Vegan Challah Bread (Water Challah)
Soft, fluffy, and lightly sweetened, this vegan-friendly challah calls for just a few simple ingredients but is sure to impress. Yields 2 beautiful golden brown braided loaves perfect for the holiday table or Shabbat dinner.
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Servings: 12 servings
Video
Equipment
- stand mixer (optional but helpful)
- dough hook attachment
- large baking sheet
- silicone baking mat or parchment
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water about 110°F
- 1 (0.25 ounce) packet active dry yeast 2 ¼ teaspoons, or 7 grams
- 1/4 cup white sugar add an extra 1-2 tablespoons for a sweeter loaf
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil I like olive or sunflower; any neutral oil is fine
- 4 cups bread flour about 520 grams, plus more for kneading
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt or 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
Vegan Egg Wash Substitute (optional)
- 2 tablespoons soy milk or sub aquafaba
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (optional, for extra glossiness)
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional, for extra browning)
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Proof yeast: In a small bowl or measuring cup, sprinkle yeast over lukewarm water. Allow it to proof for about 5 minutes, until foamy.
- Mix dry ingredients: Meanwhile in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine bread flour, sugar and salt. Mix briefly to combine.
- Mix dough ingredients: Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients, along with the vegetable oil. Fit the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and mix on medium speed until the ingredients come together into a rough dough.
- Short rest (Optional but recommended): After the initial mix, cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for about 10-15 minutes. This will give the flour a chance to hydrate so it kneads more easily.
- Knead dough: Knead the dough on medium speed for about 6-8 minutes. The dough will go from shaggy to smooth and elastic. It may be a little tacky but should easily clear the sides of the bowl. If the dough seems excessively sticky or wet, add in extra bread flour 1-2 tbsps at a time, kneading between additions.
- Grease the bowl: Lift the dough out of the bowl and form it into a ball. Drizzle a little bit of oil in the bowl, then place the dough back into the bowl and turn it over to coat it with the oil.
- Rise until doubled: Cover the bowl to rise. You can use a plate, some plastic wrap, or a dampened kitchen cloth. Allow to rise in a warm place until roughly doubled in size. It usually takes about 1 hour, but can take longer if the kitchen is chilly. Go by volume rather than time.
Shape the Challah Loaves
- Divide dough in half: Turn dough out and divide into 2 halves, to make 2 loaves. Work with 1 loaf at a time, keeping the other dough covered so it doesn't dry out.
- Divide into portions: You can do a simple 3-strand braid, or scroll to the "Shaping Techniques" section in the notes section for video tutorials for a 4-strand, 6-strand, and round braided challah. When forming the strands, divide the dough into the number of strands. (You can use a scale for precision.) Then roughly shape each piece into a ball. Cover and allow to rest for about 10-15 minutes so the gluten can relax. (Otherwise it will resist being rolled out.)
- Roll out strands: Roll each piece out using your palms, into a long strand, tapering the ends. This is similar to shaping a baguette. Once the strands are all prepared, braid the loaves in your preferred fashion, tucking the ends underneath the loaf. Repeat the process for the 2nd loaf.
- Note: Avoid using too much flour on your work surface when rolling out the strands. You can use a small amount to keep the dough from sticking to the surface or your hands, but if you use too much, it will be hard to shape your strands cleanly. Generally if the dough is the correct texture, you should be able to roll it out with minimal flour.
Final Rise & Bake
- Final rise: Once the loaves has been shaped, transfer them to a large baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Space them with enough room to double in size. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a dampened kitchen towel and allow to rise until almost doubled in size. This usually takes about 1 hour, but can take up to 2. Be patient if you want the fluffiest challah possible. To test for readiness, give the dough a poke. The indentation should remain. If it springs back, the loaf needs to rise for longer.
- Preheat oven: Start to preheat your oven to 350°F when the loaf is almost ready to bake.
- Brush with vegan egg wash: This step is optional if you'd like your challah to have a slightly more glossy finish. Brush lightly with either plain soy milk, or a mixture of soy milk, oil, and maple syrup. (Soy milk works best because of its higher protein content, but other plant milks can work too.)
- Bake: Bake the loaf for 35-40 minutes. If needed, tent it loosely with aluminum foil during the last stretch of baking to keep it from getting to dark.
- Cool and enjoy: Remove the dough from the oven. Let it cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool fully. Bread continues to cook out of the oven and it can be a little gummy if you cut into it too early.
Notes
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