The Best Brioche Bread
Buttery, soft and airy….this bread is “weak in the knees” good. The Best Brioche Bread recipe is a labor of love but your time is rewarded with the best loaf you’ll ever put in your mouth.
Brioche
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It’s absolutely freezing lately and I can’t stay warm so I decided to bake up a buttery loaf of the Best Brioche. If you’ve never had brioche, you’re in for a real treat.
It does take some time to make but it’s mostly waiting around impatiently while the dough rises….and then rises again, overnight in the fridge. It’s really like a curing process but then you need to wait…yet again….for another rise. But it’s all VERY worth the wait.
What is Brioche?
French Brioche is actually a pastry of french origin similar to a highly enriched white bread you’d find in many bakeries around the world. It has a very high egg and butter content which results in a rich and tender interior.
Homemade Brioche Bread is a yeast bread which requires a slow rise and an overnight cure in the refrigerator. It doesn’t require a ton of hands on time at all so don’t let the overnight rest deter you from making this heavenly loaf of bread.
And when you’re baking your French Brioche the smell will reassure you that your work is going to pay off in a VERY big way. I thought my classic white bread was amazing but this brioche just squashed it…literally. It is off the charts amazing.
What makes Brioche different than other bread?
Brioche bread contains much more butter and eggs than regular bread recipes. And, most times, brioche recipes also call for added sugar. It’s thought that brioche is a sweet bread due to the added sugar but it’s not as sweet as you’d think and leans more towards a buttery flavor.
What are the steps in making yeast bread?
For this Brioche, there are a few basic steps you’ll need to follow to ensure a perfect loaf. All the steps for baking yeast breads are basically the same with only the ingredients differing slightly.
- Dissolve the yeast in warm water 100 – 110 degrees, this process is called proofing the yeast. After 5 minutes, the yeast will start to bubble….if it does not the yeast may have died. Dump the yeast and start over. Hot water will kill the yeast and your bread will not rise. Using a thermometer to ensure your water is the proper temperature is recommended.
- Sift together the dry ingredients and add the yeast to the mix. Knead the dough either in a stand mixer with a dough hook or with the heel of your hand until the dough begins to come together.
- Finish kneading the dough until the dough feels smooth and elastic.
- After kneading the dough, place it in a bowl coated with cooking spray and cover with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft free location (85 degrees is the ideal temperature) until doubled in size. (30 minutes to 2 hours)
- Punch down the dough and return to the bowl. Transfer to the refrigerator for an overnight cure (this process is only for brioche, standard bread recipes would be shaped and allowed to rise before baking immediately after the second rise.)
- Remove the dough from the bowl and divide in half. Shape into a loaf and allow to rise again.
- Bake according to recipe directions.
And to ensure that your brioche is, in fact, the Best Brioche you ever make…be sure to use the best ingredients.
For starters, I always use a standard yeast…not a rapid rise…just the normal, from the jar, yeast. It’s never failed me, unless I kill it with water that’s a tad too hot. Be sure your water is like a warm bath…not too hot, not too cold…just right.
Tools You May Need
Stand Mixer
KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer is a workhorse in the kitchen and will stand the test of time. This is on every cook’s wishlist and makes a great gift for a loved one…or yourself.
Loaf Pan
Caraway Nonstick Loaf Pan is my go-to for baking anything from yeast bread to simple Banana Bread. It’s non-toxic, PTFE and PFOA free, making it a must have kitchen staple.
How To Store Brioche
You can store your brioche bread at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days…..if it lasts that long.
You can also freeze brioche for several months. Simply wrap the baked brioche loaf with plastic wrap and then foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
OR you can freeze brioche dough for up to 6 months wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and then foil.
To bake previously frozen dough, allow to come to room temperature before unwrapping. Transfer to the baking sheet or loaf pan. Bake according to the recipe directions below.
Once your brioche loaf is done baking…and rested…and ready to eat I recommend slathering a bit of that butter all over a slice while it’s still warm. Then smearing a bit of this jam on it. Then…just go to town. Heck, I’d call this dinner if I were you.
Recipes Using Brioche Bread
- Brioche Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding is seriously AHHHMAZING!
- Start your day with this Brioche French Toast Casserole….so good.
- Sausage Cranberry Brioche Stuffing is Thanksgiving goals.
- Make the BEST Turkey Sandwich just like Ross Geller’s!
- Or a fab Monte Christo
- This Brioche makes the BEST French Toast recipe ever. Period.
More Easy Brioche Recipes
- Everything Bagel Brioche Bread….yeah, that’s right.
- Super easy Brioche Dinner Rolls
- Amazing Brioche Hamburger Rolls
- This Panettone is basically Brioche all dressed up for Christmas.
Get the Recipe: The Very Best Brioche Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup warm water, about 110 degrees
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, not rapid rise
- 2 1/3 cups super fine pastry flour or cake flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 6 large eggs
- 8 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes, at room temperature
Instructions
- Whisk the water and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes until completely dissolved. Set aside
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, sift together the pastry flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt.
- Turn the mixer on low and add the eggs to the bowl 1 at a time beating well after each addition.
- Slowly add the yeast and continue beating at low speed for 5 minutes.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer on low and beat for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add the butter cubes 1/3 at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition. Once the butter has been added, beat for 10 more minutes until the dough is smooth.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 3 hours.
- Turn the dough out on a well floured surface and gently knead out the air bubbles. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide the dough in half.
- Shape the dough into 2 rectangles and place into two buttered 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 X 3 inch loaf pans.
- Allow the dough to rise, uncovered, in a warm place until it rises about 1/2 inch above the top of the pans, approximately 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Bake the brioche until it is golden brown on top, approximately 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes.
- Turn the bread out of the pans and cool completely on a cooling rack.
- If not serving immediately, wrap the hot bread in foil and set aside at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
If not serving immediately, wrap the hot bread in foil and set aside at room temperature for up to 2 days.
To freeze, wrap the hot bread in foil and place in a resealable freezer bag. Freeze promptly. Can be frozen up to 2 months. When ready to use, reheat in foil in a 250 degree oven until heated through, approximately 20-25 minutes
63 Comments on “The Best Brioche Bread”
OMG this looks amazing and really easy to follow! I definitely have to try this! 🙂
Thank you!
I plan on trying this today, but wonder if wrapping hot bread will make it soggy?
Nope, you can wrap it up hot, it won’t get soggy at all.
Can i bake the bread as balls in a muffin tin? If so what tempature should i bake it at and for how long? Do you not need to use an egg wash?
You can definitely bake in a muffin tin. I haven’t tested it but I’d bake them at the same temp until they’re golden brown. My guess would be 25-30 minutes. And the egg wash is optional. Thanks for visiting!
What will happen if I use quick rise yeast instead of regular? I only have quick rise on hand.
Honestly….I don’t know. I didn’t try it with the quick rise yeast. The rise times would definitely be condensed so just keep an eye on it and when it’s doubled in size, move to the next step. I’m curious how this will turn out so please come back and comment if you try it with the quick rise. 🙂
I made this yesterday with quick rise yeast and it turned out great. I let it rise initially in the greased bowl for 1 or 2 hours until doubled in size and then divided and placed in the greased pan and let that rise for another 1 or 2 hours and then baked. The brioche turned out soft and moist! This was an excellent recipe that will be my new go to, thank you for sharing it!
You did not leave it overnight?
I don’t always but you definitely can do that. I leave it for a long time, though. I made my dough in the morning and baked it in the evening.
Heavenly and so deliciously indulgent! This is my go to recipe for brioche – in fact it’s my go to recipe for bread in general. I also find any leftovers work excellently with berries in a bread pudding.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for commenting!
Just made this and it was INCREDIBLE! Definitely worth the time and effort. Thank you!
Thank you! I’m so glad you loved it! It’s my favorite. 🙂
Can I make it the day or two before
Yes, absolutely! Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. 🙂 Thanks for visiting!
What is the consistency of the dough after mixing, and ready to raise? Gooey or will not stick to your hands? Thanks.
It will still be pretty sticky….I just grease up my hands to make it less messy.
Can this be made in a bread machine?
It can be made in the bread machine, however, you’ll need to layer it exactly as it is in the instructions or it may not rise properly.
I have just made it and it turned more than amazing! Thank you very much for the lovely recipe! Tomorrow i will make some Brioche burger buns God willing to surprise my family 🙂
So Im in the middle of the process, and the dough is quite gooey, i let it rest for 3 hours but it did not double its size…what would you recommend? should i leave it outside for another 3 h? or should I keep going with the recipe? I used normal yeast, and room temperature butter.
I’m sorry, Daniela….I just saw this but next time you can just add a bit more flour until it’s less sticky. However, if it didn’t rise you may have killed the yeast. If the water is too hot or too cold, the yeast won’t work.
Hey Kellie! I was just wondering whether these are US measurements or UK measurements, as I would prefer to make the recipe in grams.
Hi! They’re in US measurements….I’m in the process of getting a converter installed so my UK friends can make these without all the math. 🙂
If I don’t have a stand mixer or dough hook, should I mix by hand or use a handheld mixer?
You may want to mix by hand. The mixer won’t really work very well.
I’m trying this recipe today. Im going to fold semi sweet chocolate chunks in one of the loaves. Wish me luck!
That sounds like a fabulous idea! Please let me know how it turned out!
I love Brioche bread and yours looks so delicious! but I want to avoid commercial flours and will use my own. Tell me, can you substitute granulated sugar with honey? If so, how much? Thank you!
I haven’t test it with honey and the yeast needs sugar to grow so I would GUESS that the honey should work but can’t guarantee. You will know if the yeast doesn’t bubble and foam when you mix it together.
This is the best! I love all kinds of bread, but this brioche bread is amazing!
Thank you so much!
This bread looks heavenly!! It looks so soft!! I love trying new bread recipes, so thank you!
You’re welcome!
This is such an incredible recipe! Homemade bread is the best!
It really is!
This brioche is to die for! So delicious and way easier than I thought!
So glad you loved it! It’s our favorite for french toast!
BEST BRIOCHE and I love how easy it is to make!!!
why pastry, or cake flour? I have read a lot of brioche bread recipes, and none of them call for cake flour.
Pastry (and cake flour) have a lower protein content which allows for a lighter, fluffier bread….whereas all purpose flour has a higher protein content is around 11% depending on the brand. All purpose flour will give you a more dense loaf with less airy pockets. You can definitely substitute the cake and pastry flour with all-purpose in a 1:1 ratio but be aware that your bread will not be as light and delicate as pictured.
Brioche is my favorite! It makes the BEST french toast!
I love a toasted slice of this bread with butter and jam…YUM!!
Thank you so much for your comment!
Seriously obsessed with all things brioche and this recipe is genius! Thanks for sharing!
Brioche is my favorite kind of bread!! I’m so excited to try this.
OH this bread is the bomb!
what do you mean by 8 oz of butter? is this a cup of butter or 8 oz in weight?
8 ounces weight.
Did you mean to put 1 and 1/3 cups of water? 1/3 cup is not enough.
No, it’s 1/3 of a cup. If you add another cup, your dough is never going to come together.
I thought brioche traditionally had milk in it. Why doesn’t this?
Butter, always butter and a liquid. You can use milk, cream, water….some people even use brandy.
My bread is not rising after 2 hours. It’s the exact same size as it was when I took it out of the fridge. I checked that the water temperature Before adding the yeast. Is this just a waste of batter now?
No, it’s not a waste. If your house is cooler, it may be slow to rise. Try warming the oven and turning it off. Then place your bread in the oven for a bit and see if that helps. Hopefully, your yeast wasn’t dead to begin with but you can keep going at this point. I have baked a loaf that didn’t rise initially and then let it sit overnight, it ended up rising in the oven a little bit. Still tasty just wasn’t as fluffy as all my other loaves.
A lovely, tender, tasty treat. I used half the recipe for a batch of cinnamon buns. YUMMY!
Thank you for a great recipe!
Great idea!
In the video, it looks like there is flour on the top when you transferred the dough into the greased bowl. Was this added? My dough seemed very sticky. Also, about how long do you knead it by hand to “get out the air bubbles”? It’s in the oven on “proof” for the first rising. It looks delicious and thank you for the recipe.
Hi Belle! I hope you had success with the bread because it is a tricky one to work with. The dough is VERY sticky and can be temperamental, the flour was just from my hand….I know it looks like it was in the bowl. I need the dough until it seems a bit less sticky and the bubbles are gone….it can take anywhere from 5-15 minutes.
If I only have a hand mixer will that work
Yes, or you can do it by hand….like old school. 🙂