These are the softest, airiest challahs you can make for Shabbat and the holidays.
The dough is easy to knead and rises beautifully. You get a tender center and a golden crust.
I finish them with a dusting of flour for a rustic bakery look. If you prefer, brush them with egg and sprinkle sesame seeds instead.
One batch makes six medium challahs, so there’s enough for the table and the freezer. Perfect for Rosh Hashanah too.
My tip: Don’t skip the second rise. It’s what makes the challah soft and airy.
Flour-dusted challah is made from flour (bread flour preferred), instant yeast, sugar, salt, oil, and water. Knead 10–12 minutes, rise 1 to 1½ hours, braid 6 four-strand challahs, rise 25–30 minutes, dust with flour, and bake at 350°F (180°C) convection or 375°F (190°C) conventional for about 20 minutes.
Flour-Dusted Challah (Soft Four-Strand Loaves)
Ingredients
Method
- Put the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and oil in the bowl of a stand mixer. Start kneading.
- While kneading, add the water gradually until you get a soft, smooth, elastic dough. Knead for about 10–12 minutes.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until doubled, about 1 to 1½ hours.
- Divide the dough into balls of about 70 g. Roll each ball into a circle, then roll it up into a strand.
- Braid the challahs, using 4 strands for each one. If the dough is sticky, lightly flour your work surface.
- Arrange the challahs on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise 25–30 minutes, until doubled.
- Before baking, dust the tops with flour, or brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) convection, or 375°F (190°C) conventional, for about 20 minutes, until golden.
Notes
- Add the water gradually while kneading, until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic.
- Be patient with the rise. Wait for the dough to double, not just for the clock.
- Knead thoroughly, at least 10 minutes, to develop the gluten.
- Don’t skip the second rise. It’s critical for softness and airiness.
- Use good flour. Bread flour with a higher protein content is best.
- Bread flour → all-purpose flour (same amount; slightly softer, less chewy).
- Flour dusting → egg wash and sesame seeds (the egg wash makes them no longer egg-free).
- Instant yeast → active dry yeast (same amount); dissolve it in some of the water first.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. This dough has no eggs. If you dust the tops with flour instead of using an egg wash, the challah is completely egg-free and dairy-free.
The recipe uses a stand mixer, but you can knead by hand. Expect it to take longer to get a smooth, elastic dough.
Usually the dough didn’t knead long enough or didn’t fully double in either rise. Knead at least 10 minutes and wait for the dough to double.
Cool completely, wrap well, and freeze. Thaw at room temperature and warm briefly in the oven before serving.
Yes. Use the same 70 g balls and four-strand braid, and just halve all the ingredients.
