Choreg is Armenian Easter bread; a sweet roll traditionally served as a part of dessert at most Armenian holiday celebrations. It’s also perfect for breakfast or snack any day of the week.
For the last few years, I have asked my BFF, Noël, to teach me how to make choreg. Until a few years ago, she has always forgotten to tell me when she will be making it, since it’s usually right before a holiday when things are busy. Two years ago, though, I got a text from her inviting me over for choreg-making. YES. Finally! Noël had repeatedly told me it was “so easy” to make choreg, which I didn’t really believe–she is definitely a great baker, and I am definitely not. I hate measuring ingredients, kneading dough, and washing a million dishes, so I basically never bake. However, I really like choreg, and the homemade kind is always better than store bought. I accepted her invitation, packed my kiddo in the car at 7:30 AM, and drove up to her house to learn. You can now say I’m practically a choreg expert, making choreg for every holiday I can.
It occurred to me a few minutes ago that many (most?) of you have never had choreg. You may have some idea of what it is because of the picture at the top of the post, but that’s it. Well, friends, you’re in for a real treat. Choreg is an Armenian sweet bread topped with sesame seeds that we eat for breakfast, dessert, or as a snack. It tastes great with a piece of feta or Syrian cheese, or even with some jam. Each person’s choreg tastes a little different (i.e. some is better than others), but it’s pretty much always delicious. This recipe makes a more traditional choreg that is a little sweet, moist, and is easily one of the best I have ever had, which is why I’m sharing the recipe. As a disclaimer to the Armenians/other choreg connoisseurs, this recipe does not use mahleb (ground dried cherry seeds). I would not be opposed to adding it, but it’s not in here.
Tutorial
Okay, on to the tutorial. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water. There should be tiny bubbles. If there are no bubbles, discard it and start over again with new yeast.
Melt butter.
While butter is melting, add this flour and the salt to a big bowl. I used a huge pot since I don’t have a bowl big enough. When the butter has melted, add the milk to it.
Whisk together eggs and sugar to combine.
Add the butter and milk mixture to the flour.
Add the egg and sugar mixture to the flour mixture.
Add the yeast. Then, using clean hands, stir and knead to combine.
Cover the top of the dough with plastic, and put the bowl in a warm area to rise. It’s best to make the dough at night and leave it overnight to rise.
After the dough has risen, it should be at least double in size. Punch it down (literally, punch it), and let it rise again for another 30 minutes.
Grab a small handful of dough. The first batch I made using about this much dough below. I used a much smaller amount (about 2/3 this amount) for the second batch, because I wanted to make smaller choregs.
Roll it out into a log. You can do this on the counter or in your hands.
Put the knots on a baking sheet. Leave some room between them. Let them rise for 30 minutes. Brush with egg wash, and then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 20-25 minutes per batch. I baked 2 sheets at a time, and rotated them (turned them and switched racks) once in the middle of baking.
Looking for more Armenian recipes? Try Panjarabour, Eetch, and Paklava. Please comment below if you tried this Choreg!
Choreg
Note that prep time is broken down as follows: Day 1: 25 mins prep, 8 hours rising overnight Day 2: 60 mins prep, 60 mins rising.
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings 40 -70 choregs
Ingredients
- 2 packets dry yeast
- 1/3 cup warm water
- 2 cups salted butter
- 3 cups milk I used whole
- 5 lb bag King Arthur Flour
- 1 tbsp mahleb (optional--may add more if desired)
- 3 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 8 extra large eggs
For the tops:
- 1-2 eggs for egg wash
- about 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Instructions
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In a small bowl, combine yeast and water and reserve. The yeast should start to bubble up. If it doesn't bubble, the yeast isn't good, and should be discarded.
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In a saucepan on the stove, melt butter.
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Once butter is melted, turn off heat and add milk to the melted butter, and set aside.
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While butter is melting, in another very large bowl (I used a big lobster pot) combine flour, salt, and mahleb if using, and set aside.
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In a large bowl, whisk sugar and eggs together, and set aside.
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Add the butter/milk mixture, egg/sugar mixture, and yeast/water mixture with the flour in the very large bowl.
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Knead ingredients until completely combined, about 5-10 minutes. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap (wrap should completely touch your dough to prevent a skin from forming as it rises). Set aside in a warm place for 4 hours to overnight (I recommend overnight). The dough should double in size.
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Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down once and let it sit covered in a warm spot for an additional 30 minutes.
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Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375 F degrees.
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Take a small handful of dough, and roll it out into a log about 1/2 inch thick. You can flour the surface or your hands to help if dough is sticky.
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Tie the dough into a knot, and place it on a cookie sheet. Repeat with all the dough; depending on how big your choregs are, you will need to do this in batches, and need 5-6 cookie sheets. Leave at least 1-2 inches between choregs. Let choreg sit on cookie sheet for 30 minutes.
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Beat 1-2 eggs with a splash of water or milk for the egg wash. Brush tops and sides of choreg with egg wash, and then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating once, or until tops just turn brown.
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Remove pan from oven. Carefully slide the parchment paper off the baking sheet, and cool choregs on parchment.
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Once completely cooled, store in airtight storage bags or containers. They should keep for about 1 week at room temperature, or can be frozen for 3-4 months.
Cooking tip: cut enough parchment paper for all batches of choreg. After the first two baking sheets go in the oven, continue forming choregs and placing them on the parchment. This will allow them time to rest and rise while the other batch is cooking. When the other batch comes out of the oven, remove the choregs to a baking rack, and place the next parchment (carefully) on the baking sheet.
When do you cut the apron strings with your kids?
The Egg Apron
Best choreg I’ve ever had! A must try!
Thanks, melanie!
I’ve never heard of choreg but these look so good!
Thanks! I hope you try them some time 🙂
Yum, what an amazing recipe! Looks simple to make as well! I’ll have to try this for the next holiday party!
Thanks, enjoy!
I am drooling these look so good! Can’t wait to try them!
Thank you!
Wow these look so good! I think they would go great with a nice holiday spread 🙂 Pinning for later!
Thanks!!
I’ve never tried this or even heard of it, but it looks very delicious!!
Thanks!
I’ve made choreg before in braided loaves, but never in dinner rolls. Can this recipe be cut in half?
I love the loaves, too! I have never cut the recipe in half, but I’m sure you could. If you just don’t need the large quantity of choreg, I recommend making the full batch, and then freezing the extra rolls for another time. They keep well for 3-6 mos in the freezer.
Do you really use 5lbs of flour??
Yes, I really do. The recipe makes a lot of choreg.
Made about a half recipe for Easter this year, with about 4 tsp mahlepi (mine was Turkish so spelled differently I guess) and loved the rolls – very easy to make! I ate the last (previously frozen) one for breakfast this morning with a cup of coffee, delish! Loved the flavour of the mahlepi, so yummy smelling and pulling it apart and eating it after warming it up in a toaster oven. Thanks!
That’s so great! Thanks for sharing! I like to make the full recipe and freeze the leftovers so I can pull them out when I want a treat 🙂
This recipe seems very much like my mother’s, so I’ll be making it tonight because I don’t have her recipe with me right now. I already know it will be delicious, thank you for posting it. I wanted to mention also, that I have never had a choreg with mahleb in it, or even heard of it until I was looking at recipes today. I won’t be trying it. I love my choreg just like my mom made it.
Enjoy it! I like it with and without the mahleb, and I think you’ll really like it without the mahleb if it reminds you of your mom’s 🙂
Thank you for sharing this Diana! My cousin shared this site with me and I can’t thank her enough either! These are amazing! I have my third batch in the oven right now. Oh they are good! Thank you again and have a blessed Christmas! I’ll be making this over and over again! XO
Thanks so much for your very nice comment. I’m so glad to hear you liked the recipe. Enjoy!
Hi there how is it without baking powder most recipes call for baking powder?
It’s great! I haven’t made any other recipe before so I don’t know why the other ones require baking powder.
This reminds me of spending time making choreg with my grandmother when I was a young girl. She made the best I’ve ever had, and it would either be savory with sesame or poppy seeds or sweet with cinnamon, brown sugar and nuts. I miss her and her choreg so I can’t wait to give this recipe a try. Thank you so much for sharing!
PS – I highly recommend popping one of the sesame rolls into the microwave for just a bit with a slice of muenster cheese to warm them both. It’s delicious!! 🙂
Choreg always reminds me of family, too!
its been 5 hours, its only risen a little bit, should I wait or add more yeast?
Did the yeast bubble up at first? If so, that means the yeast is good and you shouldn’t need to add more. Make sure the bowl is in a warm spot (I put mine in the oven with the oven light on) and then wait longer. I generally let it rise overnight, but if it is in a warmer spot it should rise more quickly.
Hi there! I have two quick questions.
All I have is rapid rise yeast. Would I use one or two packets? And I would like to have it rise overnight. Would I still leave it out in a warm spot, or should I put it in the refrigerator?
Thank you!
Hi Kendra—I haven’t tried this myself, but I found a conversion from Cook’s Illustrated here: https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/6620-yeast-types
They suggest using 25% less, so that would be 1.5 packets instead of 2. However, other sources say to use the same ratio, so I’m not sure.
I think you could allow it to proof somewhere warm, but again, I’m not really sure. It’s such a process to make choreg and it uses so many ingredients that I haven’t tried any variations. Please let me know how it turns out if you try, though!
The first time I made choreg myself was at Easter 2 years ago during quarantine and I used your recipe. I’m also not a baker, and it was an amazing success! As I knotted the dough, I felt my Armenian ancestor’s pride within my heart. I am making it again (my dough is currently rising) and I am giddy at the thought of tasting this delicacy again! Thank you so much for such an easy, delicious recipe.
Aww, thanks for this comment! It makes me so happy to hear that you enjoyed it. Happy Easter!
I’ll be using this recipe to make choreg today! I had searched far and wide for the best recipe and this is the one and easiest to follow! Thank you so much! Can’t wait!
Enjoy!!