Braided Sabbath Bread (3-Egg Challah Bread)

Written by
Elizabeth Yetter
Bread expert Elizabeth Yetter has been baking bread for more than 20 years, bringing her Pennsylvania Dutch Country experiences to life through recipes.
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Elizabeth Yetter
Updated 07/21/21
3-Egg Challah Bread

The Spruce
Prep: 2 hrs
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 2 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
99 Calories
4g Fat
11g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 99
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 111mg 37%
Sodium 650mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Protein 5g
Calcium 40mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Sabbath bread, also known as challah, is a traditional Jewish bread that is made to commemorate the story of wandering through the desert for 40 years and the manna that fell from the heavens before each Sabbath that kept the people of Israel alive.

Sabbath bread is a delicious white bread made with 3 eggs. It can be made in keeping with religious observances or it can be used as a dinner or picnic bread.

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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1 1/3 cups water (warm)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or shortening)
  • 3 medium eggs (lightly beaten)
  • 5 cups bread flour
  • 1 egg yolk (lightly beaten)
  • Garnish: poppy seeds

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for 3-egg Challah bread
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  2. In large bowl, mix together yeast, water, sugar, and salt.

    Mix together yeast, water, sugar, salt
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  3. Stir in vegetable oil and eggs.

    Stir in eggs
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  4. Mix in enough bread flour to make a thick dough that can be kneaded by hand.

    Mix in bread flour
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  5. Turn dough out onto board and knead for 8 minutes.

    Turn dough out on board
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  6. Put dough in greased bowl and turn dough over in the bowl so that the top is also lightly greased. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour in a warm, draft-free place.

    Put dough in greased bowl
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  7. Punch down.

    Dough rising
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  8. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead out bubbles for 5 minutes.

    Knead out dough bubbles
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  9. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Set 3 pieces aside.

    Divide into pieces
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  10. Roll out the remaining 3 pieces of dough between your hands, making 3 strips, about 11- to 12-inches long.

    Roll out dough
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  11. Line strips side-by-side on floured board and pinch the top ends together.

    Line strips side by side
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  12. Braid strips and pinch bottom ends together.

    Braid strips
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  13. Set braided loaf on greased baking sheet and repeat steps for the remaining 3 pieces of dough.

    Set braid on greased pan
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  14. Cover loaves with kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

    Cover loaves with kitchen towel
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  15. Uncover bread and brush on egg yolk. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.

    Brush on egg yolk
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  16. Bake at 400 F for 40 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped on.

    Bake at 400F
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  17. Let bread cool on rack.

    Let bread cool
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  18. Serve warm.