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Challah is a classic bread that tastes as good as it looks! My homemade challah recipe is super straightforward, and it creates a beautiful, soft, braided loaf.
They say you eat with your eyes first, and for me, nothing embodies that more than challah. How gorgeous is that braid? Challah is a rich kosher bread with a soft, fluffy interior and golden, glowy exterior, guaranteed to stand out on any table. My tried-and-true challah recipe is perfect for special occasions, holidays, or Sunday dinner. Best of all, it’s easy, and with a few simple ingredients, you can make it, too!
All About Challah Bread
- Steeped in tradition. Challah is a traditional Jewish bread that makes an appearance on certain holidays.
- Easy technique. You don’t need fancy equipment or even a mixer to make the bread. It’s easy and requires only 7 ingredients.
- Rich, fluffy dough. Challah uses what’s called an enriched dough, made with eggs and oil.
- Wonderful leftovers. Use leftover challah to make challah French toast or bread pudding!
You Need Only 7 Ingredients
Be sure to scroll to the printable recipe card for the exact ingredient amounts followed by step-by-step instructions.
- Active Dry Yeast – Check the expiration date on the yeast packet and make sure it’s fresh; otherwise, your challah won’t rise properly.
- Lukewarm Water – You’ll need to activate the yeast with sugar in warm water (98°F to 105°F). If the water is too hot, it’ll kill the yeast.
- Sugar – White granulated sugar works perfectly here, and so does brown sugar.
- All Purpose Flour – Measure the flour using a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Otherwise, spoon the flour from the bag into your measuring cup (don’t scoop right from the bag). Then, level it off with a knife. This avoids adding too much.
- Salt – Salt balances the sweetness in the dough.
- Eggs – You’ll need two whole eggs and one egg yolk for extra richness in the dough. Reserve the leftover egg white to combine with water for an egg wash.
- Oil – I recommend vegetable oil or any neutral-flavored oil, so it won’t impact the flavor of the finished bread.
Tips for Bakery-Style Challah
- Use fresh yeast. If you notice that, after leaving the yeast to activate, it still hasn’t foamed up, this means that it’s no longer fresh. You’ll need to discard it and start with a new packet.
- Check the egg yolks. For this bread to be kosher, the egg yolk mustn’t have blood spots in it.
- You’re after a smooth dough. If your challah dough feels sticky while kneading, sprinkle it with a little more flour.
- Don’t substitute water with milk. Traditional challah recipes use water to remain kosher. While some versions of challah contain milk and butter, milk is not a replacement for water in this recipe, as it will impact the outcome of the bread.
Ways to Serve Challah
One of my favorite ways to eat challah is piled with fresh berries and drizzled with maple syrup for French toast. It also makes a great base for a French toast casserole.
It’s also delicious to tear off pieces to dip in hummus or baba ganoush, or I’ll smash some grilled eggplant on top. I love to use challah for sandwiches, filled with chicken salad or roast beef. Alone, challah slices are great dipped into a warm bowl of creamy roasted tomato soup.
You can chop up day-old challah to make bread pudding recipes, or add it to a savory breakfast casserole.
Tools I Used
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- Large Mixing Bowl – For mixing and rising the dough. You want plenty of room for it to double in size.
- Stand Mixer with Dough Hook (optional) – Makes kneading easy, but you can absolutely knead by hand if you prefer.
- Kitchen Scale – Helpful for dividing the dough into three equal portions for an even braid.
- Baking Sheet – Keeps the challah from sticking and helps it bake evenly.
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Challah Recipe
Follow this easy challah recipe to bake a golden, braided bread loaf that tastes as good as it looks!
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup lukewarm water, between 98°F and 105°F
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¼ cup sugar
- 4½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk, reserve the egg white for the egg-wash
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
For the wash:
- 1 reserved egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Prepare the yeast. Place the lukewarm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Stir to combine and cover with a plate or a lid. Set aside for 10 minutes or until the yeast is foamy.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt.
- Add the liquid. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the yeast mixture, and add eggs, egg yolk, and oil.
- Mix and knead. Mix everything with a spatula, then knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes or mix it in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment for 6-8 minutes, or until smooth.
- Rise. Lightly coat a large bowl with oil, then place the dough in the bowl. Cover it with a clean towel and let the challah rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Prep the dough. Uncover and punch down the dough to remove air. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into three equal portions. I use a kitchen scale to make sure they’re even.
- Shape the dough. Roll each portion into a 15 to 16-inch-long rope. Arrange the ropes vertically, one next to the other, then gather and squeeze them at the top.
- Braid the dough. Braid the ropes together just like you would braid hair. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then transfer the bread onto the baking sheet.
- Second rise. Dust the bread with some flour and cover with a clean kitchen towel or cloth. Let it rise for 45 minutes.
- Prepare to bake. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Make the egg wash. Whisk the reserved egg white with water until combined.
- Bake. Brush the dough with the egg wash, then transfer the bread to the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Cool and serve. Remove the challah bread from the oven and cool it on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Equipment
Notes
- The yeast needs to be fresh for a perfect challah bread. If the yeast is not foamy, discard it and try with a new packet.
- For the perfect kosher bread, make sure to check the egg yolks. They mustn’t have any blood spots.
- Do not substitute water with milk.
- The dough should be smooth. If the dough is sticky halfway through kneading, add some extra flour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 713mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 73IU | Vitamin C: 0.002mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How to Make Challah Bread (Step-By-Step)
You’ll find challah with 3-, 4-, and 5-stranded braids. I keep this one simple with three! A quick brushing with egg white makes the bread perfectly shiny. Follow the steps below to make it yourself.
- Activate the yeast. Start by stirring the yeast, lukewarm water, and a pinch of sugar together in a bowl. Cover the bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes, until the yeast looks foamy.
- Prepare the challah dough. Next, mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle, and add the yeast mixture, followed by the eggs, egg yolk, and oil.
- Mix, then knead. Combine the ingredients, and then knead the dough. You can do this by hand for 10 minutes, or using your mixer’s dough hook attachment for 6-8 minutes.
- Rise. Once the dough forms a smooth ball, place it in an oiled bowl. Cover and let the dough rise for 2 hours, or until it’s doubled in size.
- Divide the dough. After it’s risen, punch down the dough. Turn it out on a clean surface and divide the dough into three portions. Roll each portion into a rope, about 15-16 inches long.
- Braid the dough. Arrange the dough ropes side by side. Pinch the top ends together, and then cross the ropes over each other in a braid, as you’d braid hair. Place the dough braid on a lined baking sheet.
- Second rise. Now, dust the top of the braid with extra flour. Cover and let the dough rise again, this time for 45 minutes.
- Bake. While the oven preheats to 350ºF, brush the top of the challah with an egg wash. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Halfway through, rotate the bread so it bakes evenly on all sides. Afterward, leave the challah to cool on a rack before cutting and serving.
How to Store
- Store at room temperature. Allow the challah to cool and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Keep the bread stored at room temperature for 4-5 days.
- Freeze. You can also double-wrap the loaf and freeze your challah for up to 2 months. Thaw it at room temperature.
