This easy-to-make eggy, delicious challah bread is the perfect to eat straight out of the oven but also makes amazing french toast the next day
Homemade Challah Bread
TGIF Everybody! Skip the gym this morning and get your apron on because today we will be making the best homemade Challah bread on the planet. It’s rich, and eggy with a surprisingly sweet topping that perfectly combines with the toasty crust.
You would think that making this bread is super complicated with 10000 steps. But in reality, I’ve simplified the recipe so much, that you’ll have a breeze making it. I’ll admit, proofing time is required, but what homemade bread doesn’t? TRUST ME, this one is worth it.
Of all the photo shoots I’ve done for this blog, this one has been the hardest. I thought it was a great idea to shoot the bread straight out of the oven just to see if I could capture steam coming out of it.
Not only was I unsuccessful in this venture, but I also suffered through the delicious and wonderful smell of freshly baked Challah Bread. My favorite food in the world is bread, and right there in front of me was this intoxicating smell. It was hard, I was salivating like Pavlov’s dog at the sound of a bell.
I got this Homemade Challah Bread recipe from my grandmother. When I lived in Venezuela, we used to eat lunch at her house every Saturday. On special occasions, she would make a few loaves of challah and we all go crazy for them. She baked them up in a loaf pan so the braid would only go on top.
It made the bread look more elegant and sophisticated. I decided to bake mine without the loaf because I love the rustic look and my daughters get a kick out of pulling their piece.
I hope you can try this delicious Homemade Challah Bread at home. If you do, please upload a pic on Instagram and tag me @Livingsweetmoments or use the hashtag #LivingSweet. I promise to repost it.
Homemade Challah Bread
Ingredients
For Challah
- 1/4 oz Instant Yeast
- 3 1/2 Cups Flour
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 3/4 Cups Water
- 2 Eggs
- 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
For Topping
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 Teaspoon Water
- 1/2 Teaspoon Flour
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Water
- Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- In the bowl of a mixer, pour in the yeast, flour, sugar, salt, water and eggs
- Using a dough hook, mix on medium - high speed for 5 minutes
- Add the oil slowly and continue mixing until the dough is soft and has absorbed all the oil. About 10 minutes
- Remove from mixer, sprinkle some flour on top of the dough and cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel
- Place the bowl in a dark place away from drafts to proof (Could be inside an oven, as long as it turned off). For 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the dough has tripled its size
- Remove dough from bowl and onto a floured surface. If it seems to sticky, add some more dough and mix until you get a nice round ball
- Divide the ball into 3 equal parts. Roll each part into a long rope
- Attach the 3 ends of the ropes together and braid into a challah shape
- Place the challah in a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or silicone mat
- Cover with a kitchen towel and let it proof for 30 minutes
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk, water, sugar and flour
- Brush the yolk mixture on top of the bread, covering each nook and cranny
- Sprinkle in the sesame seeds
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned on top
- Enjoy!
- Brush the top of the bread with yolk mixture
Nutrition
We make a similar recipe and my son has no idea it’s call Challah… he just calls it the braided bread. love!
lol Kim!
I’ve never made Challah. Now I’m inspired to give it a go. Beautiful loaf!
Thank you Susan!
Your challah is gorgeous, and it looks perfect for making French toast!
Thanks so much Christine! 🙂 I am glad you liked it
What a gorgeous loaf of bread! Pass the butter, I’ll take a slice or five.
lol thanks so much Melanie! I really love the shape
Tiffany if I could put raisins in this recipe, could you suggest how much I could put in without ruining it. I love challah with raisins so much.
Yum! Raisins sound delish! I would add about 3/4 of cup
Made this today with raisins 🙂 Soooooooooo delicious!!
Yum!! thanks for the update Diana!! Glad you liked it. Challah is MY FAVORITE BREAD.
Did you know that Challah is the mother of panettone? It was commissioned by a Rabbi (?) According to history. The Italian Baker, liked the taste and smell so he did it in a round shape for Rosh HaShanah and then he added more dry fruits and then someone suggested to make more using parchment paper to make it easier to get them out of the molds, until it became so popular that wherever there is an Italian Baker there is panettone, same happened with paximadia or Mandel brei that today most people call it biscotti ( double baked) it was an ingenious product for Jewish traveling merchants because it could last fresh for long periods. Enjoy and be satisfied. Shabbat Shalom!
Wow! I had no idea Yehuda! thanks so much for the info… no wonder my favorite food is Challah 😉 Shabbat Shalom
All purpose flour or bread flour (or does it matter)?
Hi Jason, I recommend bread flour when making bread. If you don’t happen to have at home, use all purpose