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Best Challah Bread

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Amy PUBLISHED Dec 29, 2022 MODIFIED Nov 4, 2023 This post may contain affiliate links

This braided Challah Bread recipe makes two of the best, most gorgeous
braided loaves you will ever eat! Enjoy one loaf warm from the oven and save
the other loaf for French toast a few days later!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

There is nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked homemade bread, coming ···
out of the oven piping hot. Be sure to also try our Sweet Molasses Brown
Bread, Homemade French Bread, and Easy Homemade Rye Bread.

I was surprised when my DNA results came back informing me that I have a
small amount of Eastern European Jewish ancestry that I previously did not
know about. Even though I make no claims to the authenticity of this challah
bread recipe, I love the idea of exploring ancestry through food and this
challah bread reminds me of the millions of women who have braided loaves of
this rich egg bread to serve in their homes. This is a recipe and tradition I hope
to pass down to my girls.
TRENDING RECIPES
Sure, you can buy loaves of challah bread at a decent bakery. But there is
nothing like a fresh loaf baking in your own oven. It fills your home with the most
wonderful aroma and when it comes out all glistening and golden brown, it is
a thing of beauty. I've been making this challah bread recipe for years now and it
still makes me giddy to pull these gorgeous loaves out of the oven. This challah
bread recipe really is THE BEST.

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What is Challah Bread?

Challah is a rich, traditional Jewish bread served on the Sabbath or to

celebrate holidays. Challah (also sometimes known as "egg bread") is a made
with eggs, a little sugar, and some oil, along with common bread ingredients of
water, flour, yeast and salt. Because of the added eggs and fat, this challah
recipe has a rich flavor and wonderful texture that makes it perfect for Monte
Cristo Sandwiches, french toast, or bread pudding!

Challah bread is most often braided into long six-strand braids or round
braided loaves. Then the loaves are brushed with an egg wash two times which
gives wonderful color to these stunning loaves.

We like to eat one of the loaves with dinner when it's freshly made and save the
other one to use for something else later. Like many bread recipes, this challah
bread is best when fresh, within the first day or two, but it freezes beautifully as
well. You can freeze challah bread for up to 1 month wrapped tightly in plastic
wrap. Just let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours before slicing.

Challah Pronunciation

Challah is most easily pronounced "haa-luh" (as in "holla back" - I can't believe
I just typed that).

The "ch" can also be pronounced the same as in the German word "buch" or
the Scottish word "loch". But it's not actually pronounced with a hard "ch"
sound like in the English word "cherry", even though it's tempting for most of us
English speakers to read it that way.

Best Challah Recipe ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full
instructions.

Water: You want your water to be lukewarm-warm, not cold, and not hot.

Yeast: Use active dry yeast for best results.

Sugar: White Granulated Sugar will work fine.

Oil: I use vegetable oil, but you can use olive oil or extra virgin olive oil too.

Eggs: Lots of eggs to help the bread rise into its signature fluffiness!

Salt: Enhances the flavors of the bread.

Flour: All-Purpose Flour works well for challah bread, you don't need
specific bread flour!

Topping: Sesame seeds or poppy seeds. (Optional)

How to Make Challah Bread

The reason this is the best challah bread is not only that it tastes delicious, but it
is easier to make than it looks. I know it might sound intimidating, but you will be
surprised at how simple challah is to make.

1. Proof yeast. Proof the yeast by dissolving it in lukewarm water with a

tablespoon of sugar in a large mixing bowl until foamy, about 5 minutes.

2. Add oil and eggs. Stir in the oil and 4 of the eggs (reserve 1 egg for an egg
wash after braiding), with the remaining sugar and salt.

3. Add flour. Gradually add the flour, 1 cup at a time, stirring it in to make a soft
dough.

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4. Knead dough. My standard-size KitchenAid mixer can't quite handle this

much dough so I pretty much always finish kneading by hand by turning the
dough out onto a lightly floured surface and kneading until smooth.

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5. Oil the bowl. Clean out and lightly oil the bowl before returning the dough to
it.

6. Cover and let rise. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the challah
dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about an hour, until almost doubled
in size.

7. Punch and rise. Punch the dough down (literally, just stick your fist right
into the center of the dough and push it down), then cover it with plastic
wrap and let it rise again for another half hour.

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8. Divide the dough. To form the 6-strand challah braid, first, divide the dough
on a clean surface. Divide it in half to make two loaves. Then divide each
half into 6 equally sized portions and roll the balls of dough into 6 equally
sized strands, each about 16 inches long. Place the strands side by side and
pinch the tops together. See below for step-by-step pictures to guide you
through this particular braid or you could do an easier 3-strand or 4-strand
braid.

9. Add egg wash. Next, beat the remaining egg and brush half of it on the
loaves using a pastry brush. Be sure to get in the crevices of the braid and
down the sides of the loaves.

10. Rise again and add egg wash. Allow the loaves to rise another hour in a
warm place, then brush again with the remainder of the egg wash.

11. Add topping. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using them (I almost always
skip them, but it would make the loaf even more traditional to use them).

12. Bake. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake the challah for 30-35
minutes until golden brown (or until the internal temperature of the bread
reaches 190 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). Eat one loaf
warm with butter for dinner and save the other loaf for the most delicious
french toast ever!

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