Gluten Free Challah Braid
Gluten free challah is great anytime you're craving insanely good bread ... which is all the time, right? Made with soft, never-gritty gfJules Flour, it's easy to braid the dough and easy to please anyone with this bread!
Print
Pin
Servings: 2 large loaves
Calories: 245kcal
Ingredients
Gluten Free Challah Ingredients
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 Tbs. gluten free active dry yeast Fleishmann's® or Red Star® - NOT platinum
- 1 tsp. granulated cane sugar
- 1 cup yogurt of choice not Greek style, room temperature (I like vanilla flavor) (So Delicious® Vanilla Coconut Yogurt* - (I like vanilla flavor, but plain is fine)
- 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 5 large egg yolks at room temperature slightly mixed**
- 1/3 cup safflower oil OR sunflower oil OR non-GMO canola oil OR other mild oil like avocado
- 4 Tbs. honey OR agave nectar OR maple syrup
- 4 cups 540 grams gfJules® All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 1 Tbs. psyllium husk powder (OPTIONAL) if using, add 2 Tbs water to dough
- 3 Tbs. + 2 tsp. granulated cane sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Toppings
- 1 large egg mixed with 1 Tbs. water
- poppy seeds sesame seeds, raisins, diced apples or other toppings (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200º F, then turn it off. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, divide out ~1/3 cup of the total 3/4 cup warm water. Add to it the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar to proof the yeast; set aside. (If using quick rise/rapid rise yeast, you may simply add to dry ingredients instead.)
- In the bowl of your stand mixer***, add the rest of the wet ingredients (remaining water, yogurt, cider vinegar, egg yolks, oil, honey) and mix until combined.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl (gfJules Flour; remaining sugar; salt; and psyllium -- if using).
- If proofing yeast, after 5 minutes of proofing, stir in the bubbling yeast-water mixture into the wet ingredients (note: if your yeast isn’t bubbling at this point, throw it out and start again with fresh yeast).
- Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet until fully integrated, adding more warm water by the tablespoon if needed so that the dough is not tight or stiff — you should be able to pull the dough gently without it feeling tight or like it would bounce back — if it’s too stiff, add more warm water.
- Mix 1-2 minutes more on medium speed to integrate any additional water and ensure all ingredients are fully incorporated. The dough should be workable; keep in mind you will be braiding it, so it can't be too loose or too tight (think of Goldilocks dough!).
- Once the dough is combined, divide it in half and divide each half into three equal-sized balls (6 balls total for 2 loaves or 3 balls for one large braided loaf). Roll each ball out into an 18-inch coil or log on a clean, flat surface dusted very lightly with gfJules All Purpose Flour.
- Pinch together one end of each coil, scoring and wetting them slightly with water to help them join together at the top, then braid them, finishing by connecting them at the other end.
- Gently transfer braid to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat for the second set of three balls. You may divide the dough into as many balls as you like, counting on at least 3 balls per loaf. Roll each to equal lengths of coil and braid into 1 or more loaves.
- In a small bowl, mix the extra egg together with a splash of water and brush over each loaf well, coating the entire top surface. Sprinkle the fruit or any toppings at this point, then place the tray (covering the loaves with wax paper or parchment sprayed with cooking oil) in a warm location for only 20 – 30 minutes.
- Once risen at least slightly, place the uncovered tray in an oven preheated to 350º F (static) or 325º F (convection) for 20 minutes (less time for smaller loaves). A toothpick inserted into the center of the bread should come out dry or with dry crumbs.
- (Optional: instead of baking right away after rising, brush again with egg wash or spritz with water and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Remove to the counter while pre-heating your oven. Remove plastic wrap and bake as directed.)
- Remove to cool on a wire rack.
Video
Notes
*If you don’t have yogurt on-hand, another good dairy-free substitute is 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (shake it well before measuring) + 1 tablespoon vinegar (not malt vinegar) or lemon juice.
**for a vegan egg-substitute, check my comprehensive vegan substitutes article for ideas. I have not tried anything in this recipe yet myself, but one reader used 1 Tbs. Just Egg per yolk and her challah loaves turned out beautifully!
***A stand mixer is recommended due to the thickness of the bread dough. A hand mixer is not recommended. You may mix by hand, but mix well. Alternatively, use a bread machine for mixing dough.
Nutrition Facts
Gluten Free Challah Braid
Serving Size
1
Amount per Serving
Calories
245
% Daily Value*
Fat
14
g
22
%
Saturated Fat
3
g
19
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
10
g
Cholesterol
94
mg
31
%
Sodium
365
mg
16
%
Carbohydrates
19
g
6
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
15
g
17
%
Protein
5
g
10
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
** Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.