ve warmed them up. The icing will look fresh and pretty instead of soggy.

How far ahead can I make it?
You can bake it a day ahead and keep it covered at room temperature, or freeze it. Wrapped well in a freezer bag, it keeps nicely in the freezer for a few months, so you can cross it off your list well before Christmas.

How do I warm up a frozen tea ring?
Set it out on the counter the night before to thaw. In the morning, warm it in the oven or give slices a quick zap in the microwave, then drizzle on the icing.

Can I change up the filling?
Absolutely. Try adding chopped pecans or walnuts, a few raisins, or a pinch of cardamom to the cinnamon sugar for a more traditional Scandinavian flavour.

More Freeze-Ahead Christmas Recipes

• Homemade Meltaway Chocolates
• Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookies
• Overnight Buns (Rise While You Sleep!)
• Old Fashioned Steamed Pudding in a Bundt Pan
• Traditional Steam Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
• Find a round up of over 30 Christmas morning breakfast recipes here!

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

Plan Ahead for a Stress-Free Christmas

Bake ahead, freeze, and breathe easy this season! Grab my free printable Christmas planner to map out your baking days, Christmas morning menu, gift lists and holiday plans, all in one cozy place.