Bread glazes add flavor, moisture, and visual appeal to baked goods. Whether you want to make artisan loaves stand out at a bakery or give rolls an extra shine at home, glazes take your bread to the next level.
What is a bread glaze?
A bread glaze is a liquid mixture that is brushed onto the crust of bread products before or after baking. Glazes form a shiny, smooth coating and add moisture to the crust. They are made from ingredients like eggs, milk, butter, oils, sugar, honey, spices, herbs, extracts, and food coloring.
Glazes serve several purposes:
- They give bread a glossy, appetizing appearance.
- They provide moisture to keep bread crusts from drying out.
- They can add subtle flavor and aroma.
- Colored glazes like egg washes distinguish different types of baked goods.
- Glazes give breads visual appeal for holidays and special occasions.
While glazes add richness and taste, they are thin and do not overwhelm the underlying flavor of the bread itself. A simple glaze can turn an ordinary loaf into something special.
Common ingredients for bread glazes
There are many possible ingredients that can be used alone or in combination to make glazes. Some of the most common include:
Eggs
Eggs are used to make egg washes, one of the most popular and versatile bread glazes. Beaten whole eggs, egg yolks, or a mixture of the two are brushed onto bread before baking. The proteins in eggs help glazes spread evenly, cling to bread, and bake to a shiny finish.
Milk
Milk adds moisture, color, and a subtle creamy flavor to glazes. Dairy milk or non-dairy milks like almond, coconut, and soy work well. Scalded milk mixed with sugar makes a traditional glaze for sweet breads.
Butter
Butter enriches the flavor and texture of glazes with its natural fats. Melted butter on its own can be an easy bread glaze. Compound butters flavored with herbs, honey, spices, or citrus are also excellent glaze choices.
Oils
Neutral vegetable oils like canola, sunflower, and safflower oil help glazes spread smoothly across breads. Olive oil and nut oils like walnut and hazelnut bring their own distinctive flavors.
Sugar
Granulated white sugar sweetens glazes and helps them caramelize when baked. Brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, and other liquid sweeteners add deeper, more complex flavors.
Herbs and spices
Herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom infuse bread glazes with aromatic flavors.
Extracts
Almond, vanilla, orange, lemon, and other extracts lend concentrated flavor notes to glazes without thinning the consistency too much.
Food coloring
Liquid food coloring allows you to create vibrantly colored glazes for holidays, special events, or just for fun. Red, green, yellow, blue, orange, purple – let your imagination run wild!
Types of bread glazes
Here are some of the most popular glazes used on different kinds of bread:
Egg wash
Egg washes made with beaten whole eggs, egg yolks, milk or cream are the workhorse glaze for breads. They add color and sheen, promote even browning, and create a crispy crust.
Butter glaze
Melted butter on its own or mixed with herbs, honey, or spices makes a simple, tasty glaze. Butter glazes work well on dinner rolls, biscuits, quick breads, and pastries.
Sugar glaze
A basic glaze of confectioners’ sugar and milk or lemon juice tops donuts, coffee cakes, sweet rolls, and holiday breads like panettone and stollen.
Icing
Thicker icings made with confectioners’ sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla or other flavorings glaze sweet treats like cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, Danish pastries, and brioche.
Fondant glaze
Poured fondant glazes of sugar, glucose, and water give decorated layer cakes and fancy pastries an ultra-smooth, glossy coating.
| Glaze | Best uses |
|---|---|
| Egg wash | Breads, rolls, buns |
| Butter glaze | Biscuits, scones, muffins |
| Sugar glaze | Sweet rolls, coffee cakes, holiday breads |
| Icing | Cinnamon rolls, Danish, brioche |
| Fondant glaze | Decorated cakes and pastries |
Savory glazes
Breads can also be glazed with savory ingredients like olive oil, cheese, herbs, and spices:
- Olive oil and balsamic vinegar
- Pesto
- Sun-dried tomato pesto
- Parmesan and garlic
- Rosemary and sea salt
How to make a bread glaze
Follow these simple steps to prepare a basic bread glaze at home:
- Choose your main glaze ingredients. Good options are eggs, milk, butter, oil, sugar, or honey.
- Select any extra flavorings like spices, herbs, extracts, citrus zest, or cocoa powder.
- Heat or melt any solid ingredients like butter or sugar until liquid.
- Whisk all ingredients together until uniform in consistency.
- If the glaze is too thick, thin with a little water, milk, or lemon juice.
- Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly so it thickens before using.
- Brush the glaze gently onto risen breads before or after baking with a pastry brush.
- Apply any decorations like seeds, nuts, or dehydrated fruit on top while still wet.
- Bake until the glaze sets shiny and smooth.
For best results, apply bread glazes in a thin, even layer. Too much glaze can make bread crusts soggy. Refrigerate leftover glaze in an airtight container for up to a week.
When to glaze bread
Bread glazes can be applied either before or after baking:
Before baking
Glazing bread dough before it bakes helps form a protective barrier against the heat of the oven. This prevents crusts from getting too dark or dry and allows for more even browning. Prefers to glaze breads before baking when you want:
- A soft, shiny crust
- To prevent excessive browning
- Toppings like seeds or nuts to stick
- Breads with an egg wash to brown evenly
After baking
Glazing after baking keeps the full oven heat from breaking down the glaze so it stays glossier. Post-bake glazing is good when you want:
- The purest glaze flavor to come through
- Glazes with sugar or icing to remain white
- To highlight decorative patterns on baked bread
- Drizzle effects for a decorative look
Tips for glazing bread
Follow these tips to master the art of bread glazing:
- Test glaze consistency on an inconspicuous spot first so it’s not too thick or runny.
- Apply glazes in a thin, even coat using a clean pastry brush.
- Glaze breads right before baking so the glaze stays wet and shiny.
- Brush corner to corner to prevent bare spots where bread dries out.
- Keep glazes warm in a double boiler so they spread smoothly.
- Chill iced glazes briefly so they hold decorative patterns better.
- Avoid soggy bread by letting glazed loaves cool completely before packaging.
- Refresh day-old glazed breads by heating gently at 300°F for 3-5 minutes.
Fun glaze ideas
Take your bread glazing up a notch with these creative combinations:
Cinnamon sugar glaze
Cinnamon and sugar topping for sweet rolls, monkey bread, and coffee cakes.
Orange zest and honey
Bright citrus glaze for tea breads, challah, and brioche.
Earl Grey tea glaze
Bergamot and tea flavored glaze for scones or breakfast pastry.
Coconut milk and lime
Tropical glaze for banana or pineapple breads.
Balsamic honey glaze
Sweet and savory glaze for focaccia, flatbreads, and rolls.
Mint chocolate glaze
Cool mint icing swirled with chocolate over sweet loaves or babka.
Caramel apple glaze
Caramel and apple drizzle for autumn breads and coffee cakes.
Pumpkin pie glaze
Spiced pumpkin glaze for holiday breads and stollen.
Matcha glaze
Vibrant green matcha icing for Japanese milk bread rolls.
Conclusion
Glazing is an easy way to make bread look as good as it tastes. Everything from artisan sourdough to homemade dinner rolls can benefit from a delicious glaze. Getting creative with your own glaze flavors lets you put a unique finishing touch on your baked goods. With a little practice, you’ll be glazing bakery-worthy breads in your own kitchen.