Freshly baked Honey Challah bread is such a treat! Challah is a beautiful traditional Jewish braided bread made with eggs. If you have any leftover, it makes the most delightful French toast! Perfect for holidays, special occasions and for when you feel like enjoying really great homemade bread.
Love challah baking? Also try my sourdough discard challah buns and my chocolate chip challah bread - both are beautiful variations on this same enriched dough.
There is something genuinely special about a homemade challah loaf. The golden braid, the soft enriched crumb, the way the whole house smells while it bakes. This honey challah has become one of my most-made breads, and for good reason.
When we first attempted the 6-strand braid, the kids got involved. We watched videos, we laughed, we failed completely. So we turned it into a round challah instead - and it ended up being the most beautiful bread we had ever baked together. Sometimes the mistakes are the best part.
This recipe makes two loaves - one to eat now and one to save. Any leftover challah makes the most incredible French toast the next morning. That alone is reason enough to bake it.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Beautifully golden and soft. The honey and eggs give this challah an incredibly tender crumb and a deep golden crust.
- Makes two loaves. One for now, one to freeze or share. This is a generous recipe perfect for holidays or gatherings.
- Flexible to shape. Braid it the classic way, roll it round, or add raisins or sesame seeds. Every version is lovely.
- Great for French toast. Day-old challah makes the richest, most custardy French toast you have ever had. This is not an accident.
- A great bread to bake with kids. The braiding is tactile and fun. Imperfect braids turn into beautiful round loaves. Everyone wins.
This honey challah recipe was not difficult to make and it was fun experimenting with the braiding. The kids got involved in attempting the 6 strand braid. We watched a few videos and braided and laughed. We laughed because we weren't successful with the 6 strand braid.
We couldn't give up and ended up turning the 6 strand braid into a round challah. I was worried I thought it would not be the prettiest. In the end, it was the most beautiful bread of all we baked together. The crumb was soft and buttery. I couldn't wait to eat it for breakfast the next day. The raisin challah loaf made excellent French toast the next day.
What is Challah?
Challah is a traditional Jewish braided bread made with eggs, oil, and a touch of sweetener - honey or sugar. It is dairy-free and can be made kosher. Traditionally served on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, it is also one of the most beautiful breads to bake at any time of year.
The enriched dough gives challah its signature softness and a slightly sweet, buttery flavor despite containing no butter at all. The egg wash before baking is what creates that deep golden-brown sheen.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs, about 7 cups) unbleached flour
- 25 grams (3½ packets) active dry yeast
- ½ cup sugar in the raw (turbinado sugar)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups warm water, no more than 110°F (43°C)
- ½ cup canola oil
For the Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon water
Optional Toppings
- Sesame seeds or poppy seeds, for sprinkling before baking
- Golden raisins for a raisin challah variation
How to Make Honey Challah
In a mixer, with a dough hook attachment, add the warm water and yeast. Mix until blended. Add the sugar and mix about a minute. Slowly mix in 1 cup of the flour until combined. Mix in the eggs one at a time until they are combined. Add another 2 cups of the flour, the honey, oil, and salt. Mix together on medium-low speed stopping the machine to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Slowly add the rest of the flour (the remaining 4 cups) and mix until combined. Stop the machine as you add each cup of the flour to scrape the sides of the bowl and incorporate the flour. Mix on low speed for 12 minutes until dough is incorporated. Be sure to give your mixer a break and as you don't want to burn it out. Add flour if needed 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough will be a little sticky but also firm.
Take dough out of mixer bowl, form into a ball and coat with a light film of canola oil.
Form the dough into a ball and place into an oiled bowl (when I put the dough in the bowl I swish the dough around the bottom of the bowl and then flip it over so all of the dough is covered in a light film of oil). Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size (about 1-1 ½ hours).
Take dough out and cut into six equal parts, three parts for each challah. I didn't flour surface but if you find it necessary, flour just slightly. You are now working with only three parts, the other three put back into mixer bowl and make sure they are covered with plastic wrap. For the first challah without the raisins, punch the air out of each of the three parts of the dough and roll out into a 20 or so inches long cylinder each.
Pinch three cylinders at one edge and braid challah. Pinch the other side once you are done braiding and tuck pinched sides underneath challah at each edge. Roll braided challah gently like a snail into a round challah shape. Tuck the outside edge under the round challah gently.
To make the 3 braided challah, roll out 3 equal portions of the dough into long cylinders.
Transfer to a parchment lined cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let double, in a cool place, about an hour or less.
The 3 strand braid ready to be brushed with egg wash.
Pre-heat an over to 350F. Beat the egg with the sugar (and also a teaspoon of water) and brush risen challah with the egg wash. Brush even on the inside of the braid and all along the sides.
Luca made sure the round challah had a great egg wash. He brushed and brushed. He gave it about 6 coatings I think.
For the sesame challah, sprinkle with sesame seeds before baking. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden. In my oven it took about 33 minutes. Ovens may vary so check your challah at about 30 minutes and see how it's doing. You test if it's done by tapping the bottom of the loaf. If it sounds hollow, it needs a bit more time.* Be careful to not burn your fingers like I did when you do that test.
For Raisin Challah:
Punch air out and roll into three cylinders the remaining dough then flatten rolled cylinders, sprinkle golden raisins along the surface and roll again into cylinders. From this point on continue following directions as written for regular honey challah.
Happy bread baking!
Variations
Raisin Challah
After the first rise, roll 3 portions of dough into cylinders and flatten them slightly. Scatter golden raisins across the surface and roll back into cylinders. Braid and shape as normal. The raisins soften beautifully inside the baked loaf.
Sesame or Poppy Seed Challah
Sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds generously over the egg-washed loaf just before it goes into the oven. The seeds toast during baking and add a wonderful nutty crunch.
Round Challah
Roll a braid into a spiral and tuck the end underneath. This is the traditional shape for Rosh Hashanah and is honestly the most forgiving shape to make - imperfect braids turn into beautiful rounds.
For more challah inspiration, try my apple harvest challah bread and my cinnamon raisin challah.
Storage and Freezing
Counter:
Wrap cooled challah in plastic wrap or store in a zip-lock bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. It stays soft thanks to the oil and eggs.
Freezer:
Freeze whole or sliced in zip-lock freezer bags for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm slices directly in the toaster.
Best Use for Leftovers:
Day-old challah makes exceptional French toast. The enriched crumb soaks up the custard beautifully and the slices hold together perfectly in the pan.
More Challah and Bread Recipes
- Sourdough Discard Challah Buns - soft individual buns with dark chocolate chips
- Sourdough Discard Challah Bread - a full challah loaf made with sourdough starter discard
- Chocolate Chip Challah Bread - braided challah with dark chocolate chips throughout
- Apple Harvest Challah Bread - a beautiful fall challah with apple and cinnamon
- Braided Italian Easter Bread - a similar enriched braided bread for the Italian holiday table
- Crusty No-Knead Italian Bread - the easiest rustic loaf with almost no effort
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Honey Challah Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a mixer, with a dough hook attachment, add the warm water and yeast. Mix until blended. Add the sugar and mix about a minute. Slowly mix in 1 cup of the flour until combined. Mix in the eggs one at a time until they are combined. Add another 2 cups of the flour, the honey, oil, and salt. Mix together on medium-low speed stopping the machine to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Slowly add the rest of the flour (the remaining 4 cups) and mix until combined. Stop the machine as you add each cup of the flour to scrape the sides of the bowl and incorporate the flour. Mix on low speed for 12 minutes until dough is incorporated. Be sure to give your mixer a break and as you don't want to burn it out. Add flour if needed 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough will be a little sticky but also firm.
- Take dough out of mixer bowl, form into a ball and coat with a light film of canola oil.
- Form the dough into a ball and place into an oiled bowl (when I put the dough in the bowl I swish the dough around the bottom of the bowl and then flip it over so all of the dough is covered in a light film of oil). Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size (about 1-1 ½ hours).
- Take dough out and cut into six equal parts, three parts for each challah. I didn't flour surface but if you find it necessary, flour just slightly. You are now working with only three parts, the other three put back into mixer bowl and make sure they are covered with plastic wrap. For the first challah without the raisins, punch the air out of each of the three parts of the dough and roll out into a 20 or so inches long cylinder each.
- Pinch three cylinders at one edge and braid challah. Pinch the other side once you are done braiding and tuck pinched sides underneath challah at each edge. Roll braided challah gently like a snail into a round challah shape. Tuck the outside edge under the round challah gently.
- To make the 3 braided challah, roll out 3 equal portions of the dough into long cylinders.
- Transfer to a parchment lined cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let double, in a cool place, about an hour or less.
- Pre-heat an over to 350F. Beat the egg with the sugar (and also a teaspoon of water) and brush risen challah with the egg wash. Brush even on the inside of the braid and all along the sides.
- For the sesame challah, sprinkle with sesame seeds before baking. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden. In my oven it took about 33 minutes. Ovens may vary so check your challah at about 30 minutes and see how it's doing. You test if it's done by tapping the bottom of the loaf. If it sounds hollow, it needs a bit more time
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Nutrition
This bread is so beautiful and golden! I love making my own breads...I had never attempted challah before but this recipe was very easy to follow and it turned out wonderful!
I baked this and it turned out so soft and slightly sweet. The texture was perfect and it looked beautiful!
Fully awesome. This is probably the best challah I've ever made. I love the sweetness.
This is some of the best challah bread I've ever made. It's so soft and sweet, and the outside is absolutely glowing.
This is as beautiful as it is delicious. I love it!