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–+ servings

Whole Wheat Challah Bread

Amy Kritzer
A healthy version of everyone's favorite challah bread!
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Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 35 minutes
Course Bread, Holidays
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 1 packet active dry yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons or 7 grams
  • 3/4 cup warm water about 110 degrees F or 45 degrees C
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs plus 1 for glazing
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 1/2-2 cups whole wheat flour, plus more as needed sifted
  • 1 1/2-2 cups bread flour sifted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the yeast by combining with warm water yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar.
  • Let it sit for about 10 minutes. You know it worked when the yeast is foamy. If it doesn’t foam, start over or you are just wasting your time! Either your water was too hot/cold or the yeast is dead.
  • Then add in eggs, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and oil and mix that up.
  • After that, add in remaining sugar, flours half a cup at a time, alternating whole wheat and bread flour, and add the salt. Knead in between until your dough is smooth and stretchy and not too sticky, or about 10 minutes. You may not need all the flour. Your challah should be slightly tacky and smooth. Make sure your flours are sifted, especially the whole wheat one, because it helps with the denseness.
  • Put in a greased bowl to rise until tripled in size, about 2 hours. I put mine in a warm oven, but any warm spot will do. I turn my oven to 150 degrees F (the lowest it will go) and then turn it off before placing the challah inside.
  • Punch dough down and roll on a floured surface into six strands. If your dough keeps bouncing back as you roll, let it rest for a few minutes so the gluten relaxes.
  • Braid into one big 6-strand challah or two 3-strand challahs.
  • Put each challah on a separate cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap and ferment another 45 minutes or so until it's light and fuffy looking (exact proofing timing for challah will depend on environmental conditions.)
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk the last egg yolk with 1/2 tablespoon water and generously brush over challah and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. The challah should be beautifully brown, and hollow when you bang (gently) on the bottom.

Notes

Prep time includes proofing time.
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