The Best Pumpkin Challah Bread Recipe
Pumpkin Challah Bread is a seasonal and slightly sweet take on the classic. Moist from the addition of pumpkin, this could be the perfect bread to serve for a holiday dinner!
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 5 cups bread flour or 5 1/2 to 6 cups bleached all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup peanut, corn, or canola oil
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 2 tsp salt
egg wash
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 tsp water
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. Let the yeastwork its magic for at least 10 minutes (the yeast should bubble).
- lowly 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, oil, pumpkin 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. Because of the pumpkin, you may need to add a little more flour until it’s the right texture. 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 at a time. The dough will be a little sticky but also firm.
- Take dough out of mixer bowl. 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. I use vegetable oil). Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size (about1-1 1/2 hours).
- Punch down the dough. Divide dough in half. Divide the each portion into 3equal portions (you will have 6 portions). Shape each portion into a ball, and allow it to rest with plastic wrap on it for 5-10 minutes.
- Roll each dough ball into long piece. Braid the 3 strands together to form aloaf. Place the braided bread on parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat the process with the other 3 portions of dough. Cover and let rise in a draft free place for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. While resting, preheat oven to 350 F.
- When ready to bake, brush with egg wash.
- Bake the challah for 35-40 minutes (on 350 F). The bread should be golden brown. 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. Let it cool and serve slightly warm or at room temperature