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.
Hema says
Hi Tori,
I tried the apple honey challah…. OMG it was mind blowing, my husband & kids loved it so much. Your each recipe is so clear, understandable with pics…. love ur baking…. keep posting more… gud luck
Tori Avey says
Great Hema!
Helene Weinberger says
Thank goodness, I was “insane ” enough to time accurately, braid in 6 parts, made it on a day when I had nothing else that was imperative, and have an unbelievably wonderful and beautiful challoh. How you can do this on a weekly basis is beyond my comprehension – but more power to you. GREAT CHALLOH
Talia says
I used this recipe today for my very first attempt at making challah, and turned out splendid! It was a lot of fun and I look forward to making challah for shabbat every week now! Thanks for sharing the recipe and the wonderful step by step instructions.
Tori Avey says
Great Talia! So happy to hear that.
Michal says
Hi
Our store changed the challah supplier and that gave me a boost to try my own. I found your recipe that looks amazing.
I have few questions: How many chalot come out from this recipe? What’s the weight of dough should I use for each challah?
If I want to make the blessing should I just double the recipe ?
Thanks, Michal.
Hema says
Dear Tori,
Thanks for the recipe… this is one of the best challah, made it twice & both the times it came out excellent. thx for posting & am going to try the apple honey challah tonight.
Tori Avey says
So happy to hear that Hema!
Nadia says
Hi, if you use 6 cups of flour to make challah, do u still make a blessing??
Jack L says
I have used all purpose , bread flour, and a combination. All versions turned out great. I found if I used all bread flour, I needed more liquid. Made three loaves this week and used 90% AP flour, 10% bread flour. For some reason, Challah seems to turn out fine with AP flour.
Elizabeth says
Thanks Jack! I made a loaf with mostly bread flour and it turned out great but the texture was just a little off. I will try your ratio next time!
Tori Avey says
Thanks for responding Jack!
Elizabeth says
What kind of flour do you use? Bread? All purpose?
Tori Avey says
Hi Elizabeth, sorry it took me a few days to respond, I was on vacation when you wrote. 🙂 As Jack said, both kinds will work, but I prefer all purpose. It always seems to do the trick for me. Best of luck!
Paloma G. says
I have always wanted to try challah! I used some whole wheat flour in the recipe because I know my dad will pick at it, and he is under doctor’s orders to eat wheat bread. Also, I learned that one should not start challah at 9:00 p.m. on a Saturday night. 🙂 Still worth it!
Maranda says
Thanks for this great recipe. I am hosting book club this month and our book is The Dovekeepers. I am excited to share homemade challah bread with my friends in the spirit of learning more about Jewish traditions.
Tori Avey says
I have heard great things about that book Maranda! Enjoy 🙂
Kathryn says
Tasty bread. I might not buy my Shabbat challah bread anymore.
Rich Price says
Breads develop more flavor when they rise slowly. Since yeast is a culture, it is not necessary to add a lot of yeast. By using the smaller amount, the culture will develop slowly and rise just as well as by adding more yeast or rapid rise yeast.
Rich Price says
Here’s a great shortcut for rising the challah and any other breads. Just add everything to a bread machine. Turn off the preheat cycle to save time. Turn on the dough cycle and let it knead and rise. After the cycle is finished, turn of the machine and let it rise again. After the second rise, turn the machine on again just long enough to punch down the dough. You are now ready to braid the dough. Now you can follow the rest of the recipe using the hot water in the oven to let the dough rise, but I just turn the light on and it provides sufficient heat. You can rise it in the pan with parchment paper. If you have a baking stone, another method would be to let it rise outside the over on parchment paper, preheat the baking stone when the bread rises, pick it up with the parchment paper and place it on the stone. You can also preheat a shallow baking pan on another shelf when you preheat the stone and pour a cup or two of water onto the preheated pan when placing the bread in the oven. The steam makes for a crispy crust. I use this technique to make a killer rye bread.
Mashugana says
Rich……my two bread machines make horrible challah. I have to make them the old fashioned way and my recipes are delicious.
I will try your method this Shabbos!
Jessica says
Thank you for sharing your recipe! I have never made challah (or any other kind of bread) before today. Your directions were very clear and easy to follow, and I loved that you included pictures of each step. My two challahs came out great! I will be making this again many times over in the future! Thanks so much!
Cherree P says
I’m really excited to find this receipe! I’ve make it with unsweetened chocolate and raisins, but never with honey. I can’t wait to try it!
Tori Avey says
Hi Cherree– just an FYI, the honey used here gives a slight sweetness, but it is not a very sweet bread. I mention it because it sounds like the challah you’ve made in the past has more sweetness to it. If you’d like a sweeter version, try this: http://theshiksa.com/2012/09/13/apple-honey-challah/
KG says
I put a coat of egg wash on the loaf, let it rise, coated it again, and put it in the oven. By braids (I did 6) expanded and the bread “tore” on top in a few places. Did I do something wrong? Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening again? This was my first time making it. It was really fun and tasted great! Thanks for the recipe and tutorial!
lauren says
Thank you! I make the dough in a very similar way (I usually add two and a half packets of yeast and half a cup olive oil) but I found yours absolutely delicious (and my family does too!)…
love from a fellow shiksa!
elaine says
glad you liked it. no i’ve never used more than the 2 packets of yeast called for, but it’s pretty much a no fail recipe.
jack says
I just made 6 loaves of this recipe for a bake sale, and they sold out before the actual start time of the sale! Anyway, I have a question…
I have been adding one more packet of yeast…does anyone else have experience with this recipe and the seemingly small quantity of yeast it suggests? Any comments?
Thanks
jack
Elaine Smith says
I love your blog, the recipes and ideas. But especially i love your definition of a shiksa. wish my parents were alive for me to share it with them. i’ve been baking challa for many years. started when my husband went back to school and we were too poor to buy challa. through the years i’ve found this recipe to be about the best and most foolproof. see what you think.
Challa
Mix together and let stand:
½ cup warm water
2 packages quick rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon flour
pinch sugar
In large bowl place:
8 cups flour
3 eggs
¾ cup sugar
½ cup oil
½ cup golden raisins (optional)
2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon salt
Add yeast mixture
Mix with wooden spoon until the dough mixture is a “sticky blob”
Set aside 1 ½ hours uncovered.
Mix down every 15 minutes
After the dough is finished rising, add flour, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic.
This recipe can make 2 or 3 loaves.
Divide into 2 or 3 equal parts. Separate each part into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and braid each loaf.
Place each loaf into a baking pan sprayed with PAM. Glaze with egg yolk. Sprinkle with seeds.
Let rise 45-60 minutes.
Bake at 350° until golden brown, and it sounds hollow when tapped
(45-60 minutes)
This recipe is virtually foolproof and is dangerous to have around ( it’s too good!) I hope your family enjoys it as much as ours.
i look forward to your feedback
Elaine