Challah
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Learn how to make the best homemade challah with this easy recipe and step-by-step braiding guide—perfect for Shabbat, holidays, or any occasion!
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Challah is the bread of celebration in Jewish tradition, but I put it in the matzo ball soup and bagel category: it appeals to everyone. It’s a rich, slightly sweet loaf with a shiny, golden crust and pillowy-soft interior. But what makes it truly special is its distinctive braid, which symbolizes, among other things, the joining together of family and friends.
Rest assured, challah looks like far more trouble than it actually is. Think of it as a once-in-a-while baking therapy project. Kneading and braiding the dough, smelling the challah baking in the oven—it really is satisfying. And when the long braided loaf is presented at the dinner table, it is a sight to behold!
I owe much of the credit for this recipe to Nanci Hirschorn, one of my lovely readers, who has been perfecting her challah recipe for over thirty-five years. Thank you, Nanci, for all the pointers! Heads up: this recipe makes one 16-in loaf. It’s huge! If you have leftovers, use it to make challah French toast.
What You’ll Need To Make Challah
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the dough.
- Instant/rapid-rise yeast: Helps the dough rise, giving the bread a light, airy texture—and it works faster than regular active dry yeast. You can find it in jars or packets, but if you’re not a frequent baker, packets are the way to go. Just keep in mind this recipe calls for 1 tablespoon, which is more than a single packet provides.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor
- Lukewarm water: Hydrates the flour, activates the yeast, and helps bind the ingredients together to form the dough.
- Vegetable oil: Adds richness and moisture to the bread, contributing to its soft and tender crumb.
- Honey: Sweetens the dough and adds moisture, while also contributing to the flavor and helping with browning.
- Eggs: Provide richness, moisture, and structure to the dough, giving the challah its characteristic golden color and tender texture. Be sure your eggs are room temperature; this dough is slow to rise and cold eggs will slow it down even further.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by whisking together the lukewarm water, oil, honey, two eggs, and the egg yolk until well combined, then set the mixture aside.
Using a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Give it a quick mix to evenly distribute the ingredients.
Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture in the stand mixer. Knead on medium-low speed until the dough becomes sticky and clings to the bottom of the bowl, which should take around 5 to 7 minutes. If the dough seems too wet, don’t worry—it’s meant to be that way.
Generously flour your hands before handling the dough, then transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Lightly dust the top with flour and knead until it forms a soft, smooth ball.
Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray, then place the dough inside and flip it to coat the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in size, which may take 2 to 3 hours. Keep in mind that rising times can vary based on kitchen conditions like temperature, humidity, and kneading technique.
To braid the dough, first turn it onto a lightly floured surface, letting it deflate naturally. Lightly dust with flour, then divide it into four equal pieces. If you prefer precision, each piece should weigh around 9 oz (260 g). Braiding challah may seem intimidating, but a simple four-strand braid is both easy and pretty. If you’ve ever braided hair, you’ll have a head start, but even if not, it’s straightforward to learn.
Roll each piece of dough into a 20-inch rope and arrange them vertically in parallel. Pinch the top ends together and fan out the strands. If the ropes shrink, gently stretch them back to length. To start braiding, take the rightmost strand and weave it through the others using an over-under-over pattern. Keep repeating this sequence until the dough is fully braided. Tuck the ends under the loaf to give it a finished look.
Place the braided loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover it loosely with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm spot until it’s about 1.5 times its size, which takes 1 to 2 hours. Toward the end of the rise, preheat your oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. The loaf will continue to rise as it bakes. Beat the remaining egg and brush it generously over the dough. If you’d like, sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds before baking.
Place the baking sheet on top of another to prevent the bottom from over-browning. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the crust is deep golden and the internal temperature reaches 190°F to 200°F. Transfer the bread to a rack to cool. Challah is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored in a sealed plastic bag for a few days.
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Homemade Challah
Ingredients
- 4¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off, plus more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon instant/rapid-rise yeast (see note)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¾ cup lukewarm water
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the lukewarm water, oil, honey, 2 of the eggs, and the egg yolk. Add to the dry ingredients and knead on medium-low speed until you have a sticky dough that clings to the bottom of the bowl, 5 to 7 minutes. The dough may seem too wet but have faith—it’s supposed to be.
- Dust your hands generously with flour, then scrape the sticky, elastic dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour and knead briefly into a soft, smooth ball. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl, flip it over once so the top is lightly oiled, and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it's puffy and doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours.
- Invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and dust with flour. It will deflate. Cut the dough into four even 9-oz (255-g) pieces, and then stretch and roll each piece into a rope about 20 inches (50 cm) long. Lay the ropes parallel to one another (vertically). Pinch them tightly together at the top, and then fan them out. If the ropes shrink a bit, just work them back into their original length.
- Begin by taking the strand farthest to the right and weave it toward the left through the other strands using this pattern: over, under, over. Take the strand furthest to the right and repeat the weaving pattern again: over, under, over. Repeat this pattern, always starting with the strand farthest to the right, until the whole loaf is braided. Tuck the ends under to give the loaf a finished look.
- Carefully transfer the braided loaf to a parchment-lined 13 x 18-inch (33 x 46-cm) baking sheet. Cover the loaf loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until about 1.5 times the size, 1 to 2 hours. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. (Note that the loaf will continue to rise significantly in the oven.)
- In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg and brush the beaten egg generously over the risen dough. (Note: If you like, sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds onto the challah before putting it in the oven.) Place the baking sheet atop another baking sheet; this will prevent the bottom crust from browning too much. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the crust is a rich brown color and the internal temperature is between 190°F and 200°F (88°C and 93°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a rack to cool. Challah is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will keep for a few days in a sealed plastic bag.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I tried making your challah on Thursday and something went wrong! It wasn’t sticky in the bowl and then didn’t rise well. Any thoughts on what I did wrong? Thanks! Hannah
Hi Hannah, I’m sorry you had a problem with this! If it wasn’t sticky, I’m wondering if it had a bit too much flour. Did you use the spoon and level method to measure the flour? Even a few extra ounces can make a big difference. This article/video explains it nicely. And you mentioned it didn’t rise much. Was your yeast old or expired?
I must have done the flour wrong! The yeast wasn’t old/expired, but I used active, not rapid. I gave it three hours, but maybe that was not enough. I’ll try again this week and buy the right ingredients! Thank you!
I hope you have better luck this time!
My son just won his 10th grade English class baking contest with this recipe. He did everything except turn on the stand mixer. Pretty awesome. His classmates said it tasted amazing with and without the jam he brought, which is a testament to its flavor. He saved a slice for me which I thought was especially sweet.
💕
Hi Jenn –
My husband and I made your challah today – our first time making break without a bread maker! It tasted great, but it lost all definition of the braids on the second proof – it spread out instead of up and by the time it finished baking, it looked pretty much like a smooth loaf. Where did we go wrong? We were using active dry yeast as we didn’t have instant, but let it proof on the long side of your recommendations.
Thanks!
Hi Cindy, sorry to hear the braids lost their definition. What brand of flour did you use?
I’ve made your challah recipe twice now… turned out great! The kitchen smelled delicious as it baked. Thank you!😋
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! Have been making it for a few years and it’s a winner! I weigh my flour and use the King Arthur Flour chart where 1 cup of flour weighs 120 grams so have been using 510 grams for this recipe and today I clicked on grams and see that you use 560 for 4 ¼ cups. Is it a typo or is there a variation on what flour weighs? I added a little more flour today but didn’t go up to the full 560 grams. It’s still rising.
And I love that you have instructions to mix, rise and braid in advance. A game changer for me.
Thanks again.
Hi Bea, so glad you like this! The 560 g is not a typo. For a long time I relied on King Arthur’s weight as that’s the flour I always use. Recently, when I was baking something that needed to be very exact, I consistently got 130 g for 1 cup of flour so I’m slowly but surely changing that on the recipes. Hope that yours comes out well with the additional flour!
This recipe is delicious!! I’m confused though about the number of eggs. The recipe calls for 3 eggs. You put 2 of the 3 plus an egg yolk into the dough, which would leave only the white remaining. Should the loaf be brushed with the leftover egg white, or another entire egg? I’ve done it both ways. Thank you for a most amazing recipe and for always being kind, even when people aren’t kind to you. This bread slices perfectly for sandwiches and of course makes delicious French toast. ❤️
Glad you like it! The reason the recipe calls for three eggs and one egg yolk is because when you’re making the dough, you’ll need two eggs and one egg yolk. Later on, when you’re brushing the dough with egg you’ll need to use one full egg. Hope that clarifies!
Jen- do you think I can use melted butter for the oil? I don’t use vegetable oil. I only have olive oil, and I do t think that would work.
Thanks!
Sure, I think you could get away with melted butter. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
I made this recipe with a 4-strand round challah for Rosh Hashanah. Best I’ve ever baked, and the dough was easy to work with.
In the past few months, I have started making bread. I will be honest enough to say, I was initially intimated by this bread due to the length of rising times and the braiding process. But I made this bread. Let me say, it was easy and it is delicious. I watched many videos on the braiding process and your method was the easiest and best understood. Many thanks!
This recipe was so easy to follow and yielded fantastic results! It was my first time making challah although I’ve been baking bread/bread-adjacent things for the past couple years. I had to look up a separate tutorial for the braiding part because my brain is broken and video was the only way I could get the steps down, haha — but otherwise everything couldn’t have been easier to follow, unlike many others online which seem a bit convoluted. We snacked on a slice or two last night and enjoyed it in french toast form this morning. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes, Jenn!