Is there any food that reflects the beauty of Judaism more than a freshly baked challah? Jews and non-Jews alike love the flavor and shape of this delicious eggy bread. But challah is so much more than just bread. The tradition of challah is a very spiritual one; for observant Jews, it is a way to directly connect with the spiritual energy of God. In fact, baking challah is considered an important blessing in the Jewish home.
Today, the word challah is used to describe the beautiful loaf of braided bread that appears on Shabbat tables all over the world. In ancient times, challah referred to a small bit of dough that was set aside for the Temple priests as an offering to God:
Of the first of your dough you shall present a loaf as a contribution; like a contribution from the threshing floor, so shall you present it.
Numbers 15:20
Traditionally, challah is served on Shabbat and holidays. I like to think of challah as a “special occasion” bread because of the time and effort that goes into making it. You can certainly make challah any day of the year, but in my home the process is reserved for Shabbat and the major Jewish holidays (except for Passover, of course, when leavened bread is not allowed). The smell of freshly baked challah ushers in our weekly Shabbat celebration and puts everybody in a mood of gratitude. As blog reader Rabbi Gershon Steinberg-Caudill put it—“I love it when I finish making my Shabbat Challah. It smells like Shabbat!”
The ritual associated with separating and blessing the challah is a somewhat complex process, dependent on the size of challah you are baking and your level of observance. Customs vary according to Halachic opinion; Ashkenazi and Sephardic traditions approach the blessing differently. If you are interested in learning more about the process of separating challah, there are many guides available online… or ask a trusted rabbi!
For me, baking challah is like a meditation. Kneading and rising, kneading again, shaping, braiding and baking— it all takes a lot more time than baking brownies from an instant mix. Smelling the bread baking, then seeing your gloriously braided challah on the dinner table, really makes it all worthwhile. I hope this blog inspires you to try it yourself!
The following recipe is my favorite way to make challah, developed after many attempts to create a “foolproof” challah recipe. It’s a rich, moist, eggy challah sweetened with honey. The multiple risings create a beautiful texture, and the egg wash results in a gorgeous golden crust. Feel free to sprinkle your challah with any of the toppings suggested in the recipe. You also can add raisins or chocolate chips to the dough (adding real chocolate will make it a dairy recipe). No matter which way you choose to make it, challah is a delicious way to celebrate Shabbat, or any other holiday.
If you’ve never made challah before, remember to be patient. Baking challah is a simple process, but it does take time and effort. You may need to try it a few times to get a “feel” for the dough. If you follow my instructions exactly, you should be fine— I’ve tried to describe each step very carefully and specifically. Comment me if you have any questions.
For instructions on how to braid your challah, click the following link:
Challah Part 2: How to Braid Challah.
Good luck! 🙂
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Challah
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water, divided
- 1 packet active dry yeast (1 packet is equivalent to 2 1/4 tsp or .25 ounce active dry yeast) - you may substitute 1 3/4 teaspoons of instant yeast or .6 ounce compressed fresh yeast (1 small cake)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (I prefer avocado oil for flavor and health reasons - you may substitute sunflower oil or canola oil)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 1/2-6 cups all purpose flour - PLEASE NOTE - if you are using the metric conversion tool on this recipe, the flour is not updating correctly. The correct metric measurements for flour are 562.5 to 750 grams (do not change the recipe serving sizes or it will not work)
Egg Wash Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional Ingredients
- Raisins, chocolate chips (1 ½ cups of either)
Optional Toppings
- Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, kosher salt
NOTES
Instructions
- Pour ¼ cup of the lukewarm water (about 110 degrees) into a large mixing bowl. Add 1 packet of active dry yeast and 1 tsp of sugar to the bowl, stir to dissolve. Wait 10 minutes. The yeast should have activated, meaning it will look expanded and foamy. If it doesn’t, your yeast may have expired, which means your bread won’t rise—go buy some fresh yeast! This step Is called "proofing" the yeast - if you're using instant yeast you can skip this step and simply add the yeast to your dry ingredients. If you're using fresh yeast (or compressed or cake yeast), simply stir it into the lukewarm water to dissolve, then add the remaining wet ingredients - no need to wait for proofing.
- Once your yeast has activated, add remaining 1 ¼ cup lukewarm water to the bowl along with the egg, egg yolks, honey, oil, and salt. Use a whisk to thoroughly blend the ingredients together.
- Begin adding the flour to the bowl by half-cupfuls, stirring with a large spoon each time flour is added. When mixture becomes too thick to stir, use your hands to knead.Continue to add flour and knead the dough until it’s smooth, elastic, and not sticky. The amount of flour you will need to achieve this texture varies—only add flour until the dough feels pliable and “right.” If you plan to add raisins or chocolate chips to the challah, incorporate into the dough as you knead.
- Place a saucepan full of water on the stove to boil.Meanwhile, remove the dough from your mixing bowl and wash out the bowl. Grease the bowl with oil. Push the dough back into the bottom of the bowl, then flip it over so that both sides are slightly moistened by the oil.
- Cover the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel. Place the bowl of dough on the middle rack of your oven. Take the saucepan full of boiling water and place it below the rack where your dough sits. Close the oven, but do not turn it on. The pan of hot water will create a warm, moist environment for your dough to rise. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size. This may take longer depending on a number of things, including weather conditions... be patient! It's important to let the dough rise for best results.
- Take the dough bowl out and punch it down several times to remove air pockets.
- Place it back inside the oven and let it rise for 1 hour longer, or until the dough doubles in size.
- Take the dough out of the oven. Flour a smooth surface like a cutting board. Punch the dough down into the bowl a few times, then turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Knead for a few minutes, adding flour as needed to keep the dough from feeling sticky.
- Now your dough is ready to braid. If you plan to separate and bless the challah, do it prior to braiding. Click here to learn how to braid challah.After you’ve braided your challah, place it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (this will catch any spills from your egg wash and keep your challah from sticking to the cookie sheet).Note: I usually only put a single challah braid on a cookie sheet, since they tend to expand a lot when baking.
- Prepare your egg wash by beating the egg, salt and water till smooth. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin layer of the mixture onto the visible surface of your challah. If you're adding sesame seeds or some other topping, sprinkle it on the damp dough now - the egg wash helps it stick. Reserve the leftover egg wash.
- Let the braid rise 30 to 45 minutes longer. You’ll know the dough is ready to bake when you press your finger into the dough and the indentation stays, rather than bouncing back.Heat oven to 350 degrees F. The challah needs to bake for about 40 minutes total, but to get the best result the baking should be done in stages. First, set your timer to 20 minutes and put your challah in the oven.
- After 20 minutes, take the challah out of the oven and coat the center of the braid with another thin layer of egg wash. This area tends to expand during baking, exposing areas that will turn white unless they are coated with egg wash.Turn the tray around, so the opposite side is facing front, and put the tray back into the oven. Turning the tray helps your challah brown evenly—the back of the oven is usually hotter than the front.
- The challah will need to bake for about 20 minutes longer. For this last part of the baking process, keep an eye on your challah—it may be browning faster than it’s baking. Once the challah is browned to your liking, take the tray out and tent it with foil, then place it back in the oven. Remove the foil for the last 2 minutes of baking time.Take the challah out of the oven. At this point your house should smell delicious. You can test the bread for doneness by turning it over and tapping on the bottom of the loaf—if it makes a hollow sound, it’s done. Let challah cool on the baking sheet or a wire cooling rack before serving.
gomezaddams says
This is a wonderful recipe & well documented. I did double the recipe & used my Ankarsrum mixer which is built to handle that size load. Would not try to double in even the biggest home version Kitchenaid. If using a mixer do not leave it in the machine any longer than to combine the ingredients.
Todd Crane says
Hi Tori! Your recipe and videos are extremely well written and helpful, thank you. I have a small home based bakery and one of my Jewish customers has requested 5 loaves of Challah for a retreat next month. Can this be successfully made in a stand mixer or does that mess up the texture? Also, can this be doubled or is it safer to do multiple batches? Thanks in advance. Todd
Tori Avey says
Thanks Todd. 🙂 You can use a stand mixer. You can also double the dough, but it becomes a bit difficult to manage in larger quantities. If you have a bakery it should be no problem for you.
Nina says
Please tell me is there a substitute for Canola oil.
Tori Avey says
You may substitute sunflower oil, I use it frequently here.
Alicia Kelso says
I doubled this recipe yesterday, 1/26/18, and made (1) 1Lb, (1) 2 Lb and (3) 1/2 Lb Stars of David.
This recipe is better than brioche and healthier with Rice Bran Oil, because is doesn’t oxidize like canola oil does when heated.
Vera says
Shalom Tori,
The best Challah recipe of all time!
Easy directions and wonderful video.
I made this Challah for my friend who was sitting Shiva for her mother. I made one huge gorgeous loaf, enough to serve 30 people!
The two Rabbis and all guests agreed that this was the best Challah they had ever tasted. My friend had enough left over for Shabbat.
Thanks so much and I look forward to making more of your delicious recipes.
Mazel Tovah Tori
Jay says
I’ve made a lot of challah from a lot of different recipes, never fully satisfied with either the flavor or the texture. Often it’s just been braided eggy bread, failing to evoke the challah I grew up eating.
This recipe is hands down the best I’ve tried. The texture of the dough was amazing (I kinda wanted to snuggle up for a nap in it) and the bread was rich and flavorful. Fluffy inside with the perfect bite to the crust and jus the right amount of sweetness.
Thank you – this is going to be my challah recipe Forever!
Tori Avey says
You’re welcome Jay! Took me years to come upon the right combination to get that texture. Glad you appreciate it!
Marci says
Thank you! Thank you! You made me look like a star on my first time making challah!
Colette says
Is the flour all purpose or bread? I’ve seen recipes using both, so I just want to double-check before I attempt to make this bread (I only have all purpose on hand), which looks delicious!
Tori Avey says
All purpose. 🙂
Julie Buyer says
I made this with bread flour once because I was out of all-purpose, and I think it was still good, but your mileage may vary.
Kim Landman says
This recipe was perfection!
Thank you.
CJ says
This recipe turned out very well. Everyone liked the challah. I followed the recipe but for some reason it required ten cups of flour. It seemed to drink flour. Even after ten cups it was a very sticky, wet dough. I am sure only 1.5 c of water were used so that’s not the reason. The finished challahs were light and airy like a challah should be but were so big they each hung ff the sides of their respective flat sheets,
Tori Avey says
Hi CJ! The amount of flour can vary greatly based on humidity, the type of flour used (all purpose or bread flour), and any number of other factors. That is why we add until it “feels right.” Glad you enjoyed the challah!
Arielle says
Hi Tori!
I am waiting for my challah dough to rise..and it’s been over 3 hours and it still looks exactly the same. I think the oil in the pan was maybe weighing it down? So I just added some some flour and took it out of the oven..any other suggestions? Or at this point should i just start over?
Thanks again for all your amazing posts!
All the best,
Arielle from DC
Tori Avey says
Hi Arielle! This likely means that the yeast is dead, unfortunately. Once in a while you’ll come across a bad batch of yeast. If your oven isn’t cold and it still hasn’t risen, I would suggest buying some fresh yeast and trying again.
Meredith says
Best challah ever! I’ve gone on to try all sorts of bread baking because this recipe was so easy and delicious. (you should taste my cinnamon rolls!) So, thanks for the confidence! One question. I recently moved to the beach in Ventura, CA. How does extreme humidity affect the recipe. I’m used to needing a good deal more flour, but is there anything specific to an egg dough or yeast dough I should know? Thanks for points earned with my in laws! Sorry if this is asked and answered. I have a vision issue and can’t read all the comments.
Tori Avey says
Hi Meredith! I am not aware of any modifications needed for humidity– but this dough is very adaptable. Once you get a feel for it (which you already do– congrats!), then you should add flour and knead until the texture feels “right.” So glad you like it!
liat says
thank you!!
liat says
hi tori! love your site. so this week was my second making your challah. i’m not a challah beginner, have used several recipes in the past, love this one – it’s really exceptional. my problem is that the bottom of the challot are becoming overdone/burnt. any ideas? (following everything to a T and they are coming out really well inside, atop – it’s just the bottom that is getting super browned). not the end of the world but curious if you have any tips. thanks so much!
Tori Avey says
Hi Liat! Two things — try making sure your baking sheet is in the center of the oven, not the bottom (which can become too hot). Also, you can try sprinkling some coarse ground corn meal on the baking sheet, which gives a separation between the bottom of the challah and the baking sheet. These two steps should help. 🙂
angela says
This recipe is great I used on my hamburger buns
I make cinnamon bread with it .
I also made loaf bread , just a great bread if you want a keep you full bread.
Ps I also made in my bread machine
I highly recommend this recipe if your new to bread making also.
This dough can also be used to make stuffed with meats and cheese also
Hayli says
I followed this recipe exactly as stated except I made it half whole wheat (made half as a normal braid and the other half as rolls). It is absolutely amazing. The texture is the perfect balance of fluffy and dense; the way a challah should be. I should know with the last name Cohen lol. I can’t wait to impress my non Jewish in laws at Shabbat dinner tomorrow night. I also wish I could bottle the scent in my house. Thanks for the great recipe!
Ashley says
Hello,
Can you substitute the canola oil for vegetable oil? Thanks!
Tori Avey says
Yes.
Amber says
I used Olive Oil in mine. Turned out beautiful! =)
Michelle says
Do you have any suggestions on storing the extra loaf? Is saran wrap okay? Can I keep it out or in the fridge? I love it so much and want to enjoy it tomorrow!
Tori Avey says
Hi Michelle! If you are enjoying it within a couple of days, saran wrap will do. If you want to keep it longer, wrap it in a layer of saran wrap and then another layer of foil, then freeze. You can defrost it at room temp. If you want, you can pop it in a 350 degree oven after defrosting for a few minutes to “refresh” it– it will taste more fresh baked that way. Enjoy!
Michelle says
This is my first time baking any kind of bread from scratch! Thank you so much for the detailed descriptions and clear heart you put into this recipe. I had no idea what I was in for, but I am so glad I stuck through it today. The challah is delicious! I would love an image for how you ‘tent’ the tin-foil around the challah during the last step (I improvised). Thank you for your heart and detailed description for this amazing recipe.
Ashdoes says
I have made three loaves of Challah, one not so good, and two delicious. We have found the recipe we like, similar to yours…just a smaller amount. My biggest problem, with bread in general, is how long to knead the dough. I’m wondering if Challah likes a long knead like a traditional yeast dough, or do the eggs change that?
On a side note, we made our second loaf into a French toast bake…I now know why I’ve read over and over that Challah makes the best French toast.
Kamryn Clark Miranda says
This is such a delicious recipe! My children have been inspired to bake bread during our winter break after learning about Santa Lucia bread. Though I am a gentile, I have had the pleasure of sharing Shabbat many times over my life with friends and extended family. This is hands down tune most delicious challa I have ever eaten. You are a gift.