Bread Machine Challah, a traditional Jewish bread, is easy to mix up and knead in a bread machine. Remove it at the end of the first rise, and shape into a braid before you let it rise again. Bake in your conventional oven.
If you don’t have a bread machine, see the notes in the recipe for directions using a large stand mixer or making by hand.
Happy Day-After-Thanksgiving!
Challah is said to hold rich symbolism in regards to the daily manna God provided for the Israelites in the desert. Personally, I am reminded of how God sent Jesus to be the bread of life that truly satisfies.
This is a shout-out to all my fellow BSF’ers (Bible Study Fellowship) who have been studying Moses this year. Wouldn’t it be awesome to bake this bread and talk with your family about the way God faithfully took care of His people as recorded in Exodus and continues to do the same today?
Recipe Inspiration
One of my readers recently requested a recipe for Challah to make in the bread machine. That’s all the excuse I needed to experiment. This recipe is closely adapted from the Bread Machine Challah recipe in the wonderful paperback entitled More Bread Machine Magic by Linda Rehberg and Lois Conway.
A closer look at the recipe reveals that it’s quite eggy (recipe calls for 3 eggs) and rich. This bread will stale quickly. What you don’t eat the first day will make good French toast or even bread pudding on succeeding days.
How to make a braid with bread dough:
How do I get the beautiful golden shine on my Challah bread?
Don’t leave off the egg wash. It’s important to produce that lovely shiny, golden glaze characteristic of Challah.
By the way, some people make their bread with four ropes and some put an extra braid on top. I wish I knew how to braid four ropes. I plan to try it next time.
Other posts you might enjoy after this one:
Banana Whole-Wheat Bread-Machine Bread
Break out of your same old banana bread routine. Use those old bananas to make this Banana Whole-Wheat Yeast Bread in your bread machine. It's slightly sweet with a sugar-cardamom mixture sprinkled over the top.
Lemon Pull-Apart Bread Machine Recipe
A simple pull-apart bread flavored with lemon and orange zest that you can make in your bread machine
Skinny Homemade Egg Yolk Noodles: A Holiday Tradition
Recipe and instructions for homemade egg noodles using food processor and simple pasta machine.
Cardamom Bread with a Secret Ingredient (another Bread Machine Recipe)
Cardamom Yeast Bread for the bread machine is a sweet and rich yeast bread, spiced with cardamom. Instructions for mixing and kneading in a bread machine, then shaping and baking in a conventional oven.
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If you have a question or tip to share, please leave it in the regular comments after the recipe so I can answer back. Or, email me privately: paula at saladinajar.com.
Thank you for visiting!
Paula
Bread Machine Challah
Bread Machine Challah, a traditional Jewish bread, is a golden, eggy, tender, and slightly sweet yeast bread you can mix and knead in your bread machine. Shape it by hand and bake in a conventional oven.
Ingredients
Dough
- 3/8 cup water
- 3 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
Egg Wash Glaze
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Heat water until warm and add to bread machine.
- Add remaining ingredients in order given.
- Select dough cycle.
- At the end of dough cycle or whenever dough has risen to double its original size (open the lid and check), remove dough to a floured surface.
- Roll into a rectangle 8 x 14 inches. Cut into three strips. Use fingers to pinch long sides of each strip so you now have 3 cylinder-shaped pieces of dough. (See picture above.)
- Loosely braid strips, tucking each end under braid to make a neat loaf. Place onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicone mat, or you could also spray pan with aerosol oil/flour like Baker's Joy.
- Cover formed Challah with a tea towel and allow to rise until almost doubled. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F about 10 minutes before you are ready to bake.
- Brush entire loaf with egg wash and pop into oven for 40 minutes. Cover after 10-15 minutes to prevent loaf from over-browning.
- Move loaf from cookie sheet to rack and allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing.
Egg wash
- With a whisk or fork, combine egg yolk, water and salt in a small bowl.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 161Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 155mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 4g
Dominique
Wednesday 1st of July 2020
The bread came out great I just have one qualm and that is “3/8 cups of water” I do not have a 1/8 cup I’m not sure that most people have a 1/8 cup. Use 1/3 of a cup of water +1 tablespoon gives you the right amount because trying to measure out 3/8 is stupid.
Paula
Thursday 2nd of July 2020
Hi Dominique, I like your system. Thanks for writing. Maybe that will help someone else who doesn't have a liquid measure that shows 1/8th increments. Glad your challah turned out good.
Karen
Friday 22nd of May 2020
I usually buy Challah and have it delivered with my shopping. It had never occurred to me that I could make it and certainly not using my bread machine. Now because of the Lockdowns the supermarket that delivers my shopping had limited me to ordering one type of bread, so I started looking online for Challah recipes, and this was the one I found with the most highly rated reviews, so I decided to try it. I was amazed first of all at how easy it was, and then at how good it looked and tasted. The first one I made came out perfectly and tasted amazing. I've since made more and added sesame and poppy seeds which were also great. Eating this Challah then reminded me I also love Brioche so my next mission is to make that too. I can't imagine having found this recipe though, that I'll ever actually buy Challah again.
Paula
Sunday 24th of May 2020
Hi Karen,
This is good news. Adding sesame and poppy seeds sound equally delicious. Thanks for writing.
Mollien
Wednesday 15th of April 2020
I started baking bread again because of the coronavirus lockdown. Some things are hard to find including bread machine yeast. Will regular yeast work?
Paula
Thursday 16th of April 2020
Yes. There is a note at the bottom of all my bread recipes (I think) that tells how to do this. In a nutshell, dissolve the same amount of active dry yeast (as specified in the recipe) in about 1/4 cup of the liquid specified in the recipe. First, warm the liquid until it is lukewarm like bath water for a baby. Stir the yeast into the liquid (usually milk or water) until it dissolves. Let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes. Add to the pan along with the remaining ingredients specified in the recipe and proceed as usual.
Happy bread-eating!
Lisa Reskey
Friday 7th of February 2020
It was wonderful!
Paula
Tuesday 11th of February 2020
Thanks for coming back to say so, Lisa.
Christine
Wednesday 3rd of January 2018
Paula, we are trying to stay away from refined sugar and so I was wondering if I could sub honey or maple syrup for the sugar? And if so, would it be the same 1/4 cup? Thanks!
Paula
Thursday 4th of January 2018
Hi Christine, I can understand the sugar bit. However, I have never tried substituting honey. It would probably work but you might have to make some adjustment in the amount of flour or other liquid since the honey is liquid.