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! 🙂
Recommended Products:
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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.
Carey says
Hi Tory, Im making challah in my tiny apartment tomorrow and will only be able to bake one challah at a time (for a two challah recipe). Is it OK to keep the second loaf out for an extra half hour? Thanks!
Tori Avey says
Hi Carey– yes it should be fine. The only potential issue is over-rising. Keep an eye on it and once it has risen fully, place it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. This will slow down the rising process. Enjoy!
Megan says
Tori,
My friend introduced me to your website and the recipes are amazing. I’ve made the challah before, but this time I only had 3 eggs instead of 4. Do you know what effect it will have on my challah? I haven’t been making bread that long and was just curious if I had messed up the very delicious challah recipe you have.
Thank you!
Tori Avey says
Hi Megan, the bread might be a bit more dry than normal if you’re using less eggs than the recipe calls for.
Roi Levin says
I followed the recipe exactly and created a perfect 6-braid challah. Turned out just like how I remember it growing up in Israel. Question – to make smaller challah, say 50% smaller, would you half all ingredients including the rate of yeast? Thanks for this recipe!
Raquefette says
This is the best recipe- thank you!
I wanted to ask what the best method for baking this ahead of time is. I usually make it the day of right before I serve it, but won’t have time this week and would love to know how I can make it before hand so it still has that same amazing fresh taste.
Thanks!
Tori Avey says
Hi there, if you look through previous comments I have provided instructions for freezing the dough to other readers. That is probably your best bet. Good luck!
Irene says
Can you freeze the dough and bake it later?
Robin B says
This is an amazing recipe, easy to follow. Challah came out exactly as pictured! Love this recipe and the great instructions on how to get it right.
Annelise T. says
So I love challah bread, but since leaving NY I don’t find it anywhere. I can’t remember how I came across this recipe, but I do remember saving it. Fast forward to today and I can say that although it take effort to get it done it is so worth it! Thank you for making this so easy to follow!
Marlene says
Made this for a Hanukkah party last night and what a hit! I made the 6-strand loaf and your instructions made the braiding so easy. I also did your trick of applying a second egg wash after 20 minutes of baking and this sealed the seams that develop as the bread rises in the oven. The partygoers admired it, blessed it, then descended on it to pull it apart and devour it in 20 minutes!
PosterGirl says
I burned the bottom! Maybe 350 was too high for my electric oven… 🙁
Tori Avey says
PosterGirl did you bake it on the middle rack of your oven? Depending on where your heat source is inside the oven, different areas can be hotter and more prone to burning. Electric ovens tend to be the trickiest in this regard. Next time you might try baking at 325, and also sprinkle a bit of cornmeal on the parchment before placing the dough on top of the baking sheet. This cornmeal adds a layer of separation between the bread and the pan, giving you a “safety” layer to help prevent burning. Good luck!
laura says
Tori,i tried this recipe last night and found if to be wonderfully complete. i have played around with breads for at least 4 decades and have never used a recipe off the internet. didn’t need to but the pictures of the challah were so pretty they callllled to me. i thought, ” i wonder if i can make bread that looks like that?” my first problem emerged when i realized i had never used anything but whole wheat flours, sometimes ground from my own home grown wheatberries. this dough seemed IMPOSSIBLY sticky and very gassy (i used an unbleached bread flour from an intimidating array of possible white flours at the store). i really thought all was lost when i got to the strand making stage. at that point i had to actually PRINT OUT the instructions and read them again. two things helped me most at this point. first the pictorials where i could actually see your hands doing like they do and, second, your comments about relaxing and enjoying the experience. duhhhhh,,, this , the making of a challah, should be a little more experiential than just getting a task into the oven. at that point i was able to relax and actually do some learning which is always fun. by my fourth strand ( i did a six strand) i was good. i redid the first three and it came out oh so loverly. the body was dense but soft, the crust had a great color and a perfect shatter when bitten. i gotta remember that breads are very forgiving. thank you for great instructions and making for some fun learning.. i’m looking forward to trying the pumpkin one very soon.
Tori Avey says
This made me smile Laura! Thank you for writing!
Paul says
I am 67 and grew up in a Jewish section of a Boston suburb when there was a bakery and kosher meat market on every corner. This challah recipe is awesome. The challah tasted just like the ones we use to buy when I was a young child.
Abino says
My mom made this bread all the time. We are Armenian and have it at Easter. Or any timespecial occasion ,when I bake it.
Thanks for the memory.
Roni says
HI, Tori
This is a wonderful recipe. My first time making challah and it came out perfectly!! I’d like to make smaller rolls and small braids next time. How long should I leave them in the oven? I know they should bake faster than full-sized loaves.
Tori Avey says
Hi Roni, it depends on the size you’re making. A good rule of thumb is to put an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the dough. When it registers 190 degrees F, the challah is cooked through. Glad you enjoyed it!
Evangelion says
As I’ve mention earlier, your challah recipe is the bomb! However, good girls that climb stairs at the gym get to eat sliced challah with butter while they make sliced challah French toast with a splash of Grand Marnier and cinnamon in the egg wash! It will make your knees weak under a liberal coat of Maple syrup. Thanks again!
Evangelion says
I am a wannabe housewife/chef who has always been intimidated by yeast. The challah is finishing up its last 20 minutes as I write this comment, my house smells delicious and the bread looks like I’ve been making braided bread for years. My boyfriend and I have agreed we are eating a loaf instead of dinner! Thank you!
Tori Avey says
Love that! So great to hear. And challah for dinner is ALWAYS a good thing. 🙂
Heather Davis Matas says
Love this recipe! I have searched and searched for a great challah recipe. This is my new standard! Thanks so much. I love your site.
Shavua tov.
Tori Avey says
Awesome Heather!
Kenny James says
Thank you so much Tori. I followed your recipe exactly and the bread is amazing. I’m really looking forward to challah bread french toast, yum. Thanks again!
Tori Avey says
You’re welcome Kenny!
Tamar says
Can you refrigerate the dough (for how long?) and make the challah right before dinner? Or the day before?
Tori Avey says
Yes, you can make the dough a day ahead. Leave it in the refrigerator for one slow rise overnight. Take out of the refrigerator and shape it into braid(s) while cold. Put on parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a clean towel to rise, and let it rise for at least 2 hours before baking (the dough will be cold and will need more time to reach room temperature, then rise). It’s ready to bake when you gently press a finger into the dough and the indentation stays rather than bouncing right back. Enjoy!
Raq says
Made this today for my parents and my boyfriends parents for brunch. Was sooo easy to follow and soooo delicious!! Everyone was so impressed!!!
Frankie says
THANK YOU
BAKED THIS TO THE T and it came out amazing
IT was so yummy so glad i found this
the large challah came out HUGE thanks again
Tori Avey says
You’re welcome!