Honey Challah
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Making Honey Challah is simpler than you think. It just takes a little patience and a warm resting spot for your dough and you’ll have a delicious loaf in no time. This recipe for Honey Challah is sweetened with honey and not cane sugar and makes this loaf incredibly tasty and luscious.
This recipe uses a classic dough enriched with butter, eggs, and honey. The dough is easy to handle. The braiding gives your loaf a bakery level finish. The rise is steady and predictable, which helps you get consistent results each time. Honey challah also reheats well and toasts with crisp edges and a soft center.
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Heather’s Notes
- Braiding adds structure and gives the loaf an attractive finish.
- The enriched dough stays tender due to butter and eggs.
- Honey adds moisture, flavor, and color to the crust.
- The recipe uses accessible pantry ingredients.
- The dough works for single or double braids.
Ingredient List
- Active dry yeast – starts a strong rise and gives the dough steady lift. It helps create the soft interior challah is known for.
- Honey – brings flavor and natural sweetness. It also improves browning and keeps the crumb moist.
- Unsalted butter – enriches the dough and supports the tender, soft texture. It also adds flavor that pairs with the honey.
- Granulated sugar – feeds the yeast and balances the honey. It supports a stable rise.
- Eggs – give color, structure, and richness. They help the bread stay soft.
- Kosher salt – sharpens the flavor and balances the sweetness from honey and sugar.
- All purpose flour – provides structure while keeping the crumb soft.
- Egg wash – gives the braid a shiny crust and deep golden color.
Subs and Variations
- Use instant yeast if you prefer faster activation.
- Replace the honey with maple syrup if you want a different sweetness profile.
- Swap some all purpose flour for bread flour for a chewier texture.
- Add sesame seeds or poppy seeds on top after brushing with egg wash.
- Add a little orange zest to the dough for citrus flavor.
Find the full printable recipe card with exact measurements and step-by-step instructions below.
Step-by-step instructions to make Challah bread
Start out by adding 1 cup of warm tap water to the bowl of your mixer. Add 2 packets of active dry yeast, or 4 1/2 teaspoons if you have it in bulk (yes I use a lot of yeast) and a teaspoon of sugar. Give it a quick stir and then let the yeast get jiggy wit it.
You need a stick of butter at room temp. Or if you’re like me and don’t ever ever ever think ahead, you can remove the cold stick from the fridge and with the wrapper on, mash it down on the counter a couple of times, flipping it over after each mash. It works. Trust me.
You’ll need 1/2 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup of honey, 3 eggs, 2 teaspoons salt and 4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour. Get them all ready as you’ll add them all at once to the blossomed yeast.
Look how fast the yeast blooms. Yeast + Sugar = Love Forever
Add the butter, flour, salt, sugar, honey and eggs and put on the dough hook. Let the hook do the work for about 5 minutes. You don’t want a dry dough, so don’t add more flour.
Slightly sticky and elastic is what you’re going for here.
Drop the dough out on to a lightly floured board and give it about 5 turns and then add it to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel and set in a warm draft free spot for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
I usually warm up my oven for a few minutes on the lowest setting and then turn it off. Leave the light on and let the dough proof for 2 hours.
Punch the dough down and turn out onto a light floured work surface.
Now is the moment when you decide how you want to braid. I am braiding-challenged, so I just do the 3 braid. Challah is typically braided with 6 braids, but like I said….challenged. Divide the dough into 3 or 6 pieces. Whatever floats your braiding boat.
Roll them out to about 14 inches long on the lightly floured surface. I use the silicone mat from Pampered Chef. I love that darned thing. Well, except when it’s time to wash it. Then it’s 2 feet of slippery silicone and it’s not so fun to handle. Enough of that.
Braid it up pretty.
Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I know, I didn’t use parchment, but only because my supermarket was out of it. I probably bought all they had last time I was there.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for another 45 minutes in a draft free area.
Beat up one egg in a small bowl with a fork. Brush the egg over the entire Challah.
I love how it glistens at this point. Gorgeous! Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Now, don’t go get out the jam and butter right after the Challah comes out of the oven. Ok, go ahead. I couldn’t wait either. My son and I had a little afternoon treat of mixed berry jam, Amish roll butter and warm from the oven Honey Challah. It was heaven!
Tips for Storing
- Wrap tightly in plastic or keep in an airtight container.
- Store at room temperature for up to three days.
- Freeze whole or sliced.
- Toast slices straight from the freezer.
- Refresh whole loaves in a warm oven for a few minutes.
Recipe FAQs
The dough should feel smooth and elastic. It should stretch without tearing.
Your oven might run hot. Tent the loaf with foil during baking if it becomes too brown.
Under kneading or short rising times lead to dense crumb. Give the dough full rise time.
Yes. Four or six strand braids give intricate patterns once you learn the technique.
Yes. Chill the dough in the fridge after the first rise. Bring it to room temperature before shaping.
Serve with butter or jam. Use to make French toast or bread pudding.
Related Recipes
- Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Buttermilk Cornbread
- Easy No Knead Bread
- Fresh Strawberry Scones
- Pumpkin Challah Bread Pudding
Honey Challah
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 envelopes active dry yeast, or 4 1/2 teaspoons
- ½ cup granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 ½ cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting, up to 5 cups
- 1 large egg, beaten, for the egg wash
Instructions
- Add the warm water to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. Add the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir briefly and allow to blossom for 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, honey, butter, 3 eggs, salt and 4 1/2 cups flour to the bowl. Starting on the slowest setting, mix with the dough hook until the flour is mostly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, but not completely dry. Add more flour if needed to make a soft craggy ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 5 turns. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat all sides. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise in a warm draft free area for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll out each piece to a 14 inch rope. Pinch the three rope ends together and braid loosely. Pinch the other ends together and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for another 45 minutes in a warm draft free place.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg over the entire surface of the dough. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Notes
Nutrition
* Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Co-Founder at Spiceology | More About Heather…
Heather is a recipe developer and content creator living in Vancouver, Washington. She started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006, almost 20 years ago, as a way to share recipes with friends and family. Heather is also the co-founder of Spiceology , a unique spice company, which she started in 2013. She shares family friendly recipes for easy everyday meals with a gourmet twist.
Starting out with a four-star rating because not sure if the end result. I had to add a lot of flour to get it to “craggy” and even then I stopped adding for fear of it being too dry, so it wasn’t quite “craggy”. The dough was VERY soft and hard to braid because of it. In second rise now, so we’ll see. Have high hopes.
I really love this recipe and hope you will too!
I’ve used this recipe quite a few times, and it’s still my favorite.
Thanks so much!! It’s a definite keeper. And now I need to make some right away!! 🙂
Teaspoons or tablespoons for the yeast? 2 envelopes of Fleischmann’s (which I always considered a standard size) equals 4.33 tablespoons… Dying for a response to make this 🙂
Hi Jessica – sorry for the delay, I was traveling without access to my site. Typical yeast packets such as Red Star or Fleischmans are 2 1/4 teaspoons so you will need 4 1/2 teaspoons of yeast if using bulk. Hope that helps.
I just tried this for the first time and I’m looking for a little help. I’m not well-practiced in the art of bread-making so bear with me. I found that I needed to add quite a bit more flour to get the dough to a point of “workability”…it was too running for me with just 4.5 cups. Then after braiding, which looked great, and baking for 15 min…I saw that my braid sort of “broke open” down the center. Doesn’t look like the pretty braid in your photos…What can I do to prevent this next time? Thanks! Love your photos and instructions.
Oh my….this looks fabulous. I can almost taste the jam on a slice!
I bake challahs every week (it’s my specialty) – and yours is a lovely one!:)
We’ll braid 6 braid Challah soon! Will make some next week and do a step by step. Here’s a hint: “Outside, Inside. Inside, Middle” Yeah….that’s the 6 braid! Just need to get on that 😛 Now I really wanna bakeeeee! 😛
I’ve never made my own challah, but it’s so much tastier and cheaper than the store bought kind! Thanks for the inspiration!
You had me until butter…thought it was a challah.
Lovely! The jam sounds like a perfect match with the challah. Yum!
Wow that bread is truly beautiful!
Oh I have to make this.
In fact, I think I might make this today. I love challah, add honey, and I’m in heaven.
I’ve always wanted to make challah, but thought it was too hard. Love the step by step pictures – it really helps.
Gorgeous! Love the step by step instructions.
This looks amazing!
Gorgeous! A little butter and jam and I’m set for a prefect breakfast with this.
Yay, Challah!! Like your version the texture and consistency inside look perfect!! Great job Heather!
It’s beautiful. Okay now, I really am feeling the need to carbo-load. Dang!!
Now I want to make Challah, LOL! I made Brioche for the first time, oh my Yum!!!! I just love love bread:-) Your Challah looks gorgeous! Hugs, Terra
The challah is BEAUTIFUL! You’ve inspired me… I used to make challah all the time. As a matter of fact, often enough that my son (15y) knows how to make challah as well as I do. Nevertheless, you’ve inspired me to make a loaf. Which then can be enjoyed plain, toasted, as french toast (a personal favorite)… I could go on.
Thanks for the recipe and the gorgeous step by step photos.
Finally, your Farmgirl Gourmet logo gets mega points for logo-recognition. I came over to your recipe via Foodblogs and immediately recognized your logo as someone I follow on Pinterest. Go figure.
Best.
Oh I can’t wait to try this with my home-made Plum jam!!!