Also, check out our easy homemade Ciabatta roll, popular and trending Vienna bread, or simple Swiss zopf bread.
About the recipe
Challah bread is pillowy soft, delightful braided bread served traditionally weekly for the Jewish sabbath and holidays like Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Hanukkah. Challah (pronounced “ha-luh” with silent c) is a yeast dough prepared using eggs, butter, and sugar with flour. Authentic challah loaf is pareve (food does not contain dairy or meat together, which is essential in the laws of Kashrut). If you are keeping it Kosher, substitute butter with canola or vegetable oil in the recipe. I have simple and plain challah bread. You can always top it with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or chia seeds or even add raisins to the batter.
Challah’s symbolic braid
3-strand challah is very popular, symbolizing truth, peace, and justice. Six strand challah symbolizes six days of the week aside from the sabbath. Challah braid with 12 humps means 12 tribes of Israel. Round or spiral-shaped challahs are prepared specially for Rosh Hashanah or Jewish New Year, symbolizing continuity and wheels of seasons.
While you are here, also check out another rich and delicious brioche bread and bun.
Ingredients
To make soft and pillowy challah bread, you need yeast, warm water, egg, flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Softness and richness come from the butter. If you want to keep it kosher, use vegetable or neutral oils. See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-step instructions
Activate the yeast
Add lukewarm water and teaspoon of sugar in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast. Cover and keep it undisturbed for 5 to 10 minutes. Let the yeast activate.
Make the challah dough
To the activated yeast, add eggs and whisk. Add sugar, salt, melted butter, and flour 1 cup at a time and mix using a wooden spoon or kitchen aid mixer until the dough has come together. Transfer the dough to the floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Let the dough rise
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let this rise in a warm place for about 1 or 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Braid the challah
Dust the working surface. Transfer the dough and divide them into three equal portions. Make three tubes or ropes from these portions. Pinch the ends of the 3 ropes together, start braiding from the middle, and again pinch the ends together.
Let the braided dough rise again
Grease the baking pan or line the baking pan with parchment paper. Transfer the braided dough. Cover it with a towel and keep it in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Bake challah bread
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the egg white and two teaspoons of water to a bowl and mix. Brush the risen dough using this egg white and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until it is golden brown. Cool it on a wire rack for 30 minutes before you slice.
Tips
Challah is traditionally pareve (food does not contain dairy or meat together, which is important in the laws of Kashrut). If you are keeping it Kosher, substitute butter with canola or vegetable oil in the recipe. You can always top it with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or chia seeds or even add raisins to the batter.
More Homemade Bread Recipes
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Recipe card
This recipe for challah was first published in Aug 2015. The post has been updated with a recipe card, calorie information, and more details.
