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Home » Bread and Pastries » Challah Bun

Challah Bun

Published: October 17, 2022 Last Modified: September 5, 2024 by Greta Talas

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Challah Bun is a typical Jewish kosher yeast roll that is soft and fluffy inside and crispy on the outside. Usually braided and typically eaten on ceremonial occasions such as Shabbat and major Jewish holidays.(Other than Passover)

challah bun

Similarly named braided bread is consumed on special occasions by other cultures outside the Jewish tradition in a number of European cuisines. These are the Russian kalach, the Serbian kolač, the Ukrainian kolach, the Hungarian kalács, and the Romanian colac (cozonac).

Here’s what you need

  • fine all-purpose flour
  • warm water
  • white sugar or honey
  • salt
  • yeast
  • vegetable oil or canola oil
  • large eggs
  • sesame seed (optional)
challah bun

How to prepare Challah Bun

  1. Prepare the challah bread dough. Into a bowl pour in the warm water, salt, sugar, oil, eggs, and yeast and combine all together.
  2. Add in the flour and mix it together to form a shaggy mass of dough.
  3. Let the mixer knead the dough for 4-5 minutes, or until is soft and smooth.
  4. Meanwhile, brush a clean pot brushed with oil
  5. Transfer the dough onto the clean pot brushed with oil
  6. Cover it with a damp cloth or with a plastic paper
challah bun

You can substitute sugar with honey.  When you use honey it’s more sticky to handle but if you use sugar you have to add 1-2 tbsp of water more when you make the dough.

Proof the Dough

7. Keep the covered bowl in a warm place for at least 4 hours, so that the dough can ferment and rise; You can leave it overnight if you want to. This is the first proofing. After the first proofing, punch down the risen dough. And divide the dough into approximately 6 equal parts.

8. I prefer to use a kitchen scale so that we can divide them accurately. For me, all the parts came out 7.5 oz.

9. Roll each portion into a round ball. Proof it for 2 more hours.

challah bun

It may need more time for proofing at a cooler temperature. They will rise faster in a warmer temperatures. Leave it more if it’s not puffed up nicely. You can put it in the fridge but make sure you leave it overnight to proof though.

Shape the Challah Bun

  1. Roll out each dough ball and then shape it into an elongated cylindrical dough strip
  2. Elongate the dough strands by pulling the dough and then rolling.
  3. When it gains a length of around 25- 28 cm, shape them into challah rolls.
  4. Shape the knots.
  5. After you shape all the challah buns, give the first egg wash.
  6. Cover the challah buns with a plastic film and let them rest and proof them for 2 more hours or wait until the buns get really puffed up.
  7. Before baking egg wash (one more time) and add some sesame seeds on the top if you like.
challah bun

You can double egg wash or just one time before you bake it. The double egg wash gives an extra nice golden color when it’s baked.

Bake the Challah Rolls in a 350 F preheated oven for 21-25 minutes or until the challah knots are golden brown.

challah bun

Challah Bun

It's a kosher mini-braided yeast bread which is so soft and fluffy. You definitely feel the Jewish culture in these buns and make you want more and more.
5 from 11 votes
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Course: Breads
Cuisine: Jewish
Keywords: Challah bun, Challah Roll, Challah rolls, challah rolls recipe, fluffy challah recipe, recipe for challah rolls
Prep Time: 1 hour hour
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 8 hours hours
Total Time: 9 hours hours 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 buns
Calories: 200kcal
Cost: $6

Ingredients

  • 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup warm water
  • ⅓ cup white sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ⅓ tsp instant yeast
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • to taste sesame seed
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Make the Dough

  • Prepare the challah bread dough. Into a bowl pour in the warm water, salt, sugar, oil, eggs, yeast and combine all together.
    challah bun
  • Add in the flour and mix it together to form a shaggy mass of dough.
  • Let the mixer knead the dough for 4-5 minutes, or until is soft and smooth.
  • Meanwhile, brush a clean pot brushed with oil
  • Transfer the dough onto the clean pot brushed with oil'
  • Cover it with a damp cloth or with a plastic paper

Proof the Dough

  • Keep the covered bowl in a warm place for at least 4 hours, so that the dough can ferment and rise; You can leave it overnight if you want too. This is the first proofing.
    challah bun
  • After the first proofing, punch down the risen dough. And divide the dough into approximately 6 equal parts. I prefer to use a kitchen scale so that we can divide them accurately. For me, all the parts came out 7.5 oz.
  • Roll each portion into a round ball. Proof it for 2 more hours.

Shape the Challah Buns

  • Roll out each dough ball and then shape it into an elongated cylindrical dough strip
  • Elongate the dough strands by pulling the dough and then rolling.
  • When it gains a length of around 25- 28 cm, shape them into challah rolls.
    challah bun
  • Shape the knots.

Final Proof

  • After you shape all the challah buns, give the first egg wash.
  • Cover the challah buns with a plastic film and let them rest and proof them for 2 more hours or wait until the buns get really puffed up.

Bake

  • Before baking egg wash one more time and add some sesame seeds on the top if you like.
  • Bake the Challah Rolls in a 350 F preheated oven for 21-25 minutes or until the challah knots are golden brown.

Notes

  • it may need more time for proofing. Leave it more if it’s not puffed up nicely. You can leave it overnight. 
  • at a warmer temperature, they will rise faster and at a cooler temperature, they will rise slower.
  • you can double egg wash or just one time before you bake it. The double egg wash gives an extra nice golden color when it’s baked.
  • you can substitute sugar with honey.  when you use honey it’s more sticky to handle. If you use sugar you have to add 1-2 tbsp of water more when you make the dough

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Challah Bun
Amount per Serving
Calories
200
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Filed Under: Bread and Pastries

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Allyssa

    November 1, 2022 at 8:34 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is really amazing! Perfect for any occasion! Thanks a bunch for this very tasty challah bun recipe! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!

    Reply
  2. Lisa

    October 31, 2022 at 8:04 pm

    5 stars
    This was the best challah bun I’ve ever made! It will be the only recipe I use from now on.

    Reply
  3. Wendy

    October 26, 2022 at 11:05 am

    5 stars
    My daughter and I are in the middle of a learning-to-make-bread project as part of her homeschooling, and this was such a fun addition. So good – I’ll make it again and again.

    Reply
  4. Allyssa

    October 25, 2022 at 8:10 am

    5 stars
    Loved how it turned out! The texture is so perfect and this recipe is very easy to make! Thanks a lot for this amazing challah bun! Will have this again! Highly recommended!

    Reply
  5. Cam

    October 24, 2022 at 10:20 pm

    5 stars
    This was so easy to make and tasted so delicious!

    Reply
  6. Journa Liz Ramirez

    October 18, 2022 at 8:43 am

    5 stars
    This is an interesting recipe. My family loved it. I’ll definitely make this again.

    Reply
  7. Shelby

    October 18, 2022 at 7:47 am

    5 stars
    I love how light these buns came out! They were honestly great just dipped into some spiced olive oil.

    Reply
    • Gen

      October 26, 2022 at 5:13 pm

      5 stars
      These came out so well! I’m not much of a baker but your instructions were very helpful. Thank you!

      Reply
  8. nancy

    October 17, 2022 at 5:41 pm

    5 stars
    thanks for the easy instructions on how to much these tasty Challah Bun

    Reply
  9. Glenda

    October 17, 2022 at 4:50 pm

    5 stars
    Not only are these challah buns delicious, they’re just so pretty! We loved them. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
  10. Paula

    October 17, 2022 at 3:51 pm

    5 stars
    These were great and sooooo good!

    Reply

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My name is Greta, and I'm a Transylvanian girl who loves to cook the traditional meals, capture the beauty of food, and try new recipes all around the world. I hope you'll enjoy spending the time with me in the kitchen. more about me!

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