Challah is a traditional Jewish bread served on Shabbat and holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah. With a soft and fluffy interior and a golden brown crust, this Challah is way better than any store-bought version.
Shaping round challah may look complicated, however, with my easy-to-follow instructions, you'll be on your way to delicious bread with a gorgeous round shape in no time!
Leftover challah makes the best french toast or morning toast! For a traditional braided Challah, try my Fluffy Challah recipe. And for a fun variation, try these Challah Rolls. And if you're looking for another delicious bread recipe, try this Condensed Milk Bread. But here's what you need to know on How To Reheat Challah so you aren't left with dry bread after baking up a beautiful loaf.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
This is the very best recipe for Challah bread! Here are just a few reasons you'll love it:
- Fresh bread is a dream! This bread has the consistency of a brioche bread due to the addition of the eggs and egg yolks. It's perfectly fluffy and soft
- Challah takes about 3 hours to make, start to finish. So this recipe can easily be made in the afternoon to serve with dinner
- If you're looking to make the dough ahead of time, after the first rise and after shaping, place the dough in the fridge for the second rise and bake in the morning
- For a non-yeast option, be sure to check out the Sourdough Challah recipe.
- This is a simple, 4-strand round loaf. Details about how to shape this traditional round challah are included below and in the recipe itself. There is also a video included showing how to braid this challah
Ingredients needed to make Challah braided loaf bread
Unlike most Challah recipes, this one begins by making a flour paste known as a tangzhong. This is simply a mixture of flour and water that's heated, or pre-cooked, to form a paste. This technique produces softer yeast breads which is exactly what we want in a challah. I linked a quick article from King Arthur Flour about this method and how it works in bread recipes.
For the tangzhong, you'll need:
- Water
- Bread Flour
For the Challah Bread Dough, you'll need:
- Egg: a whole egg, at room temperature. Using room temperature eggs allows the eggs to incorporate evenly into the other ingredients
- Egg yolks: to create the rich, soft dough of this Challah, we use one whole egg plus two egg yolks. Reserve the remaining egg whites to use as the egg wash instead, if you'd like. This helps prevent waste as well. Egg whites will provide a bit of a paler finish to the baked crust while a whole egg will yield a darker, more golden brown crust
- Water: room temperature or warm water, not hot, water is best. Hot water (over 110ºF) will likely kill the yeast, creating a dense loaf of bread that will not rise
- Vegetable oil: any type of neutral oil will work here. Try grapeseed or avocado oil instead. Do not use olive oil, as it has a strong flavor that will affect the flavor of the bread
- Bread flour: bread flour has a higher protein content than all purpose flour, making for a chewier loaf of bread. If you do not have bread flour, all-purpose flour may be substituted in equal amounts
- Yeast: I recommend using instant yeast for this recipe. If you only have active dry yeast, that will work as well, although the rise times will be longer than with instant yeast. Read the recipe for visual signs the dough is done rising, rather than relying on the clock
- Sugar: granulated white sugar is used to make this a slightly sweet challah, perfect for a sweet new year
- Salt: I like to use kosher salt or fine sea salt, but feel free to use any salt you have handy
For the egg wash, you'll need:
- Egg: For a more golden crust, use a whole egg. If you'd prefer not to let them go to waste, use the leftover egg whites from the yolks you used int he dough. Egg whites will produce a slightly less golden crust than whole eggs
- Salt
- Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning: These toppings are completely optional
Step-by-step guide to make the Best Challah Bread recipe
Step 1
Make Flour Paste: Whisk water and flour in a small bowl until no lumps remain. Microwave, whisking every 20 seconds, until mixture thickens to a stiff, smooth, pudding-like consistency that forms a mound when dropped from the end of a whisk into the bowl, about 40 to 80 seconds. Alternatively, place the flour and water in a small saucepan and place over low heat. Whisk constantly until a thick paste forms
Step 2
Make the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour paste from Step 1, water and vegetable oil. Then add the egg and egg yolks. Whisk well until combined. Add the flour and yeast. Fit mixer with dough hook and mix on low speed until all flour is moistened, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for 20 minutes
Step 3
After the 20 minutes, remove the towel and add the sugar and salt to the bowl. Knead on medium speed for 9 minutes. The dough should be wrapped around the dough hook without sticking to the bottom or sides of the bowl. If the dough is sticking, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, up to ¼ cup more, allowing the flour to fully incorporate before adding more
Step 4
Transfer the challah dough to a clean counter and lightly coat the now-empty mixing bowl or a clean large bowl with vegetable oil. Form the dough into a ball and return it to the greased bowl, turning to coat all sides lightly in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until about doubled in volume, about 1-1 ½ hours
Step 5
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and stack on top of a second rimmed baking sheet; this helps prevent the bottom of the challah from getting too browned or burnt. Set on your counter next to where you'll be shaping the dough. Remove the dough from the bowl onto clean counter and press into an 8-inch square, expelling as much air as possible
Step 6
Shape the dough: Cut the dough in half lengthwise to form 2 rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half lengthwise. You should have 4 equal pieces of dough.
With a rolling pin, roll each piece until it’s flattened out (photos 1, 2). Starting at the long end, roll the dough up like a roulade (photo 3). Pinch the seam to seal (photo 4) and roll the seam on the counter until smooth.
Repeat with remaining pieces of dough until you have 4 evenly sized ropes of dough (photo 5). Arrange ropes so two are parallel in the center of your work surface, about 1-2 inches apart. Lay the other two strands across in the opposite direction so you have two strands vertically and two horizontally (photo 6).
Begin by lifting one of the two horizontal strands and placing it underneath one of the vertical strands. With the other horizontal strand, place this underneath the other vertical strand (photo 7).
With the two strands closest to you, pick up the one that is under the horizontal strand and place it over it's "neighbor" to the right, or counterclockwise. With the two strands in the 3 o'clock position, pick up the strand that is under, and place it over its neighbor. Repeat this with the 12 o'clock strands and the 9o'clock strands, moving around the circle counterclockwise (photo 8).
Once you arrive back at the two strands in front of you, go back the other way (clockwise): pick up the strand that is under and place it over its neighbor. Complete this step around one full rotation of the "clock" (photo 9).
Once you arrive back at the two strands in front of you again, repeat the process in a counterclockwise fashion. Repeat this until the ropes are too short to place over their neighboring strands (photo 10). Tuck any loose ends under the circular shape (photo 11).
Carefully transfer the challah to the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until the dough does not spring back fully when gently pressed with your knuckle, about 1-2 hours. Rise time will vary based on the temperature of your kitchen.
If you would prefer to bake the challah the next day, after shaping, cover lightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight, up to 12 hours. The next morning, remove the shaped dough from the fridge when you preheat the oven to allow it to come to room temperature before baking.
Step 7
Thirty minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350º F. Whisk together egg (or reserved egg whites) and salt. Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning, if using. Bake until the loaf is a deep golden brown and registers at least 195º F, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the loaf cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes. Transfer baked loaf to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing, about 2 hours
How to store challah bread
Bread can be stored at room temperature in a bread bag, bread box or plastic wrap for 3-4 days. Refrigerate for up to 1 week
To freeze, slice bread and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze for at least an hour then place in a freezer-safe bag and store in freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or defrost in the microwave at 50% power
Pro tips for making challah bread
- Most bread recipes call for you to knead your bread on a lightly floured surface. For this challah bread recipe, it is not recommended that you flour your kneading surface. This is because friction is needed to roll and braid the ropes of bread dough. Also, this is a stiff and dry dough, so adding additional flour will increase the dryness, resulting in a much drier and denser loaf of bread. Nope, we do not want that
- Rather than baking your challah bread on a single baking sheet, stack two baking sheets on top of one another to keep the bottom of the loaf from getting too dark or burnt
- As difficult as it may be, follow the recipe instructions to allow the challah loaf to cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing and eating. (Good luck with that one!)
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FAQs
Can I make challah dough ahead of time?
Yes! After the first rise and after braiding the dough, cover lightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking.
Can I use honey instead of sugar in this Challah recipe?
The rule of thumb when swapping sugar for honey in baked goods is the following: For every 1 cup of sugar, substitute ½ to ⅔ cup honey and subtract ¼ cup of the water from the recipe. To swap the granulated sugar for honey in this easy challah recipe, use ⅛ cup (2 tablespoons) honey and reduce the water in the dough to ⅛ cup (2 tablespoons).
Can I make this recipe into mini Challah Rolls?
Absolutely! Check out this Challah Rolls recipe. They're perfect as an alternative to the traditional Rosh Hashanah challah braid.
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Ingredients
Flour Paste (Tangzhong)
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons bread flour
Challah Dough
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks reserve egg whites for egg wash, if desired
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 ¾ cups bread flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast or rapid-rise yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg or reserved egg whites from dough
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning optional
Instructions
Make Flour Paste:
- Whisk water and flour in a small bowl until no lumps remain
- Microwave, whisking every 20 seconds, until mixture thickens to a stiff, smooth, pudding-like consistency that forms a mound when dropped from the end of a whisk into the bowl, about 40 to 80 seconds. Alternatively, place the flour and water in a small saucepan and place over low heat. Whisk constantly until a thick paste forms
Make the Dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour paste from Step 1, water and vegetable oil. Then add the egg and egg yolks. Whisk well until combined
- Add the flour and yeast. Fit mixer with dough hook and mix on low speed until all flour is moistened, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover with a clean towel and let stand for 20 minutes
- After the 20 minutes, remove the towel and add the sugar and salt to the bowl. Knead on medium speed for 9 minutes. Dough should be wrapped around the dough hook without sticking to the bottom or sides of the bowl. If the dough is sticking, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, up to ¼ cup more, allowing the flour to fully incorporate before adding more
- Transfer the dough to a clean counter and lightly coat the now-empty mixing bowl with vegetable oil. Form the dough into a ball and return it to the oiled bowl, turning to coat all sides lightly in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until about doubled in volume, about 1-1 ½ hours*
Shape the Dough:
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and stack on top of a second rimmed baking sheet to prevent the bottom of the bread from getting too browned or burnt. Set on your counter next to where you'll be shaping the dough
- Remove the dough from the bowl onto a clean counter. Do not flour the work surface. Press the dough into an 8-inch square, expelling as much air as possible
- Cut the dough in half lengthwise to form 2 rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half lengthwise. You should have 4 equal pieces of dough. Roll 1 strip of dough into a 16-inch long rope. Continue rolling, tapering ends, until you have an 18 inch long strand. Repeat with remaining dough strips. Arrange ropes so two are parallel in the center of your work surface, about 1-2 inches apart. Lay the other two strands across in the opposite direction so you have two strands vertically and two horizontally
- Shape the Dough: Begin by lifting one of the two horizontal strands and placing it underneath one of the vertical strands. With the other horizontal strand, place this underneath the other vertical strand. (see photo) With the two strands closest to you, pick up the one that is under the horizontal strand and place it over its “neighbor" to the right, going counterclockwise. With the two strands in the 3 o'clock position, pick up the strand that is under, and place it over its neighbor. Repeat this with the 12 o'clock strands and the 9 o'clock strands, moving around the circle counterclockwise. Once you arrive back at the two strands in front of you after having gone around the circle once, go back the other way (clockwise): Pick up the strand that is under and place it over its neighbor. Complete this step around one full rotation of the "clock." Once you arrive back at the two strands in front of you again, repeat the process in a counterclockwise fashion. Repeat this process until the strands are too short to place over their neighboring strands. Tuck any loose ends under the circular shape
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until the dough does not spring back fully when gently pressed with your knuckle, about 1-2 hours*. Rise time will vary based on the temperature of your kitchen
Make the Egg Wash and Bake:
- 30 Minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350º F. Whisk together egg (or reserved egg whites) and salt. Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning, if using
- Bake until the loaf is a deep golden brown and registers at least 195º F, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the loaf cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes. Transfer baked loaf to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing, about 2 hours
Video
Notes
- *If you would prefer to bake the challah the next day, after shaping, cover lightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight, up to 12 hours. Remove the braided dough from the fridge when you preheat the oven to allow it to come to room temperature before baking
- Bread can be stored at room temperature in a bread bag, bread box or plastic wrap for 3-4 days. Refrigerate for up to 1 week
- To freeze, slice bread and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze for at least an hour then place in a freezer-safe bag and store in freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or defrost in the microwave at 50% power
- Recipe adapted from Cook’s illustrated Magazine, May & June 2019
Nutrition
