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Hi, hi! Happy Sunday!
I am sort of out of words to say today. Well actually, my brain is just a little distracted. I have tons to tell you, but it needs to wait until the time is right.
I am all about the right timing.
Speaking of timing.
I just spent the last hour trying to figure out how to get in all my Christmassy posts before Christmas! How is it only sixteen days away? I have so much to share and so little time.
Oh, and did I mention I have not even given my Christmas shopping a thought. Like not even for a second. I have been too busy making cupcakes, cakes, cinnamon rolls, stir fry, hot cocoa, brownies, burrito bowls, greek food and maybe watching a few too many Christmas movies. 🙂
Today is the day though. I plan on spending my whole day glued to the computer until I am done. It is a good day for online shopping since, one the temps are freezing (we have not gone above zero in days!!) and two, it is snowing pretty good out.
Actually, I am kind of excited now!
This bread is part one of a killer recipe I have in the works. Part two will be coming sometime soon.
And it is good.
But first the bread.
Challah is an egg bread that is incredibly easy to work with and one of my favorites to make.
The dough has three risings, but after any rising you can choose to slow down the process and refrigerate the dough for up to three days. I highly recommend doing this. It helps the bread to develop amazing flavor!
It is great for breakfast, sandwiches, stuffings, sweet desserts and pretty much everything in between.
Plus, it so pretty! If you are entertaining this is the bread to make. It is kind of a stunner!
And fresh out of the oven?
Oh my gosh, SO good and doughy and just delicious!
Oh, and this recipe makes two loaves. Feel free to freeze one loaf or divide the recipe in half. If I were you I would just freeze the dough of one loaf (wrap the unbaked dough in plastic wrap and allow the dough to thaw completely and rise again before baking) to have on hand. Trust me, you will love having this guy in the freezer to put in the oven for a quick bread!
Simple Whole Wheat Challah Bread.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories Per Serving: 465 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 teaspoons (2 packages) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
- 1/2 cup olive oil plus more for greasing the bowl
- 5 large eggs divided
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 4 - 4 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in the warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Whisk the oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining brown sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. You can also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading, but be careful if using a standard mixer. This amount of dough actually broke my 7 quart mixer, but my mixer was already going, so I am not sure it was entirely the dough's fault.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5-10 minutes. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. (At this point you can let the dough sit, overnight in the fridge or continue on to the next rising.) Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour. (Again, at this point you can let the dough sit, overnight in the fridge or continue on to the next rising.)
- To make a 3-braid challah, divide the dough in half and place one half in the oiled bowl and cover. Take the remaining half of the dough and form it into 3 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Bring the right outside rope over the center rope; that rope now becomes the center. Bring the left outside rope over the new center rope; that rope now becomes the center. Continue braiding until you reach the end. Pinch the ropes together to seal.
- If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Allow the bread to rise another hour or place it in the fridge to rise overnight.
- When ready to bake, brush loaves again with the egg wash. Sprinkle bread with sesame seeds, if using.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool loaves on a rack.
- The bread can be frozen unbaked or baked.
Notes
Adapted from [Smitten Kitchen | http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/09/best-challah-egg-bread/]
And the crust? Down right incredible!
Hi I noticed the all purpose flour is that used for the surface flour?
HI! Yes, it’s used on the surface and for the dough as well. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Recipe is good, but the cuisine is not American. Challah is traditionally and ethnically Jewish and saying that it isn’t is inappropriate and cultural appropriation.
Hi Michelle! I am really glad you enjoyed this bread, it is one of my favorites! I apologize if I offended you by not mentioning the origins of this recipe, which I understand I should have. I know this is not American, and I did not say that it was. Again, I am sorry and will be more careful to make sure I state where my recipes originate from! Thank you! xTieghan
Hi! Making this right now and plan on freezing half of the dough. If I take the dough out of the freezer and let it thaw and rise, would that be considered it’s fourth rise? After it’s “fourth” rise, would I punch it down again to braid it and then let it rise once more? Any more insight or direction on how to handle the dough if you are planning on freezing it would be helpful. Thanks so much. I am so excited!!
Hey Rachel! So sorry for the delay. Yes, I would consider that the 4th rise. I would punch it down, then braid and let rise once more before baking. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Hi Tiegan!
Just made for the first time. Letting it rise currently. I subbed honey for brown sugar because I ran out of brown sugar. Thoughts? Also I had to add a lot more whole wheat flour to get it to kneading consistency… like 3 extra cups. Does that make sense? And will that be ok? Thanks so much!! Excited to try this recipe! Also I am an avid challah maker so this is fun to try whole wheat challah!
Hey Samantha,
Sorry, I have never tried with honey instead of brown sugar, it might work ell for you! 3 cups of extra flour sounds like a lot! Let me know how it turns outs! xTieghan
I halved this recipe because my partner and I can’t get through bread quickly enough and I’m not big on preparing food for later (it just sits in my freezer for way too long!). My only issue with the recipe was when it told to add the four eggs – I forgot I halved! However, the bread still turned out well. Not amazing but well! Will be making again.
Thank you so much Sierra! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
Hi. Planning to make the whole wheat challah from half baked harvest. Can I substitute the instant yeast with dry active yeast?? Would this method work with it?
Hi Rhea,
Yes this will work. You will need to dissolve the yeast into the warm water until it bubbles. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Been a bread baker for over 60 years – however, never made a Challah. I’ve copied this recipe to make (soon) – my problem: the recipe calls for 4-4+1/2 C WW flour or WWW flour; then calls for additional 4 C A-P flour. 8-8+1/2C flour? Sounds like just way too much. Don’t want to start till I get my measured items ready in correct amounts. Respectfully – NanaDD
HI! The measurements are all correct. This makes 2 loafs of bread, so all the flour is needed. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and I hope you had Merry Christmas! Sorry my response is a bit late! xTieghan
Hi, I am looking for a recipe for Whole Wheat egg bread. this looks nice but its only 1/2 whole wheat..
Hi George, sorry I don’t have an all whole wheat. If you want to make this all whole weat, just swap out the all-purpose for whole wheat flour. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
So I’m trying your recipe but confused in one area. After braiding the loaves, do you let it rise another hour with the oven on for an hour or do you bake it immediately???
Hi there! You need to let the loaves the rise an additional hour. You can turn the oven oven before you need to bake. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Love all challah and wondering if I could bake this and slice it up for some very basic Pb & Js or if you would recommend an alternative bread recipe for such? Thanks Tieghan!❤️
Hey Gia! PB&J will be DELICIOUS on this bread!! Yum! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Not clear about the half of the dough you put in the bowl. You never mention it again in the instructions.
The second half of dough is used to make the second loaf of dough. does this make sense? Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
hi there!
confused on the yeast amount— it looks like it reads “2 tsp packages active dry yeast 4 1/2”
is it 2 tsps of yeast?
thank you so much!
next up, stalking your site for rosemary bread 🙂
so sorry about that. Recipe is all fixed!! It 4 1/2 teaspoons or 2 packages of yeast. Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love this bread! 🙂
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Hello,
What kind of sheet do you bake it on?
Thanks!
Trish Pines
Hi Trish! I just use a regular baking sheet pan. So one you might bake cookies on or roast veggies on. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you!
This is my first time making Challah. I halved the recipe to make sure I could complete 1 loaf instead of screwing up 2. It turned out wonderful! I cannot wait to celebrate the new year.
So happy this went awesome for you, Megan! Thank you!
I’m going to make some thick cut french toast with that challah bread.