Mona de Pascua (Spanish Easter Egg Bread)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Quick breads Medium

Mona de Pascua (Spanish Easter Egg Bread)

A tender olive oil bread flavored with orange zest and orange blossom water, each bun cradling a hard-boiled egg under a cross of dough. It is traditionally given by godparents to their godchildren. Makes 6 monas in about 5 hr 30 min.

Prep 45 min

Cook 25 min

Cooling 12 hr

Total 13 hr 10 min

Yield 6 monas

Diet Dairy free

Ingredients

Adjust yield

monas

¾ cup (100 g)bread flour, for the starter
¼ cup (60 ml)water
¼ oz (2 g)instant yeast, for the starter
3 ¼ cups (400 g)bread flour, for the dough
¼ oz (4 g)instant yeast, for the dough
3 (150 g)eggs, for the dough
¾ cup (150 g)granulated sugar, for the dough
⅓ cup (80 ml)olive oil
1 ¼ tsp (8 g)fine salt
1 ½ tsp (10 g)honey
2 ½ tsp (5 g)orange zest
1 tbsp (15 ml)orange blossom water
6 (300 g)eggs, hard-boiled 10 minutes, cooled, whole in shell, for the to finish
1 (33 g)egg whites, beaten, for brushing
1 ¼ tsp (5 g)granulated sugar, for the to finish

Fresh ingredient guides

OrangesHow to pick, season & nutrition · 62 kcal per 131 g

Baking tools for this recipe

Convert to grams Scale it Change the pan

Instructions

The night before, mix the starter flour, water and 2 g yeast, cover and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.
Mix the starter with the dough flour, 4 g yeast and the 3 eggs. Gradually add the sugar and oil, then the salt, honey, zest and orange blossom water.
Knead 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky.
Cover and let rise 1 1/2 hours, until doubled. Meanwhile, hard-boil the 6 eggs for 10 minutes and cool.
Cut off about 100 g of dough for strips. Divide the rest into 6 balls, press a hollow in each and set a boiled egg in the center.
Roll the reserved dough into thin ropes and lay two over each egg in a cross, tucking the ends under. Place on parchment-lined trays.
Cover and rise 45 minutes, until puffy. Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C).
Brush with beaten egg white, sprinkle with sugar and bake 22 to 25 minutes, until golden. Cool on a rack.

Tips

Press the egg only partway into the dough; it sinks as it rises.
Colored eggs are traditional; dye them with food coloring in vinegar water before baking.
Eat warm the same day for the softest texture.
Hard-boil the decorating eggs fully and refrigerate any leftovers; eat within 3 days.

Made this?

Log it to keep your bakes, ratings and notes together in My Kitchen.

Be the first to share one.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make mona de pascua (spanish easter egg bread)?

Plan on 45 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 12 hours to chill. The recipe makes 6 monas.

How should I store mona de pascua (spanish easter egg bread)?

Keep airtight at room temperature 1 day; refrigerate the eggs and eat within 3 days.

Can I make mona de pascua (spanish easter egg bread) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

A sweet Easter bread eaten in eastern Spain, including Alicante, on Easter Monday, decorated with whole eggs and often shared on outdoor picnics. Serve it with hot chocolate.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 6 servings this recipe makes.

533 Calories / serving

21.7g Fat

67.3g Carbs

17.2g Protein

31.0g Sugar

Whole recipe (6 servings): ~3198 cal · 130g fat · 404g carbs · 103g protein · 186g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.