Making challah bread is a labor of love, but the end result is well worth the effort - especially when it doesn't last long! This easy recipe will make a challah bread that your family will want on repeat.
Looking for other delicious sweet breads? Try our cinnamon babka and honey cookies.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- ⏲️ Prep Time: 45 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏲️ Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes (including 3 hours rising time)
- 🍽️ Yield: 12 slices (out of 1 large loaf)
- 🥕 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, Dairy Free
- ⚡ Calories: 152 calories per serving (based on nutrition facts in recipe card)
- 🍎 Ingredients: bread flour, dried instant yeast, salt, honey, olive oil, eggs, and water.
- 🥣 Method: Mix up and knead the dough, then let it rise. Punch down and braid, then rise again. Brush with egg yolk and bake.
- ⌛ Time-Saving Hack: Start the dough the night before, and it do its second rise in the fridge overnight. Let it warm up for an hour, then bake the following day.
- 🔪 Equipment: kitchen scale, stand mixer with dough hook, bench scraper, pastry brush, and digital thermometer.
- ⭐ Expert Tip: Knead until a lump of dough can be stretched thin enough to be translucent (windowpane test).
- 🌶️ Flavor & Texture: This challah is fluffy, soft, and utterly delicious! It's perfect on its own, served with butter, or toasted.
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Why This Recipe Works
- It's made with bread flour. All-purpose flour lacks the protein content necessary to make a high-rising, fluffy challah.
- It's made with traditional ingredients. Challah doesn't contain dairy, which according to Jewish dietary laws, this means it can be served with a meal containing meat if desired. The use of honey and olive oil as the sweetener and fat in the dough is also traditional.
- The dough is kneaded properly. Making sure that it passes the windowpane test ensures the dough has proper gluten development for a good rise and crumb structure. (See the recipe card to learn this technique.)
- It won't burn while baking. Stacking the tray with the challah on another tray insulates the base, and covering it with foil near the end of the bake keeps the crust from getting too dark.
Featured Comment
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I've made so many different challah bread and this one seems to be the best one. Just the right amount of ingredients and portion. I love it! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will be making it over and over again!"
- Sandy
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About
Challah is an enriched Jewish bread that's traditionally braided and served on the Sabbath. Many things about the loaf are symbolic; for example, the braids represent love and unity. Its exact origins are unclear, but most people agree that the modern version started in Eastern Europe during the fifteenth century.
Want to know how to prounounce challah? It's pronounced like "halla," kind of like the first part of "hallelujah."
Leftover challah can be used in several creative and delicious ways, such as French toast or bread pudding. If you shape the challah dough into dinner rolls instead of a braided loaf, it would taste fabulous in these ham and cheese sliders!
Ingredients
Fortunately, challah uses basic ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. Let's talk about the key ingredients you'll need.
- Bread Flour: This type of flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose, creating more gluten in the dough. This gives the bread a higher rise and fluffier texture.
- Yeast: Use fast-action (aka instant) yeast so you can skip the 10-minute proofing of the yeast in warm water and sugar, but you can use active dry if you like.
- Honey: This dough isn't sweetened with white sugar, but with honey. It's the traditional choice, and also adds extra moisture.
- Olive Oil: Traditional challah doesn't contain dairy, so we're using olive oil as the fat in the dough. Choose a mild flavored oil that won't overwhelm the taste.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Different Braiding Styles: Watch how to braid a 3-9 strand loaf, or how to braid a round loaf for Rosh Hashanah.
- Seeds: Add poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or everything bagel seasoning on the outside of the bread for a crunchy finish.
- Sweet: Add dried fruit, like raisins, mixed peel, or candied grapefruit peel.
- Saffron: Infuse 1 teaspoon of saffron threads in 2 tablespoons of boiling water for at least 30 minutes, then add the liquid to the dough to color it bright yellow.
- Savory: Cut the honey in half and add a savory filling to the dough, such as jalapeños, cheese, garlic, or spicy sausage. Experiment with savory herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano as well.
How to Make Easy Challah Bread
Gather the ingredients for the challah.
- Pour the flour into a mixing bowl and add the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl. Stir each one in with your finger. (image 1)
- Add the eggs, honey, and olive oil. Mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until blended, then gradually trickle in the water while the mixer is running until a sticky dough has formed. (image 2)
- Knead by hand or with the hook (affiliate) on medium low speed. The dough is kneaded sufficiently when it's beautifully smooth and silky. You'll probably have to add a little flour as you knead to get it smooth. It also should pass the windowpane test. (See the recipe card for a description of this process.) (image 3)
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. If you lightly smack the top, it should fall back. (image 4)
- Punch down the dough to remove large air pockets, then divide into five equal pieces with a bench scraper (affiliate). Weigh each piece on a kitchen scale (affiliate) to make sure they're around the same size.
Roll each piece into a rope roughly 20 inches long. If the ropes are not rolling out easily, let them sit for a minute or two to relax the gluten, then try again. Aim to get all 5 pieces the same length and thickness. - Braid the challah as desired. (See the "Braiding" section of the post for a visual demonstration of a four-strand braid.) You can choose a 4-strand braid like I used for Finnish pulla bread and everything bagel bread, or you can try a creative stacked braiding technique as used in Czech vánočka.
- Tuck the ends of the braid under the loaf. (image 7)
- Place the braid on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place until nearly doubled in size and springy to the touch, about 1 hour. Brush the loaf with a mixture of egg yolk and water. (image 8)
- Stack the baking tray on top of another cookie sheet to insulate the base and prevent it from burning. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, until the loaf has an internal temperature of 190°F with a meat thermometer (affiliate). Cover with foil after 10 minutes if it's getting too dark. (image 9)
- Let the challah bread cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Tear the challah, and enjoy! (image 10)
Braiding
Braiding challah can be as simple or as complicated as you like! Here is a simple 5-strand braid, demonstrated in the photos below.
- Divide the dough into 5 pieces, then roll each one into a 20-inch rope. Make sure all the ropes are the same length.
- Lay the ropes beside each other. Divide them into one group of 2 strands and another group of 3 strands, keeping the strands touching at the top.
- Cross the 5th strand over and lay it beside the 2nd . Next, cross the 1st strand over and lay it beside the 4th strand. Repeat until the whole loaf is braided.
- Tuck the excess under the ends.
If you want to try another style of braid, here's how to braid a 3-9 strand loaf, and here's how to braid a round loaf for Rosh Hashanah.
Recipe FAQs
The round loaf made for Rosh Hashanah is shaped to look like a turban and represents the cycle of the new year. Watch this video to learn how to braid a round challah.
Most brioche recipes contain butter and milk, while challah contains no dairy products so it can be kosher. (Jewish dietary laws forbid eating meat and dairy products in the same meal.) Egg bread is an alternate name for this enriched dough.
Challah is made with olive oil instead of butter, and contains eggs, which increase the protein. You can make it healthier by substituting part of the bread flour for whole wheat flour; just realize that it will make the bread denser and more earthy tasting. Scroll down to the bottom of the recipe to read the nutrition facts.
The braids represent love and unity. The number of strands in each braid also has symbolism: for example, a three-strand braid represents three commandments God gave regarding the Sabbath. A twelve-strand braid represents the twelve tribes of Israel.
Make Ahead: You can make the dough the night before and let it rise in the fridge overnight. Shape and bake the next day. Fully baked challah can keep at room temperature for a few days, but it tastes the freshest within 24 hours after baking.
Freezing: Store slices or chunks in an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag for up to 1 month; whole loaves should keep for 2 months. (If you're freezing an entire loaf, use an extra-large freezer bag.)
Defrost it by letting it sit at room temperature for 5 hours or so. Don't refrigerate the bread, as it will go stale very quickly in the fridge. It's not recommended to freeze unbaked dough. It won't rise as high as freshly made.
Reheating: Wrap the bread tightly in aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out or burning, then bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until warm. To warm up individual slices or chunks, microwave on high for 10-20 seconds, until desired temperature is reached.
Serving Challah Bread
Traditionally, Jews serve challah on Friday evening (Shabbat). They cover two loaves with a special cloth, representing the dew that covered the manna God provided for the children of Israel during their desert wanderings. A blessing is recited over a cup of wine, then each person washes their hands. The cloth is removed, a nick is made in the bread, and the loaves are held up and blessed.
Then, the bread is either torn or sliced, depending on rabbinic tradition. (Not using a knife reminds us to keep the Sabbath peaceful and also brings to mind when God stopped Abraham from killing his son, Isaac, with a knife.) Salt is traditionally served with the bread to remind the partakers of the Temple offerings.
Looking for other Jewish treats to serve? You'll want to try these honey cookies. Or try one of our holiday breads, like Czech vánočka, Mexican rosca de reyes, Spanish roscón de reyes, Italian panettone, Venezuelan pan de jamón, and American Cinnabon cinnamon rolls.
Expert Tips
- Use bread flour for the best results. It really makes a difference how your bread rises, and it makes it fluffier!
- Weigh the solid ingredients for an accurate measurement. Otherwise, you may get too much flour or other ingredient, throwing off the ratios.
- Don't stretch the ropes of dough as you braid them. This will make the loaf fat at one end and skinny on the other.
- Why is it dense? The loaf probably didn't rise enough before it was baked, resulting in a dense, doughy texture. Next time, let it rise until springy to the touch and almost doubled in size before baking.
- Why is it dry? The loaf was most likely baked too long. Sometimes, it's hard to tell when a loaf is fully cooked, so use a meat thermometer. Poke it into the thickest part of the bread and wait a few seconds. It should read 190°F when the loaf is fully baked.
Other Sweet Breads You'll Love
Recipe
Easy Challah Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread flour
- 3 teaspoons fast-action yeast
- 2 teaspoons fine salt
- 5 tablespoons liquid honey
- ⅓ cup light-tasting olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 large egg yolk, for glazing
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Warm the water to 115 F.
- Place the bread flour in a large mixing bowl and add the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl, stirring in each one with your finger. Pour in the honey, olive oil, eggs, and yolks.
- Gradually add the warm water as you mix on low speed with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer (or by hand), trickling in a little at a time to create soft, slightly sticky dough. You may not need all the water.
- Knead on medium-low speed with the hook for 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, no longer sticky, and has a glossy sheen on its surface. You may need to add a spoonful or two of flour to get the right consistency. (Alternatively, it turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 to 15 minutes.) Use the windowpane test to see if it's kneaded enough by pulling off a lump of dough and stretching it between the thumb and forefinger of each hand. If it can stretch until it's translucent without breaking, it's kneaded enough. If not, knead for a minute longer and check again.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place until about doubled size, approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Shaping the Challah
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and punch it down all over to knock out excess gas. Divide into 5 equal pieces using a bench scraper, weighing the pieces with a scale to make sure they are equal in weight.
- Roll each piece into a rope about 20 inches long. If you're having trouble rolling out the strands, let them rest for a couple minutes while you work on another strand. This will relax the gluten, allowing them to roll out more easily.
- Line up the 5 ropes side by side, then squeeze them together at the top to join. Split the strands into two groups: a group of two on the left, and a group of three on the right.
- Begin the braiding by crossing over the third strand from the second group and placing it beside the second strand in the first group. Then, cross over the first strand from the first group and place it beside the first strand in the second group. Repeat this process until the whole challah is braided, then pinch the ends to seal and tuck the ends underneath. Gently pick up the loaf and place it on a lightly floured 11 by 17-inch cookie sheet.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let it prove in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- About 10 minutes before the bread is done proving, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Baking the Challah
- Beat the egg yolk with a little water to thin it, then brush it on the risen loaf.
- Stack the tray of challah on top of another cookie sheet to help prevent the base from cooking too quickly, then bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. Check the bread without opening the door, and if it's getting too dark, cover it with aluminum foil. Lower the temperature to 325°F and bake for another 15-20 minutes. The bread should be a rich golden brown and have an internal temperature of 190°F.
- Let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving to allow the crumb structure to set, about 1 hour. Serve with salt or butter.
Video
Notes
- Use good quality ingredients. Especially be sure to use a good bread flour; my favorite is King Arthur.
- Don't stretch the ropes of dough as you braid them. This will make the loaf fat at one end and skinny on the other.
- Dense bread? It probably didn't rise enough, resulting in a doughy texture. Next time, let it rise until springy to the touch and almost doubled in size before baking.
- Too dry? The loaf was most likely baked too long. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the bread and wait a few seconds. It should read 190 F when the loaf is fully baked.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Wendy
Hello Emma, I am still making this wonderful recipe every week (or more). Sometimes however my loaf turns out with the braid pulled and white where it meets. This isn't just a little. It’s quite a lot. I cant figure out what I am doing differently. Any suggestions?
Emma
I'm so glad that you're enjoying this challah, Wendy! The bread can pull like that if the dough is too dry, if it hasn't been kneaded long enough, or if it is underproved. Also make sure to cover the bread while it is rising to prevent a skin from forming on the dough, which can cause cracks and splits when the bread bakes. Hope this helps!
Wendy
Thanks. There is a visually a real art to baking challah. I will pay mor attention to those three things you pointed out. Also do you ever use a proofing over? I just tried mine for the first time and the bowl then the cookie sheet was hot and they really rose a lot! At least it didn't crack lol but we haven’t eaten it yet to test.
Emma
I'm glad I could help, Wendy. Actually, I've never used a proofing oven, as my oven doesn't have one. I've found that putting the dough in a cold oven and placing a casserole dish filled with boiling water on the shelf beneath is a good substitute. It would be lovely to have one, though!
Wendy
Thanks Emma, the proofing oven was really to hot. I think it over proofed and was dry. But not matter how it comes out the flavor is always great.
Emma
That would make sense about the proving drawer. You can always try using a pan of steam in a cold oven next time for a gentler heat. I'm thrilled to hear that the challah was still tasty, Wendy!
Adi
I made this recipe because I couldn't find my go-to challah recipe and Boy I guy lucky! The previous recipe was very good, but this is even better. It is fluffy as a cloud and tastes amazing!
I did have to kneed it for more than 7-8 minutes to get the consistency I was looking for, but other than that I followed the recipe to the t.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Emma
That's wonderful to hear, Adi! We're so glad that you enjoyed our challah recipe so much. You're welcome!
Wendy Shine
I have been making this bread weekly since I discovered it! My grandchildren all show up at my house for a slice or two or three on baking day!! I just wanted to share a convenience tip. I measure the oil in a 1/3 cup dry measure and then after I've emptied it into the mix; I measure out the honey in the same container. It is slightly less than 1/3 c. (You could measure it out the first time to eye ball it) the honey comes right out because of the oil residue. It just makes it a little quicker and less messy. I hope this helps and is not a problem.
Emma
This is a great tip, Wendy! Greasing the measuring cup is also very helpful when measuring molasses and other sticky syrups for baking. I'm so glad that you and your grandkids been enjoying this challah so much!
Donna
I have been baking challah since Aug 2020. I have tried many recipes. This is by far the best yet! Hubby loved it too. I have a few questions. Should I add all the water in the recipe? The dough formed beautifully in my stand mixer and so I didnt use all the water. I did first proof in my oven on proof setting at 100 degrees for 2 hrs. It doubled in size. Texture was exquisite.
All was great until I split the dough up. I ended up making 7 rolls plus a loaf. The dough was very dry and it was so difficult to make ropes.They kept opening up. The strands kept pulling apart and the rolls kept opening up. Same for braided loaf.. I let them rise again but did two egg washes. One to start to try to hold them together. Then another right before baking. They rose nicely again. Bread came out delicious but not beautiful. What did I do wrong? Also I am running a humidifier in my house this winter.. Could this have done something to the dough thus causing difficulty making the ropes? I did let dough rest alittle with no improvement. I will try again. Please offer advice and suggestions.
Thanks
Emma
It's great to hear that you have enjoyed the challah this much, Donna! As far as why it's dry, it's hard for me to tell without seeing what the dough looked like. However, the amount of water you need in the dough varies depending upon the brand of flour and the humidity, so you may not need all the water stated in the recipe, or you could need a little more; it all works on how the dough looks and feels (how sticky it is). Look at the photos in the post to get an idea of the perfect texture. As long as you added sufficient water to the dough, kneaded long enough, covered the bread as it proved, and didn't add too much flour during the shaping process, the ropes or rolls of dough shouldn't be drying out. It sounds like you may have had too much flour on the work surface, as that will make the shaping very difficult.
Donna
Thanks for your reply. I did not have much flour on the work surface. So now I think it may be that I need to use all or most of the warm water. I did use sifted bread flour. Do you think that could have added to my problem? And final question: can all purpose flour be used for this recipe? How would that change the outcome?
Emma
Sifted bread flour makes the texture light and fluffy, not dry, so it couldn't have been the cause. Next time, make sure to add enough water to form a sticky dough, as in the photos. All-purpose flour would certainly yield a different result. The challah would not rise as high, and it would not be as fluffy and chewy. AP has a lower protein content than bread flour, and therefore less gluten in the dough, which heavily affects the final result. Happy baking, Donna!
Shawn George
I want to give this recipe a try and add raisins. At what stage of the process should I add the raisins, would it be during the braiding stage?
Emma
It's best to add dried fruit to bread after it has completed its first rise. Knead it into the dough before you roll it into ropes and braid it. Anywhere from 1/2-3/4 cup of raisins should be a good amount. Enjoy!
Melissa Mueller
This was my first time making Challah, and I was so glad to use this recipe. I appreciated the amount of tips and details the authors included to help us make the process of making this bread easier. With this being my first time making this bread, I can confidently say the end result was a success! Baking it at a higher temp at the beginning for 10 minutes achieved the most unbelievable exterior...just the right amount of crisp to balance out the soft and slightly sweet interior. This recipe will be my go-to for Challah!!
Emma
This is amazing to hear, Melissa! I'm so glad that you found my recipe to be thorough, and that the challah turned out so good. I'm honored that this recipe will be your go-to now!
Lauren Van Cleef
Can you make the dough for this in the bread machine?
Emma
Yes, you can! I don't own and have never used a bread machine, so I'm afraid that I can't help you out there, but this dough should definitely work in a bread machine.
Anuja Lang
Hi! All I have in the house are extra virgin olive oil and canola. I feel like the extra virgin will be too strong a flavor, so should I use canola instead? Thanks!
Emma
Yes, you could use the canola. Some extra virgin olive oil does have a fairly mild taste, so if yours isn't too strong, you could probably get away with it.
Tany
Very very dangerously delicious, you will eat the whole loaf. I followed everything to a T but had to adjust my time’s to longer and added chocolate chips during the braiding part.
Emma
Challah bread can be pretty tempting! 😂 So glad you enjoyed it, Tany.
Wendy Shine
How much of the chocolate chips did you use; and were they semi sweet or dark?
Wendy Shine
I have made this recipe at least once a week since I first tried to make bread. It is absolutely amazing and I have become a big hit in the family🤗 but now I would like to try a crusty loaf of bread. Seeing that you have won me over with this recipe i wondered if you have a recipe for crusty bread that you like? I would trust your recipe over others.
Emma
Wendy, you just made my day! I'm honored and thrilled that you and your family have enjoyed my challah recipe so much. I have quite a few bread recipes on our website, so here are two of my favorite crusty loaf recipes. Feel free to browse our recipe index for even more ideas!
https://savortheflavour.com/rosemary-bread/
https://savortheflavour.com/rustic-cob-loaf/
Wendy
Thank you! I’ll let you know how it goes🤗
Emma
You're welcome, Wendy!
Marjorie
Hi there. I would love to try this for my elderly Jewish neighbor. I’m wondering if I can use regular flour instead of bread flour?
Thanks in advance 🙂
Marjorie
Emma
That's fantastic of you to make some challah for your neighbor, Marjorie! Yes, you can use all-purpose flour to make bread, but it won't rise as high or be as fluffy. Hope this helps!
M vonMaucher
Just want to clarify for your readers that instead of proving the dough, it’s actually “proofing”. Thanks
Emma
Actually, either term is correct. "Proofing" is more commonly used in the US, while "proving" is a more popular term in the UK.