Round Challah Bread Recipe: Easy 8-Strand Braiding Method

Easy Round Challah Recipe: Get a Bakery-Worthy Loaf with This 8-Strand Braid

Round Challah Bread Recipe: Easy 8-Strand Braiding Method

This soft and slightly sweet round challah bread is shaped using a simple 8-strand braid. The golden crust, finished with sesame seeds, makes it perfect for toasting, gifting, or turning into French toast.

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword 8-strand challah braid, braided challah, homemade challah bread, round challah, round challah recipe, sesame challah, sweet challah

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Rise Time 2

Total Time 2 45

Servings slices

Calories 245kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

Stand Mixer with dough hook. For kneading.
baking sheet For baking.
measuring cups and spoons For accuracy.
pastry brush For applying egg wash.

Ingredients

Challah Dough:

⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (177 ml) warm water
1 packet (7 g) RapidRise yeast
5 cups (620 g) all-purpose flour
1½ tsps. (9 g) coarse or kosher salt
2 large (~112 g) eggs room temperature, beaten
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil

Assembly and Finishing:

⅓ to ½ cup (45 - 70 g) sesame seeds for coating
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp. (15 ml) water

Instructions

Mix the dry and wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer until a shaggy dough forms. If you are kneading by hand, knead it for 10–12 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. If you are using a stand mixer, use the dough hook on medium-low speed (speed 2) for 8–10 minutes. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and feel smooth.
⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar, ¾ cup (177 ml) warm water, 1 packet (7 g) RapidRise yeast, 5 cups (620 g) all-purpose flour, 1½ tsps. (9 g) coarse or kosher salt, 2 large (~112 g) eggs, 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
If the dough is too sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time (about 8g). If it’s too dry, add warm water one tablespoon at a time (15ml). For RapidRise yeast, that means around 120–130°F (49–54°C). Challah dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not stiff.
Cover the bowl with a damp towel, lid, or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours until it doubles in size.
Gently punch down the risen dough to release air bubbles and then turn it out onto a clean work surface that has been lightly floured.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Use a kitchen scale if you have one or just eyeball it.
Roll each piece into a rope about 17–18 inches (43–46 cm) long. Sprinkle sesame seeds on 4 of the ropes, leaving the other 4 plain. Then pair them up so each seeded strand is matched with a plain one—you’ll have 4 pairs total.
⅓ to ½ cup (45 - 70 g) sesame seeds
Lay 2 pairs vertically on your surface so they point up and down. Keep a small gap between the two pairs. Each pair should be placed sesame strand + plain strand, side by side.
Take the remaining 2 pairs and lay them horizontally across the vertical ones—pointing left and right—to form a tic-tac-toe pattern.
Gently lift the top strand of the right vertical pair, and slide the top horizontal pair underneath it. Then, lift the bottom strand of the left horizontal pair, and slide the bottom horizontal pair underneath that.
Moving clockwise, take each under strand and cross it over the strand next to it.
Now reverse direction. Moving counterclockwise, take each under strand and cross it over the next one.
One final round going clockwise: take each under strand and move it over the one beside it.
Tuck any loose ends gently under the loaf. Use your hands to press and shape the dough into a smooth, round challah.
Transfer the challah to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and cover it loosely with a towel. Let it rise in a warm place until it’s puffy (about 30–45 minutes). Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Beat the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water (15ml). Use a pastry brush to brush only the plain (non-seeded) parts of the challah with egg wash. Bake for 30–35 minutes until it’s deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp. (15 ml) water

Notes

When using RapidRise yeast (or instant yeast), aim for water temperature between 120–130°F (49–54°C) to help activate it properly in the dough.
For the best visual contrast, brush egg wash only on the plain dough—not the sesame-coated strands.
To make ahead, refrigerate the dough after the first rise. Bring it back to room temp before shaping and doing the final rise.
You can also bake this in a 9- or 10-inch round cake pan if you want a more compact shape.

For optimal outcomes when making this round challah bread recipe, I recommend referring to the details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations.

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

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