As you may have seen, we have really been trying to honor the Biblical Feasts and Sabbath. A part of that journey has led us to making our own Challah bread… it is so delicious and not too hard to make. The most difficult part for me was learning how to braid it. Here is a great instructional video that helped me:

How to Make 4 Braided Challah or Super Easy 4 Strand Braid

Some Feasts require the Challah to be round in shape:

4 Strand Round Challah 

This is the basic recipe we use, but I will also include options for making other versions too.

Don’t have a Sourdough Starter? No fear, I will have another recipe posting soon that uses yeast instead of sourdough!

Easy Challah Bread

Sourdough Challah Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 c. active sourdough starter
• 4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/3 c. honey
• 1/3 c. oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 t. salt
• ½ c. water

Directions:

NIGHT BEFORE:

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Knead with hook for about 15-20 minutes or until the dough is glossy and starts to pull away from the sides. It may be a little soft and sticky but that’s OK.

Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise at room temperature for 8-10 hours. You want it to double in size.

MORNING OF:

Remove the dough from the bowl and divide into 4 equal pieces. (If you choose to do more braids then you will need more pieces.)

Roll each portion into a long rectangle about 18 inches long, then roll this into a long skinny rope, set to the side and repeat with all portions.

You may need to watch a video to learn how to braid the bread into the shape you like.

You will place all four ropes on the counter in front of you, arrange them like rays radiating from the sun, and pinch the top ends together. I find it helpful to place some parchment paper or a silicon mat underneath the bread to make moving it easier.

Start from the right side and weave this strand under, over, and under again. Continue braiding starting at the right and working your way to the left, repeat until all the bread is braided, pinch the ends together.                    

Place it on a greased baking sheet, cover and let it rise about an hour or until nice and puffy.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Optional: You can choose to mix an egg with about a Tablespoon of water and brush over the bread, if you choose.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until it is golden brown and has a hollow sound when tapped.

Let cool and enjoy!

Notes:

Don’t be afraid to get creative!

Sweet add-ins:

½-1 c. of the following

• Raisins
• Chocolate chips
• Diced fruit or chopped nuts

Top with a cinnamon/sugar mixture or a simple glaze like the one for the cinnamon rolls below.

Cinnamon Rolls:

You can use the dough to make cinnamon rolls… yummy!

Savory Add-ins:

Substitute sugar for the honey in the savory versions:

Everything Bread:

Top the bread with Everything but the bagel seasoning.

Garlic Herb Challah:

• 3 T. garlic, minced
• 2 t. garlic powder
• 2 T. parsley or Italian Seasoning

Lightly brown the garlic in the oil and then add the seasonings. Allow it to cool and then add to your dough.

Cheddar Jalapeno:

• 1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
• ½ c. pickled jalapenos, diced (use a little more, if you like)

Mix together and add to the dough

Caramelized onions:

• ½ c. onion, diced or thinly sliced (use a little more if you like)
• 1 T. olive oil or butter
• ½ t. sugar or monk fruit
• ½ t. salt
• 1 t. fresh sage, diced

Brown the onion in the oil and then add the sweetener and spices. Allow it to cool and then add to your dough.

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We pray that you find this recipe helpful! Let us know if you have any other flavorful add-ins for this bread below!

God Bless!