When you have the right challah recipe, it just makes every Shabbos and Yom Tov meal right.
Sharing a challah recipe comes with anxiety. There is nothing worse than someone trying your challah recipe to find that it doesn’t work out for them. But, we’ve been loving these challahs for the last few years and I think it’s finally time to share the recipe.
For years I had been making my mother’s challah recipes. They’re fluffy, light challahs that grow so large and I love them. The strange thing about challah recipes is that five people can prepare the same recipe and it tastes different in each house. The water in each town is different; the brand of flour you use makes a difference. That recipe served me well, until it didn’t. A new move and the challahs weren’t the same. Week after week for a few months they kept on crumbling or falling. I decided I had to find a new recipe that worked in my new home. I called a few people and asked them how many eggs does your recipe have? How much yeast? And I started baking. One was too sweet, one was too eggy, one not eggy enough. We finally settled on this version that we absolutely love.
Essentially every challah recipe has 7 ingredients for the 7th day of the week. When making challah, it’s always good to review. Did I put in all the ingredients?
My Favorite Challah
- 3 tablespoons dry yeast
- 4 cups warm water
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 lbs flour
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons table salt (or 2 tablespoons kosher salt)
- In a mixer (Bosch) place the yeast, 1 cup warm water, and a bit of the sugar into the bowl. Add ½ the flour, sugar, another cup of water and start mixing. Add the eggs, oil and salt. Gradually add the remaining 2 cups water and flour. You don’t always have to add all the flour or the water (it depends on the weather - see this post.) I prefer to add less flour than having to start trying to fix a dough that's tough. Add just until you feel that it's a nice dough. Mix very well for a good 4-5 minutes.
- Remove dough from mixer and place in a large greased bowl. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour (you can either take challah before you let it rise or right after you rise, depending on your minhag).
- Preheat oven to 350⁰F.
- Divide into 5-6 parts. (As you are dividing the dough, you don't want to lose the dough’s elasticity. So cut it carefully and don't roll it out too much. If you formed the dough into a ball, you should let it rise again for 15 minutes so that it's easier to work it).
- Braid (I braid it in 6 strands) and place in greased challah pans (I just spray them well). Cover with a towel and let rise for another 45-50 minutes. Brush with egg wash and top with desired topping (sesame, poppy, plain). Bake until golden, about 45 minutes. When you tap the bottom of the pan, it sounds hollow. At this point I turn the challah over into the pan so that it can cool off without the bottom getting soggy. Let cool completely.
Use High Gluten Flour for best results.
How Brown Should My Challah Be?
For the challahs that I serve Friday night that I’ll be reheating in the oven, it’s fine if they are lighter brown on the bottom.
I’ll put the challahs that I’m serving Shabbos day back into the oven, upside down in the pan, so the bottom bakes more.
How to Freeze and Thaw Your Challahs
If freezing your challahs, place in freezer bags, removing as much air as possible and freeze. For challahs that I’m serving friday night, I remove from freezer a few hours before Shabbos and place directly in the oven on a loose piece of foil to heat up. At the same time, I remove a bag of challah for Shabbos morning and I leave it in the bag until the morning. (I would love to take it out only on Shabbos morning but I’m afraid of forgetting!)
See what else I stock in my freezer here.
Z Blum says
Does this recipe work well with ww or spelt flour?
Leah Schapira says
Never tried it. We have a great whole wheat recipe on the site that I make.
Leah says
I know this sounds like a funny question, but do you use large or XL eggs?
Leah Schapira says
Not a funny question at all. I usually use xl eggs. But large work well too just may need a few more tablespoons water.
Yittyf says
Is this kosher salt or table salt?
Leah Schapira says
Thanks for pointing it out. I edited it.
Yittyf says
Thank you!
I made it for shabbos (I did 3 TBSP kosher salt). Was delicious and so fluffy! Definitely a keeper!
Esther says
In this recipe you don’t proof the yeast first?
Leah Schapira says
It’s not necessary to proof dry yeast. However, the first step of adding the yeast, sugar and 1 cup water is the backup proofing.
Yael says
Can I make this recipe by hand if I don’t have a bosch?
Leah Schapira says
I never did it by hand but like all challah recipes it should be fine. Don’t add all the flour, just incorporate as much as needed. Generally I find that doughs kneaded by hand usually need less flour.
Rachel K says
I make this all the time by hand and it’s amazing. It’s my tried and true
Kristin says
I’m wondering how many loaves your recipe makes?
Leah Schapira says
About 5-6 loaves (in 3lb loaf pans as discussed here: https://betweencarpools.com/how-much-dough-belongs-in-each-kind-of-challah-pan/
Kristin says
That is fantastic!!! Thank you for the awesome how-to advice. Are those challah pans available widely or do you order them?
YR says
I just made this recipe for my challah… AMAZING to work with!
Sandy yankowitz says
Did u use bread flour at all purpose fllour. Which is better. Thank you
Chavy says
What kind of flour is used in this recipe? High Gluten? All purpose? Thank you!
Leah Schapira says
I usually use High Gluten Flour. Will edit the recipe and add it in. Thanks!
Michelle Benhaim says
Hi!
Looks amazing!
Where did you get that challah board? It’s stunning. I need one!
Thanks.
Chaya Suri says
So far my best challa recipe!!! Thank you!
Lucia says
Thank you for this recipe. I make Portuguese sweet bread which I think is similar to challah but sweeter and uses 12 eggs and 3c milk. I think our bread may be related since the Jews did live in Portugal centuries ago. I noted you use the Bosch to knead the dough. Im looking at getting a Bosch for mixing my egg bread.
chaya spetner says
SOUNDS YUMMY! Have you ever cut the recipe in half? If so I would be interested in hearing the measurements.
Thanks!
Vivian Bollag says
I used your Chale recipe, it was DELICIOUS! Can you freeze the dough at any stage in the process and then just bake it Erev Shabbos?
Thank You!
Chana says
Can this recipe be made with regular yeast (not the dry kind)?
Leah Schapira says
Yes, just proof the yeast.
Chana says
So that would be 3oz fresh yeast?
Rachel says
Can this recipe be doubled? (I have a Hobart)
Erik CHaim Goldberger says
How would I incorporate a preferment and would it fit the Kitchenaid 6? Thank you and look forward to your reply.Rabbi Chaim.
lillian beida says
If I/m using this recipe for babka do I have to let babka rise for the additional 45 min before baking?