Honeycomb Bread

Honeycomb bread is a type of sweet bread topped with a sticky honey glaze. It boasts a cream cheese filling and has a slightly sweet flavor. It’s soft, fluffy and oh so tasty! 

You might also like to try Irish soda bread, mushroom focaccia, Starbucks copycat banana bread, or pumpkin crunch bread.

Why You’ll Love It           

Wonderful flavors: The soft, fluffy bread is slightly sweetened and has a tangy cream cheese filling and a sticky honey glaze. Cardamom, orange blossom water and sesame seeds make it even more distinctive and delicious.
Simple to prepare: You’ll be delighted when you discover how easy this honeycomb bread is to make.
Makes a tasty snack: Although you can serve this bread as part of a meal, it also makes a tasty snack in its own right paired with your beverage of choice.

Beehive Bread Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

All-purpose flour: The main ingredient in the bread.
Instant yeast: To make the bread rise.
Sugar: To sweeten the honeycomb bread.
Whole milk: Adds a creamy flavor.
Cream cheese: To fill each roll.
Egg: To bind the dough.
Honey: For sweetness and a wonderfully sticky glaze.
Cardamom pods: A warm, aromatic spice often used in Middle Eastern and South Asian baking.
Orange blossom water: A fragrant distillation of orange blossoms, used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean desserts to add a light floral note to the aroma and flavor.
Sesame seeds: An optional topping to add crunch.

How to Make Beehive Bread

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Make the dough: Combine the warm milk, warm water, sugar, and yeast. Leave this yeast mixture to sit until frothy. Mix in the melted butter, egg and salt, and gradually add the flour.
Knead it: Knead the slightly sticky dough for 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth. Cover it and leave it to rise somewhere warm for about an hour or until it’s doubled in size.
Shape the rolls: Punch the dough down and divide it into portions. Flatten each piece, add cream cheese and seal it into a ball with the cream cheese inside.
Make a honeycomb pattern: Arrange the filled dough balls in a greased pan to make a honeycomb pattern and then cover and leave to rise again.
Bake it: Bake the bread until golden brown. Let the hot bread cool slightly (you don’t have to let it cool completely).
Glaze the rolls: Bring the honey syrup glaze ingredients to a boil in a small pan and simmer until slightly thickened. Use a pastry brush to brush it over the warm rolls and sprinkle with sesame seeds if liked. Serve warm.

Substitutions and Variations

Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour in the dough recipe.
Cream cheese: Traditional recipes often use cream cheese, feta cheese or mozzarella for a creamy or melty texture. You can substitute any of these.
Orange blossom water: While it enhances the bread’s aroma, you can substitute it with vanilla extract or rosewater, or simply omit it.
Cardamon: If you don’t have any, you can substitute cinnamon or nutmeg, or a mixture of both in the sugar syrup glaze.
Another filling: You can leave the rolls unfilled if you prefer, or try something sweet like Nutella, date paste or almond paste.
Another topping: You can omit the sesame seeds or substitute nigella seeds or poppy seeds.

Serving Suggestions

With brunch: Add a Middle Eastern touch to your brunch table with honeycomb bread. Possible pairings include blue smoothie bowls, cheesy potato waffles and eggs benedict with crispy bacon.
With a drink: Enjoy an iced lavender matcha latte, pumpkin spice coffee or even state fair style lemonade with your warm honeycomb bread.

How to Store Honeycomb Bread

Store: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Once baked and cooled, store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.
Thaw: Defrost at room temperature.
Reheat: Warm the honey comb rolls slightly in the oven before serving, to restore their soft texture.