Holiday Starbread Recipe: The Grand Prize Winner From Norway
Norwegian holiday starbread is one of the most visually striking Christmas baked goods anywhere. The bread is shaped like a five-pointed star, with layers of sweet filling visible at every cut. The technique is easier than it looks: four rounds of dough with filling between, then a simple cut-and-twist pattern from the center out.
Quick Reference
- What it is: a Scandinavian Christmas yeast bread shaped like a five-pointed star.
- Filling: cinnamon-sugar or chocolate-hazelnut between four layers.
- Origin: Norway. Variations across Scandinavia and Germany.
- Best for: Christmas morning, holiday brunch, gift-giving.
- Time: 3 hours total, about 30 minutes hands-on.
- Shaping: looks complicated but follows a simple cut-and-twist pattern.
Holiday Starbread Recipe
Makes 1 large starbread (10 servings).
Dough:
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 eggs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Zest of 1 orange
Filling:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, very soft
Glaze:
- 1 egg beaten + 1 tablespoon water
- Pearl sugar or coarse sugar for topping
Directions
- Make dough. Combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes until foamy. Add eggs, butter, vanilla, orange zest, then flour and salt. Knead 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- First rise. Place in an oiled bowl. Cover. Let rise 1 hour until doubled.
- Divide. Punch down. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a 10-inch circle.
- Make filling. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread one-third of the butter on the first circle. Sprinkle one-third of the cinnamon-sugar.
- Stack: place second circle on top. Repeat butter and cinnamon-sugar layer. Add third circle, butter, cinnamon-sugar. Top with fourth circle (no filling on top).
- Cut the star pattern. Place a small glass (about 2 inches) in the center of the stack. Make 16 evenly-spaced radial cuts from the edge of the glass to the outer edge of the dough. (16 cuts = 16 strips)
- Twist. Take two adjacent strips and twist them away from each other twice, then pinch the tips together. Repeat with all pairs, making 8 “points” of the star.
- Second rise. Cover the shaped star. Let rise 30 minutes.
- Bake. Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush starbread with egg wash. Sprinkle with pearl sugar.
- Bake 22-28 minutes until deep golden brown.
- Cool on the pan 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a serving plate.
Instructional Video
Visual learners benefit from watching the shaping technique. Search YouTube for “Norwegian starbread shaping” for excellent step-by-step videos.
Serving
Serve warm or at room temperature. Each point pulls off easily by hand. Best eaten the day of baking; reheats well in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.
Related Articles
Pair with our hot chocolate bar or homemade cinnamon rolls for a complete holiday brunch.
Join the Conversation!
What is your favorite Christmas morning bread? Tell us in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is starbread hard to make?
The dough is a standard sweet yeast dough; the shaping looks complicated but follows a simple pattern. The most important step is making 16 even cuts and twisting in pairs.
Can I use a different filling?
Yes. Chocolate-hazelnut spread (Nutella), almond paste, or apple butter all work. Use about 1 cup total filling spread across the three layers.
Can I make starbread ahead?
Best the day of baking. You can prepare the dough through the first rise the night before, refrigerate, then shape and bake the next day.
What is pearl sugar?
Large white sugar pearls used for decoration on Scandinavian baked goods. Available at IKEA, specialty grocers, or online. Substitute with coarse sanding sugar.
How do I store leftover starbread?
Wrap tightly in plastic at room temperature for 2 days, or freeze whole or by point for up to 2 months.
Cameron Livesay
Cameron Livesay is the Grand Prize Winner of the 2022 Farmers' Almanac Recipe Contest. He is a talented baker and young entrepreneur who started his own business at ten years old. Cameron frequently gives back to his local community of Sykesville, Maryland, and inspires bakers everywhere. Learn more and support his creativity at SoulmanSweets.com.
- Cameron Livesay
- Cameron Livesay
Cameron while your bread looks amazing, ( I will definitely be making this with my grand daughter) the words you wrote are more amazing! To know that there are young people like you in the world gives me hope for our future! Keep shining Cameron and keep spreading the light!
Absolutely Beautiful- and what a talent and heart you have!
Wow, Cameron! You are a better baker than me. I hope you use your talent and go far in this world.
Congratulations! My mouth is watering just looking at the bread in the photos!
Go to YouTube. Search Star Bread. Plenty of videos. Integrate this recipe with the video tutorial and your bread should turn out great!! ??
If ever a recipe called for a how-to video, this is the one.
That is amazing, and quite intimidating. You are very talented and gifted, I especially appreciate how you learn what everyone likes and give back to the community. You are awesome dude!