Sign in to see ingredients
Create a free account to unlock this content
Don't have an account? Sign up free
Per serving
Calculating nutrition...
- 1
Bloom the yeast
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, 2.5 cups of warm water (110°F is the sweet spot — hot enough to wake the yeast, cool enough not to kill it), and the 1/2 cup of honey. Stir and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until you see a frothy foam forming on top. That foam is CO2 — your yeast is alive and eating. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, your yeast may be dead and it's worth starting over before going any further.
- 2
Build the dough
Add the canola oil, 2 eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture. Attach the dough hook and start mixing on low. Add flour one cup at a time, up to 8 cups, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should feel slightly tacky but not sticky — tacky means gluten is forming; sticky means you need a little more flour. Knead with the hook (or by hand on a lightly floured surface) for 8–10 minutes. You're building the gluten network that gives challah its pull-apart texture. Test: stretch a small piece thin — if it stretches without tearing, you're there.
- 3
First rise
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let it rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour to 90 minutes. The yeast is fermenting the sugars (the honey helps enormously here) and producing CO2, which inflates all those gluten strands you just built. Don't rush it — flavor develops during this rise.
- 4
Punch down and shape
Punch the dough down to release excess gas, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 equal portions. To braid, divide each portion into 3 equal ropes (about 18 inches long). Pinch the tops together and braid by alternating the outer strands over the middle, then pinch and tuck the ends under. Place on a greased baking sheet. For a round challah, coil one long rope into a spiral. Let the shaped loaves rise again until nearly doubled, about 30–45 minutes.
- 5
Egg wash and bake
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Whisk together the remaining egg and 1 tablespoon of honey. Brush this wash over both loaves — the sugars in the honey will caramelize and the egg proteins will set, giving that iconic deep-brown glossy crust. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if using. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when you tap the bottom. If they're browning too fast, tent loosely with foil.
Sign in to see all instructions
Create a free account to unlock this content
Don't have an account? Sign up free
Honey Challah
Created by: TheBreadNerd
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp salt
- 8 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
Instructions
- Bloom the yeastIn the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, 2.5 cups of warm water (110°F is the sweet spot — hot enough to wake the yeast, cool enough not to kill it), and the 1/2 cup of honey. Stir and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until you see a frothy foam forming on top. That foam is CO2 — your yeast is alive and eating. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, your yeast may be dead and it's worth starting over before going any further.
- Build the doughAdd the canola oil, 2 eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture. Attach the dough hook and start mixing on low. Add flour one cup at a time, up to 8 cups, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should feel slightly tacky but not sticky — tacky means gluten is forming; sticky means you need a little more flour. Knead with the hook (or by hand on a lightly floured surface) for 8–10 minutes. You're building the gluten network that gives challah its pull-apart texture. Test: stretch a small piece thin — if it stretches without tearing, you're there.
- First risePlace the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let it rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour to 90 minutes. The yeast is fermenting the sugars (the honey helps enormously here) and producing CO2, which inflates all those gluten strands you just built. Don't rush it — flavor develops during this rise.
- Punch down and shapePunch the dough down to release excess gas, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 equal portions. To braid, divide each portion into 3 equal ropes (about 18 inches long). Pinch the tops together and braid by alternating the outer strands over the middle, then pinch and tuck the ends under. Place on a greased baking sheet. For a round challah, coil one long rope into a spiral. Let the shaped loaves rise again until nearly doubled, about 30–45 minutes.
- Egg wash and bakePreheat the oven to 375°F. Whisk together the remaining egg and 1 tablespoon of honey. Brush this wash over both loaves — the sugars in the honey will caramelize and the egg proteins will set, giving that iconic deep-brown glossy crust. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if using. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when you tap the bottom. If they're browning too fast, tent loosely with foil.