Easy Sourdough Challah Bread

This easy sourdough challah bread is soft, fluffy, and beautifully golden on the outside. With its rich taste and tender texture, it’s perfect for holidays, special dinners, or even an everyday breakfast.

Challah is a traditional Jewish bread made without dairy. Instead of butter or milk, this version uses oil and water, making it a dairy-free and kosher-friendly bread. It’s a great alternative to brioche and still rich and delicious.

What makes this challah extra special is that it’s made with a natural sourdough starter instead of commercial yeast. This gives the bread a mild tang and a healthier boost thanks to natural fermentation.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fluffy and Soft: The mix of bread flour and all-purpose flour creates a light and airy loaf.
Naturally Fermented: The sourdough process makes the bread easier to digest and breaks down anti-nutrients, making it more nutritious.
Versatile: Enjoy it plain, as French toast, in sandwiches, or even in casseroles and bread puddings.
Simple and Beautiful: Even if you’re new to braiding dough, this recipe is easy to follow and turns out beautifully.

Ingredient Breakdown

Sourdough Starter: Make sure it’s active and bubbly for the best rise.
Bread Flour: Adds strength and elasticity to create that pillowy texture.
All-Purpose Flour: Balances the texture to keep the bread soft.
Honey: Brings a gentle sweetness to the loaf.
Eggs: Enrich the dough and give it a beautiful crumb.
Salt: Adds flavor.
Oil: Use a light, neutral oil such as melted coconut or avocado oil.
Water: Helps hydrate the dough and combine all ingredients.
Egg Wash: For a golden, shiny crust.

How To Make Sourdough Challah (Step-by-Step)

The Night Before:

Feed Your Starter: At least 4–12 hours before starting the dough, feed your sourdough starter so it’s active and bubbly.
Mix the Dough: Add all ingredients (except egg wash) to a stand mixer. Use the dough hook and knead on medium speed for about 20 minutes. The dough will be sticky at first but will become smooth and elastic.
First Rise: Cover the dough with plastic wrap, a damp towel, or a lid and leave it at room temperature overnight (about 10 hours) until doubled in size.

The Next Morning:

Divide & Shape: Cut the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each one into a long, flat rectangle, about 18–20 inches long and 3–4 inches wide. Roll each into a rope.
Braid the Dough:
- Pinch the ends of all 4 ropes together.
- Start from the right side. Cross the second rope under the first and over the last rope on the left.
- Take the far-right rope and move it over the second rope, under the middle rope, and over the last.
- Repeat this pattern until the loaf is fully braided.
- Pinch the ends again and tuck them underneath the loaf.
Second Rise: Place the braided dough in a greased 9×13 baking dish or on a baking sheet. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
Bake: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Mix an egg yolk with 1 tbsp of water and brush the top of the loaf for shine. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Tips & Tricks

Very Wet Dough: This dough is soft and sticky, but with enough kneading, it will become smooth. Don’t add extra flour.
Flour Swap: If you don’t have bread flour, use all-purpose. The bread might be slightly denser but still tasty.
Overnight Rise: Letting the dough rise overnight makes it easier to bake fresh bread in the morning with less effort.
Baking Dish Option: You can use a 9×13 dish or bake free-form on a cookie sheet.

Notes

Challah is a type of enriched bread. It’s similar to brioche but made without milk or butter.
Yes, you can braid sourdough bread. This dough is perfect for braiding.
You can make it ahead by preparing the dough the night before, shaping it in the morning, letting it rise again, and baking it fresh.