The cougnou is a traditional Belgian Christmas brioche, also enjoyed in northern France, often filled with pearl sugar and raisins. Its unique shape is meant to resemble a swaddled baby, symbolizing the Christ Child, and it is one of the classic baked goods enjoyed during the Advent and Christmas season. Soft and melt in your mouth, this festive brioche is perfect for Christmas breakfast or an afternoon treat and brings all the warmth and comfort of European holiday traditions.
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Cougnous – Christmas and St Nicholas Brioche
Every year, in the run up to Christmas and the feast of Saint Nicholas, bakeries and families in Belgium and northern France prepare the region’s traditional brioche: the cougnou. Also called cougnole or coquille, this classic brioche has a delicate flavor and a soft, tender texture, filled with pearl sugar and raisins or a mix of both. For an even more indulgent version, and to delight the children, chocolate chips can also be added.
More than just a pastry, the cougnou is a true holiday symbol, evoking the birth of the Christ Child through its unique shape. Making homemade cougnous is a way to carry on this tradition while filling the home with the irresistible aroma of freshly baked brioche.
In other parts of Europe, you can also find delicious traditional brioches prepared during Advent. There is the Alsatian kouglof, with its crown shape and soaked raisins, the Italian panettone, airy and rich with candied fruit, and the German stollen, generously filled with marzipan. Children also love the mannele, the little brioche figure made for Saint Nicholas in Alsace. Even though each region has its own specialties, all these festive brioches share the same desire to celebrate Advent with sweetness and indulgence.
Tips for Making a Good Cougnou
Choose the right flour: As with any brioche, using a flour with enough gluten is key. In Europe, T45 flour is commonly used for this type of dough. The closest equivalent is cake flour or pastry flour, but all purpose flour works very well and gives a soft, light brioche. The goal is to achieve a tender crumb while keeping the dough airy and fluffy.
Baker’s yeast: You can use active dry yeast or instant yeast, but fresh yeast adds a deeper flavor to the brioche.
Knead the dough well: The dough should become smooth and start wrapping around the stand mixer hook. To prevent it from becoming too sticky, add the milk in two stages, as flour absorption can vary. Start by adding about 3/4 of the milk, then gradually add the rest while kneading. The dough should form a soft ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It will become smoother and more elastic once the butter is fully incorporated.
Let the dough rise: Let the dough rise at room temperature in a draft free place until doubled in size. The exact time is not crucial, as rising time depends on the temperature of your kitchen.
Fillings to your taste: You can add pearl sugar, raisins, chocolate chips or a combination of all 3. You can also divide the dough and use different fillings for each piece, which is a great way to please everyone.
When to add the fillings: While pearl sugar and chocolate chips can be added at the end of kneading, it is best to add them after the first rise, just before shaping and the second rise. When pearl sugar is added before the first rise, it tends to warm up and can make the dough slightly sticky.
However, if you choose to add the fillings earlier, as I did, place the dough in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before shaping the cougnous. This makes the dough easier to handle. In my case, I shaped the dough without chilling, but chilling can be helpful if the dough feels too soft.
Ingredients for 12 Cougnous – Sweet Yeast Bread:
Note: You can find the printable recipe card at the end of the article.
- 550 g flour (19.4 oz), preferably cake flour
- 150 ml milk (5 fl oz)
- 50 ml water (1.7 fl oz)
- 20 g fresh baker’s yeast (0.7 oz) or 8 g instant dry yeast (0.28 oz)
- 2 large eggs
- 70 g granulated sugar (2.5 oz)
- 6 g salt (1 tsp)
- 130 g unsalted butter, at room temperature (4.6 oz)
- 200 g pearl sugar, raisins and or chocolate chips (7 oz total)
I used 100 g pearl sugar (3.5 oz) and 100 g raisins (3.5 oz)
For the egg wash and finishing
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch of salt
- A little pearl sugar for the topping, optional
How to Make Christmas Cougnou Brioches:
Kneading the dough
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the flour, sugar, egg, salt and 3/4 of the milk.
2. Start kneading on low speed (speed 1 on a KitchenAid). Gradually add the remaining milk to form a soft dough that is not sticky. Knead for about 12 minutes.
3. Add the butter gradually, a little at a time, while continuing to knead. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
4. Continue kneading for another 12 minutes on speed 2, until you get a smooth, supple and well combined dough that wraps around the hook. If you stretch a small piece of dough to form a thin sheet, it should not tear.
If this is not perfectly achieved, it is not a problem, as we are not aiming for a very stretchy crumb like a bakery style brioche. You can try a different flour next time.
Filling and First Rise
1. Add the raisins and pearl sugar, then knead for a few seconds to distribute them evenly through the dough. If they are difficult to incorporate, finish mixing by hand on a work surface. Cut the dough with a bench scraper and stack the pieces on top of each other until the pearl sugar and raisins are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
2. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl or back into the mixer bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, then a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a draft free place.
3. In cold weather, place the dough in a turned off oven with a bowl of hot water set on the bottom of the oven.
4. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, which can take up to 3 hours depending on the room temperature.
Shaping the Christmas Brioches:
1. Gently deflate the dough on a work surface. Shape it into a long log, then divide it into 100 g pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. You can also make 2 or 3 larger cougnous if you prefer a family size version.
2. Take one ball of dough and roll it into a log about 14 cm (5.5 inches) long. Place your hands on their sides, about 2 cm (about 3/4 inch) from each end, then roll the dough back and forth in place, as if you were cutting off both ends.
The goal is to create a well defined pinch to form the two ends, leaving the middle as the body. You can see this in the photo below. I am using one hand in the picture because I was holding the camera with the other.
3. Place the shaped cougnous on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat mat or parchment paper, spacing them well apart. I placed 6 cougnous per baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap, then a kitchen towel.
4. Let them rise for 45 minutes, until nicely puffed.
Baking the Cougnous Brioche:
1. Preheat the oven to 185°C (365°F) using conventional heat.
2. Prepare the egg wash by beating one egg with a pinch of salt. Gently brush the cougnous with a pastry brush, being careful not to deflate them.
3. Sprinkle with a little pearl sugar if desired. Bake for about 20 minutes, until nicely golden.
4. Remove from the oven and transfer the cougnous to a wire rack. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let them cool completely before storing. They are delicious warm, at room temperature or cold, especially served with a cup of hot chocolate.
How to Store Belgian Christmas Brioche:
Cougnous keep very well for 2 to 3 days stored at room temperature in an airtight container or a well sealed bag. If they become slightly dry, warm them for a few seconds in the microwave or reheat them in the oven for about 10 minutes to restore their softness.
You can also freeze them. Simply place them in an airtight container or in freezer bags such as Ziploc bags. They keep well in the freezer for up to 1 month. To enjoy them, let them thaw at room temperature, then reheat them in the microwave or in the oven. If you have an air fryer, you can also reheat them there by wrapping them in parchment paper, like a foil packet.
Traditional Belgian Cougnou - Christmas Brioche
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients for 12 cougnous:
- 550 g all-purpose flour preferably cake flour
- 150 ml milk
- 50 ml water
- 20 g fresh baker’s yeast (0.7 oz ) or 8 g instant dry yeast (0.28 oz)
- 2 large eggs
- 70 g granulated sugar
- 6 g salt 1 tsp
- 130 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 200 g pearl sugar raisins and or chocolate chips
- I used 100 g pearl sugar (3.5 oz) and 100 g raisins (3.5 oz)
For the egg wash and finishing
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch of salt
- A little pearl sugar for the topping optional
PREPARATION
Kneading the dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the flour, sugar, egg, salt and 3/4 of the milk.
- Start kneading on low speed (speed 1 on a KitchenAid). Gradually add the remaining milk to form a soft dough that is not sticky. Knead for about 12 minutes.
- Add the butter gradually, a little at a time, while continuing to knead. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
- Continue kneading for another 12 minutes on speed 2, until you get a smooth, supple and well combined dough that wraps around the hook. If you stretch a small piece of dough to form a thin sheet, it should not tear.
- If this is not perfectly achieved, it is not a problem, as we are not aiming for a very stretchy crumb like a bakery style brioche. You can try a different flour next time.
Filling and first rise
- Add the raisins and pearl sugar, then knead for a few seconds to distribute them evenly through the dough. If they are difficult to incorporate, finish mixing by hand on a work surface. Cut the dough with a bench scraper and stack the pieces on top of each other until the pearl sugar and raisins are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl or back into the mixer bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, then a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a draft free place.
- In cold weather, place the dough in a turned off oven with a bowl of hot water set on the bottom of the oven.
- Let the dough rise until doubled in size, which can take up to 3 hours depending on the room temperature.
Shaping the Christmas brioches:
- Gently deflate the dough on a work surface. Shape it into a long log, then divide it into 100 g pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. You can also make 2 or 3 larger cougnous if you prefer a family size version.
- Take one ball of dough and roll it into a log about 14 cm (5.5 inches) long. Place your hands on their sides, about 2 cm (about 3/4 inch) from each end, then roll the dough back and forth in place, as if you were cutting off both ends.
- The goal is to create a well defined pinch to form the two ends, leaving the middle as the body. You can see this in the photo below. I am using one hand in the picture because I was holding the camera with the other.
- Place the shaped cougnous on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat mat or parchment paper, spacing them well apart. I placed 6 cougnous per baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap, then a kitchen towel.
- Let them rise for 45 minutes, until nicely puffed.
Baking the cougnous:
- Preheat the oven to 185°C (365°F) using conventional heat.
- Prepare the egg wash by beating one egg with a pinch of salt. Gently brush the cougnous with a pastry brush, being careful not to deflate them.
- Sprinkle with a little pearl sugar if desired. Bake for about 20 minutes, until nicely golden.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the cougnous to a wire rack. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let them cool completely before storing. They are delicious warm, at room temperature or cold, especially served with a cup of hot chocolate.
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