Positively Splendid {Crafts, Sewing, Recipes and Home Decor}

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Cream Cheese-Filled Sweet Bread

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Few things can rival freshly baked sweet bread, warm from the oven. And when you roll it up with a luscious cream cheese filling and cover it with a warm vanilla glaze, the result it out-of-this-world delicious. This Cream Cheese-Filled Sweet Bread is a tradition each Christmas morning in our family. Why not bake some this Christmas to start a new tradition of your own?

Cream Cheese-Filled Sweet Bread

  • 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream (not reduced fat)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 packages dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 1/2 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • Filling (recipe follows)
  • Glaze (recipe follows)
Combine sour cream, sugar, butter, and salt in a saucepan; heat until butter melts. Cool to 105-115 degrees. Dissolve yeast in warm water in the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a large bowl; allow to bloom for 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream mixture and eggs. Using your mixer’s paddle attachment, gradually stir in flour. (The resulting dough will be sticky.) Cover dough tightly, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

 

 
Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Turn each portion onto a heavily floured surface, and knead 4 or 5 times. Roll each portion into a 12- x 8-inch rectangle. Spread one-fourth of the filling over each rectangle, leaving a 1/2-inch margin around the edges. Fold in each of the short sides, and then carefully roll up dough jellyroll fashion, starting at long side. Pinch the seam and ends to seal. Place loaves, seam side down, on greased baking sheets. Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to make 6 equally spaced x-shaped cuts across the top o each loaf.

 

 
Cover the loaves and let rise for for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes. Drizzle loaves with glaze while warm.

 

 
Filling
  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Stir to combine.

 

 
Glaze
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Place all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl; whisk together to combine.

 

 

Because this recipe yields four generously sized loaves, you can save two for your family and give two away. These make a gorgeous gift when wrapped in parchment paper and tied with a pretty ribbon!

 

Looking for even more delicious recipes to add your your repertoire? Check out these other tasty treats from the PS archives!

Pecan Cheescake Squares

Apple-Praline Bread

 

Apple-Cream Cheese Cake with Praline Frosting

Thanks so much for stopping in!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Dawn says

    I love bread so much I have a Pin board just for it! And with cream cheese and icing? Yes, please! I’ll be trying this one ASAP! Gorgeous pics too!

  4. Annie says

    How far ahead have you ever made the dough? I see refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Have you ever let it refrigerate for a whole day?

    • Amy @ Positively Splendid says

      Marsha, I have frozen these with great success. I always wrap tightly in two layers of foil before freezing. To thaw, place on the counter to defrost at room temp.

  6. Mary Ann says

    Thank you for this recipe. I thought my bread machine cinnamon rolls were the best, but this recipe may top them. I’m going to try it this week!

  8. Denise says

    Thanks, nice recipe. For one I tried mixing in frozen raspberries in the cream cheese mixture. It was delicious.

  10. Paula says

    I have been making these for Christmas presents for about 20 years now. If I am a little late, I have friends wondering where there Cream Cheese Braid is. I make the dough and leave in refrig overnight. I have to make two batches at a time. My son always wants his two or three to take with him. Love it.

    • Amy @ Positively Splendid says

      Paula, my mother has made these as Christmas gifts for many years, too! How neat that we share a tradition!

  12. eva says

    this recipe looks amazing, do you think I can freeze the unbaked dough? I always get a little confused when freezing yeast doughs, would I let it rise, work it a little then freeze?
    thanks so much for any help!

  14. Danielle says

    If I were to freeze this, would you do it after baked, filled and glazed? If not, at what stage of the process would you freeze?

    • Amy @ Positively Splendid says

      I always freeze after the rolls are complete, glaze and all. I wrap in plastic wrap, and then wrap in heavy-duty foil. Before serving, I defrost in the fridge overnight.

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