Classic Kosher Challah Recipe — The Perfect Shabbat Bread

Close your eyes for a moment. It is Friday afternoon. The house hums with quiet purpose. Sunlight slants through the kitchen window onto a cutting board dusted with flour. The oven radiates warmth. And somewhere between the kneading and the braiding, between the rising dough and the setting sun, the week begins to loosen its grip.

This is challah. Not just bread — a weekly homecoming. The pillowy, golden-crusted loaf that has anchored the Shabbat table for generations, its glossy braids catching candlelight as families gather, breathe, and begin again.

Whether you grew up watching your grandmother shape these loaves by feel, or you are braiding your very first strand today, this recipe meets you where you are. We have spent years refining every gram, every fold, every minute of fermentation to give you a challah that is deeply soft, subtly sweet, impossibly tender — and unmistakably yours.

Join thousands of home bakers who have made this their go-to Friday recipe. This is the one you will come back to, week after week.

What Makes This Challah Special

This is not a “dump-and-stir” bread recipe. Every element has been calibrated for a specific result:

• High hydration (58%) — yields an exceptionally moist, tender crumb that stays soft for days.
• Oil-enriched pareve dough — no dairy, fully kosher for any meal, with a clean richness that lets the egg and honey flavors shine.
• Honey, not sugar — adds depth, moisture retention, and that signature golden hue.
• 6-strand braid — the traditional showpiece shape, with full instructions you can actually follow.
• Cold retard option — make the dough Thursday night, braid Friday morning, and bake fresh for Shabbat with minimal Friday prep.

Kosher Observance & Halachic Notes

Ingredients

Dough

Total hydration (water + eggs + honey): 58% — a moderately enriched dough that is supple and workable without being slack.

Egg Wash

• 1 large egg (checked for blood spots)
• 1 Tbsp water
• Pinch of fine salt

Optional Toppings

• Sesame seeds (white or black), poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning
• Flaky sea salt (Maldon)

Equipment

• Stand mixer with dough hook (preferred) or large mixing bowl for hand kneading
• Instant-read thermometer or probe thermometer
• Kitchen scale (critical for consistency)
• 2 large sheet pans lined with parchment paper
• Bench scraper
• Clear glass or bowl for egg checking
• Plastic wrap or reusable bowl covers
• Pastry brush for egg wash

Desired Dough Temperature (DDT)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Eggs & Wet Ingredients

Crack each of the 5 eggs one at a time into a clear glass. Inspect each for blood spots against the light. If clear, transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk the eggs lightly, then add the honey, oil, and warm water. Stir until the honey dissolves — the mixture will look like liquid gold, slightly opaque from the eggs.

Set aside one egg for the wash later. Crack and inspect it the same way.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Keep the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl when adding them — direct contact with salt can inhibit yeast activity before mixing begins.

Step 3: Mix the Dough

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix on low speed (speed 1–2) for 2–3 minutes until a shaggy mass forms and no dry flour remains. The dough will look rough and uneven — that is expected.

Increase to medium speed (speed 3–4) and knead for 8–10 minutes. You are looking for these signs:

• The dough pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl, clinging only to the bottom and the hook.
• The surface looks smooth and slightly glossy, like satin.
• When you poke the dough, it springs back slowly, leaving a slight indentation.
• The dough feels soft, supple, and slightly tacky — but not sticky. It should not cling to dry fingers.

Hand kneading alternative: Turn the dough onto a very lightly floured surface and knead vigorously for 12–15 minutes using a stretch-slap-fold technique. Resist adding extra flour — the dough will become less sticky as gluten develops.

Step 4: The Windowpane Test

Check the dough temperature: Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center. It should read between 24–27°C (75–80°F).

Step 5: Hafrashat Challah (Separate Challah)

This is the moment. Before the first rise, perform the mitzvah of Hafrashat Challah as described in the Halachic Notes above. Pinch off a kezayit-sized piece, recite the bracha, declare “Harei zu challah,” and set the piece aside to be burned.

Many women use this sacred pause for personal prayer and reflection. It is a tradition to pray for the health of loved ones, for shalom bayit, and for the wellbeing of the Jewish people during this moment.

Step 6: First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)

Lightly oil a large, clean bowl. Place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel.

Let rise at room temperature (24–27°C / 75–80°F) for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in volume.

How to tell it has doubled:

• The dough should dome above the rim of the bowl if you used a proportionally sized bowl.
• Press two floured fingers about 1 cm into the surface. If the indentations hold their shape and fill back very slowly, bulk fermentation is complete. If the dough springs right back, give it 15–20 more minutes.
• The surface should look puffy, smooth, and slightly bubbly.

Step 7: Divide the Dough

Turn the dough out onto a clean, unfloured work surface (a tiny bit of tackiness helps with shaping). Gently deflate by pressing with your palms.

Using a bench scraper and a scale, divide the dough into 2 equal portions (~866 g each). Then divide each portion into 6 equal strands (~144 g each). You should have 12 pieces total for 2 loaves.

Precision matters here. Uneven strands produce lopsided braids. Weigh each piece.

Step 8: Shape the Strands

Working with one piece at a time (keep the rest loosely covered with a towel):

1. Pat the piece into a rough rectangle.
2. Starting from the long edge, roll it up tightly like a jelly roll.
3. Using both palms, roll the log back and forth on the work surface, applying gentle outward pressure to taper the ends. Each strand should be 40–45 cm (16–18 inches) long, slightly thicker in the center and gently tapered at the ends.
4. The surface should feel smooth and taut, not torn. If the dough resists and springs back, let it rest under a towel for 5 minutes and return to it.

Step 9: Braid the 6-Strand Challah

Carefully transfer each braided loaf to a parchment-lined sheet pan, leaving ample space for expansion.

Step 10: Second Rise (Final Proof)

Cover the loaves loosely with plastic wrap or a lightweight towel. Let them proof at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

The loaves are ready when:

• They have expanded by roughly 50% in volume (not quite doubled — you want some oven spring).
• The dough feels puffy and light when you gently cup your hand around the side.
• When you press very gently with a floured fingertip, the indentation fills back slowly. If it springs back immediately, give it more time. If it does not spring back at all, you have over-proofed — see troubleshooting.

About 20 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) conventional, or 160°C (325°F) convection/fan. Position a rack in the center of the oven.

Step 11: Egg Wash & Toppings

Whisk together the reserved egg, water, and pinch of salt until completely smooth with no streaks of white.

Using a soft pastry brush, apply a thin, even coat of egg wash over the entire surface of each loaf, getting into every crevice of the braid. Be gentle — the proofed dough is delicate.

For maximum gloss: Wait 5 minutes and apply a second coat. This double application is the secret to that deep, lacquered, bakery-window shine.

Sprinkle with seeds or toppings if desired. The egg wash acts as glue — apply toppings while it is still wet.

Step 12: Bake

Place the loaves in the preheated oven. Bake for 25–35 minutes, rotating the pans front-to-back halfway through for even browning.

The challah is done when:

• The crust is a deep, rich golden brown — darker than you think. A pale challah is an underbaked challah.
• The bottom sounds hollow when tapped with your knuckles.
• An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 87–93°C (190–200°F).

If the top is browning too quickly but the interior is not done, tent loosely with aluminum foil for the remaining bake time.

Step 13: Cool

Transfer the loaves to a wire rack immediately. Resist the temptation to slice into it — the interior is still setting. Let the challah cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

As it cools, you will hear the crust crackle softly. The kitchen will fill with the warm, honeyed, yeasty aroma that signals: Shabbat is almost here.

Storage & Make-Ahead Notes

• Room temperature: Store in a paper bag or bread bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Challah stays remarkably soft thanks to the honey and oil.
• Freezing (baked): Let loaves cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2–3 hours, or warm in a 150°C (300°F) oven for 10–12 minutes. Stunning results.
• Freezing (shaped, unbaked): After braiding, place loaves on a parchment-lined pan and freeze until solid (about 2 hours). Wrap tightly. To bake: unwrap, place on parchment-lined pan, cover, and let thaw/proof at room temperature for 3–4 hours until puffy. Egg wash and bake as directed.
• Day-old challah: Exceptional for French toast, bread pudding, or croutons. Do not waste a single crumb.

Troubleshooting Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes challah kosher?

Challah is kosher when it is made with kosher-certified ingredients, the mitzvah of Hafrashat Challah (separating a portion of dough) is performed when the recipe uses enough flour to require it, and the bread is baked with proper Pas Yisroel standards (Jewish involvement in the baking). Eggs must be checked individually for blood spots. For a pareve challah like this one, oil is used instead of butter so it can accompany both meat and dairy meals. The kosher status does not depend on the shape — round challahs for Rosh Hashanah and braided challahs for Shabbat are equally kosher when prepared correctly.

Can I make challah dough ahead of time?

Absolutely — and it may even improve the flavor. After the first rise, gently deflate the dough, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. The slow, cold fermentation develops deeper, more complex flavors. On baking day, remove the dough, let it warm for 30–45 minutes, then divide, shape, proof, and bake as directed. You can also freeze fully braided, unbaked loaves for up to 2 weeks — thaw and proof at room temperature for 3–4 hours before baking. Baked challahs freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.

How do I braid a 6-strand challah?

Lay six strands side by side, pinch the tops together, and tuck the join underneath. Number them 1–6 from left to right. The pattern is a simple repeating pair: move the far-left strand to position 4, then move the far-right strand to position 3. Renumber after each move and repeat until the strands are too short to continue. Pinch the bottom ends and tuck them under. The key is consistent, gentle tension and confidence — the braid is more forgiving than it looks. See the detailed instructions in Step 9 above.

Why did my challah turn out dense or heavy?

The three most common causes are under-kneading, under-proofing, and cold dough. First, always perform the windowpane test (Step 4) — if the dough tears before becoming translucent, the gluten is not ready. Second, give the bulk fermentation its full time; the dough should truly double. Third, check your Desired Dough Temperature: if your kitchen is cold, use warmer water and find a draft-free spot for rising. Using a kitchen scale instead of cups also eliminates accidental over-flouring, which is the other common culprit.

Can I use whole wheat flour or other flour substitutes?

You can substitute up to 30% of the bread flour with whole wheat flour (use fine-ground white whole wheat for the best texture). Beyond that, the crumb becomes noticeably dense and the braid may not hold as well. If substituting, increase the water by 10–15 g per 100 g of whole wheat flour, as whole grains absorb more liquid. Spelt flour (up to 50% substitution) is another excellent option that maintains tenderness. Gluten-free challah requires an entirely different formulation — it cannot be made by simple substitution in this recipe.