Sourdough Challah Recipe – Sourdough Brandon (2024)

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Baker’s Percentage Table:

I include a baker’s percentage chart so you can scale a recipe up or down. With baker’s percentages, the total weight of all flour in the recipe is 100%. The other ingredients are noted in relation to the total weight of flour (in this case, 390g total flour). This is why the percentages below will add up to over 100%.

The King Arthur website has a more detailed reference page on why and how baker’s percentages are calculated if you’re interested and would like to learn more.

How to Make Sourdough Challah Recipe:

Follow this guide to learn how to make the best sourdough challah.

1. Build the levain

Mix 50g sourdough starter, 50g bread flour, and 50g warm water in an empty jar.

Cover and set in a warm location (between 75-80ºF) for about five hours until bubbly and ripe. The levain should at least double in size during this time.

Note: Please refer to my guide on How To Make A Sourdough Starter if you do not have a sourdough starter. The FAQ section on that page explains the difference between a starter and a levain. Learn how to make a stronger sourdough starter with my sourdough starter tips guide.

2. Mix the dry ingredients

When your levain is ripe, mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl:

• 340g bread flour
• 40g granulated sugar
• 7g sea salt

3. Whisk the wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients.

• Ripe levain (125-150g)
• 60g warm water
• 40g neutral oil
• Two large eggs
• One egg yolk

At first, the levain might separate, but after a couple of minutes, the wet ingredients should be thoroughly mixed together and be a bright yellow color.

4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients.

Use a spatula to combine the wet and dry ingredients. The dough will start extremely wet.

When the dough barely starts to come together, large flour pockets will remain. Use your hands to bring the dough together until almost all the flour is hydrated.

The dough should come together into a shaggy ball that you can transfer to a work surface.

5. Knead

You need to knead challah dough to develop enough gluten structure to retain its shape.

This dough is quite stiff, so I recommend kneading it by hand instead of using a stand mixer. It’s also a nice arm workout!

First, place the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and with lightly floured hands, begin kneading the dough.

To knead the dough, use the palm of your hand to press down on the dough. Then, press away from your body—alternate between hands in a rocking, back-and-forth motion.

A few notes about kneading this dough:

• At first, the dough will stick to your hands, and it will be tempting to flour the dough more. Don’t! As you knead the dough, it will continue to hydrate the flour; the dough will come together. Adding more flour to the dough during kneading will result in dense challah.
• If the dough is unbearably sticky, only lightly flour your hands (not the dough itself).
• This dough is stiff; I would not recommend using a mixer so it doesn’t overheat.

The video below demonstrates how I knead this sourdough challah dough by hand:

Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes until the dough is completely smooth, and you can perform the windowpane test on a portion of the dough.

What is the windowpane test?

The windowpane test is a valuable tool to know if you’ve developed enough gluten in the dough. To perform the windowpane test, gently pull up a small portion of the dough between your fingers. If the dough quickly tears, it has not developed enough gluten, as seen in the photo below before kneading.

The dough passes the windowpane test if you can stretch it into a thin, translucent film that light can pass through without breaking (like a windowpane!).

6. First Proof

Place the kneaded sourdough challah dough into a lightly oiled bowl for proofing.

Proof the dough until doubled and a noticeable amount of gas has formed in the dough. At 78ºF, this should take about five hours.

Notes:

• Because this is an enriched dough, sourdough challah can take longer to proof. Ideally, place the dough in a warm & humid environment like a bread proofer or an oven with the light turned on.
• Unlike My Everyday Sourdough Bread recipe, this dough is unlikely to overproof unless left in a warm environment for hours longer than called for (in which case the dough can spoil). You will degas the dough when you braid it, so getting this first proof exactly correct is less critical than making a loaf of artisan-style sourdough bread.

7. Cold Overnight Proof

The cold-proof, or retard, slows down fermentation and will give the sourdough challah a more complex flavor. Proofing it overnight also allows you to bake it at a later time.

With the dough covered, place it in a cold refrigerator for an overnight proof of 12-18 hours.

Note: I haven’t proofed this dough for longer than a day in the refrigerator, but if you do, I would love to hear how it turned out in the comments below!

8. Shape & Braid the Challah

Braiding is perhaps the most intimidating aspect of making challah if you’re unfamiliar. Am I a challah braiding expert? Unfortunately, no, but I find this basic method works well and still provides an impressive loaf. I’ve opted for a four-strand braid for this recipe based on the size of the dough, but you’re welcome to braid it differently, of course.

If you’re looking for an easier-to-braid loaf, check out my sourdough babka recipe.

Degas and roll into ropes

Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator, punch it down slightly with your hand to degas it, and turn it out onto a lightly floured workspace.

Divide the dough into four equal parts using a bench or bowl scraper.

One at a time, press each section of dough into a small, flat rectangle.

Gently roll up the dough from one side (it doesn’t matter which) until you have a short rope.

Using both hands and starting from the center of the rope, roll it out until it is 14-16” long. The rope should be skinnier on the ends.

Set aside and repeat with the remaining ropes until you have four ropes of equal length.

How to Braid a Four-Strand Challah

Please follow the braiding images below as I find the visual to be the most helpful to braid challah, but you can also follow the written instructions below:

1. Set the four ropes parallel to each other and pinch the four furthest ends of the ropes together (image 1).
2. Move the rope furthest to the right and bring it up and over to the left of the other three ropes (image 2).
3. Place the previously furthest rope to the left and bring it up and over to the right of the other ropes. Essentially, the two ropes traded places. (image 3).
4. Place the rope on the top left down and in between the two ropes on the bottom (image 4).
5. Replace the rope that was in the top left with the rope furthest to the right on the bottom (image 5).
6. Place the rope on the top right down between the two ropes on the bottom (image 6).
7. Replace the rope that was in the top right with the rope further to the left on the bottom (image 7).
8. Repeat this alternating pattern (from images 4-7) until you reach the ends of the ropes (image 20).
9. When you reach the end of braiding, slightly pinch together both ends of the challah to secure it. Barely tuck both ends underneath the challah to neaten up (image 21).

Note: While tempting, try not to stretch the ropes as you braid the dough or you will have an oblong, somewhat lopsided challah.

9. Final Proof

After the challah is braided, gently place it onto a half-sheet pan with a reusable silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

This sourdough challah gets adouble egg wash (before and after proofing)for a brilliantly shiny and golden crust.

Thoroughly whisk one egg with a small whisk or fork in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to apply an egg wash over the challah. Refrigerate the rest of the egg wash for later.

Then, place the baking sheet in an ideally warm and humid environment to proof. The humidity will help keep the challah from forming a dry crust.

In a method I learned from proofing croissants, you can create a warm and humid environment for this challah by keeping it in an oven with the light turned on and with a small pan of just boiled water in the bottom of the oven.

If you have a small thermometer and hygrometer, place them on the pan to measure the temperature and humidity. I try to keep mine at 78ºF and 60-80% humidity.

Alternatively, you can also lightly mist the pan and cover the challah with plastic wrap.

Proof the challah until it doubles in size, is somewhat poofy, and feels full of air.

At 78ºF, proofing typically takes between 4 to 5 hours.

Perform “the finger poke test” to tell if your challah is fully proofed.

Take a floured finger and gently poke the challah. The dough is under proofed if it immediately springs back.

If the dough leaves a small indentation and slowly springs back, it is likely proofed! Does your poke leave a crater that doesn’t spring back? It might be over-proofed.

10. Bake

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (if you were proofing the challah in an oven, be sure to take it out along with the water pan!).

While the oven is preheating, brush the remaining egg wash onto the challah.

Sprinkle the challah with a topping of your choice. Poppy and sesame seeds are both traditional and delicious! But feel free to get creative- everything bagel seasoning, flaky salt, fennel seeds, za’atar, etc., are all great.

Bake the sourdough challah for 35-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through to evenly brown.

When done, the challah crust should be shiny and evenly golden brown. The bottom will be firm and should sound hollow if you thump it. If you’d like to check the internal temperature, it should read between 190-200ºF.

Finally, allow the challah to cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing or pulling it apart.

How to Serve Sourdough Challah:

There are many ways to enjoy this sourdough challah.

With its striking braid, it’s a beautiful bread to have at the center of your table. Slice or pull apart the bread and enjoy it on its own.

It’s also heavenly slightly toasted with butter and jam, or with flaky salt.

How to Store Sourdough Challah:

This sourdough challah is best on the day it’s baked.

Once cut, sourdough challah can dry out faster than some other types of breads. Wrap it in a tea towel and keep in a brown paper bag for a couple of days. If the challah hardens or dries out some, slightly warm or toast it.

Sourdough challah also freezes well! Cut slices and keep them in a freezer-safe bag for a couple of months at least.

Have extra slices? Sourdough challah is the perfect bread for making the best french toast or bread pudding.

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Sourdough Challah FAQs:

Have more questions about baking sourdough challah? Ask in the comments!

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