Bread Machine Brioche with Secrets To Help You Master the Recipe

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Sneak Peek: You can make a fabulous bread machine brioche easier than you ever imagined. Brioche can be tricky with so many eggs and all that butter. Thankfully, a bread maker is your secret weapon. Don’t worry, I’ve included lots of pictures and a video to help you.

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Yes! You can make genuine buttery brioche with a bread maker. Although this recipe can be challenging for beginning bakers, I’ve included many tips and tricks to help you achieve success.

Four Things To Know Before You Start

  1. This recipe requires more time and attention than the average bread machine recipe. If you are rushed, baking for somebody else and wanting perfection, or throwing a dinner party for the boss, you may want to try my Hawaiian Bread Rolls or Challah instead. They are easier and taste fabulous–very close to the ones in the store, and contain much less butter and eggs than brioche.
  2. This recipe is designed to be mixed in a bread machine, then baked in a conventional oven. If you are looking for a recipe you can mix and bake in your machine, this may not be the one for you. The steps and timing of true brioche require a brain, something a bread machine does not have.
  3. When making this bread, avoid letting the dough get too warm at all costs. If it happens, the butter will “bleed out” and turn the dough into a greasy mess. Temperatures and timing are important.
  4. The dough must be chilled for 4-24 hours after the first rise. This step is essential for shaping the dough and fully developing the yeast flavors. After shaping and before baking, the dough needs 2-3 hours to rise. Planning ahead is advised. On the other hand, the range of chilling time allows for flexibility.

Happy cooks speak up

“I just wanted to say that this is a really fantastic recipe, I’d tried others before that didn’t work but this really does. I even managed to make it using dairy free butter for my son who’s allergic to dairy and it worked a treat. Thank you!”LISSIE

Addendum 08/10/23: I have recently revised and changed this recipe to make it easier and more dependable–as much as one can do with brioche. If you printed it off in the past, you might want to update it with a new copy. Sorry for the inconvenience. I can never stop tweaking my recipes. I think you will enjoy this more than ever.

What Makes Brioche Different from Other Breads?

Brioche is a finely textured, rich, buttery, and eggy bread. It may remind you of Challah, Egg Bread, or a rich dinner roll, but they are NOT the same. When done right, you can pull a brioche bread apart in layers, and the crust will be almost flaky.

Some bread machine recipes claim to be brioche, but the gluten is not well-developed (resulting in a texture like cake), or the butter and eggs have been reduced to make the recipe easier.

Butter and eggs are what make brioche unique…and challenging. It’s not a diet bread, but who cares when it tastes this fantastic. If you execute this recipe correctly, it will give you the same satisfaction as making a perfect sourdough loaf without any commercial starter. The thrill of sharing it with friends will be hard to contain.

How Do I Shape Brioche?

You’ll find instructions below for making brioche burger buns, simple rolls in muffin cups, and a loaf. Or go for the traditional fluted shape with a little hat.

The traditional way to shape brioche

The French call it brioche à tête (with a hat). After making many buns with lopsided caps and ugly surfaces, I devised a cheater method. I made a picture board to show you how I do it. Look for it in the shaping section below.


Ingredients and Substitutions

  • MILK: Use dairy milk (with any fat percentage). This recipe has not been tested with non-dairy milk.
  • FLOUR: I prefer unbleached all-purpose flour. Some people like bread flour for brioche, but I vote for the softer all-purpose flour, which results in a more tender texture that brioche is known for.
  • EGGS: Large-size eggs are all I use. You may have to adjust the liquid if you need or want to use a different size.
  • SUGAR: This recipe has only been tested with granulated sugar.
  • SALT: Use table salt or sea salt. If using Kosher salt, add a 1/4 teaspoon more.
  • BUTTER: I use unsalted butter as opposed to salted butter. If you only have salted butter, cut back on the salt in the recipe.
    • I also like to use “European butter” because it contains less water. If you have a Braum’s store nearby, they run good sales on their European-style butter quite often. Stock up.
    • Regarding substitutes, butter is the star of the show! No substitutes are allowed at my house. Of course, you can experiment with something else, but I can’t recommend anything from experience.
  • YEAST: Instant or bread machine yeast is my go-to for all bread machine recipes. Add a quarter of a teaspoon extra if you must substitute active dry yeast.
    • Many people who use active dry yeast like to dissolve it first. According to King Arthur Flour, this step is no longer necessary with modern formulations, but it’s OK to do it if you prefer.

Kitchen Secrets for Making Brioche with a Bread Machine

1. Don’t warm the ingredients before adding them to the pan.

Unless frozen, you can and should use the eggs, butter, flour, and yeast straight from the refrigerator. It is important that the dough doesn’t get too warm, or the butter will leak out of the dough and cause a greasy mess that is impossible to salvage without adding lots of flour, which leads to dense brioche.

2. The dough seems too sticky. Can I add more flour?

This dough is completely different from most breads. If you follow my “surprising secret for making better bread with a bread machine,ignore that technique for this recipe.

For this discussion, I will assume you weighed the ingredients accurately. The dough will be very sticky, which is why a bread machine is a fabulous way to knead this bread.

Let the machine do its magic and knead the dough, which builds the gluten, and eventually, the dough will begin to hold its shape and become a stretchy and supple dough. It will still be sticky with dough on the bottom under the paddles at the end of the DOUGH cycle. However, after the dough rises and is chilled, handling the dough is not difficult unless it warms up before you finish.

3. The Tangzhong trick

The Tangzhong method is a great way to increase the percentage of liquid in a bread recipe without resulting in a runny, sticky mess. The result is a moister bread with a better texture that stays fresh longer. In addition, the dough is easier to handle.

Overcooking the milk and flour mixture may cause it to become a blob, too thick to blend into your dough correctly. Throw it out and start over.

Let this mixture cool slightly before adding it to the bread pan. If it is too warm, your dough mixture may become greasy.

4. Adding the butter

Over time, I have changed the way I do this. Now I add the butter after the machine has kneaded the first for a couple of minutes. The easiest way I’ve found to add butter when using a bread machine is to chop the cold butter (straight out of the fridge). Then squish it through your fingers as you add it to the dough while the machine is kneading. This will help the butter to incorporate as quickly as possible.

5. Removing rolls from the pan

Getting rolls out of the pan uninjured can be challenging. Try using a spray butter/flour mixture like Baker’s Secret (paid link). (I can’t tell you how handy this stuff is if you bake a lot.) Generously spray each cavity if you use a standard muffin pan. 

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Newsflash: My sticking problems were solved when I discovered these individual silicone plastic pans/molds (paid link). Same thing with USA baking pans (paid link). You don’t have to grease them ahead of time. Nothing sticks to them.

6. Make the dough ahead of time.

Brioche is a bit of trouble because the prepared dough needs a long chill (6-24 hours). This is not optional. Not only does it give time for the butter to bond with the flour, it allows more time for the yeast flavor to develop. On the plus side, you can make the dough the day before baking. This detail makes brioche perfect for your Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Sunday dinner menu.

Please note that the rising period after forming the rolls is usually 2-3 hours, depending on the ambient temperature. So you will have plenty of time to focus on other last-minute details.

7. Use exam gloves when shaping the dough.

The dough should be well-chilled when you are ready to shape it. Gloves will help protect the dough from getting too soft due to your warm hands while handling the dough.


How To Mix and Knead Bread Machine Brioche

mixing milk and flour to make the microwave TangzhongPin
Make the Tangzhong paste: Whisk one tablespoon of flour and 1/3 cup of milk together and cook in the microwave until thickened.
Chopping cold butter before adding it to the dough.Pin
Before you start the dough, chop the cold butter into small pieces.
adding all ingredients to the bread machine panPin
Add Tangzhong paste, cold eggs, sugar, salt, part of the flour (2¼ cups), and yeast to a cold bread machine pan. (Yes I put the pan in the freezer or fridge before I start when my kitchen is warm.) Select the DOUGH cycle and start.

This dough is so tricky!! I will show you pictures of the dough as it passes through the various mixing and kneading stages. Because bread machines are programmed differently, your DOUGH cycle may not be exactly like mine. I hope these pictures will help. Note: Do not use the preheat feature for this dough. Either turn it off or start the DOUGH cycle and let the preheat phase run out before you add the ingredients.

Dough should clump like this within the first minute of mixing.Pin
After the first minute of mixing, the dough will look dry, rough, and shaggy, but clumps should start to form immediately.
using fingers to squeeze pliable butter into the dough as it mixes.Pin
Within the first two minutes of mixing, open the lid and squish pliable butter through your fingers, two tablespoons at a time. Do this as the machine continues to knead. I like to wear gloves to keep the butter from getting soft from the body heat from my hands.
all ingredients have been added--dough in the pan is quite sticky.Pin
After adding all the butter to this dough, the color is lighter, but the texture is not very smooth. The dough will be very sticky and messy at this point.
adding the remaining flour to the sticky doughPin
Add the remaining ½ cup of flour. Close the lid and let the machine knead. Check back when you hear the add-in beep or about 5 minutes before the kneading is due to end.
The dough is not holding its shape but still sticks to the walls.Pin
At the end of the kneading cycle, the dough should hold its shape, but it won’t be shiny. It will still stick to the sides and then pull away with reluctance, if at all. A thin layer of dough may coat the bottom of the pan. This is OK.

If your dough looks like the picture above, I urge you not to add more flour. After the dough chills overnight, it won’t be sticky anymore (unless it is allowed to warm up before you shape it).

The dough should double in size as shown in this picture by the end of the DOUGH cycle.Pin
When the dough has doubled in size, pull it out of the pan onto a lightly floured surface like the silicone baking mat seen below.
Pulling the dough out of the bread machine pan.Pin
The dough should be light and fluffy and will seem fragile. Use a light touch. Go easy on the flour.
folding the dough before chilling.Pin
Use your hands to fold the dough lightly 4-5 times to compress the bubbles.
forming dough into a smooth ball.Pin
Flip the dough over to reveal a beautiful, smooth surface. Drop the dough into a large bowl.
cover dough before moving to the fridge.Pin
Cover and refrigerate for the next 4-24 hours before shaping. This is non-negotiable. The dough must be chilled for several hours!

There are many ways to shape brioche dough. Take your pick from the ones listed below, or do your own thing. If you want something fancier, take a look at this Pumpkin Brioche Twist for inspiration and direction.

How To Shape Easy Dinner Rolls Using a Muffin Pan

Remove the chilled brioche dough from the fridge and place it onto a lightly floured surface. I like to work raisins into half of the dough and sprinkle the glazed top with sanding sugar before baking. Guests and friends have a choice of sweet or plain. Most will want to try both.

There’s something exciting about having a choice when it comes to a bread basket, cookies, or sandwiches.

a Paula-ism
Portioning dough with a bench knife before shaping rolls.Pin
For 12 rolls: Use a bench scraper or knife to divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Then, divide each of those portions in half. Roll each portion into a ball.

📌Kitchen Tip📌: I like to roll all of the dough into balls before placing any of them into the cupcake pan holes. Pair balls together that look exactly the same size. They bake up prettier that way.

rolls inside a muffin tin ready for the final proofing stage.Pin
Cover and let rolls rise until double. This usually takes 2-3 hours. Brush with glaze and bake at 375˚F (190˚C) for 13 minutes until the internal temperature measures 190˚F (88˚C).

How To Make Sugar-Crusted Raisin Brioche

SUGAR-CRUSTED RAISIN BRIOCHEPin
Add raisins or currants to your dough before you shape it. Then, go fancy and sprinkle your rolls with sanding sugar after you glaze them.
  • Add 3/4 cup of raisins or currants to the dough a couple of minutes before the kneading cycle ends in the bread machine. Some machines will beep when it’s time to add fragile ingredients.
  • For rolls that look like those pictured, divide the dough into 24 equally-sized portions after the overnight chill, then roll them into balls. 
  • Place two balls side-by-side into each cup of a muffin pan.
  • Next, allow the formed rolls to rise for about 2-3 hours until light and doubled in size.
  • Finally, glaze and sprinkle rolls with coarse sugar before baking.

How To Shape Brioche Burger Buns

Brioche is having a moment as a “burger bun.” One of my favorite recipes for fresh salmon patties suggests a brioche bun. The idea launched me into an obsession with making these buns at home.

Buns are as easy to make as balls. Portion them a little bigger and smash them. More instructions are included below.

log of brioche doughPin
Form dough into a log.
portioning brioche dough with a bench scraperPin
Cut your log into pieces. I like ten. If you want sliders, cut more pieces. Make more than one size if you want to please everybody.
forming burger bunsPin
Form each portion into a ball and flatten it on the Silpat or parchment-paper-lined baking tray with your fingers.
placing dough for hamburger buns into a bun pan and flattening with a burger pounderPin
Or use a hamburger bun pan and flatten the dough to fill the cup with a burger pounder.
brioche buns made in a bread machine on a platePin
After rising to almost double their original size, press each bun down gently with your fingers or a weight to ensure they bake evenly. Don’t worry. They pop right up once you put them into the oven. Paint with the glaze and sprinkle with seeds if desired, then bake at 350˚F (180˚C) for 15 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 195˚F (90˚C).

How To Shape a Brioche Loaf

Brioche, shaped like a loaf, is quick to put together. I’ve tried several ways, but the pictures below show my favorite. Dividing the dough into four pieces instead of one helps avoid a blow-out on the sides as the bread bakes.

Sliced brioche makes a sophisticated grilled cheese sandwich or French toast. You can also make a scrumptious bread pudding with day-old cubed brioche bread.

rolling out dough for a loafPin
Roll out the dough into an 11 x 16-inch rectangle with the long side nearest you. Roll up, starting with the long side. Divide into four equal parts, as seen below.
making a log and cutting into quartersPin
Place rolls into a loaf pan as pictured. This is a 9 x 4 Pullman pan, but you could also use a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
glazing loaf before bakingPin
Cover with a shower cap or tea towel. Let rise until almost double in size. Brush with glaze. Bake at 350˚F (180˚C) for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190-200˚F.

A Foolproof Way To Make the Classic Brioche à Tête

This is my method for keeping the hats straight.

traditional Brioche rolls with jelly on the side and a cup of coffee.Pin
Bake at 375˚F (190˚C) for 13-15 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 190˚F (88˚C).

.

FAQ About Bread Machine Brioche

Can I bake this bread in my bread machine?

No. I suggest you don’t even try making brioche from beginning to end in a bread machine. Authentic Brioche is a delicate dough with completely different timing than the average loaf. Instead, let your bread maker do what it does best–mix and knead the dough. After the dough sits in the refrigerator overnight, shape it by hand and bake it in your oven for bread worth sharing.

I followed the directions exactly. Why is my brioche dough so sticky?

Brioche dough is not like most bread. It will be sticky in the beginning, middle, and end–until you chill it. If you add flour until the dough is no longer sticky, your bread will be too dense and not representative of the classic feathery light brioche.

Why is my brioche dough greasy?

At some point, the dough got too warm.
1. Did you warm the ingredients? Not necessary.
2. Did you let the Tangzhong mixture cool down before adding the other ingredients? Tip: Place your bread machine pan in the freezer before you start this recipe. Pour the hot Tangzhong mixture into the pan first, and the paste will cool down instantly.
3. Was the area too warm where you placed the bread machine or the shaped bread to rise? (This includes the bread machine itself during the first rise incorporated into the DOUGH cycle.) If you have a quick-read thermometer (paid link), check it. The optimum temperature for proofing this dough is around 75˚F (24˚C).
4. Be sure to read the next question and answer. It may be the fault of your bread machine if it doesn’t knead efficiently.

I have an old machine that doesn’t knead heavy dough very well. What can I do?

Try using a large stand mixer instead of a bread machine. You need power to mix the butter into the dough. If it takes your machine too long to do this, the dough will get too warm from the friction and melt the butter in the process. As I’ve repeated several times, too much heat will transform your dough into a greasy mess.

How long does brioche stay fresh?

Brioche bread is like a donut. Best the day it’s made. Toast it the next day or two. After that, use it to make a decadent bread pudding.


Parting thoughts: Make cinnamon rolls or braided loaves if you are more adventurous. Just about anything you can do with a standard sweet-roll recipe, you can do with brioche. The variations are truly endless.



Recipe Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.

Yield: 12 rolls

Bread Machine Brioche Recipe

Now you can make classic brioche in your bread machine, then shape it by hand to meet your specific needs before baking it in a conventional oven. I kindly recommend taking a moment to read the entire recipe from start to finish before getting started.
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Video

Prep time: 3 hours
Cook time: 15 minutes
overnight chill and final rise time: 11 hours
Total time: 14 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients
 

Tangzhong Paste

  • cup (76 g) milk
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose unbleached flour

Dough:

  • ¾ cup (168 gr) unsalted butter (1½ sticks) cold but pliable
  • 4 large (200 g) eggs cold
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon table or sea salt
  • cups (300 gr) all-purpose unbleached flour
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose unbleached flour

Glaze:

  • 1 large (50 g) egg
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Instructions

Making the Tangzhong Paste:

  • Combine ⅓ cup (76 g) milk and 1 tablespoon all-purpose unbleached flour in a microwave-safe container. Whisk until smooth. Microwave this mixture for 45 seconds on HIGH, stopping halfway to whisk well. The mixture should turn into a thick “gravy” consistency.
  • Place the Tangzhong paste into the fridge to cool down. When room temperature or cooler, pour it into the bread machine pan. (Or do as I do and place your bread machine pan in the freezer when you walk into the kitchen to make bread. After making the paste, pull the pan out of the freezer and pour the paste into it to cool it down instantly.)

Completing the Dough:

  • Chop refrigerator-cold butter and set aside.
  • Add 4 large (200 g) eggs, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon table or sea salt, 2½ cups (300 gr) all-purpose unbleached flour, and 2 teaspoons instant yeast to the bread maker pan.
  • Choose the DOUGH cycle and press the “START” button. Mix and knead the dough for 1-2 minutes. Use a small spatula to ensure all the flour is incorporated into the dough. The dough will look sticky and wet, like crumbly cookie dough batter.
  • After the initial two minutes of kneading described in the previous step, open the lid and add ¾ cup (168 gr) unsalted butter (1½ sticks), two tablespoons at a time, as the machine kneads. The butter should be colder than room-temperature but pliable. Open the lid and squish the butter through your fingers into the dough as it kneads. Try to accomplish this quickly. If necessary, use a small spatula to push the dough around so it will mix evenly.
    Don’t answer the phone while you do this. You don’t want the butter to get warm.
  • When you finish adding the butter, dump the remaining ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose unbleached flour into the bread machine pan as it kneads. It will continue to be wet and sticky, but that’s OK. Close the lid and ignore it.
    As your dough kneads, the gluten will build strength, and the dough will begin to hold its shape. However, the dough will continue to stick to the sides and pull away reluctantly but not cleanly. Resist adding more flour, unless the dough won’t pull away from the sides at all. Then, add no more than one tablespoon.
  • When the kneading phase ends, leave the dough in the bread machine pan to rise. Hint: I prefer to remove the pan from the machine so the bread machine doesn’t warm the dough and cause it to get greasy. Cover the dough and let it rise on the counter until it doubles. Don’t let the ambient temperature rise above 75˚F or 24˚C for best results.

Chilling the Dough Before Shaping:

  • Remove the dough from the bread machine pan onto a lightly floured work surface. (I like a silicone mat that goes into the dishwasher when I’m done.)
  • Fold the dough several times to make a smooth ball. Drop the dough into a large bowl and cover. Refrigerate at least 4 hours up to 24 hours. Do not skip this step. If you don’t have time for the chill, you might want to make another variety of bread.
  • Remove the dough from the fridge and shape as desired. (See options below.) Work quickly since the dough will get sticky as it warms up.

Mixing the glaze:

  • Whisk together 1 large (50 g) egg and 1 tablespoon heavy cream.

Instructions for shaping “brown and serve” type rolls (makes 12 rolls):

  • Remove the dough from the refrigerator onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a rough ball. Use a bench scraper or a knife to divide the dough into 12 equally-sized portions. Divide each of those portions in half.
  • Roll each portion into a ball. Place two balls of dough side by side into a greased muffin pan (unless using a USA pan). Cover and allow to rise until doubled.
  • Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C) about 15 minutes before the rolls are ready to bake.
  • Brush with egg glaze and bake in a preheated oven at 375˚F (190˚C).

Instructions for shaping burger buns:

  • Form dough into 2 logs.
  • Cut each log into 5 equally-sized pieces. If you want sliders, cut more pieces. You get to decide. Make more than one size if you want to please everybody.
  • Form each portion into a ball and flatten it somewhat with your fingers on the Silpat or parchment-paper-lined baking tray.
  • Cover each bun with plastic wrap and smash it. (I like to use a transparent glass pie plate so I can see how evenly I’m smashing the bun.) Cover with a tea towel and allow to proof for 2-3 hours until the buns double in size.
  • After rising to almost double their original size, press each bun gently and evenly with your fingers. Don’t worry. They pop right back once you put them in the oven.
  • Preheat a conventional oven to 425 F (220 C).
  • Paint with the glaze. Turn oven temperature back to 350 °F (180˚C) and bake for 15 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 195˚F or 90˚C.
  • Remove bread onto a cooling rack.

Shaping a classic brioche with a topknot:

  • Place dough on a lightly floured board. Lightly knead and mold into a ball. Divide in half. Cut each half into 6 pieces, then divide in half again to make 12 rolls.
  • Pull off a small amount of dough from each of the 12 balls to make hats. Roll all portions into little balls. The smoother, the better. Practice helps. Place one large ball in each silicone mold or fill a muffin tin. Use your thumb (gloved) or the handle end of a wooden spoon to press a big hole in the middle, almost to the bottom. Place all small balls on top of the big hole.
  • Cover rolls with a tea towel and allow them to rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size. This may take 1.5-3 hours.
  • Brush the glaze on each roll. Place individual molds or muffin pans onto a cookie sheet to keep the bottoms from over-browning.
  • Preheat a conventional oven to 425 F (220 C). Then reduce the temperature to 350˚F (180˚C) and bake the rolls for about 15 minutes. Loosely cover rolls with foil if the tops are getting too dark. Internal temperature should reach 195˚F or 90˚C.
  • Allow the rolls to cool for a couple of minutes. Turn out onto a cooling rack.
  • Best eaten the same day but also good toasted the next day.

Shaping a brioche loaf:

  • Roll out the dough into a 11 x 16-inch rectangle with the long side in front of you.
  • Roll up dough, starting with the long side closest to you. Divide into four equal parts.
  • Place each roll perpendicular to the long side of a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan or a 9 x 4 Pullman pan.
  • Cover with a tea towel or shower cap. Allow dough to rise until it reaches the top of the pan.
  • Preheat a conventional oven to 425 F (220 C).
  • Brush the loaf with glaze.
  • Set oven temperature back to 350˚F (180˚C). Bake for 30-35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 195˚F or 90˚C. Cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil if the top starts to get too brown.
  • Let the bread cool for about 10 minutes before removing it from the pan to a cooling rack.

Notes

Variation: Sugar-Crusted Raisin Brioche
  • Add 3/4 cup of raisins or currants to the dough a couple of minutes before the end of the dough cycle. Continue with step #7 in the general directions above.
Shaping Raisin Brioche
  • Divide the dough into 24 equally-sized portions after the overnight chill, then roll into balls. 
  • Place two balls side-by-side in each cup of a muffin pan.
  • Next, allow the formed rolls to rise for about 2 hours.
  • Finally, glaze and sprinkle rolls with sugar and bake according to the directions above.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 367mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 436IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com

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21 Comments

  1. Hey, Paula! I am intrigued, but I just can’t do bread experiments in this heat! I am impressed that you can. I have been baking extra loaves on cooler (NOT COOL) days and freezing them. However, I may try this when it gets cooler. It looks fabulous! I have never tried brioche, but I do make a bread that is similar called Portuguese Sweet Bread.

    1. Hi Becky,
      I love Portuguese bread. My Cardamom bread is similar in texture and sweetness. I understand about heat and bread. It can be challenging.

  2. Instead of making rolls, I’d like to make a King Cake. Do you think this recipe would lend itself to that?

    1. Hi Rose,
      Possibly. I looked at a traditional recipe, and they seem to be similar. Sounds like a fun experiment.

  3. Hi Paula,

    The dough cycle for my bread machine (West Bend) begins the first rise 10 minutes into the cycle. So, by 15 minutes, the dough has already formed into a ball, as one commenter has observed. I attempted to correct this by restarting the cycle and adding it in the kneading phase.

    Should I just start over and add the butter around 5 minutes of the knead cycle?

    Thanks,
    Madeline

    1. Hi Madeline,
      Yes, start over and add the cheese. You may have to help the machine a bit by pushing the butter into the dough with a spatula as you add it.

  4. Absolute disaster. I followed your recipe to the letter and came out a buttery mess! Maybe this recipe works for some people but not for me! Ouch!

    1. Hi Rick,
      I’m so sorry your bread did not turn out. Brioche can be tricky with all that butter. If you will send me an email, I am eager to troubleshoot with you. Give me as many details as you can.

  5. I have my bread in my machine right now, but I’m following your directions, I don’t think it will come out correctly. I set timers to check the dough and to add the butter, but by the time I added the butter it’s not incorporating because the dough is already in a ball. I’ve restarted the knead cycle in hopes to salvage it, but I don’t think there’s any hope. I guess I’ll try again at some point and adjust my times. Do you have any other suggestions?

    1. Hi Melissa,

      You may need to help the butter incorporate into the dough by pushing it into the dough with a small spatula as you add it. See the video.

  6. Margaret Ford says:

    My bread machine has a receptacle for adding the dry yeast. Can I still add it there or should I bypass that and add according to the instructions?

    1. Hi Margaret,

      I would bypass it. Just lay it on top of the flour as long as flour is the last ingredient you add.

  7. Wonderful recipe. I wanted a slightly more cake like stollen, so thought I would try this recipe and add red & green candied cherries. It was just what I had hoped for. Thank you!

    1. Fantastic Jori. You’re my kind of cook. Experiment until you figure out what suits you perfectly. Good job!

  8. I just wanted to say that this is a really fantastic recipe, I’d tried others before that didn’t work but this really does. I even managed to make it using dairy free butter for my son who’s allergic to dairy and it worked a treat. Thank you!

    1. Oh Lissie, I’m so glad to hear this. I’ve never made these with dairy-free butter. Happy to know that’s an option.

  9. Can I use unbleached enriched artisan bread flour For the brioche recipe? I plan on making the brioche with the raisins and sanding sugar…The brand of the flour is bobs red mill..Also, can the milk be either whole milk or low-fat milk? Thanks for your reply!

    1. Hi Ingrid,
      Yes, that flour should work just fine. Regarding the milk: whole milk will result in a richer (and more delicious) product, but low-fat will work, too.

  10. Hi. I plan to try the brioche recipe, but I have a question before starting. Milk is listed as 1/3 cup in the ingredients section, but the instructions indicate making the tang zhong with 1 tablespoon of flour and 1/3 cup of milk, and then adding an additional 1/4 cup of milk. So which is correct, (a) 1/3 cup of milk or (b) 1/3 + 1/4 cups of milk?

    1. Mel, You are very observant. I tested and changed this so many times. Looks like I missed deleting the instructions to add additional 1/4 cup of milk. I have corrected the recipe.

      Let me say it another way so there will be no misunderstanding. You will need only 1/3 cup of milk to make the Tangzhong. You WILL NOT need to add any more milk.

      Let me know how these turn out for you if you try them.

  11. 5 stars
    Hey there! I found your brioche recipe via a search for brioche on Foodgawker. I simplified it even more but baking it in a pullman loaf pan. The result is most beautiful toast ever to grace the planet.

    I wanted to thank you for posting this recipe. I have made many types of bread before but never tackled brioche as I thought it would be too complicated (I don’t know where I got this idea!) and your encouragement to just dump in all the stuff and mix for 15 min – really worked! It was a very beautiful dough, I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t cool the dough, against your warning, and still achieved a slice of toast the likes of which I have never encountered.

    Really, thanks so much!