Challah bread is a traditional Jewish recipe that is sometimes also known as Egg Bread. It is common to serve Challah on Shabbat and Jewish holidays. The bread is soft and sweet and often braided into beautiful loaves.
Traditional Jewish recipes for holidays like Passover and Hanukkah are a staple in our house. Some of our all time favorites are my mom’s Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread, Fried Matzo Brie and our most popular Chocolate Chip Coconut Macaroons.
The Best Challah Bread Recipe
Challah is one of the most popular and well-known traditional Jewish recipes. Many people feel that making challah has to be a difficult task, but this step-by-step instruction will help you make the perfect challah!
Try using this challah bread in our Air Fryer French Toast Sticks recipe! It is wonderful!
Ingredients
- 2 Packets (approx. 1 1/2 Tbsp) yeast
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 4 cups warm water
- 1 Tbsp. salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 5 lbs of flour (Start with around 9 cups then gradually add the
remaining 6 or so cups until the dough forms a nice ball and is not
sticky.)
FYI this will make a TON of challah – you can make a few large challah’s or a bunch of small challah’s
How to make Challah
- Combine the yeast and sugar in a bowl.
- Add warm water and let sit for 7 minutes – until the yeast activates indicated by bubbles forming on top of the mixture.
- Add: Salt, veg. oil, eggs & flour
- Let the dough rise for 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size. (Henna suggested putting it in a clean garbage bag twisted shut to rise)
- Once the bread has risen braid your challah however you would like. This site has great braiding instructions – Secrets of Challah
- Cover and let rise for another 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Brush (egg wash) the challahs with a mixture of 1 egg yolk and 1/2 tsp water
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 -35 minutes
More Traditional Jewish Recipes
- Chocolate Babka
- Fried Matzo Brei
- Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread Recipe
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Challah bread
Ingredients
- 2 packets yeast approx. 1 1/2 tbsp
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 4 cups warm water
- 1 Tbsp. salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 5 lbs flour Start with around 9 cups then gradually add the remaining 6 or so cups until the dough forms a nice ball and is not sticky.
Instructions
- Combine the yeast and sugar in a bowl.
- Add warm water and let sit for 7 minutes – until the yeast activates indicated by bubbles forming on top of the mixture.
- Add: Salt, veg. oil, eggs & flour
- Let the dough rise for 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size. (Henna suggested putting it in a clean garbage bag twisted shut to rise)
- Once the bread has risen braid your challah however you would like. This site has great braiding instructions – Secrets of Challah
- Cover and let rise for another 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Brush (egg wash) the challahs with a mixture of 1 egg yolk and 1/2 tsp water
- Bake for 30 -35 minutes
Jenn’s Notes
remaining 6 or so cups until the dough forms a nice ball and is not
sticky.
I can’t get the link to the best braiding site to work. Can you please furnish me the name of the site
Thanks so much! I love this bread but need to learn to braid ..
It looks like that website is gone now! Thank you for letting me know! I updated the post for a new tutorial for braiding. There are some great ones on YouTube!
This is a total keeper & absolutely addictive and delicious. I have a question- how can I prevent the bread from not baking all the way through? This definitely made tons of dough but I decided to divide it simply in two loaves/to bake up just two loaves- both were unfortunately raw inside. Any suggestions as to how I should divide this amount of dough created by the recipe to get a clean bake? Sooooooo good though- will be baking this forever!❤️
I would be careful to try to keep it the same thickness throughout the loaf.
Can you freeze the dough and use it later? It’s only my husband and I now, and we will never eat this much.
I haven’t frozen the dough before, but I have baked the bread and then frozen it. It has always defrosted very nicely.
Can you cut the recipe in half? Or will it not turn out the same, also can you add candied fruit to it before the dough raises? Thank you!
I haven’t tried either. If you add the fruit, I would wait until you are ready to bake though.
This sounds delicious. Please could you tell me what kind of yeast did you use? Many thanks!
I usually use the quick rise
I made this challah for Rosh Hashanah, and I’ve made a lot of challahs in my time, and yours was incredible! Everyone was raving. I halved the recipe and still got two challahs out of it; and put sesame seeds on top. Kneaded it by hand. Absolutely delicious.
Thank you SO much!! So glad you liked it!
Did you use rapid rise yeast?
No – I didn’t use rapid rise
Hi, I couldn’t find in the link for the braiding a cool form such as the challah on the picture in this recipe! could you please post instructions for this?
Thanks for the recipe, looking forward to try it!!
Here you go: http://www.secretofchallah.com/50708/Braiding-Instructions
Hi! This challah looks gorgeous!
I don’t see any mention of kneading in this recipe; is this no knead challah or is the kneading just a given?
Also, did she use all purpose or bread flour? What brand does she use? Mix by hand or with a mixer?
This seems like a straightforward challah recipe so I’m just trying to unlock the mystery of what makes it the best 🙂
Really looking forward to that babka recipe too!
P.s. thanks for the braiding link – I’m a sucker for new bread shaping designs (like that grape cluster!)
Hi Kristi – Yes, I did in fact knead the dough – I didn’t write it out in the instructions, but probably should have. I didn’t use a mixer, just my hands and slowly kneaded the flour in little by little.
We used all purpose flour and yes, it is pretty straightforward, but I think it was totally delicious. I hope you enjoy it!
Jenn
Great website.. can you make some of these for my barmitzvah?
OMG I just saw this my little Jared…. you are hilarious!!