This gluten free challah bread is rich, golden, slightly sweet, and soft. It’s not just for Jewish holidays anymore!
I’ve been working on perfecting this gluten free challah bread for at least a few years now. When I get an idea in my brain, sometimes it’s really hard for me to let it go. But through all my trials and failures, I have to keep posting successful recipes or you’d never see a thing from me! That’s why it often takes me many, many months (or years even) to create a new bread recipe.
Prior to my gluten free days, I had the best challah that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. It was so good that my kids and I sat there and polished off the entire loaf within a couple of hours! In our defense, it was a smaller round turban-like loaf. But still.
What is Challah?
Challah is an egg-rich bread that’s golden and soft. It’s a Jewish traditional bread that’s eaten on Shabbat and many other holidays (except Passover, when leavened bread is not allowed). Challah holds a spiritual meaning in the Jewish community.
But this bread has made it into the mainstream and is now available in bakeries and grocery stores. I’m not Jewish, but I love challah and have been craving it for years.
Gluten Free Challah Dough
Making gluten free challah dough is similar to the dough for my gluten free Hawaiian rolls. Instead of using dairy, we’ll use nondairy alternatives (in the Jewish faith, meat and dairy aren’t eaten together at the same meal):
- Kim’s gluten free bread flour blend — instead of using whey protein isolate, use one of the dairy free alternatives I’ve listed.
- Sugar — there is a lot of sugar in this recipe. Don’t be alarmed. The amount of sugar coupled with the amount of yeast means that most of the sugar is actually turned into carbon dioxide. Also, this recipe makes two large loaves. You can attempt to reduce the sugar, but you may not get the same soft results.
- Pysllium husk powder — really helps with the elasticity of the dough, which is crucial to braiding.
- Baking powder–I’ve found adding just a little bit of baking powder in gf yeast breads helps give them a boost.
- Salt–helps with flavor, but also with fermentation (rise).
- Water–instead of milk typically used in enriched breads, we’re using water here to keep the bread dairy free.
- Oil–again keeping the recipe dairy free. You can use canola, vegetable, etc.
- Eggs–the original recipe calls for 2 eggs, but to be true to challah, I’ve added one additional yolk for extra richness.
Braiding Methods
I only watched about 50 videos on YouTube for how to braid challah. And every time I’d start doing it myself, I’d forget what went where, haha! Then I found one video that I felt I’d remember so that’s what I stuck with. It’s a 4 strand round braid. But I also made a 4 strand long loaf just to make sure I could do it!
Rosh Hashanah is coming up and from what I’ve read, round loaves of challah are traditional during this Jewish holiday because they symbolize eternal life or the circle of life. I’m not Jewish and don’t profess to know much of anything about the faith, so please consult someone who knows more than I do for the real meaning, such as a rabbi.
Brush Three Times with Egg Wash
Instead of covering the loaves of challah while letting them rise, brush them with an egg wash. This will create a protective shield while they rise and hydrate the skin so it doesn’t dry out.
Allow the challah to rise in a draft-free area until almost doubled in size, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half. I always put my proofing loaves in my oven that’s been heated briefly on the “warm” cycle (about 170 degrees F) and then turned off.
When they’re almost fully proofed, remove them from the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush them with another layer of egg wash before popping them in the oven. Immediately drop the temperature down to 325 degrees F and bake for about 40 minutes. Remove halfway through baking time (at 20 minutes) to brush any newly risen (un-brushed) areas with egg wash.
Tips for Making the Best Gluten Free Challah Ever!!
- Make sure your dough is COLD!! It really is easier to braid if you have properly chilled dough. If you find that your refrigerated dough isn’t cold enough, put the dough in the freezer for about 15 minutes (covered) before braiding.
- You don’t have to be absolutely precise when braiding. We’re not using stretchy dough like the people I’ve watched braid “real” challah, so it’s okay if you tuck a good amount underneath. And anyway, tucking some underneath at the ends and lifting the dough up to do so will increase the height of the bread as it will rise up and not out.
- Practice makes perfect. I’m still learning about how to braid these loaves, so if I don’t get it right, I start over (smush the dough back together and roll out yet again).
- Don’t skimp on the egg wash. It’s what gives that shiny and golden crust!
- The dough can be left in the fridge for a few days (3 at most). Make one loaf one day to eat fresh and another loaf another day so you’ll have a perpetual loaf of fresh bread for days!!!
- Leftovers make GREAT French toast, bread pudding, or an overnight French toast bake. The challah will need a little more time soaking up the custard, though, so make sure to leave it in longer than you normally would.
- You can freeze leftovers as well. Best practice is to slice individual slices, flash freeze on a baking sheet until solid, and put slices in ziptop baggies with as much air as possible removed. Thaw a couple slices at a time.
Whether you’re Jewish or not, you’re going to LOVE gluten free challah bread! It’s eggy, rich, soft, and slightly sweet, and it’s perfect for any time. If you have leftovers, make french toast!
Gluten Free Challah Bread
Ingredients
- 3½ cups (495g) Kim's gluten free bread flour blend* (made with dairy free protein powder)
- 2 tbsp psyllium husk powder
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar**
- 1¾ tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp plus 1½ tsp (24g) instant (rapid rise) yeast, not active dry
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1¼ cups (300ml) water
- ½ cup (120ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, plus one egg yolk
- 1 large egg combined with a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp of water for the egg wash
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour blend, psyllium husk powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, yeast, and kosher salt.
- Turn the mixer, fitted with the beater blade, on low and slowly pour the water and oil in. Add the eggs and egg yolks and blend until well combined.
- Switch to the dough hook and turn the mixer up to medium high speed and mix for 5 minutes. Scrape the dough from the sides of the mixer bowl and heap it in the middle of the bowl (or place it in another bowl) and cover.
- Allow the dough to cold rise in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight or up to 3 days.
- On baking day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and knead until smooth, adding more flour blend as necessary. Cut in half to make two loaves (or put the other half in the fridge for another day).
- Roll the dough out to a small rectangle (size isn't important-it should be roughly ½ to ¾ inch thick). Cut dough in half and then in half again to create 4 strands. Roll these strands on the counter to smooth them out into rope shapes.
- Begin braiding by making a hashtag sign and then crossing one over and the other under, as shown in the video. Then move the strand that's under on one side over its "neighbor" and keep going around in a circle until all those strands that were under are now over their "neighbors". Then go in the reverse direction until all strands have been crossed. Tuck under any stray strands.
- Place loaf on parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Put in a warm, draft-free area to rise until almost doubled, about 30-45 minutes (depending on the warmth of your area).
- Preheat the oven to 375° F and brush the loaf again with egg wash. Place the loaf into the hot oven and immediately turn it down to 325° F. Bake for 20 minutes. Pull out the partially baked loaf and brush any light areas (or all over) again with the egg wash. Bake for another 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool before cutting or tearing into loaf. Loaf will remain fresh for about 24 hours. To reheat it or to "freshen" it up, wrap the loaf or pieces in foil and place in a low oven (325° F) for 10-15 minutes.
Notes
Braiding method adapted from Jamie Geller’s 4 Strand Round Challah
Hi Kim, I haven’t tried this recipe yet but I have made your cinnamon rolls and everyone loved them! I was wondering which protein substitute do you suggest would be best to use for this recipe instead of the whey protein. I can’t wait to try it! Thanks!
Also, can I use whole psyllium husk that is ground up or does it need to be the one that comes already in a powder? I have some whole husk from other recipes and was wondering if I could grind it on my Vitamix. Thanks again!
Yes! I actually only ever use whole psyllium husks myself.
Can whey protein be used instead of the alternative? I believe that using dairy products it would not make it Kosher but if that is not a concern would whey protein work better than the substitutions? Thanks!
I use whey protein isolate for all of my bread baking, but if you don’t need to substitute it, then I would just stick with it as it is the best option in my opinion.
I haven’t tried all of them, except for soy protein and it works great!
I’m making this recipe for the third time today—I love it. It just occurred to me to wonder what the purpose of the baking powder is here, since the dough rises from the yeast over a long period. I think of baking powder as something that causes a quick rise and then deflates. I’d love to hear how you got to the baking soda addition, and if you tried it without. Thank you for your awesome recipes—our whole house loves them.
(Sorry I meant powder, not soda.)
Hi, Marci! I added baking powder to my cinnamon rolls years ago to see if they would be a little lighter and fluffier and it really seemed to make a difference. I know it’s not typical to add it to recipes that already call for yeast, but in gluten free baking we need all the help we can get. I thought it would really help in the challah as well, so I left it in.
Interesting. Thanks!
I just made the dough for tomorrow bake (it’s Rosh Hashanah,) and it seemed a dry. If it still is tomorrow can I add a few drops of water or oil on my hands when kneading and braiding,,?
I thought my scale was accurate but it was a little jumpy
Yes, absolutely! Add as much water or oil as necessary to produce a supple dough.
Can the baked and cooled challah be frozen? Thanks!
Yep! Read through the post and you’ll find freezing instructions.
Hello! I’ve been making your blend and have tried this recipe three times. The dough is so sticky that I find myself adding a lot of flour – perhaps one whole cup. The bread flavor is really good but the texture is a bit thick… I’m guessing I’m adding too much flour but I don’t know what else to do! Any advice?
What type of rice flour are you using? A less fine rice flour won’t soak up as much liquid as the superfine or ultrafine rice flour. Also, are you allowing the dough to rest in the fridge overnight? The cold temperature of the dough is crucial to cutting down on the stickiness. If you’re still having problems, place the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes before shaping it, and during shaping if your kitchen is overly warm.
Thanks Kim! I used the Authentic Foods Superfine White Rice Flour from your link. Used the food scale and all other recommended products. Is that recommended?
One time I left in fridge overnight. This time just for 4 hours.
Will try that next time. When you do the second kneading, do you do with your hands or in mixer? About how much flour should I be adding at that stage with a cold dough.
Thank you!
Jodie
I would leave it longer than 4 hours and try the freezer trick. I always hand knead after the refrigeration time and add sometimes up to 1/2 cup (70g) more flour while kneading and shaping. Watch the video for a better understanding 😊
Can you bake the challah in a silicone mold?
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not 😊
LOVE this recipe! One question: we have so many different food sensitivities, allergies and styles in our family that I try to make recipes that serve more than one concern. I’m trying to make challah for the gluten-free folks AND for the vegan member as well. Have you ever tried to replace the eggs with “flax eggs” or aquafaba? I just baked a gluten-free zucchini break with aquafaba and it worked well. Thanks again for this fabulous recipe!
I haven’t yet, but I’ve also heard that Just Egg works well as an egg replacement in recipes. If you have success, please let me know!
Kim- this bread is awesome.
But I want to know if we can skip the braiding part and just make a solid loaf?
Kim- getting back to you about the egg thing. It worked. I made the recipe just fine, but couldn’t get your braid thing down, so I made 2 small wreath shapes, and one big long straight one. They were all excellent . And yes…. French toast in the morning was the bomb💕
👏👏👏👏
I have been enjoying your recipes for a couple of weeks, I made the bread, the biscuits, waffles, and pie crust, then I used your flour blend to make scones, they were even better than the regular scones. I have a recipe for Cardamom bread that is similar to Challah, except it has eggs and butter, so I combined the recipe for the Hawaiian rolls and the challah bread method, and I made it. It turned out great. My point is, thank you for your recipe and your flour blends recipes. You are an awesome cook, thank you for sharing your hard work.
P.S. if you were to write a book, I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Awe, thank you so much, Gabriella! It’s a passion of mine and has been since I was old enough to bake. I appreciate your kind words so much, and if I ever get a cookbook deal, I’ll be sure to let everyone know 🥰🥰🥰
Kim- I haven’t made this bread yet, but I will tomorrow to have for Easter brunch. Forgive me if you’ve answered this question already, but I want to know if you can bake this bread with the hard boiled eggs ?
I assume you can, but I’ve never tried it so I can’t say with any authority. I’d give it a try and see how it goes 😊
Hi. My family loves the taste of this challah but it doesn’t rise well. Any suggestions? The yeast is not expired….
Sometimes it just requires more warmth and more time, definitely more so than regular (gluten-filled) bread would. Try turning your oven on to the lowest setting for a few minutes, turn it off and then place your bread in the turned off oven with the light on. OR, sounds strange, but you can also put it in a clothes dryer that’s been turned on to the highest setting for a few minutes so it creates a nice and warm environment for the bread to rise.
Hope this helps!
So excited to find this recipe!! I have been trying to make a GF Challah for more than a decade, and this is the first time I have made one that came out looking and tasting the way a Challah should. It made the whole kitchen smell good, and I nearly cried when I tasted it. The sweetness is just perfect and makes it taste like my memories. Thank you for sharing your hard work!
One note – even though I weighed all the ingredients and used your flour mix (with the whey extract), and even though I refrigerated the dough overnight, it was very sticky and difficult to work with. I had to add quite a bit of additional flour to be able to handle it. In the end, it was definitely worth it – and this will be a new staple in our house! But, I am wondering if I should reduce the liquid by a quarter cup next time?
I may have figured it out! I used whole psyllium husk but just noticed that your recipe calls for psyllium husk powder. It may need a little more psyllium if I want to use what I have on hand. I’ll try that next time!
Thanks for this! I have a quick question – is this 3 1/2 cups of the flour blend sifted, or not sifted?
Not sifted.
I would be interested to know the name of the scraper you use to scrape the bowl down, and where you got it?
These are the ones I use: https://amzn.to/3DRmNVK They come in a pack of 8 and are a little over $1 a piece. I love them!
The dough was VERY sticky. Is that normal? Also let the dough rise for nearly an hour and the was no noticeable change in size.
Yes, at first the dough will be very sticky. Once it sits in the fridge overnight, it firms up considerably.
If your house is colder, sometimes it takes much longer. I always say go by the look of the dough and not by the clock so much. You can help it along by turning your oven on to the lowest setting (160-170 F), quickly turn it off, and put your dough inside the warm oven. Or just leave the oven light on and place the dough in there. In colder months, it takes dough much longer to rise.
Love the recipe, but when you go to print and and use the feature to increase the number of loaves, it does not adjust the (grams) portion. I hopefully avoided a disaster this morning (I’ll know on Friday). Any way to fix this?
I’m so sorry. I’ve been asking my recipe card developer if they can adjust this for quite some time, but for now it can’t be done, apparently because my flour blend is its own weight and not like the typical cup of flour. In the meantime, I removed this feature so it won’t give you the option to adjust the serving size. Unfortunately, until they can figure it out, you’ll have to do the math. So sorry!
Just tried this recipe for Shabbat and my family adored it! I got several cheers and the whole thing was gone in minutes. I was so happy to find a gf challah I could braid since most other recipes are a wet batter. Thank you for taking the time to develop this recipe!
Awe, I’m so happy you and your family loved it! I’m not Jewish, but Challah has always been one of my favorite breads and I loved developing this recipe and especially braiding it. Thanks so much for your kind words 😍
Very happy with this recipe. I have never braided bread before and I do feel like my second loaf was better than the first. However, any tips on braiding it? The first loaf seemed to spread out and lose the definition of the braid. The second loaf the braids were a little more clear, but I think there’s room for improvement. Thanks so much!
Thanks so much! The only tip I have is to watch a lot of YouTube videos from those people who are experts at it, which is what I did and I still had troubles. Of course, these people are using regular gluten-filled bread so it’s easier for them, but I think with anything, practice makes perfect. Also, a tip for working with the dough, after you separate it into the individual strands, place it on a baking sheet and cover it and place it in the fridge for at least an hour, or even in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. This will make it cold enough that it will be a little easier to braid.
For all you Canadians out there…I made this challah with President Choice gluten free all purpose flour (plus the psyllium)…I also added 1/4 cup applesauce and about 1/2 cup raisins for Rosh Hashanah.
It turned out AMAZING
Shana Tova
I love to hear this!! I’ll put the flour substitution in the recipe for anyone who needs it. Thanks for the info 😍
Hi – I’m really looking forward to trying this for Rosh Hashanah! Without getting too far into it, oats in challah make it more appropriate for saying a blessing over. If you’re orthodox, you need to use 51% or more oats, but my friends and I aren’t that observant. I’d love to bring your challah with some oat flour included. It looks like your GF bread flour shouldn’t be messed with. Would it work if just before braiding I rolled each piece in some oat flour? Maybe sprinkling it on instead? I plan to put whole oats on the top, but would like to have more included if possible. Thanks!
Yes, I think that would work perfectly! I didn’t know about the oat requirement, so thank you for telling me. You may also be able to get away with substituting half of the protein powder with oat flour, as the reason the protein powder is there is mainly to provide protein (and oat flour has a good amount of protein in it). I can’t say for certain that would work, but it’s worth a shot.
Thanks! To be honest, the oat thing is pretty obscure. I’m going to go with your tried and true recipe with the oat flour on the strands. It’s really awesome that you make such an effort to ensure everyone can eat it! For Rosh Hashanah, challahs are round (this is mainstream), so you even include the perfect braiding video!
One more question – I have a lot of white rice flour, and can’t find the superfine near me. Can I sub one for the other? If it makes a difference, I’ll order the superfine online.
The regular white rice flour doesn’t seem to work very well in my recipes, but maybe you could attempt to put it in a food processor and grind it down a little further? Or even in a blender. Otherwise, you may need to adjust the liquid in the dough.
Thanks so much for your kind words 🙂 You wouldn’t believe how many YouTube videos I watched trying to get the braiding right, haha!!
I am trying this recipe for the first time. I have it in the fridge now for the first rise and I am wondering if I can freeze the braided challah in advance and bake it later?
Thanks
Hi, Miriam! I’ve never tried it, but I think it would work! I’ve only frozen the dough before it’s been shaped. If you do, you’ll have to most likely thaw it before baking, but maybe it’ll thaw and rise at the same time, kinda like those frozen bread doughs do (if you ever used those before). Please let me know how it turns out 😍
It worked perfectly! I thawed it in the fridge overnight and baked as instructed. A-1!
I love this recipe, but I find when I take the dough out of the fridge and begin to knead the dough I find it very sticky. I need to use a lot of extra flour when kneading the dough before rolling and braiding. Any suggestions?
Thanks Ellen
It is a little stickier than most. I’m actually working on updating it and trying some new methods, but until then I think what could help is when you flatten the dough into a rectangle, before cutting the individual strands, cover it and place it in the freezer for 10 minutes. I do this with my croissant dough and it works wonders.
Hope this helps 🙂
Thanks I’ll try that. I was adding more flour when kneading but it seemed to change the consistency of the bread
I’m loving your recipe. I haven’t tried it yet. Was wondering do you sell your. Gluten free bread blend if yes where can I buy it?
Unfortunately, not yet. I have been researching how to go about selling it and it’s a lot more extensive than I thought. I’m hoping within the next year this will be a reality 🙂
I am going to try this for the first time. On your Flour mix chart, there is a 5,10,15, 20 on the top. Obviously it has to do with size. But I am not sure what you are referencing there. Please advise. And, thanks for sharing.
I’m sorry, Marshall. It was supposed to be cups, but I couldn’t fit the word in there. I have since fixed it so it should be okay now 🙂
Hi Kim!
Thanks so much for this recipe. My sister-in-law has celiacs and I can’t wait to make this for her! I was just wondering – is it possible to freeze the dough to be used in a week or two? Before being braided and then defrost in the fridge overnight? Let me know if you have tried this before. It would definitely help with my meal prep. Thanks in advance!
Yes, you can freeze the dough! I like to wrap mine in a sheet of plastic wrap and then put it in a ziploc bag. Defrost in the fridge overnight 🙂
Hi Kim. I want to make rolls instead of loaves. Should I adjust the cooking time?
Yes, I would try starting with 10 minutes and then brushing them again with the egg wash, then returning them to the oven for another 10 (for a total of 20 minutes). You’ll have to play around with it because they may still need a few more minutes, give or take.
Hi Kim, i was wondering if I can use the whey protein in the challah bread. Did you opt for the dairy free because of the jewish tradition? I am not jewish and I don’t have the dairy free proteins.
I did, Rosemary, so yes, you can use the whey protein 😊
Warm greetings Kim
I am wondering if you can convert you challah mix into cups for me? My dough came out very wet and sticky. Then the second time I made it is was too stiff and it sunk while it was cooling.
Both times the flavor was so amazing.
I appreciate your help. We really like this recipe.
Kindest regards
Kim
Neillsville Wisconsin
Hi, Kim! Thanks for the kind words 🙂
I do have cups in the recipe for the challah, but I’m assuming you mean my bread flour blend? I wish I could, but unfortunately it just doesn’t convert well to cups. It would turn out to be something like 3/16th of a cup here and there. If you get a scale, I can bet you’ll have no problems with it from here on out (they’re really cheap).
https://www.letthemeatgfcake.com/gluten-free-challah/
I just mixed up a batch of this bread, and fear that there is something dreadfully wrong with the measurements as printed in the recipe. You stress weighing, which I did, but I estimated first based on what you provided in the recipe:
.5 cups (200 g. sugar). One pound of sugar, 454 grams, equals TWO cups so there is NO way that .5 cups could be 200 g.
1.75 cups of your flour mix weighed 203 grams; recipe says it should be 495 grams.
Can you check this and reply? I just want to say I have been baking gluten free due to celiac diagnosis for over 30 years, and have had SO many failures. I was over-the-top happy to have been referred by a friend to your website, and now I am disappointed once again! I would love to try some of your other recipes, but not until you can help me with the measurement dilemma. (Also wondering now if the measurements for the flour mix were correct–I weighed it all, using the amounts for 5 cups. After I weighed out the quantity specified in the recipe I have about 1 2/3 cups leftover. If the recipe needed 1.75 cups I should have had much more left.)
One more picky point– .88 tsp. baking powder??? Who has THAT kind of measuring spoon??
I look forward to being able to use your recipes, and await your reply!
Hello, Roxanne. At first I was SO confused by your measurements, but then I realized what is going on. You used the slider to change the amount to make 1 loaf. Unfortunately, I’m having issues with the slider and am working with the company that makes my recipe card app to get this issue resolved. I honestly wish they wouldn’t put that slider on there because it ruins everything within my recipe! If you use the original amounts (for 2 loaves) you will have the correct measurements (such as one cup of sugar being 200 g, etc). Or if you want to halve the recipe, you’ll need to figure out the amounts the old fashioned way without the use of that stupid slider.
I’m sorry for the confusion. I can’t wait until you have finally baked your first loaf and are able to enjoy gluten free bread 😍
Thank you for tracking down the issue and providing a solution in such a timely fashion!! I was so surprised to hear from you so quickly! My dough is in the refrig and I’ll bake it later today. I have to say that the consistency of the dough is like nothing I have seen since pre-GF baking!!! I am so hopeful!!!
Dear Kim, thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe with us! You enriched my glutenfree live 🤩😍! Warm greetings from Austria! Alexandra
Awe, thank you so much, Alexandra!!! I’m so glad you liked the challah 😍😍😍
PS- We are vegan so I used 50/50 pea protein and quinoa flour instead of whey protein powder. The firs batch of Hawaiian buns were with just pea protein (no quinoa flour) and they baked better but still did not rise much. The challah I made with the 50/50 pea protein powder and quinoa flour , as well as another batch of Hawaiian rolls…and they were both doughy.
I’ll keep trying but wondering if you might have any advice? Thank you!! 🙂
Hi, Natalija! I’m so sorry you’re having difficulty with the breads not rising properly. I wish I was an expert in vegan and/or any other dietary restrictions, but the only one I know for certain is gluten free baking so it’s hard for me to try to help with other substitutions within my recipes. It probably depends on the texture of the protein powders you are substituting, but it may benefit by reducing the liquid by 1/4 cup or so and/or baking it even longer? My assumption (again, this is just an assumption and not real knowledge) is that you’ve under proofed your bread and it just needs a longer time to proof. In the winter months, it may take my breads 2-3 hours OR MORE to proof and I’ve found what works best for me is to turn my oven on to about 160-170 degrees F for about 5 minutes. Then I turn it off and place the dough in the oven to proof with the residual heat. This works especially well in the winter months (my climate in the summer is pretty hot so it takes much less time and heat to reach fully proofed).
Try to allow your dough to proof longer until it is visibly larger (and not go so much by time but by visible changes) and see how that works 🙂
New to your site and recipes and love the workable GF dough! However, I am having trouble getting anything to rise (cinnamon buns, challah, Hawaiian rolls) even by putting them in 100 degree oven for an hour or two. My yeast works fine in other recipes. But even more so, my problem is that the challah for instance, it is still doughy in the middle especially, despite adding an additional 10 minutes of baking. Thanks!
Hi Kim,
After seeing people trying your recipes a few time on Reddit, I decided to give this one a go. I have been celiac for 14 ½ years.. and Jewish for 30! I didn’t realise how much I missed challah until I bought it out the oven and ate it dipped into my chicken soup, and then with honey on top, and then as french toast. All the ways of eating it I have not been able to do for nearly half my life.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It bought tears into my eyes. Challah has always been one of those things I wish I could have but have never been able to or to replicate. And now I can!! Thank you so much.
Rachel x
Awe, I’m so, so happy for you, Rachel!!!!! Thank you so much for your kind words 😍😍😍
Hi Kim,
Thank you for posting all you great recipes! I was very excited to try this one as I love challah. I followed the recipe, used your flour blend, but the bred turned out super pale and too hard to slice. Can you please help me figure out what I did wrong? I live in Seattle, so there’s no elevation. In the fridge, the dough rose nicely. I don’t understand 🙁
Oh no! Did you make any substitutions within the flour blend itself? It sounds like you possibly didn’t allow it to proof long enough (after being shaped). I find in the winter months that my yeast breads take sometimes 3 hours or more to proof. My method for proofing is usually to turn my oven on to the lowest setting (170 F) and then turn it off and place my bread in the turned off oven. In the winter months, when it’s much colder, I have to turn my oven on and off about 3-4 times over the course of 3-4 hours because my house is so much colder than normal.
This is on my to do list (your flour blends have a permanent spot in my pantry). I’ve been deciding how to best make Mexican conchas, because at this point, it’s been over a decade since I could eat them. I’ve noticed that challah recipes are very similar to concha or (pan de huevo) dough. I’m going to use your challah recipe to try it out!
Ooooh, please let me know how they turn out if you make them!! They are on my ever-increasing list of things to try and I just haven’t gotten to them yet.
This is seriously the best gf bread recipe I’ve encountered. I used 3/4 bobs red mill gf baking flour and 1/4 bobs red mill AP gF flour and used 2 tbsp xantham gum because that’s what I had available and this was fabulous. I’ve just finished making it for the 3rd time because it’s the only GF bread that I don’t mind eating. I am an avid sourdough baker with no gluten intolerance but I bake for 3 GF friends. Thank you SO much for sharing. It’s absolutely delicious with the best chew and beautiful to boot! I did cook it a bit longer (5 mins) to ensure it was fully baked.
Thanks so much!!!
Hi! I’ve been trying different dairy free protein powders, but haven’t been super successful. Could you share what you used for your challah?
I would also love to know what the best dairy free sub is. I tried it with hemp which was probably the best GF bread ive ever made myself but it also had a strange after taste and did not get a good rise to it. I am thinking of trying egg white next but im curious what yielded the bread in the pictures!
Can I make the challah recipe with the all purpose flour blend instead of the bread flour recipe? I don’t have whey protein isolate and not sure if it’s ok for kids.
Unfortunately, no, it won’t work. The protein is crucial to getting the proper consistency of the dough and the final baked bread. It’s perfectly fine for kids. It’s just whey from milk (it’s also lactose free). It’s even found in baby formula. But there are alternatives to whey protein if you can’t have dairy.
Just checking about the proofing time….in the description it says to rise for 1-2 hours and in the recipe it says 30-45 min??? 🤔. Is it just until doubled in size??
Yes, sorry about that. I’ll fix it now.
Thanks for pointing that out 🙂
Why does my risen dough stick to the Saran Wrap? I had divided the dough after first rise ( before kneading) and wrapped in plastic wrap. Big mistake. Do you knead first and the divide and wrap?
Thanks!
At which point are you putting plastic wrap on it? If you mean you’re wrapping up half the dough to use for another day, then yes, I would either knead it before wrapping it in plastic wrap OR put it in a container that’s been sprayed with a nonstick spray.
You are a wizard! I made this Challah bread. It was amazing! Your directions and tips are so helpful. Bless you!
Oh, goodness! Thanks so much, Stacy!! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Hi Kim – This flour blend and recipe was excellent! The challah was a little overcooked, but I think that was because of my new breville not being calibrated right. Anyway, I noticed the challah has a strange aftertaste, and I’m suspecting it’s from the hemp protein. Have you heard this before? Was trying to stay away from the whey protein isolate because of dairy, but it’s not a big deal since it’s lactose free.
The only thing I’ve heard about the hemp protein is that it gives the baked bread a slight greenish hue, but those that have used it never said anything about an aftertaste. How about soy protein? I’ve used soy milk powder as a sub in my regular (all purpose) flour because my daughter is vegan and we can’t tell the difference.
Hi Kim! Thanks for the recipe. I was so excited when I found it. I used to make Challah weekly before my daughters diagnosis almost a year ago and have been searching for a replacement GF recipe ever since. I tried making it yesterday/today and I think I need a little guidance. I made your bread flour blend and used saff instant yeast. I put it in a plastic bucket with a plastic lid over night. It did not appear to rise much over night. It braided beautifully tonight, but did not seem to rise in the 45 min rise cycle before I baked it. I use this yeast weekly so I believe it is fine. Any thoughts on what I can differently next time to get it to rise? For the water, should I use 110 degree water? Thanks!
Hi, Eileen! Did you make any substitutions within the flour blend itself? You could try using warm water, but I’ve never had a problem with anything of mine rising and I use cold water straight from the tap. Maybe your fridge temp is too cold for a cold rise. What you can try to do is right after the dough is made, put it in a warm environment (an oven that’s been heated briefly and then turned off, for example) and allow it to rise first before putting it in the fridge overnight. After you braid it, allow it to rise in a warm, draft-free area. My go-to rising area is my oven that’s been heated to around 170 degrees and then turned off quickly. It’s nice and toasty in there. I’ve found that several of my readers don’t have a warm enough area for proofing gluten free bread. If in 45 minutes to an hour it still hasn’t risen to roughly double in size, take it out of the oven, turn the oven on again to 160-170 degrees and turn it off again, put it back in the turned off oven, and allow it to go for another 30-45 minutes.
Thank you for your suggestions. This is the best tasting challah GF recipe we have found. Your suggestion of having the dough rise before placing it in the fridge really helped. It is amazing to have GF challah I can braid. My last issue that I am trouble shooting is that I am finding that it spreads out instead of up after braiding, so I have been putting it in rectangle pans or using silicone molds so the dough hits the sides and goes up. Do you have any other recommendations? Thank you again! This will be my go to challah recipe!
You could chill it for an hour or two, after braiding it and letting it proof, so it will be nice and cold when it hits the hot oven and not spread as much.
hi, i was wondering what brand of soy protein isolate you recommend ? would bobs red mill work?
Kim, are there difference between your between brioche and challah bread in texture and taste? I am thinking to try making brioche feuilletée GF. Any recommendation on which recipe will be a better one for me to use as the base to experiment on? Thank you. Holly
There are a few differences, and I actually think either would work great for what you’re trying to do!
Hello..would love to try this recipe for my wheat allergic son but my other son is allergic to eggs! Any suggestion on whether this can be made egg free as well?
Oh no! I’m really not sure at all. I feel like the eggs are crucial in this recipe. All I could say is you could try it–maybe use a chia or flax egg or an egg replacer.
I wish I could be of more help 🙁
This looks amazing and I will be making this next week!
I was just wondering if I could use all the dough at one time? Can I use the dough to make 2 small loaves or 1 large loaf to bake at one time?
Thank you!
Thank you, Kafi! And yes, you can use all the dough at once for either 2 smaller ones or a larger loaf 🙂
I tried your recipe today and the challah was amazing! Wow ! For my taste it was a bit too sweet, maybe for the next time i’ll decrease a bit from the sugar, again thank you so much!
Thanks, Nama! It may change the consistency if you decrease the sugar (just wanted to put that out there–it may not be as soft).
yes… you right, I did another challah with less sugar and the dough wasn’t soft like the previous one! I’m still thinking of how to make the challah less sweet. but again thank you so much
Thank you for this recipe… I cannot wait to try it this week! Do you think it’s possible to substitute honey for some of the sugar?
I think so, but I haven’t tried it. I think there are different amounts if you sub honey for sugar in recipes. Check out this website: https://www.thekitchn.com/4-rules-for-successfully-swapping-honey-for-sugar-in-any-baked-goods-230156
Thank you!
looks amazing! I’ll definitely try it this week, just need to find some of your flour bels ingredients, do you think that I can change the oil for butter?
another question if it’s possible 🙂 for your bread blend, do you think that I can replace the potato starch with cornstarch? if you have in mind a good replacement for the potato starch I’ll be happy to know
I honestly am not sure if it would work or not. You could try it, but to me they have a different texture and may produce different results.
Yes, you should be able to use butter.
OMG! I am so excited to have finally succeeded in making gluten free challah thanks to your recipe. I have tried so many recipes before and each was disastrous. This one was so delicious! I must say that I substituted Xanthum gum instead of the Psyllium husk powder and sprinkled everything spice on after the last egg-wash. Thank you!!!
So glad to know the xanthan gum also worked!! Thanks so much for your kind words 🙂
This is delicious! Even though I accidentally added an extra half cup of water and then had to do a lot of complicated math to attempt to increase the rest of the ingredients to match, it turned out really well. I’m thankful it was so forgiving! 😉 Looking forward to trying more recipes!
Oh no! I’m so glad it all came together anyway. Thanks for your kind words 🙂
What does whey do?
Hi, Sharon! The protein powder is a replacement for the gluten. Gluten is protein in normal (wheat) flour, so adding a protein powder helps recreate what we’re missing in gluten free flour. There are plenty of dairy free alternatives to using whey protein if you need to be dairy free.
Delicious! We’ve tried many GF challah recipes over the years, and this was definitely the closest in appearance and taste! My dough was incredibly sticky, likely because it only had 4 hours of rest (oops…should have read the comments first!), and the amount of flour I added to knead and roll it out seemed to affect height and density. I’ll definitely try it again with overnight rest, but I figured I’d ask you about protein powders to see if that also had an effect. I used Ripple Unflavored because it’s what I had in the house, but I’m open to whey powders, too. Do you have a brand that you’ve had particular success with? Thank you!
Glad you liked it, Stacey! I use Now Foods brand whey protein isolate, and all you need to do is click the link right on the flour blends page (it’s in pink) and it’ll take you to Amazon 🙂
Just tasted the Challah. Great taste as good as my Wheat Flour. This recipe make me a happy old man. I struggle for the last few month with GF baking and this one brought a smile on my face. This is going to be a part of an every Friday meal . Thanks
That’s wonderful, Menachem!! Thank you so much 🙂
Just baked the Challah. The first half a turban shape. As I didn’t knead it before shaping it didn’t come out as perfect as I was hoping for. Didn’t read the recipe before shaping) The second half I kneaded and braided it and it came out perfect almost as good as my Wheat flour. I usually braided it from 6 strands. This time I only used 3. Can I use the whole batch for making a big 6 strand Challah? It’s still hot so I didn’t taste it yet. I baked bread and Challah from wheat flour for more then 25 years. Gluten free became a necessity as my grand daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetis and celiac. My old “days” challah was sweetened with honey not sugar. Can it be a substitute and what about Splenda as part of the sweetener? When I’ll taste it I’ll rate it
Hi! Yes, you could certainly use the entire recipe to make one big 6 strand challah. I’d love to see a picture when you do!!
I tried using honey, but found the sugar worked better in the texture of the dough. But if you can figure out how to sub with honey, by all means go for it 🙂 I’m not sure something like Splenda would work as the sugar plays such a huge role in the texture.
Hopefully coming Friday…
I baked the 6 strand Challah last week, looked good but because it was so big the centre of it didn’t reach the 210 degrees and the end was too dry. so this week I baked 2 Challahs and that the result:
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMwspX27-8T_ZC-GNmAwBOkNnFFBE7cwh7xXCjP.
Smells great. We’ll taste it on Shabat Dinner tonight.
This is the 6 strands:
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipN5cxv_Lg9sH1Ro11c4Zdp56POH0cWET6Rye7Lh
I can’t seem to get the pictures, but I’m anxious for you to taste it!
Hi Kim I’m struggling with this recipe. I made one loaf and the dough was very soft and sticky so hard to knead. I kinds of sprawled in the pan when rising and didn’t rise anymore when baking. I will try putting g the other dough in the freezer and adding more flour when kneading. This is a
The first time I have a problem with one of your recipes. Hopefully I have better luck tomorrow.
I’m so sorry you’re having problems, Odile! Did you refrigerate the dough for an extended period of time? The freezing method also works wonders.
Hi Kim I think I figured out what my issue was. When I tried to bake the second loaf today my oven was no longer working. I guess it must have been acting up yesterday when I made the first loaf. So I ended up baking it in the toaster oven. It was better than yesterday. I will definitely try it again after I get a new stove!
I just wanted to thank you for the amazing challah recipe! I’ve been making challah for nearly 45 years and was stopped in my tracks when my daughter had to become gluten-free. I’ve been trying different gluten-free recipes for the last 5 or 6 years. Some have been better than others, but none have gotten rave reviews. Last night, my daughter and my daughter-in-law said this was the best I’ve ever made. They did have one request and asked if I could make it just a little sweeter. I’ll add a little more sugar the next time I make this. Do I need to adjust anything else in order to accommodate this change? Also, I just wanted to mention that for Rosh Hashanah, I add golden raisins. Thanks for this amazing recipe and all the work you have done to make your website so incredible. And thanks to Shirley Braden for including this recipe in her “Best Challah Recipes.”
Wow! Thank you so much for this wonderful comment!!
Interestingly, most people say this bread is too sweet so hearing your daughter wants it sweeter is a breath of fresh air! If you only add a little more sugar, I think you won’t need to change anything else. If you add more than, say 1/4 cup, you’ll need to probably reduce the amount of water by 1/4 cup as well. The raisins sound delicious!
Thanks so much, Dianna 🙂
I want to add raisins for Rosh Hashanah also. I was just wondering when the best time to add them is. I have never baked bread before. It’s so exciting to have good gf bread.
I would add them when you’re adding all the other ingredients before mixing the dough 🙂
Hi Kim, I just baked a little less than 1/2 the challah dough. It was great for a first try! The dough was in the fridge for about 4 hours and was pretty wet so I tried kneading in additional flour. It kept really sticking to my hands so I stuck it in the freezer for 15 ish minutes, put a lot of flour on top, rolled it out, braided(that was humorous!) let it rise for 45(it didn’t double but it rose)and baked. We let it cool for 10-15 and started pulling it apart. It looked like a “real” challah, beautiful, and the texture was very good but it was really too sweet for my taste. I wholeheartedly agree that it should be good -not just good for GF -so I don’t want to change the recipe much. Just realized….my sugar was some sort of larger grain not regular size grains…how would that effect the result? I did weigh it.
Thank you so so much for your hard work and apparently relentless search for for good gf baking!!!
Hi, Sharon! Your best bet when making this bread is to leave the dough in the fridge overnight. Four hours is the minimum, but longer is definitely better for easier kneading and braiding.
As far as the sugar and the sweetness, I’ve tried (several times) unsuccessfully to reduce the sugar in this recipe. I really didn’t like the texture of the baked bread. It wasn’t soft enough for me and that’s what I strive to achieve (softness). But what I tell people when they want to reduce the sugar is YOU may find you’re okay with the texture. Several people have said they’ve reduced the sugar by half in other bread recipes of mine and have loved the final texture. I don’t think a larger grain would make a difference as long as the weight is the same.
Hope this helps 🙂
This is absolutely beautiful and thanks for all the valuable information and tips! I can’t wait to try this. Visiting from Gluten Free Easily Challah post!
Thanks so much, Judee!!!
Hi Kim, do you by any chance have nutrition facts for your recipes, especially the croissant one?
HI, Jennifer! I’m sorry, I don’t. The nutritional facts “plugin” for my recipe maker costs extra and at the moment I’m not financially able to do that.
Hello! I’m a professional baker, but I’m just starting to get into gluten free baking, at the request of my clientele. I have one client who is wanting challah, though she is allergic to wheat and corn, plus is sensitive to yeast. It looks like your recipe should almost work for her needs. My question is, why so much yeast? Could it be reduced, and just have a longer rise time, like in a traditional bread? My client says she can tolerate a small amount of yeast. Thank you!
Hi, Dani! From my testing, that amount of yeast combined with one cup of sugar is what worked for me to be satisfied with the softness and rise of the dough. I worked on this recipe for a few years and tried multiple different combinations, such as half that amount of yeast and half the sugar, and it never created a dough (or bread) that I liked. I’m not a pastry chef and maybe that’s a good thing because what I’ve found in gluten free baking is that the same rules don’t always apply. Everything up is down and down is up and it’s through trial and error that I found what works for me and my recipes, things that I personally would eat. That said, several people have modified my recipes to suit their own tastes or needs with results that they find satisfactory. But they may not be the same results I got or that I would personally find not just satisfactory, but often better than what I remember. I want great results, not just “good for gluten free.”
It’s a matter of personal preference in my opinion. So many people “settle” for things like Scharr’s gluten free “croissants” and say they love them, whereas I find them to be like eating a little (and I mean little) dinner roll in the shape of a croissant. It’s absolutely nothing like the true French croissants I remember eating.
I hope all this makes sense to you. Sometimes I tend to babble on and on, especially when it comes to gluten free baking, haha! Basically what I’m saying is if you want to try to reduce the yeast, go for it. You may obtain what your client finds to be successful. I think why I don’t settle for things like Udi’s or Scharr’s is because I have to actually eat it myself. Quite often the other gluten free bakers and bloggers out there are baking for someone else, their kids or husband who have celiac, and not themselves. It makes such a difference when you know you will never be able to eat a croissant or good pizza again and your only option is to try to make it yourself. 🙂
Just wanted to throw my two cents in. I haven’t made this particular recipe, but I have very successfully made her cinnamon roll dough with much less yeast than is listed. I found the flavor of a full 2 tbsp of yeast to be unpleasant. I used 2 tsp instead and didn’t notice a texture difference between the two batches. Can’t be sure that will be the case here, but probably worth a try. Good luck!
There ya go! It’s just a matter of personal preference in most cases. I personally love the yeastiness of the rolls and I feel it makes them so much more light and airy so I don’t want to change a thing. But if it works for you, stick with it!!
Thanks for your two cents, Lindy 🙂
Why does it need yeast, I thought gluten free bread didn’t rise? I have to say mine hasn’t risen and the smell of yeast is quite overwhelming!
Challah is a yeast bread, gluten free or not. There could be a number of reasons it hasn’t risen, the most likely being your area isn’t warm enough.
Hi there! I’m currently in Italy and I managed to invite myself to make a gluten free challah for a Christmas dinner! It was because I mentioned that panettone taste a bit like challah and brioche had a baby! And then I showed the family I’m staying with a photo of a challah And they lived it and asked if I could make one. And I have made them in the past but never gluten free but this family has that requirement. I looked and saw your recipe and it looked amazing and the easiest to make considering the limited supplies I can find. I’m on Sardinia not the mainland. But where I am… I cannot find any psyllium husk powder and it’s going to be hard to order it in time. Can I substitute something for the psyllium husk powder?
Hi, Kathryn! You can actually make this bread without the psyllium husk powder. It may be a little bit harder to shape, but if you keep it nice and cold (and even put it in the freezer for a few minutes before shaping) it should still be fine. What you’ll need to do, though, is decrease the amount of water in the dough to 240ml.
I hope your friends enjoy it 😊
Thanks for this recipe! I can’t wait to try it! I was wondering if you have ever tried egg white protein or collagen protein in your flour blend instead of whey, soy or pea? I don’t react well to either of those things but I have been on the look out for a good gluten free challah and yours looks amazing!!
Hi, Annalynn! I haven’t tried it, but I think it would work perfectly!! When I developed my blend, I don’t think either of those proteins were on the market, so I’ll need to update my flour blends page. Thank you 🙂
Can’t wait to make this, it looks gorgeous! And has suddenly reminded me if rugulah since we used to buy them from the same bakery as challah bread.
Thanks, Pam! I don’t think I’ve ever had rugelach before, but I’ve seen it so many times and I really need to try it!!
Hai,it was a great inspiration. Oh ya, ini Kim’s GFBF blend contains xanthan gum. And then in the recipe use physilium husk.
Does it need two of them? Or we can just use physilium husk for this recipe?
Thank you
Bless you! Just in time for Rosh Hashonah, the Jewish New Year. I made your baguette recipe and it was perfect, with your flour blend. All I need to do is to buy more yeast, and I’ll be good to go. Thank you very much for perfecting this recipe for those of us who thought that challah was gone to us gluten free types.
Thanks so much, Alene!! I’m not Jewish, but I absolutely LOVE challah and have been dreaming of it for years since I first had it a long time ago. I thought it was gone forever, too! I hope you are able to try it and please let me know if you like it 🙂
1 quick question. I went grocery shopping yesterday, and there was no instant yeast left! I don’t have enough to complete this recipe, but I do have regular yeast. Is there any way I can substitute it, or should I just have to wait to buy some? I suppose there’s always Amazon but I dislike having to resort to it when I can buy it locally. Thanks!
Hi, Alene! Check out this article on substituting dry active yeast with instant. I think you should have no problem 🙂
https://www.thespruceeats.com/baking-yeast-dry-and-fresh-yeast-measurements-1446706
Wonderful! Thank you. And thank you for getting back to me so quickly!
Oh no! My challah dough has chilled for about 12 hours and I just realized I did NOT add the eggs. Is all lost?!
Thanks for your help!
C.Greene
Oh no! I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. I would try to add them now using the mixer and see how it goes. Maybe put it back in the fridge for an hour or so after that and proceed with the recipe. It never hurts to try before dumping the whole thing.