Challah is definitely my favorite bread, and I decided to make this recipe with ingredients I had at home (I only had whole wheat flour). I wasn’t expecting for this whole wheat version to taste as delicious as it did, especially since I made many revisions to the original recipe I used from Cooking with Tantrums.

Whole Wheat Challah

INGREDIENTS

• 6.75 tsp (3 packets) of active dry yeast (or 2 tbsp). I’ve also used instant and it works fine
• 2.5 cups warm water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2.25 lb (around 7 cups) white whole wheat flour, more if necessary
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• Topping: 1 egg (egg wash), sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine dry yeast, warm water and 1 tbsp sugar in a glass bowl and set aside to proof 10 minutes.
2. In a very large bowl, combine almost all of the flour with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tbsp salt. Add the egg, honey and oil. Mix well.
3. Once the yeast is proofed, add to the flour mixture and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. Transfer dough to working surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed until dough is no longer sticky.
4. Return the dough to the large bowl, cover with a towel. Set aside to rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes in a warm, draft-free spot.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Uncover the dough and “take challah” (if this is in your practice) then portion and braid your challahs. Allow to rise 30 minutes then brush egg wash, sprinkle toppings and bake about 35-45 minutes (depending on the size of your challot). I made mini challahs, so I only cooked for 35 minutes.
7. Allow to cool completely before storing.

Enjoy and let me know if you ahavabite by commenting on this post or tagging me on insta!