Bread

Challah Bread

By Amy Flanigan

Published Dec 9, 2025

Read 45 Reviews

Prep 20 minutes mins

Cook 30 minutes mins

Servings 28 slices (2 loaves)

By Amy Flanigan

Published Dec 9, 2025

Jump to RecipeShare

This Challah recipe is an absolute favorite of mine. It’s a rich and slightly sweet pillow-y bread that is traditionally served every week for the Sabbath and major Jewish holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah. Anyone can make it, though…and should! Despite its incredibly impressive look, preparing it is quite easy. And absolutely delicious. It’s truly a showstopper on any dinner table.

Challah’s Symbolic Braid

Challah’s most magnificent characteristic is its gorgeous golden sheen and of course the braid. You can make it in different shapes and sizes, but the most traditional braid is a three-strand loaf, representing love, peace, and justice. Round loaves are served for Rosh Hashanah, which is the Jewish New Year and meant to represent the continuity of a year, since a round loaf has no beginning or end.

What Does Challah Bread Taste Like?

Challah and brioche are often compared because they are very similar enriched yeast doughs made with eggs, a similar sweetness, golden shell, and pillow-like texture. The most significant difference is that Challah is part of the Jewish culture and typically made with oil (instead of butter) to keep it kosher. (NOTE: the recipe I’m sharing does include butter. If keeping kosher, substitute with a neutral-flavored oil such as vegetable oil.)

5 from 45

Challah Bread

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Rising: 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total: 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings: 28 slices (2 loaves)

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Traditionally made for Jewish holidays, Challah is a rich and slightly sweet pillow-y bread that is both a pleasure to eat and to look at!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 cups lukewarm water, (around 105-110°F)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• ▢ 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 7 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (plus more if needed)
• ▢ 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ▢ 4 large eggs, beaten
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (see note below for kosher alternative)
• ▢ vegetable oil, to grease bowls
• ▢ egg wash, (2 eggs beaten with 2 tablespoons water – you may not need it all)
• ▢ poppy seeds and/or sesame seeds, for topping, optional

Instructions 

• In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and add the 1 tablespoon sugar. Let bloom until a frothy layer develops on top; about 5 minutes. (If the yeast doesn’t foam, it isn’t good anymore. Toss it and start over.)
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and melted butter. Mix together with a wooden spoon, pulling in a little flour at a time from the sides of the bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture. Mix to combine until a shaggy dough is formed.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead well for about 6-8 minutes. If the dough is very sticky, work in a teaspoon of flour at a time until the dough is smooth, pliable, not wet, and holds a ball-shape.
• Divide dough evenly in half.
• Lightly oil the inside of two large bowls. Place dough inside each one; cover with plastic wrap in a warm, draft-free place. Let rise until doubled in size, 60-90 minutes.
• Working with one mound of dough at a time, punch down dough and separate into 3 equal parts. Roll each piece of dough into long ropes about 16 inches long and 1-inch thick. (If the ropes shrink as you try to roll them, let them rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten and then try again.) Gather the 3 strands and squeeze them together at the top. Then snugly braid together as if you were braiding hair and squeeze the bottom ends together when done to secure. (For visual help, see pictures below this recipe card and watch the video.)
• Repeat with the other mound of dough.
• Gently transfer each braid to parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover with a clean dish towel and allow to rise until double in size and pillowy, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with the rack in the center position.
• Brush both loaves all over with the egg wash, making sure to get in the cracks and along the sides of the loaf. If desired, sprinkle one loaf with some poppy seeds and the other with some sesame seeds.
• Bake for about 30-35 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until deep golden brown and registers 190°F in the very middle with an instant-read thermometer.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool until just slightly warm. Slice and enjoy on its own or with a slab of butter!

Video

Notes

Keeping kosher: If keeping kosher, substitute the butter with a neutral-flavored oil such as vegetable or canola.

Storing leftovers: Cooled challah can be kept on the counter or frozen. Details are included in the article below the step by step photos.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

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How to Make Challah Bread Step By Step

• Gather your ingredients.

• In a small bowl, sprinkle 2 tablespoons active dry yeast over 2 cups lukewarm water (105-110°F) and add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Let bloom until a frothy layer develops on top; about 5 minutes. (If the yeast doesn’t foam, it isn’t good anymore. Toss it and start over.)

• In a large bowl, whisk together 7 cups spooned and leveled of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Make a well in the center and add 4 large beaten eggs and 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter (or 1/2 cup vegetable oil if keeping Kosher.) Mix together with a wooden spoon, pulling in a little flour at a time from the sides of the bowl.

• Add the yeast mixture. Stir to combine until a shaggy dough is formed.

• Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for about 6-8 minutes. If the dough is very sticky, work in a teaspoon of flour at a time until the dough is smooth, pliable, not wet, and holds a ball-shape.

• Divide dough evenly in half.
• Lightly oil the inside of two large bowls. Place dough inside each one; cover with plastic wrap in a warm, draft-free place. Let rise until doubled in size, 60-90 minutes.

• Working with one mound of dough at a time, punch down dough and separate into 3 equal parts.

• Roll each piece of dough into long ropes about 16 inches long and 1-inch thick. (If the ropes shrink as you try to roll them, let them rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten and then try again.)
• Gather the 3 strands and squeeze them together at the top. Then snugly braid together as if you were braiding hair and squeeze the bottom ends together when done to secure.
• Repeat with the other mound of dough.

• Gently transfer each braid to parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover with a clean dish towel and allow to rise until double in size and pillowy, about 1 hour.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with the rack in the center position.
• Brush both loaves all over with an egg wash, making sure to get in the cracks and along the sides of the loaf.
• Sprinkle one loaf with some poppy seeds and the other with some sesame seeds, if desired.

• Bake for about 30-35 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until deep golden brown and registers 190°F in the very middle with an instant-read thermometer.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool until just slightly warm. Slice and enjoy on its own or with a slab of butter!

What to Do with Leftover Challah

If you’re lucky enough to have any Challah leftover, leave some out on the counter overnight, uncovered, and put it to great use the next morning for the best french toast or use in a french toast casserole. Leftovers are also wonderful in bread pudding or for roast beef sandwiches.

How to Store Challah Bread

• Storing leftovers: You can store cooled challah on the counter for up to 4 days. Secure it tightly in plastic wrap, in a ziploc bag, or another airtight container to maintain freshness.
• Can I freeze challah bread? Yep! This recipe makes two loaves which is perfect to have an extra one to pop in the freezer. You can freeze an entire loaf or individual slices. Wrap it in both plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. It will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. Thaw on the counter before enjoying.

More Jewish Food:

• Matzo Ball Soup
• Potato Latkes
• Rugelach
• Kugel
• Sufganiyot (Jelly Donuts)
• Cheese Blintz
• Beef Brisket

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!

My Challah Bread recipe was originally published 11/14/21. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 12/9/25.