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Bread Machine Challah for Shabbat and Holidays

Breakfast 🍳Side Dish 🥗Snack 🍿 Israeli 🇮🇱Jewish 🇮🇱 Low-SodiumVegetarian 🥦Halal 🕌Kosher ✡️Pescatarian 🐟

Bread Machine Challah for Shabbat and Holidays bakes into a tender, slightly sweet loaf with a plush crumb and a glossy, golden crust. The subtle richness from margarine and a hint of vanilla complement the traditional braid, making it perfect for Friday night dinners, festive gatherings, or anytime you want an elegant centerpiece to share.

  • Prep15 mins
  • Cook35 mins
  • Serves10
  • DifficultyEasy
Bread Machine Challah for Shabbat and Holidays
  1. 1

    Put the warm water, salt, sugar, margarine, egg, bread flour, and yeast into the bread machine pan in that order, set it to the dough setting, and start the machine.

  2. 2

    When the dough cycle finishes, turn the dough out onto a floured surface.

  3. 3

    Divide the dough into 3 pieces and roll them into ropes about thumb thickness and about 12 inches long, making the ropes thicker in the middle and thinner at the ends.

  4. 4

    Pinch the 3 ropes together at the top and braid them by moving the right strand over the middle to make it the new middle, then moving the far left strand over the new middle; keep alternating sides until the loaf is fully braided, then pinch the ends together and tuck them underneath for a neat finish.

  5. 5

    Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper, and set the braided challah on the prepared sheet.

  6. 6

    Cover the loaf with a plastic bag to keep it from drying out, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

  7. 7

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

  8. 8

    Whisk 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of water, and vanilla in a small bowl, brush the glaze over the challah, and sprinkle with optional toppings (see footnote).

  9. 9

    Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, 35 to 40 minutes.