Vegan Challah Bread

Vegan Challah Bread

water challah recipe

Recipe by
Reviewed by Arturs Arnicans
Prep Time: 35m
Cook Time: 30m
Total Time: 3h 35m
Temp.: 375 °F
Servings: 2
Difficulty: Easy
4.8 (18 Reviews)
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Ingredients

Adjust servings:

For sprinkling:

For serve:

Nutritional Information

152
сalories
0,9g
fat
31,6g
carbohydrates
3,9g
protein
0mg
cholesterol
242mg
sodium
1 slice
serving size
Vegan Challah Bread

Recipe Description

Vegan Challah Bread is a water challah recipe made without eggs and dairy but still deliciously soft and fluffy. And if you have a reason to avoid dairy and eggs, these amazingly baked loaves are sure to please. This recipe is completely vegan and uses white sugar instead of traditional honey. Challah is a Jewish holiday and Shabbat staple, and it is meant to be shared with family and friends. It is traditionally braided and sprinkled with sesame seeds for a beautiful presentation. This challah bread is delicious any way you serve it and makes great French toast too. 

This bread recipe calls for 2 times rising, but the result is worth it. The second rise allows yeast more time to work and helps develop a light texture and chewy crumb. So, make the recipe when you have the time to indulge in the meditative qualities of kneading, rising, shaping, and baking your own bread. This recipe yields 2 loaves. Be sure to follow the instructions below to make a three or six-strand challah. Enjoy!    

To make the Vegan Challah Bread, you will need the following ingredients:

Ingredients for Vegan Challah Bread

Steps to make

  1. 1

    Dissolve yeast

    10 min
    Step 1 - Vegan Challah Bread

    In a large mixing bowl or bowl of your stand mixer, combine 2 cups lukewarm water with 1 ½ tablespoon yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let stand for 10 mins or until yeast bubbles and froths.

  2. 2

    Add wet ingredients

    2 min
    Step 2 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Whisk in ½ cup vegan butter or oil, and 10 tablespoons aquafaba, adding 3 tablespoons at a time.

  3. 3

    Add sugar and salt

    1 min
    Step 3 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Mix in ½ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon salt.

  4. 4

    Add flour

    3 min
    Step 4 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Mixing with the dough hook attachment, gradually add in 7 ½ to 8 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix well between each addition until the dough holds together. Alternatively, knead by hand.

  5. 5

    Knead

    10 min
    Step 5 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Knead the dough on low speed for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth. Alternatively, turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes.

  6. 6

    Rise

    1h
    Step 6 - Vegan Challah BreadStep 6 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot.
    Leave to rise for 1 hour, or until almost doubled in size.

  7. 7

    Second rise

    30 min
    Step 7 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Once doubled in size, punch the dough down, and cover again. Leave to rise for another half an hour.

  8. 8

    Divide dough

    1 min
    Step 8 - Vegan Challah Bread

    This recipe yields 2 loaves so cut the dough in half. Keep one half of the dough covered.

  9. 9

    To make 6-strand challah

    2 min
    Step 9 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Divide half the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each one into a ball. Using your hands, roll each ball into a strand.

  10. 10

    Braid dough

    3 min
    Step 10 - Vegan Challah BreadStep 10 - Vegan Challah Bread

    On a lightly floured surface, place the 6 strands in a row, squeeze them together at the very top. Take the far right strand and cross it to the left over all the remaining strands. Take the strand that was the furthest left and cross it to the right over the remaining 4 strands. Rearrange the strands slightly to make room between the two middle strands. Now fold the far left strand into the middle. Take the second from the right strand and move it over the remaining strands to the far left, then move the far right strand over two to the middle. Next, take the second from the left strand and move it over the remaining strands to the far right. And fold the far left strand into the middle. Carry on going until you have braided the whole loaf then pinch the ends together and tuck underneath.

  11. 11

    Transfer to baking sheet

    1 min
    Step 11 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Place a large baking mat on top of a baking sheet and grease the mat with vegan butter.
    Transfer the challah to the greased baking mat leaving room for the second loaf.

  12. 12

    To make 3-strand challah

    2 min
    Step 12 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Divide the remaining dough into 3 equal pieces and roll each one into a ball. Using your hands, roll each ball into a strand.

  13. 13

    Braid dough

    3 min
    Step 13 - Vegan Challah BreadStep 13 - Vegan Challah Bread

    On a lightly floured surface, place the 3 strands in a row, pinch them together at the very top. Tuck the pinched ends under to help hold them together. Take the left strand and cross it over the middle strand. Now, take the right strand and cross it over the middle strand. Repeat crossing left over center, followed by right over center until you reach the end. Pinch and tuck the ends under the loaf.

  14. 14

    Transfer to baking sheet and let rise

    1h
    Step 14 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Transfer the challah to the prepared baking mat leaving at least 2 inches in between the loaves. Brush with 3 tablespoons aquafaba or more as needed to cover completely, loosely cover and let rise for 1 hour.

  15. 15

    Preheat oven

    5 min

    15 minutes before the rising is complete, preheat the oven to 375 °F.

  16. 16

    Bake

    30 min
    Step 16 - Vegan Challah BreadStep 16 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Brush the loaves with additional aquafaba and sprinkle with sesame seeds if using. Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through until golden brown.

  17. 17

    Cool

    Step 17 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Once baked, cool on a wire rack.

  18. 18

    Serve

    Step 18 - Vegan Challah Bread

    Slice and serve!

It's time to put your braiding skills to good use with this easy Vegan Challah Bread recipe! When it comes to celebrations big or small, there is nothing better than a slice of homemade bread. Give this recipe a go, and please come back to leave us a comment and rating!

About the author

Nina Cole

Nina dreams of gender equality and for women all over the world to feel empowered and enjoy the same freedom she has. She’s a careful consumer, believing that by being more conscious about the way we live we can make the world a better place! Already a vegetarian, she uses animal products sparingly and tries to produce as little waste as possible. Most of her recipes are vegan as a result!

Recipe Reviews

Have you made this recipe? Share your experience and help other cooks!

★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8 out of 5 (18 reviews)
Irene Johnson
March 10, 2025
Verified

Superb! I made this Vegan Challah for our family gathering, and it was a hit! Everyone loved its fluffy texture and delightful taste. Growing up, my grandma always made challah, so this was a special way to share a tradition. It brought back sweet memories!

Dave
January 18, 2025
Verified

Superb! Made it on a chilly evening, kids loved the warmth and fluffiness. Perfect for our family Shabbat dinner!

Marie Dupont
August 26, 2024
Verified

Je suis ravi de cette recette de challah vegan. J'ai fait le pain avec mes deux enfants le week-end dernier, et c'était vraiment amusant de le tresser ensemble. Le goût est exceptionnel et moelleux. Il a aussi fait le meilleur pain perdu au matin. Merci pour ce délice, je le recommanderais à tous !

Wendy
August 18, 2024
Verified

I made this vegan challah for a Shabbat dinner, and wow, it was so soft and yummy. Everyone loved it. I was nervous about the eggless part, but it turned out fab! Can't wait to make French toast with the leftovers.

Fern
July 16, 2024
Verified

This vegan challah was surprisingly easy and turned out super fluffy. Made it for a friend’s dinner, and they loved it. Who knew plant-based bread could be so good

Robert Smith
July 8, 2024
Verified

Delicious! My family loved it over dinner, we made memories while bread was rising in the kitchen.

John93
March 10, 2024
Verified

Amazing. This vegan challah bread recipe was a hit at our family gathering. I had never made bread before, but the instructions were clear and easy to follow. Everyone loved the soft texture, and it made great French toast the next day.

Hannah Williams
October 19, 2023
Verified

I made this Vegan Challah for a family gathering, and it was a big hit. Soft, fluffy, and simply fabulous.

Grace Thompson
August 13, 2023
Verified

I am so thankful for this vegan challah recipe! I made it for a family gathering, and everyone loved it, even my kids. It's so soft and fluffy, and the best part is knowing it’s completely dairy-free. The second rise really made a difference. Definitely making this again!

Rachel
February 10, 2023
Verified

Wow! This Vegan Challah Bread was a game-changer for our family Shabbat dinner. I loved kneading the dough with my kids—so much fun! It turned out fluffy and delicious, and everyone devoured it. Can't wait to make more!

Rebecca
December 29, 2022
Verified

Superb

Vicky
May 13, 2022
Verified

Absolutely love it! I made this challah for a family gathering, and everyone was amazed at how fluffy and tasty it was. The vegan twist made it perfect for everyone. Will definitely make it again!

Tom
May 8, 2022
Verified

I tried this Vegan Challah Bread for my family's Friday dinner. It was the first time I ever made bread, and it turned out so soft and fluffy. My kids loved it, especially as French toast the next day. Grateful for this recipe.

Alex
April 14, 2022
Verified

So soft, wow!

Vanessa Johnson
February 4, 2022
Verified

So fluffy wow

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