Challah Bread
This rich, egg-enriched loaf with its signature golden braid is tender, slightly sweet, and wonderfully versatile. Whether you’re enjoying it warm from the oven, turning it into French toast, or sharing it at a family dinner, this homemade challah recipe is a must-try.
Servings: 16 servings
Ingredients
- 1/4 ounce active dry yeast Note: an individual packet of yeast usually contains 0.25 ounces which is equivalent to 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk reserve the white for the egg wash
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg white for brushing on top of the bread before baking
Instructions
- Sprinkle the 1/4 ounce active dry yeast over the 1 cup lukewarm water in a small bowl. Swirl gently to dissolve. If a thin frothy layer does not form, your yeast might no longer be active and you must use active yeast for this recipe.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix together 4 cups of the 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and the 2 teaspoons salt. Reserve the remaining 1/2 cup of flour for the kneading process.
- Add the 1/4 cup honey, 2 large eggs, 1 large egg yolk, and 1/4 cup vegetable oil and mix with a spoon to form a shaggy dough. Pour the yeast mixture over the egg slurry and mix until combined.
- Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough on low speed for 6 to 8 minutes. If the dough seems very sticky or does not create a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl, add flour a spoonful at a time until it is just in between sticky and dry. Stop kneading the dough when it is soft, smooth, and holds a ball-shape.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm. My house is always cold so I like to preheat the oven to 200 degrees F, turn it off, and crack the door. I allow the dough to rise in the warm oven. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours depending on how warm the environment is.
- Punch the dough (this is the best part!). Divide the dough into six equal pieces. I did this by weighing the dough, dividing by six, and ensuring each piece was roughly the same size. Roll each of the six pieces to equal lengths, 12-15 inches long. They will try to shrink back so give them the occasional pull. Make them a bit smaller on the ends.
- To braid the dough, squeeze the ends together on one side. Spread out all six ropes. Always starting from the rope on the far right side, pull it over two strands, under the third, and then over the last two strands. Reposition all of the dough ropes such that you can repeat this pattern, again using the rope that's on the far right hand side. Repeat this weave until the entire loaf has formed and then sqeeze the ends together to seal. Tuck both ends on both sides of loaf underneath. You can either freeze the dough at this point or continue below to cook.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment and transfer the loaf on top. Dust the loaf with a little flour and loosely cover it with plastic wrap or a clean dishcloth. Place the pan somewhere warm and away from drafts and allow it rise until about an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix the remaining egg white with about a tablespoon of water and gently brush the entire surface of the loaf, taking care not to deflate.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking, until the loaf is deeply browned in color.
- Allow the loaf to cool on a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
Recipe yields one loaf.
Allow the bread to fully cool before slicing. Store bread in an air tight container. Cooked bread can be wrapped tightly and frozen.
Nutrition
Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1.8mg