Bread Machine Challah (Dough-Only Method, Dairy-Free)

Bread Machine Challah, a traditional Jewish bread, is a golden, eggy, tender, and only slightly sweet yeast bread you can mix and knead in your bread machine, shape by hand, and bake in your oven.

14 slices

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 40

Rising Time 2 15

Total Time 3 25

Ingredients

Dough

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (75 g) water
3 large (150 g) eggs
2½ tablespoons (52 g) honey
1¼ teaspoon (1¼ teaspoon) table salt
¼ cup (50 g) vegetable oil
3 cups (360 g) bread flour
2 teaspoons bread-machine or instant yeast

Egg Wash Glaze

1 (18 g) egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
pinch (pinch) table salt

Instructions

Mix & Knead: Add all ingredients to the bread machine pan: ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons water, 3 large eggs, 2½ tablespoons honey, 1¼ teaspoon table salt, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 3 cups bread flour, and 2 teaspoons bread-machine or instant yeast.
Select the DOUGH cycle and start.
After 12-15 minutes of mixing, check the dough. It should stick to the sides and pull away cleanly. If too sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time. (Usually, only 1 or 2 extra tablespoons of flour, at most, is needed.)
End of DOUGH cycle: The dough should be doubled. If not, let it rise longer until it is. Restart the DOUGH cycle and knead briefly (about 5 seconds) to deflate. Stop the machine, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a smooth ball, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. If you miss the deflate step in the machine, simply do it by hand after removing the dough.
Shape: Roll into a rectangle 9 x 14 inches.
Cut into three or four strips, pinch edges together to make ropes, and braid. (See instructions in the post or watch the video.)
Place the braid on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Or spray with nonstick oil if preferred.
Second Rise: Cover Challah with a towel and allow to rise until almost doubled in size.
Bake: Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C) for about 20 minutes before the bread is ready to bake.
Brush with egg wash.
Bake 30 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature is 190˚F.
Cool one hour before slicing.
Egg Wash: With a whisk or fork, combine 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon water, and a pinch table salt in a small bowl.

Notes

Heads-up: Avoid doubling this recipe. Most bread machines cannot adequately knead more than 4½–5 cups of flour and may overheat. More details here.

Make Ahead: Dough can be refrigerated after the DOUGH cycle or shaped first and chilled overnight. Let rise until soft and puffy before baking.

Freezing Options:

Unbaked dough: Freeze after the DOUGH cycle or after shaping (before final rise). Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Baked: Double-wrap and freeze up to one month. Reheat gently.

Storage tips: Cool completely before storing. Keep unsliced in a plastic bag or bread box. Avoid refrigerating—bread molds faster in humid cold.

Alternative Mixing Methods:

Stand Mixer: Mix until moistened, then knead with a dough hook (speed 2–3) until smooth and elastic (5–10 minutes). Let rise, deflate, and shape as directed.
By Hand: Mix to a shaggy dough, knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic (10–20 minutes). Let rise, deflate, and shape as directed.

Yeast Notes: Active dry yeast may be substituted. Use about ¼ teaspoon more than instant yeast. Dissolving first is optional.

Nutritional Information