Croatian Easter Bread Recipe (Sirnica or Pinca)

Chasing the Donkey may include affiliate links - if you decide to make a purchase through these links, we receive a commission without any additional cost to you. Disclaimer & privacy policy.
Post author Vedran

Written by our local expert Vedran

Vedran is a total food lover from Croatia. He creates recipes from his kitchen in Zagreb using fresh produce from his garden.

Pinca is traditional Croatian Easter bread – but can be eaten all year round.

Pinca is a sweet bread served as a part of a traditional Easter meal in Croatia. It’s very popular along the coastal regions of Croatia, although it can be found all over the country. In Zagorje, it’s called “Jajara,” in Dalmatia “Sirnica,” and in other parts, it is simply “pinca.”

How To Make Sirnica Recipe

It originates from the Venetian Republic, where it was reserved only for wealthy people during the holidays, who could eat it 2-3 times per year. Now you can even buy pinca in shops or at home with ease with the recipe below.

The main character is a dough that has a vibrant yellow color from the fresh farm eggs. This recipe is rich in flavor because we’ve added raisins soaked in rum, lemon, or orange zest. You can use other kinds of dried fruit and vanilla sugar.

Sirnica is usually shaped like a small ball with a cut on the top in the shape of a cross as it symbolizes the suffering of Christ.

At this time of year, you can find it in most bakeries and supermarkets across Croatia. My Aunts make a wonderful Sirnica every year for us all to enjoy on Easter day, so maybe you could give this recipe a go for your family to enjoy on Easter day as well.

A slice of Croatian Easter bread with a knife and milk.

Croatian Easter Bread Recipe (Sirnica or Pinca)

Sirnica is a traditional Croatian Easter Bread - here is an easy to follow recipe to make it at home.

Ingredients

  • 300 g all-purpose flour (2 cups)
  • 7 g dried yeast (2 teaspoons)
  • 75 g sugar (1/3 cup)
  • 5 g vanilla sugar (1 teaspoons)
  • 35 ml sunflower oil (2.5 tablespoons)
  • 125 ml milk (1/2 cup)
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoons butter
  • 50 g raisins (1/3 cup)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3-4 tablespoons rum

Instructions

  1. Soak the raisins in the rum for one hour
  2. Mix together flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt in one bigger bowl
  3. Activate the yeast with some warm milk and one teaspoon of sugar. It will become bubbly in around 5 minutes
  4. Now combine the dried ingredients with the rest of the warm milk, oil, lemon zest, egg yolks, and yeast mixture
  5. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes with your mixer on low speed or with your hands
  6. Cover the dough and let it rest on a warm place for one hour until it doubles its size
  7. Remove the excess rum from the raisins and add them to the dough together with some melted butter
  8. Now you need to knead the again in the same way for another ten minutes
  9. Transfer the dough to the baking tray, shape it in a ball
  10. Brush the pinca with a mixed egg yolk and some sugar. Sugar is optional because it will make your pinca a bit darker as it will caramelize
  11. Cut the dough with a knife or scissors to make a "cross sign" on the top
  12. Bake it in a warm oven for 30-35 minutes at 180°C (350°F). If you have dusted it with some sugar, after 20 minutes, you can cover it with paper or aluminum foil, so it doesn't get too dark
  13. When it's baked, cover it with a clean kitchen cloth and let it cool down. Keep the pinca in a bag, so it remains soft for a couple of days

Brands We Use And Trust


How To Make Sirnica Recipe

More Tasty Croatian & Balkans Recipes

Comments (39)

  1. My mother made this bread for us, When i moved to another town she would send it to us in the mail. God bless a mother.s heart.

    1. If i ever moved i know my mama would send me sarma!…palačinke….meso na saft….ooo so many things!!;)

  2. Eto kad dođeš pribacit če mo uskrs pri božica pa ce ti punica naprsvit Kaštelanski kolač sa jajen,i skuvat jaja utvrdo da se možeš tucat!!!

  3. Love it too, but I put a lemon glaze on top. Usually because we have so many lemons and also preference.

    1. Do you have time now Gaynor? I see you did that comment on Dad’s birthday last uear RIP Georgey ????

  4. Look wonderful, may have to try this for Easter. I do not remember my Croatian grandmother making this though….wonder if it regional. They came from the Kluj area in Dalmatia.

  5. My Grandmother made something similar to this, except a savory version we use dry cottage cheese, egg, sauteed onion and plenty of black pepper. We have always called this bread sirnica and had it on Christmas Eve. She cheated and used frozen bread loaves for the dough. We grew up in the Pittsburgh area of Pa. Have you heard of this recipe or version before. I have done other searches and can not find anything similar. It maybe just a family recipe. Thanks for any help you may be able to give.

  6. I went to Pinterest to get the recipe I pinned a couple years ago, but this post from March 25, 2019 appears. This recipe is different. What happened to the old recipe? My family loved the version without raisins that you posted before. Can you please repost the original?

    Thank you.

  7. Where I come from we call it Kuglof.
    Again, sirnica is Dalmatian. Wonder why as no cheese in involved? I guess they name sirnica whenever they lack a term HA!
    :-) Just kidding!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Move This Adventure To Your Inbox & Get An Instant Freebie

Subscribe To Unlock Your FREE Customizable Travel Packing List & All Our Best Tips!

Skip to Recipe