How to make vegan challah bread that's just as soft, fluffy, and sweet as the enriched version but 100% vegan! Perfect for Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah, or any occasion!
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Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Flavor Challah Dough
- How to Make Vegan Challah
- FAQs
- Pro Recipe Tips
- What To Do With Leftover Challah?
- Storage Instructions
- Other Vegan Baking Recipes to Consider
- Peppermint Chocolate Brownies
- Easy Vegan Apple Pie
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie (Easy, GF Optional)
- Vegan Challah
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Challah is a type of Jewish bread usually baked for the Sabbath and symbolic in several Jewish holidays. When testing this recipe, my goal was always to create challah just like the enriched version - minus the eggs! Two special ingredients have helped me achieve just that: pumpkin and vegan butter. The combination makes a vegan challah loaf that is super moist, flavorful, and fluffy, with a wonderful golden color.
While it may look complicated, this vegan challah bread recipe is also easy to prepare with just 9 simple ingredients, no fancy tools and equipment, and simple step-by-step instructions. Plus, any leftovers make amazing french toast (try out this easy vegan Just Egg French toast) and bread pudding.
Looking for more bread recipes? Try out this easy protein banana bread, garlic herb dinner rolls, fluffy vegan dinner rolls, or this easy air fryer garlic bread.
Ingredient Notes
- Hot water: Ensure it's between 100°F-115°F (38-46°C) to activate it. Too hot will kill the yeast. Too cold won't activate it.
How to Flavor Challah Dough
Here are just a few of my favorite add-ins:
- Dried fruit: I love making challah with raisins for Rosh Hashanah, which symbolizes sweetness for the new year. However, cranberries, apricots, or dates also work.
- Nuts: Within or over the challah loaf - walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc.
- Seeds: Sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds for crunch.
- Spices: For a sweet loaf, add cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or pumpkin spice. Prefer savory? Try onion and garlic powder.
- Citrus zest: Add lemon or orange zest for flavor and brightness.
- Vegan chocolate: Add chips/chunks for dessert-like decadence.
- Savory loaf: Try rosemary/thyme, roasted garlic, and/or sun-dried tomatoes.
How to Make Vegan Challah
Step 1: In a large bowl, stir the warm water 100°F-115°F (38-46°C) and sugar until dissolved. Add the yeast, mix well, cover with a warm, damp towel, and leave for 5-10 minutes to activate (become foamy). In another bowl, mix the flour and salt.
Step 2: Stir in the melted vegan butter, pumpkin puree, and turmeric to the yeast mixture. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing with a spatula, then your hands, until it forms a slightly sticky dough.
Step 3: Transfer to a lightly floured surface, and knead with lightly floured hands for 10 minutes, or until soft, smooth, and just slightly tacky. Form a ball.
Step 4: Place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a warm, damp towel, and let it rise for 1.5-2 hours (or until doubled in size) in a warm, draft-free location. Punch down the dough, re-shape into a ball on a floured surface, and cut into 4 even pieces.
Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook to mix/knead the dough.
Step 5: Roll each piece into a 20-inch rope, arrange the ropes vertically with 2 inches between each one, then pinch the tops together to attach.
Step 6: To braid the dough, weave the rope on the far right under then over the remaining ropes. Repeat with the next far-right rope, continuing until it's fully braided, then pinch and tuck the ends underneath.
If the ropes shrink while rolling, let them rest for 5-7 minutes, then try again.
Step 7: Carefully transfer the braided loaf to a large baking sheet, cover, and rise for an hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C and mix the maple syrup and plant-based milk in a small bowl.
Step 8: Gently brush the plant-based milk mixture over the dough, and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Remove the vegan challah from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
FAQs
Sure! I like to braid the loaf, then refrigerate it for a 'slow rise' up to 2 days in advance. The cold will inhibit the rise while actually enhancing the texture and flavor. Then, let it double in size at room temperature, and bake. You can also freeze the prepared dough for up to 3 months.
There are several popular ways to shape challah dough, including a 3, 4, or 6-strand braid, round challah linked loops, a knot, dinner rolls, etc. You can head to YouTube for tutorials on most Challah shaping techniques.
You can usually tell by color, and if the underside sounds hollow when tapped. Alternatively, a probe thermometer should read 87-93°C/190-200°F in the middle.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Check the yeast: Ensure it's in date and it foams. If not, replace it and start again.
- Use warm water: The ideal temperature is 100-110°F/38-43°C (warm, but not hot). Too hot will kill the yeast. Too cold won't activate it.
- Water amount varies: This depends on the flour used, temperature, climate, etc. Adjust the flour/water as needed for a soft, slightly tacky dough.
- Knead properly: Until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the 'windowpane test' (stretched thin enough to see light through without tearing).
- When shaping: Pinch the ends together and tuck them beneath the loaf to prevent unraveling.
- To properly prove the dough: Choose a warm, draft-free area. If you're struggling, an OFF oven, with the oven light on, works well.
What To Do With Leftover Challah?
While challah is traditionally made on a Friday to serve at the Shabbat dinner, it's also popular at Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and other holidays. Luckily, leftovers make great:
- Challah French toast (like this easy vegan Just Egg French toast)
- Sandwiches (like this vegan reuben sandwich, easy vegan breakfast sandwich), a vegan grilled cheese, and toast
- Vegan bread pudding
- This easy vegan stuffing
- A vegan challah kugel
- Breadcrumbs or croutons
Storage Instructions
Store: Wrapped tightly in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freeze: Flash-freeze on a tray until solid, then store in a Ziplock/Stasher for 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or quickly in a microwave.
Reheat: In a microwave in 10-15 second bursts or in a foil-covered dish at 350°F/180°C for 5-8 minutes.
Other Vegan Baking Recipes to Consider
If you tried this vegan challah recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
Vegan Challah
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup hot water
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 package instant yeast
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
For the simple syrup
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon plant-based milk
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the hot water and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. The water should be lukewarm (around 110 degrees) for optimal yeast activation.
- Add the yeast, mix well, cover with a warm damp towel, and let sit in a warm place for 10 minutes. The mixture should become foamy. If not, your yeast may be inactive.
- In a separate large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Set aside.
- Add the melted vegan butter, pumpkin puree, and turmeric to the yeast mixture. Stir until fully combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix with a spatula and then with your hands until combined.
- Transfer the sticky dough to a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour your hands and the dough, and knead for 10 minutes, adding more flour if necessary. Form a large ball.
- Lightly oil a clean large bowl, place the dough inside, cover with a warm damp towel, and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
- After rising, punch down the dough to release air. Place it on a lightly floured surface and shape it into a round ball.
- Cut the dough into 4 even pieces. Roll each piece into a 20-inch long rope.
- Arrange the ropes vertically, parallel to each other, leaving 2 inches between them. Bring the tops together to form a pyramid shape, pressing gently so the tops attach.
- Braid the dough: take the rope farthest to the right and weave it over, under, over through the other ropes. Repeat with the new rightmost rope, continuing the pattern until the braid is complete. Tuck the ends underneath to hide where the ropes meet.
- Carefully transfer the braided dough to a large baking sheet. Cover with a lightweight towel and let rise for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix the maple syrup and plant-based milk in a small bowl. Gently brush the mixture over the top of the dough.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Water amount varies: This depends on the flour used, temperature, climate, etc. Adjust the flour/water as needed for a soft, slightly tacky dough.
- Knead properly: Until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the 'windowpane test' (stretched thin enough to see light through without tearing).
- When shaping: Pinch the ends together and tuck them beneath the loaf to prevent unraveling.
- To properly prove the dough: Choose a warm, draft-free area. If you're struggling, an OFF oven, with the oven light on, works well.
Andrea says
Such a pretty bread!