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.
Emi says
This is a great recipe! i have tried making Challah so many times and always failed at it haha, but finally with this recipe it came out well!
stay safe everyone!
Geralyn Smith says
I want to top it with everything bagel seasoning. When should I add the topping? Thanks
Ashley at ToriAvey.com says
Hi Geralyn, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. You can sprinkle the topping on top of the first egg wash.
Sheri says
love your recipe…during this quarantine time…it was extra special to make Challah…
Hillary says
I made this with my boyfriend as a fun quarantine project. It was a lot of fun and he learned how to braid! It made 2 large loaves and 3 baby loaves. I put sprinkles on one of the small ones and it was tasty!!!!
Steffie says
Loved this recipe! Thank you so much! The loaves turned out amazing and so beautiful! First time ever making Challah and the detailed instructions helped so so much. Thank you!
Crissy C. says
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I’ve made it numerous times now and it always came out delicious! I also separated the dough to make two medium sizes. My husband can eat a whole loaf in a day, he loves this! Thank you!
CMS says
Hi,
Just wondering can you make this with instant yeast? Do you add all of the ingredients at once and then let rise? Picked up the wrong kind and can’t go back to the store!
Thank you
Katpear says
You should be able to just add the instant yeast with everything else since it doesn’t have to activate like active dry yeast. I was only able to get fresh yeast – 21grams of fresh is equivalent to 1 pk (7grams) of active yeast.
Claire says
What a great recipe! I only had bread flour on hand but it turned out perfectly. I love baking plaited breads and now I get to add this to my list of favorites!
Michelle says
Was wondering what type of flour you use???
Stay well and Shabbat Shalom!!!
Tori Avey says
All purpose. 🙂 Shabbat Shalom!
Clare harris says
As in bread (strong) flour or plain flour? U.K.
Ashley at ToriAvey.com says
Hi Clare, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. We use plain flour for this recipe.
Hannah says
Hi! just wanted to say i’ve been making this for shabbat and it always turns out so well! I’ve been substituting half the flour for whole wheat for some extra flavour, but even without it’s still fantastic.
Monica says
Came out beautifully! Really appreciate the pointers like the pot of hot water in the oven and turning it after 20mins in the oven! It’s delicious and I learned a lot about breadmaking.
Thanks!
Jessica says
All I can find anywhere in this time of a surge in at-home bread making is Fast-Acting Instant Yeast. How would I modify the recipe to use this yeast?
Amanda Benson says
My family is in love with this bread! Supper simple for me to make and I am now very pleased with my 4 strand braid. Thank you!
Lori Burns says
Hi Tori! I love your website and I’m looking forward to making this after Pesach. My daughter uses this recipe and it always comes out great! One question: When do I put the seeds on top? Thanks!
Julie says
Can you tell me if there is a substitute for canola oil? Can I use vegetable??
Tori Avey says
Yes, or safflower, sunflower or avocado oil.
Gabriella says
Hi! I’m so excited to try this! I have two questions: 1) can you bake two loaves at the same time? 2) we have shelter in place orders here and I don’t have honey, can I substitute sugar? Thanks!
Ashley at ToriAvey.com says
Hi Gabriella, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. As long as your oven is working correctly (not underpowered), you should be able to bake two loaves with no problem. Just be careful, they grow ands spread a lot while baking so two baking sheets will be needed. Agave is a better substitute for honey if you have it. Hope this helps!
Laura says
Hi!
Soo, I’m on Instruction #2 and have now waited 10 mins for my yeast to foam, however it hasn’t foamed at all! Promise it’s brand new yeast that doesn’t expire until next year. lol. Help!
Sincerely, First-Timer-Challah-Baker
Ashley at ToriAvey.com says
Hi Laura, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. Unfortunately this happens sometimes! I’ve had newly purchased yeast that refused to foam and wasn’t able to use it. If you’re following Tori’s instructions exactly and it’s still not foaming, you may need to try new yeast. Here’s hoping the water wasn’t too warm, which can kill the yeast if you’re not careful.
Sara says
Quarantine boredom inspired me to try my hand at challah again (it has been years since my last attempt). I know taste preference for challah can vary a lot from person to person but I thought it tasted way too yeasty. Is it supposed to have a prominent yeasty flavor or was something amiss on my end?
Tori Avey says
I mean, it’s a yeast bread… so it does have a yeast flavor, but it shouldn’t be overly yeasty. Maybe something is amiss, but can’t say without following your process.
Judy says
Thanks so much for this recipe. Yesterday, I followed your directions for challah perfectly and the loaves turned out beautifully! Excellent crumb and taste. This morning I made French toast using the bread and it’s the perfect bread for that!
G says
Hi 🙂 I love this recipe, but for this shabbat I wanted to make a gluten free challah for my sister who cannot have gluten. If I have bobs red mill 1-to-1 flour, should this recipe work the same?
Thanks!
Tori Avey says
I have not had luck with any 1-to-1 subs for gluten free challah. The dough needs gluten to make it flexible enough to braid. There are other gluten free challah recipes out there, just never one I’ve personally liked enough to share. I haven’t tried them all though… worth a Google search!
E. Sedman says
Excellent recipe. Following was quite easy and my husband said his mom would love this challah. The tip for tenting with foil was great as my bread was browning after the first 20. This recipe is a keeper.