Pumpkin Challah combines two holiday traditions into one delicious, beautifully braided treat! This lightly sweet, pumpkin-scented bread is the perfect centerpiece for an autumn holiday table.
With autumn upon us and squash decorating lining the aisles of the produce section, my mind keeps drifting to pumpkins… or, more specifically, to Pumpkin Challah Bread. A few years ago, Rob Eshman of the Jewish Journal’s Foodaism blog sent me his Sukkot recipe for pumpkin challah. Subsequently, I decided to try my own creative spin on his inspired idea. I wanted to add more sweetness and spice to the dough to give the bread a pumpkin pie essence while still retaining that wonderful eggy challah texture. I started with my standard challah recipe, added pumpkin puree, and played with the ingredients until I came up with the right balance of sugar, spice, and everything nice.
This recipe is the result of my little baking experiment. It’s sweet, but not cloying, and would make a unique and beautiful addition to the Sukkot or Thanksgiving table. It’s really tasty dipped in hot tea or cocoa, and makes a wonderfully cozy fireside snack. Top it with melty butter and honey for extra deliciousness. And here’s the best part—it makes mind-blowingly delicious Challah French Toast.
Wow. I’m making myself hungry.
For challah braiding instructions, click here. Enjoy!
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Pumpkin Challah
Ingredients
Challah Ingredients
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 1 cup lukewarm water, divided
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 large egg (white and yolk)
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (you may substitute canola oil - I prefer avocado oil for its health benefits)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- Pinch cloves
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups pumpkin puree (homemade or canned)
- 7-9 cups all-purpose baking flour
Egg Wash Ingredients
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon water
NOTES
Instructions
- Pour ½ cup of the lukewarm water (about 110 degrees) into a large mixing bowl. Add 2 packets of Active Dry Yeast and 1 tbsp 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!
- Once your yeast has activated, add remaining ½ cup lukewarm water to the bowl along with the rest of the sugar, egg, egg yolks, honey, canola oil, salt and spices. Use a whisk to thoroughly blend the ingredients together. Whisk in the brown sugar and pumpkin puree to form a thick liquid.
- 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.”
- 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 canola 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.
- 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.
- 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. Separate the dough into two equal portions; each portion of dough will be enough for a large loaf of challah. Click here to learn How to Braid Challah.
- After you’ve braided your challah loaves, place them on two separate cookie sheets lined with parchment paper (this will catch any spills from your egg wash and keep your challah from sticking to the cookie sheet).
- Prepare your egg wash by beating the egg yolks and water until smooth. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin layer of the mixture onto the visible surface of your challah.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Let the braids 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.The challah will need 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. 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. 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.
Danielle says
Hi Tori,
This looks like a really nice recipe. I would like to make it for Thanksgiving, but since I have never made Challah and my baking skills are questionable I thought I would try it beforehand. If I make both loaves this week, can I freeze the other one for Thanksgiving? Will it taste ok and if so how would I defrost? Or can I freeze the dough?
Thanks for any advice.
Best,
Danielle
Tori Avey says
Hi Danielle, you can bake, then freeze, or you can freeze the dough. To freeze after baking, place the bread while it’s still warm from the oven (not hot) in a plastic zipper bag. Squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag before sealing, and freeze. Defrost by placing frozen challah on a baking sheet and reheating in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until fully thawed and warmed through.
If you want to freeze the dough and bake later, allow the dough to rise and shape into loaves. Place the braided dough in the freezer until it gets hard. Wrap it in plastic wrap in three layers, then freeze until needed (no longer than 1 month, or you risk freezer burn). When thawing, remove plastic wrap, allow to thaw/rise for 2-3 hours, then bake as directed.
Sana says
I can hardly wait to make this!
Chava says
Looks delicious. Can I freeze the dough and bake it the day of?
Julia says
Tori-
I have the challah in the fridge rising overnight so I have time to ask a question 😉 I’m making rolls, not loaves-do they bake for the same amount of time? Thanks for your help…
Julia
Tori Avey says
Hi Julia– rolls tend to bake faster than the braids. Keep an eye on them and tap them on the bottom for a hollow sound to test for doneness. You can also stick an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the roll– when it reads 190, it is baked all the way through.
Am says
What are you planning for Chanukah
Tori Avey says
Hi Am, here is a list of my Hanukkah recipes:
https://toriavey.com/recipes/hanukkah/
Judy Grace says
Looks and sounds yummy!
Renata Lubinsky-Keren says
And this year Hanukka´s first candle and Thanksgiving are on the same day/date 🙂
Risa Herman says
Looks so good.
TerriC says
This was amazing! Perfect and fantastic direction. My only suggestion is to proof the braided bread longer before putting gin the oven, that way the braid does not split open as much while baking. Thanks!
Terri Polesky says
Do you have any whole wheat challah bread recipes…I use white whole wheat, sometimes half and half. In your experience is there any way to make it raise better.
Tori Avey says
Hi Terri- no, I don’t usually bake with whole wheat. It’s a good idea for a future post though. 🙂
Karen Clinton says
Looks pretty and yummy.
debg says
i just finished making this oh its sooo good i only made one loaf and it was huge
Tori Avey says
Oh my yes! One loaf would be enormous! Haha glad you liked it debg!
Neyse Bustamante says
Yummy … 😉
Pat Lolait says
So glad I found your blog. I have learned a great deal already.
Thank you.
Pat Lolait
Tori Avey says
So happy to hear that Pat!
Penny Smith says
I love the egg, bet it does make good French toast.
JT says
9 cups and still sticky before first rise. Pretty humid tday in dc but its totally like the bottomless pit challah. Set to to rise and will add more if necessary later…
Eric Dieckman says
Every day is a Mazel Tov day when there´s pumpkin challah.
Raymond Siri says
<3
daisydoll says
Hi Tori, where did that beautiful wooden bowl come from?
daisydoll says
Whoops sorry, didn’t see someone already asked!
Helaine Kroll says
Hi there!! I can’t wait to make this! I’m happy to see that people are using the bread machine for all but the braiding… Are you using 7-9 cups of flour as well??