Once you’ve tried this easy Homemade Brioche Bread recipe, you’ll never want another store-bought slice of bread! This deliciously buttery and rich French yeast bread can be made into loaves or rolls and makes the best bread pudding and French toast in the world!
This post first appeared over at Sugar & Soul where I’m a contributor.
Does making bread freak you out? It shouldn’t – at least this easy brioche bread shouldn’t! It’s so much easier to make at home than you might think.
Though brioche is one of the more time-consuming types of bread, it’s still a very simple recipe that only requires a little bit of patience. The end result is a paper-thin crust, a dense yet fluffy crumb, and buttery flavor that is out of this world!
An extra brush of melted butter at the end of the baking time makes it an even more indulgent bite!
This page includes step by step instructions, as well as tips and notes. If you’d like to skip all that, feel free to scroll down to the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Homemade Brioche Bread
Lately, I’ve been obsessed with binge-watching baking shows (in the very little spare time I have!) I often have reruns of The Great British Baking Show playing in the background while I work on any given day. Fittingly, this recipe is a straight adaptation of one from one of my favorite Brits, Paul Hollywood.
I may have worked in a bakery for many years, but baking is a science that’s made up of recipes that are much harder to tweak than a stovetop dish. I don’t feel comfortable enough with my knowledge of that science to go messing with perfection!
The only thing I tweaked in this recipe is how much butter goes into the dough while it mixes. Paul’s recipe calls for 250 grams, which translated to American measurements is an entire cup!
That’s a LOT of butter! In my research into this rich and delicious bread, I learned that the amount of butter used changes the texture of the brioche considerably, and Paul’s version is pretty dense.
I opted for only 1/2 cup of butter, which produced a perfectly fluffy and tender brioche!
So…what is Brioche, anyway?
Brioche is a traditional enriched French yeast bread – enriched from the butterfat and egg yolks found inside the dough. Considered a Viennoiserie (bread-like baked goods made with added ingredients that make them more like a pastry), brioche bread can be used in both sweet and savory recipes.
While brioche is interchangeable with Jewish challah (try this challah bun recipe!) in certain recipes, the two breads shouldn’t be confused. Challah is kosher to eat at every meal – therefore, it contains no dairy. Brioche, on the other hand, as I’ve already mentioned…full of butter. Totally not kosher.
When you’re ready to make this brioche, make sure you plan ahead since the dough needs to be chilled overnight! Don’t be surprised when you take the dough out of the bowl and it’s super wet and sticky!
The amount of milk, butter, and eggs that go into this recipe make it so, which is why a long chill time is necessary to re-solidify the beaten butter.
I promise you, it’s worth the wait AND the sticky fingers!
What are the best ways to eat brioche?
Brioche bread makes INCREDIBLE French toast! We’re talking home-spun Michelin-star restaurant worthy. Soaking already buttery and eggy bread in even more eggs, butter, and cream and frying it up is a deliciously indulgent treat. Plan ahead for Easter or Mother’s Day brunch, guys!
This recipe makes two 8×4-inch loaves or a big batch of fluffy brioche rolls, so if you end up with leftovers, you could also use it for the best bread pudding of your life, or:
- A rich umami Panzanella (bread) salad
- Turkey stuffing
- Homemade croutons
- The ultimate grilled cheese sandwich
- Breakfast strata or eggs-in-the-hole
You could also bake them into sliceable brioche buns for hamburgers!
How to make homemade brioche bread
- Begin by placing the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the salt, sugar, yeast, milk, and eggs and mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Increase to medium speed and mix for 6 to 8 minutes until the dough is glossy and elastic.
- Add the room temperature butter and mix for about 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl a few times to fully incorporate the butter. The dough will be very soft.
- Transfer the dough to a large plastic bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 7 to 8 hours or overnight, until firm.
- Butter two 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pans (or a 12-count standard muffin tin). Set aside. Lightly flour a large work surface.
- Remove the brioche dough from the fridge. Place it on the work surface and gently knead it a few times to remove the air. Divide it in half with a bench knife or serrated knife, then divide one half into 8 equal pieces (or 6 equal pieces for rolls). Shape each piece into a smooth ball by placing it into a cage formed by the palm your hand and the table and moving your hand around in a circular motion, using a bit of flour if needed. Place the balls of dough 2×4 in each loaf pan (or one ball in each muffin tin cavity.)
- Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and proof in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until the dough is double in size, and has risen to just above the rim of the pans.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Brush with egg wash if desired, then bake the bread in the heated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. Insert a wooden skewer inserted into the center – if it comes out clean, it’s ready! (Don’t skip this test – the sugar and butter in the dough will brown the bread quickly regardless of whether or not it is fully baked.) You can cover the bread with foil after 15 minutes to keep it from browning too much if you prefer a lighter loaf.
- Finally, remove the bread from the oven and brush with melted butter if desired. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then carefully remove the bread to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Kitchen Tools that will make the recipe even easier to make:
Even more delicious bread recipes:
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Homemade Brioche Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- ½ cup whole milk warmed
- 5 medium eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened, plus more for brushing
Instructions
- Place the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the salt, sugar, yeast, milk, and eggs and mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Increase to medium speed and mix for 6-8 minutes until the dough is glossy and elastic.
- Add the softened butter and mix for about 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl a few times to fully incorporate the butter. The dough will be very soft.
- Transfer the dough to a large plastic bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 7-8 hours or overnight, until firm.
- Butter 2 8.5×4.5 loaf pans (or a 12-count standard muffin tin). Set aside. Lightly flour a large work surface.
- Remove the dough from the fridge. Place it on the work surface and gently knead it a few times to remove the air. Divide it in half with a bench knife or serrated knife, then divide one half into 8 equal pieces (or 6 equal pieces for rolls). Shape each piece into a smooth ball by placing it into a cage formed by the palm your hand and the table and moving your hand around in a circular motion, using a bit of flour if needed. Place the balls of dough 2×4 in each loaf pan (or one ball in each muffin tin cavity.)
- Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and proof in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until the dough has risen to just above the rim of the pans.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the bread in the heated oven for 25-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean (don’t skip this test – the sugar and butter in the dough will brown the bread quickly regardless of whether or not it is fully baked.) You can cover the bread with foil after 15 minutes to keep it from browning too much if you prefer a lighter loaf.
- Remove the bread from the oven and brush with melted butter if desired. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then carefully remove the brioche to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
jessi says
Thanks for the recipe! I made it and was delicious!!!! best bread I have baked thanks to your instructions! Looking forward to more!๏ปฟ