Use this tried and true recipe—and nobody will believe that you used spelt flour!
I casually mentioned to my sister that I was trying a new spelt challah recipe one week after the previous attempt failed miserably. She told me to stop searching because she’d had the best spelt challah the week before made by her son’s mother-in-law. When the batch I was trying didn’t turn out great, I asked her to get me that recipe. And I’ve been making it since. Mrs. Marmorstein was happy to share it with all of the Between Carpools audience, so now you can all enjoy the fluffiest and most flavorful spelt challah you’ve ever tried!
The Best Spelt Challah Recipe
Cook time
Total time
Ingredients
- 15.5 cups of white spelt flour (that’s 2 kg plus 2.5 cups and a bit less than 5 lbs)
- 5 cups very warm water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons sea salt
- 3 tablespoons dry yeast
- ¾ cup oil
Instructions
- Put 1 cup of water, yeast, and sugar in a mixer bowl. Let proof until bubbly and foamy - 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the rest of the water.
- Slowly add most of the flour.
- Add the salt to the remaining flour, mix well and add to the mixer.
- Add oil and mix for an additional 10 minutes.
- Set dough aside to rise in a clean, greased bowl and cover (or just use a clean non-scented garbage bag like I do). Let the dough rise for an hour and knead it down until there are no air bubbles.
- Take challah, braid and then let rise for an additional hour.
- Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Brush with egg wash and add topping of your choice. Bake for 40 minutes.
For more challah recipes and tips click here.
How many loaves does this recipe yield?
It depends on how you divide it. I make 8 medium sized loaves from one batch, but you could definitely make 10 smaller ones or 6 large ones.
Can the dough rise in the fridge if I need more time ?
I always make the dough Thursday night. Oiled and covered. It’s perfect challah. I use it plain, pretzel, stuffed w roasted garlic… best it is FIVE stars but it won’t let me rate!
No eggs?? ..or is that a typo?!
Not a typo – no eggs!
Any way to make this 5 pounds so can make a bracha on hafrasha?
Can you swap with honey?
I haven’t tried it like that, but I think it would. Let us know if you try it!
Can I use whole spelt flour with this recipe?
I did the first time I made this, by accident, and I think it tastes much better than with white spelt
Happy to see a recipe with only a little sugar. Are these challahs not so sweet?
These are not sweet challahs. Perfect for enjoying with savory dips!
I’ve have been making a delicious spelt challah for the past 6 months that is also delicious and very light. The first time I served it my husband couldn’t believe it was spelt and still so delicious and light as a feather. I’ve passed it on to do many people and everyone had the same reaction. I got one will not go back to regular or whole wheat challah again!! If you want I’ll be happy to share it!
Please share
Please share !!
Please share
I would love that recipe!
Would love to get the spelt challah recipe, thank you
Pls can you share it . Thanks
Hi. Can you please share your spelt challah recipe with me?
Please can I have your spelt recipe
Hi Beth. Can you please share your spelt recipe?
If youre in the US can you tell us how much flour we would take out of a 5 lb bag? For example : use 5lbs minus 2 cups
Are you able to make a Bracha for hafrasha on this ?
Sure! Spelt is one of the 5 main grains.
I think she is asking re it being less than 5 lbs.
sounds like a great recipe for us. How much agava nectar can I use instead of the sugar ? (need to make it diabetic friendly)
I’m gonna try this recipe today! Called Bais Horaah regarding making a Brocha for hafroshas challah. You can! Anything over 12 1/2 cups I was told.
Thank you for this recipe! I’m new to challa baking and was looking for a good spelt recipe. When do I start mixing? After the yeast has proofed and I’m adding the water?
Do I mix before the yeast proofs?
Thank you!
Sending the other spelt challeh recipe?
Will Beth Share her spelt chalet recipe?
I’ve been making Spelt Challah for a few years now. Since I’ve been making it my family doesn’t want to go back to regular flour. I’ve shared this recipe many times. It’s a winner. If you make it please share with me how you liked it.
5lbs. Spelt Flour
3 oz fresh or 4 T dry yeast
1 c. sugar
4 eggs
9 oz. oil
2 heaping T honey
2½ T salt
Bake 425 until golden approx 10 minutes and then 350 for 25 minutes.
Spelt flour is lighter than regular flour and needs less oil. It’s normal for the dough to feel stickier so add more flour only if necessary or oil your hands when handling. Spelt Challah is more crumbly after baked as it has lower gluten than regular flour.
Hatzlacha and Enjoy!
White spelt or regular spelt ?
I use white spelt
Thank you for your recipe, how much water do you use?
Do you let it rise/prove after shaping?
שבת שלום
You left out the water for yeast and instructions
HI, how much water??
I used four cups of water and it came out amazing!
Does this work with whole spelt flour?
I use spelt flour (white or whole or a mix of both) and I just use the recipe in the back of the ArtScroll adult version biography of Rebbetzin Kanievksy a’h. No eggs. 🙂
What is the recipe?
This Challah recipe I adapted from Minimalist Baker's vegan spelt rolls:
2 cups Spelt flour
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup hot water
2 Tbs Oil
2 Tbs Sugar (or less)
2 tsp quick rise yeast
1/2 tsp salt
Measure the liquid together. No yeast proofing. Knead for about 4 min. Oil the dough and let rise until double in size. Grease hands with olive oil to shape challahs. Rise for another 15-20 min and egg wash. Bake at 355-360 for about 12-16 min depending on challah size
What happens If I read 1/4 instead of 3/4 of oil… and already rised for 1 h?????
Can you make this recipe in Israel?
Hi I have been enjoying looking over your website especially since I am and my son is Celiac!
Just curious what you give your daughter when everyone else enjoys your wonderful looking homemade Challah, instead of the Gluten
Challah.
Have you ever found a decent Gluten Free recipe? I am still in search of the perfect GF Challah.
Having been Gluten Free for 22 years…I haven’t had Challah ever since.
Chess
I heard rories gluten free challah mix is good
I recently started making gluten-free challah using GF molino flour – it’s delicious! I use the recipe on the package. If you can find this flour where you live, it’s worth trying!
Was amazing!!!!
Can I put my dough in the fridge to rise if I don’t have time ?
I made this recipe in a bread machine, it was so easy and came out great. It tasted more like a dinner roll than a challah.
I followed the recipe exactly and the major difference I have is the temperature difference of my home. I live in desert climate and its hot. I think that affected my round challah. The round ones kinda burst and tore in places. Best way to make this recipe for me was in a loaf pan with a 6 braid. Those are magnificent. The dough texture is really nice, soft and pull apart, but not crumbly. I have two big issues with this recipe. There is WAY too much salt. It literally tastes like a playdough recipe. Next time I will only do 2 T of salt. And the other thing is the sugar. I did not want a cake challah, but there was not enough sugar in here. Maybe if the salt was less, it would have been better, I’m not sure. I will probably try a different recipe next time.
Which brand white spelt do you rec for a fluffier challah
Does it make sense that my dough feels very stiff before rising?
I tried this recipe this past shabbat because I wanted to do hafrashat challah and these are by far the worst challot I have ever made. They were dry, crusty and completely flavorless. It tasted like bread – not challah. I know the recipe warns that it is not sweet, but it was horrible and I will never make these again.
I actually replaced the sugar with 1 cup of Silan and it came out delicious and fluffy!! I live in Israel so Silan is cheaper than honey, but I’m sure you can use honey as well.
Sorry, I mean 1/2 cup of silan – it still is not a sweet challah but it’s really delicious and soft.
I also took one challahs worth of dough and made garlic rolls (in Israel we call it Lechem Shum) for Shalosh Seudos and my kids loved them!
WHICH BRAND SPELT FLOUR BEST TO USE