Maple-Glazed Vegan Water Challah (Pareve)

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Rising Time: 2 hrs 30 mins

Total: 3 hrs 35 mins

Servings: 12 servings

It might seem blasphemous to make egg bread—another name for challah—without eggs, but if you’re out of eggs, vegan, or avoiding eggs for another reason, this recipe produces a spectacular and delicious result. The dough rises beautifully and is easy to work with.

Crusty, chewy, and a bit sweet, this challah will become your go-to for Shabbat or any other time you want to serve challah. If there happen to be any leftovers, turn the bread into vegan French toast.

What Is Water Challah?

Egg-free challah has likely been made as long as challah with eggs has existed. In fact, «nowhere in Jewish scripture is it written that challah is a braided, sweet, yellow, deliciously squishy bread of the kind familiar to most American Jews, which comes from the rich tradition of Eastern European baking,» according to the New York Times.

Water challah had a bit of a heyday in the United States during the 1970s and ’80s when Jewish bakeries sold it to cater to people who were shunning eggs for fear of raising their cholesterol. Some people still do avoid eggs, but as nutrition science advanced, the egg was vindicated, and for many people in the United States, water challah was forgotten. While it might be harder to find water challah in U.S. bakeries these days, it’s thankfully easy to make at home.

Tips for the Best Water Challah

Make sure your yeast is active—This recipe calls for active dry yeast. Be sure to proof the yeast before you proceed with the recipe to be sure it’s active. It’s as simple as combining a pinch of sugar, the yeast, and lukewarm water and setting aside until the mixture is foamy. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast isn’t active and you should discard it and start with new yeast.
Use a neutral oil—A mild-tasting, neutral oil such as canola or grapeseed is best for this recipe.
Know how to knead, punch down, and shape your bread—Knowing how to properly knead dough is a skill that will come in handy for this challah and many other bread recipes. Kneading creates structure and strength in the dough and gives your bread a good chew. Kneading isn’t hard, and once you’ve done it a few times you’ll learn just how the dough should feel in your hands. After kneading, you’ll allow your dough to rise, then you’ll punch the dough down, and shape the challah as desired before letting it rise again and then baking.
Don’t skip the maple syrup wash—Egg challah is traditionally brushed with an egg wash, which gives it a beautiful shiny browned exterior. Just because you are making a vegan challah doesn’t mean you have to forgo this look. Simply follow the recipe instructions and make a maple wash by whisking together maple syrup and soy milk or another non-dairy milk.

How Much Bread Does This Recipe Make?

The recipe will make 1 large challah loaf, 2 medium challah loaves, 1 medium challah loaf plus 6 challah rolls, or 12 challah rolls.

Do I Need a Stand Mixer for This Bread?

You can use a stand mixer, a hand mixer, or your hands to make the dough for this bread. You can also use a bread machine for the initial steps before baking the bread in the oven.

«This water challah is incredibly straightforward to make and the resulting loaf is tender and plush with the perfect slight sweetness. If you don’t have a stand mixer, the dough is super easy to make by hand. For a taller loaf, consider a six-strand braid.» —Kayla Hoang

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Challah:

1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
6 tablespoons vegan sugar, plus a pinch for the yeast
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola, more for the bowl
4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided, more for the work surface
2 teaspoons fine salt or Morton's kosher salt, or 4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt

For the Glaze:

1 1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons soy milk, or another non-dairy milk substitute

Steps to Make It

Hand or Stand Mixer Method

Gather the ingredients.
Place 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water in a large bowl or stand mixer. Add a pinch of sugar and sprinkle with 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast.

Set aside in a warm place until the mixture is foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. If your yeast doesn't proof properly, discard the mixture and start again with new yeast.
With a hand whisk or the mixer's whisk attachment, mix in 6 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup neutral oil, 2 cups all-purpose flour, and 2 teaspoons fine salt.
Switch to a sturdy wooden spoon or the mixer's dough hook, and add the remaining 2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition until a shaggy dough forms and begins to pull into a ball (you might not need all of the flour).
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. With clean, floured hands, knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, continue to knead in the stand mixer with the dough hook.
Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
Grease a clean large bowl with a bit of oil.
Place the challah dough in the bowl and turn to coat with the oil.
Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the dough has risen to at least double its bulk, about 1 3/4 hours.
Punch the dough down.
Lightly grease 1 or 2 rimmed baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
Shape or braid the dough as desired into 1 large challah loaf, 2 medium challah loaves, 1 medium challah loaf plus 6 challah rolls, or 12 challah rolls.
Place the shaped challah and/or rolls on the baking sheet(s) and cover with clean, dry tea towels. Allow to rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
If using 1 baking sheet, position a rack in the center of the oven. If using 2 baking sheets, position a rack in the upper and lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 F. While the oven is heating, make the maple wash by whisking together 1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 1/2 teaspoons soy milk.
Brush the wash over the challah with a pastry brush.
Bake the challah until the crust is a deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 to 35 minutes for a large challah, 20 to 25 minutes for a medium challah, and 15 to 20 minutes for rolls.
Cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

How to Store and Freeze

Although best eaten the day it is baked, this vegan challah bread will last for two to three days in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature. Do not place in the refrigerator as it will get stale quicker. It also makes wonderful French toast.
Challah bread can be frozen for up to three months. Place it in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, label it with the date, and transfer to the freezer.

Tip

Make this in smaller loaves or rolls so you can freeze and save one (or more) for later use. This recipe makes 1 large challah, 2 medium challahs, 1 medium challah plus 6 challah rolls, or 12 challah rolls.

Bread Machine Challah

Place the ingredients in the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
Select "Dough Cycle." When the cycle ends, remove the dough from the machine.
Shape as desired and transfer to prepared baking pans. Allow the challah to rise, covered lightly with a clean, slightly damp tea towel, until doubled in size, 30 minutes to an hour.
While the bread is rising, make the maple wash by whisking together the maple syrup and soy milk. Preheat oven to 350F.
Brush the challah with the maple mixture. Bake until the crust is golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 to 35 minutes for a large challah, 20 to 25 minutes for a medium challah, and 15 to 20 minutes for rolls.
Cool on wire rack.

Recipe Variations

Herbed Challah: Top the loaf with chopped herbs such as fresh rosemary before baking.
Seeded Challah: Sprinkle the challah with sesame seeds or poppy seeds before baking.
Cinnamon-Raisin Challah: Mix some raisins and/or cinnamon into the dough.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories	241
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g	7%
Saturated Fat 0g	2%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 390mg	17%
Total Carbohydrate 43g	16%
Dietary Fiber 1g	5%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 10mg	1%
Iron 2mg	12%
Potassium 61mg	1%
*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.