By: Merritt Allen

Challah is a family favorite in my household. It was always my favorite recipe to make during the holidays since homemade bread was something we did not make very often. The soft and pillowy challah loaf was always so delicious with a thick slab of butter on top! Now, making my own challah bread, it is just as delicious as I remember.

The toasted sesame seeds , the slightly sweet bread, and the warm butter, makes challah bread one of my favorite bread recipes to enjoy no matter the season.

This challah bread recipe is surprisingly easy, with minimal kneading and the result being one delicious loaf. I never enjoyed when bread recipes made huge or multiple loaves since it was hard to get through leftovers before the bread dried out. This easy small batch loaf is the perfect amount for your dinner party or holiday gathering and will not leave you with a ton of leftovers! This challah bread recipe, is all round, one of my favorite recipes and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

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Common Questions For Challah Bread:

What is Challah Bread?

Challah bread is widely used term today to refer to any bread eaten during the Jewish holidays and rituals. Traditional Challah bread does not contain milk but it is enriched with egg yolks and other oils.
I use milk in my challah bread since I like the flavor and the over texture of the bread after baking but you can definitely stick to the recipe and just use water!
Today, challah is common term for yeasted dough that is enriched and contains honey. It is now a widely popular bread outside of Jewish culture for its delicious taste.

How Do I Braid Challah Bread Dough?

Braiding Challah bread can be done with 3-6 strands. I prefer the 4 strand method, and I have found a wonderful video that explains the 4 strand method so well! It is from Youtuber Lindsey Stephens and you can watch her full video here: How To Braid 4 Stranded Challah.
Feel free to braid the dough in 3 strands, which can be more approachable than 4 strands and will still deliver a delicious loaf!
The basic method is as follows: Pinch the strands together at the top. The positions of each strand will be labeled 1-4 from left to right. The pattern to braid a 4 stranded challah bread is as follows: position 1 will be brought all the way across 4. 4 will then be brought across 2 so that 1 and 4 traded spots. Then bring 1 down between 2 and 3 and replace with 2. Bring 4 down between 1 and 3 and replace with 3. Repeat until braided.
You can also skip the braid all together and make a challah bun or rolls! A challah bun or rolls is just making your challah dough into a traditional bread roll or bun shape. This is an easy option since they come out of the oven all ready to grab!

What Does Challah Bread Taste Like?

Challah bread is a soft and pillowy bread that is mild and lightly sweet. The honey in the challah bread dough lends the bread a light flavor after cooling.
Challah bread is similar to brioche bread which uses butter to add fat and tenderness to the bread dough.

fresh baked challah bread served with butter

What Do You Serve With Challah Bread?

You can serve challah bread alongside any meal! Challah bread is amazing with honey drizzled on top. I enjoy my challah bread with salted butter, which makes it hard to stop at 1 or 2 pieces!
Try Challah bread served with a Cheddar and Sage Omelette. It makes for a soft and sweet contrast to a savory breakfast.
You can also serve Challah bread with Chicken Pot Pie Soup! It is perfectly when dipped in the broth!
You can toast challah bread and serve it alongside your breakfast if you have leftovers! Let me know what you serve your challah bread with!

What Affects Baking Times of Challah Bread?

When baking bread, there are a few factors that may affect the baking time. The temperature of you oven, your elevation you are baking at, and how hot the day are can all affect baking time.
Making sure your oven is preheated well before you start baking can help ensure even baking. If you put your bread dough in while the oven is still heating you will get an uneven rise during baking.
If you are baking at elevation, you want to increase the temperature of your oven by 25 degrees F.

What is the Difference Between Instant Yeast and Active Dry Yeast?

Active dry yeast requires rehydration. This is the process of mixing the yeast with a little sugar and warm water. This “wakes” the yeast up before mixing it with the other ingredients.
Instant yeast does not require rehydration and can be mixed instantly with your other ingredients. It does not hurt your bread if you let the instant froth in the warm water and sugar.

What Affects Rising Times For Challah Bread?

Rising times can be affected by a couple of factors. Making sure your yeast is active is the first step to getting a good rise on your bread. If your yeast is flat, your bread will not rise.
The temperature of the area where your bread is rising can affect how fast your bread rises. You may find when your kitchen is warmer, like in the summer, your bread will double quickly. In the winter, your bread may take longer to rise with it being cold outside.
Your bread will also rise faster at higher elevations, leavening agents react faster at higher elevations so depending on where you live you may see your bread rise faster or slower.

How Do I Store Leftover Challah Bread?

Challah bread can be stored in an airtight container or a ziploc bag. You want to make sure your bread is all the way cooled before putting it away in a container or bag.
Trying to store hot or warm bread can create moisture, making the bread soggy the next day!
A great recipe for using leftover Challah bread is to make My Easy French Toast Recipe! It is a sweet and indulgent breakfast that is the perfect use for leftover challah bread!

Ingredients For Challah Bread:

Recipe: Yields 8-12 Slices

1 package instant dry yeast (2 1/2 tsp). You can also use active dry yeast, but that requires more start time.
1/2 +2 Tbs cup warm water If you dough is really dry, you may need a little extra water.
1 Tbs white sugar The sugar helps feed the yeast
2 Tbs honey The honey flavors the bread and adds sweetness
2 eggs (second egg is for egg wash and is optional)
1/4 cup olive oil The olive oil helps add flavor to the bread and enriches the dough.
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour + more as needed.
1 tsp salt Salt helps flavor the bread
2 tsp sesame seeds or popppy seeds for topping, optional

Directions For Easy Challah Bread With Sesame Seeds

Activate the Yeast
1. To a small bowl combine the white sugar, water, and yeast. Let stand 5 minutes until you see bubbles. Be sure that the water is warm. You can also sub out 1/2 water for 1/2 milk for a non-traditional but very tasty addition. See notes above for different yeast selections.
Prepare the Dough
1. To a stand mixer or large bowl if kneading by hand, add the yeast mixture with the olive oil, 1 egg (room temperature) and the honey. Mix on low speed until combined, about 20 seconds.
2. Add the salt and Add the flour in 1/4 cup increments. You will use between 2 and 2 1/2 cups of flour. You will continue to add flour until your dough is formed into a dough ball. This bread dough should be very sticky.
3. Continue to knead via the stand mixer or by hand until the dough is elastic and the gluten has formed so that the dough is pliable, about 3 minutes.
4. To an oiled bowl or tray, place the kneaded dough and seal with either plastic wrap or a lid. Let rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 90 minutes. See notes above on what may affect rising times!
Braid and Proof the Dough
1. Once your dough has risen, remove to a floured surface.
2. Split the dough into 4 pieces and roll until each piece is about 15 inches long (38 cm).
3. Pinch the strands together at the top. The positions of each strand will be labeled 1-4 from left to right. The pattern to braid a 4 stranded challah bread is as follows: position 1 will be brought all the way across 4. 4 will then be brought across 2 so that 1 and 4 traded spots. Then bring 1 down between 2 and 3 and replacen1 with 2. Bring 4 down between 1 and 3 and replace 4 with 3. Repeat until braided. See the notes above for a great video on braiding challah bread.
  1. You can also not braid the challah and make challah rolls or even do a classic 3 strand braid if you prefer!
4. Once you have shaped the dough the way you like place on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover with a cloth and let proof 1 hour or until the dough re doubles in size.
Bake the Challah Bread
1. Preheat the Oven to 350F
2. Whisk the second egg in a bowl. Remove the cloth from the braided dough, brush with the egg wash until the entire loaf is well coated.
3. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds.
4. Bake at 350F until the top is a deep golden brown, and the load sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 30- 40 minutes. See notes above on what may affect bake times!
5. Remove and let cool. Enjoy with butter, honey, or both!

challah bread slices served with soft butter

Amazing Small Batch Challah Bread Recipe with Sesame Seeds