This brioche bread is ultra soft, rich, and buttery! Not only delicious to eat, but easy to make too! Perfect for sandwiches, French toast and just to eat on its own.
Learn how to make authentic brioche bread with this step by step recipe!
A few weeks ago, I was able to live one of my life-long dreams! Granted, it’s only a small part of my dream, but it was still an amazing, fun experience! A short course in Viennoiseries at Le Cordon Bleu was everything I dreamed it would be, and more!
Living a dream
Going to Le Cordon Bleu had been a dream since I realized there was a profession called “pastry chef”. After I completed my bachelors, I was itching to enroll at Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney, Australia for a grand diploma, but had to change my plans because my parents didn’t approve of that career path. I should’ve stuck to my guns in hindsight, but hindsight is 20/20 as they say. So I chose my next love for grad school – science. I still have regrets about not living out that dream, but there still may be an opportunity on the horizon for me. Especially, if I get chances to do short courses like this at the Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa from time to time! 🙂 So if you’re reading this, and contemplating about your dreams, it’s never too late, and don’t compromise on a dream that you’re passionate about.
Learning the techniques, tips and tricks for making viennoiseries was a fantastic experience! And today, I’ll be sharing all of that with you, so you can make the best brioche bread at home too!
What is brioche?
Brioche bread is a French bread, and a cross between a pastry and bread.
This is because the bread is enriched with butter and eggs. It belongs to the family of viennoisseries (think croissants, Danish pastries, sweet rolls etc.). It’s a very buttery, soft and delicious bread and can be made into sweet brioche or savory brioche.
Why this is the best brioche bread recipe!
- This is a tried and true brioche dough recipe from Le Cordon Bleu, but adapted it for home bakers.
- I’ll be sharing step by step instructions, so you know what to look for at each step.
- Details on how to tell when the brioche is ready after kneading and proofing, so you won’t get gluey and under-baked brioche, or dry and crumbly brioche.
- Three shaping techniques for your brioche loaf are also included here.
Professional recipe vs my brioche recipe
Here, I’ll be sharing my recipe for making amazing brioche dough at home! I had to make some changes to the recipe I tried at Le Cordon Bleu, in order to make it more accessible and convenient for home bakers, but still maintain the authentic richness and taste of classic brioche dough.
The biggest challenge was that the orignal recipe didn’t use any water or milk, and used fresh yeast. Here’s the problem with that,
- While fresh yeast doesn’t need liquid to dissolve, fresh yeast also isn’t very accessible to a home baker.
- And to use any other kind of yeast, the dough will need liquid to dissolve the yeast, and that has a big impact on the recipe too.
So to fix this issue, we will be,
- Using active dry yeast instead of fresh yeast – since active dry yeast is concentrated, you will only have to use about 1/2 the amount by weight. Active dry yeast will require liquid to be activated and dissolved in.
- Substituting some of the egg with milk. Eggs play a big role in adding richness to brioche – especially egg yolks. So, instead of removing a whole egg, I’m removing ONE EGG WHITE, and substituting it with warm milk instead. This will allow the yeast to properly dissolve, while still keeping the richness of the dough.
Yeast dissolved in milk Yeast activated & frothy in the milk
Understanding dough
Gluten and yeast are what make bread. Gluten gives bread the structure it needs. The gluten in the flour develops in the presence of a liquid like water, and that gluten development is faster when the dough is kneaded. The yeast in the dough will emit CO2 as it multiplies, and the gluten matrix will in turn expand as it traps more and more CO2.
Gluten develops well in water, but fat hinders gluten development. With an enriched dough like brioche, all the fat from the yolks and butter works against its gluten development. However, it also keeps the dough super soft and rich in flavor giving it an almost cake-like texture!
That is why brioche dough needs to be kneaded for much longer for good gluten development. Since the dough will be quite slack and sticky, a stand mixer is highly recommended to knead the dough until smooth and velvety.
Can I make brioche bread without a stand mixer?
The brioche dough is generally harder to work with due to the soft consistency, so a stand mixer is highly recommended. However, you can knead the dough by hand, but you will need a very clean working surface and patience to really work the sticky, wet dough until you get the right consistency. Do NOT use a hand mixer with the dough hook – it will be too much of a strain on the motor.
So let’s make brioche!
Prep the ingredients
First, have all the ingredients measured and ready to go.
Almost all of the ingredients should be at room temperature. The exception is milk, where we want it to be very slightly warm (like tepid water – about 100°F). You can use warm water instead if you want, but milk adds more richness.
Make sure to use softened butter. The consistency of the butter is really important, so that it incorporates into the dough quickly and well. On a winter day, you may need to keep it somewhere warm to give the butter a chance to really soften (to 73 – 75°F).
If you press the butter with your finger, you would easily be able to leave a mark, with no resistance. But the butter has NOT melted. This is the consistency you want with your butter.
Softened butter Roughly divide the butter into four portions
Activate the yeast
First, activate the yeast. Since we’re using active dry yeast, the yeast needs to be dissolved and activated. This will ensure the yeast incorporates evenly into the dough. Place the milk and honey in the mixer bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Gently whisk to mix the yeast, and let it sit for about 15 minutes. In that time the yeast should become frothy and bubbly.
Make the base dough
Add the vanilla, sugar, large eggs and egg yolk, and just break up the yolks.
Add the flour, and finally, add the salt over the flour (this is important! Do NOT add the salt directly to the yeast mix).
Using the hook of your mixer, or a dough whisk, mix all the ingredients in the mixing bowl to form a scraggly dough.
Place the bowl on your mixer with the dough hook attached. Start kneading the dough on speed 2 – 3 (low – medium low speed) for about 1 minute.
Adding the butter
Then add the butter in four additions, with about 2 minutes of mixing time between each addition. Each portion is added one tablespoon at a time, to make sure the butter is completely incorporated every time. Make sure to use a dough scraper (or bowl scraper) to scrape the sides as you go.
The dough will be very slack and sticky after the butter is added. However, as you knead the dough, it will turn into a smooth, shiny dough that’s a little tacky, but doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl.
Developing the gluten
Once the butter is added (a total of about 8 – 10 minutes), increase the speed to 5 – 6 (medium speed). Knead the dough for a further 10 minutes or so, until you get the right consistency.
This is where the gluten development occurs. As the gluten matrix forms in the dough, it will become satiny and smooth. It will stick less to the sides of the mixer bowl. And if you use the dough hook to lift the dough from the bowl, it should lift cleanly from the bowl, while still being really soft.
The time it takes for the dough to be properly kneaded will vary. It can take as little as 8 minutes or as much as 15 minutes. It depends on the speed of the mixer, the type of mixer and other environmental factors too. Look for the signs to make sure it’s done. The whole mixing time from start to finish can be between 20 – 30 minutes.
The dough is still not smooth and satiny, and needs to be kneaded longer The dough is now smooth and satiny because the gluten has formed. The dough is ready at this point.
First proofing
This first proofing is very important. As the yeast multiplies and emits CO2, the dough will expand, further developing the gluten matrix.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and shape the dough into a smooth ball of dough. Since the dough will be really soft, make sure your hands are lightly floured too.
Place the shaped dough back in the bowl or a different large bowl (you don’t have to butter it, since brioche is so rich it shouldn’t stick to the bowl). Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough at least double in size in a warm place.
If you’re living in a colder climate like me, it’d be hard to find a place that’s warm enough in the kitchen in winter. So what I do is, I turn the light on in my oven, and keep the bowl in the oven. The oven warms up when I cook on the stove too, so it helps the dough proof.
Depending on the temperature, the brioche dough will proof in 1 hour, but it can take up to 2 – 2.5 hours too.
The first proofing is complete when the dough has AT LEAST doubled in size, or even tripled!
Before first proof After first proof
Retard proofing the dough
This is the name for letting the dough proof in the fridge. This low temperature proofing is a much longer process, and helps develop the flavor of the dough. In a more practical sense, it makes the dough far easier to handle when it’s time to shape the loaves, plus it allows the dough to rest.
After the first proof, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, shape the dough again, and form a dough ball with a smooth, taut surface. Transfer the dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge.
This dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours (maybe even 48 for a stronger flavor).
Place the dough in a bowl and refrigerate, covered. After 12 hours
Shaping the bread loaves
When the dough is nice and chilled, it can be divided and shaped. You can either bake them in a loaf pan, or even a cake pan. In the case of the braided loaf, you can bake that on a baking tray too.
With this recipe, you can make TWO bread loaves. You can shape them in one of three ways (there are more ways, but I’m only going to talk about 3 here).
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently flatten the dough into a circle. This will also help release any gas in the dough. Weigh and divide the dough into two portions.
Simple loaf – easiest way to shape the dough
This is the easiest way to shape the loaf. It’s a standard loaf shape with no patterns.
This is very similar to how I shaped my white bread loaf which you can find here.
Braided brioche loaf
This is a classic braided loaf that can be either baked in the loaf pan, OR baked as is on a baking tray.
This is made by dividing the dough into 3 equal portions, then shaping each portion into a long “rope”, then forming a braid with the 3 “ropes”.
Nantaise brioche loaf
This is also a very classic way of shaping brioche dough. I call it a faux-braided loaf, because it looks braided, but it’s not. The dough balls can also be cleanly pulled apart from the dough with this loaf.
The dough is divided into 8 equal pieces, and each portion is shaped into a small, smooth ball. The balls are then placed in a zig-zag pattern in the loaf pan as shown below.
Final proofing and baking
Cover the shaped dough in loaf pans with plastic wrap and allow it to double in size before baking. This will be the final proof. This proofing can also take 2 hours at cooler room temperature, so make sure to keep it in the oven with the light on, or the warmest place in your house.
When the dough doubles in size and reaches the top of the loaf pan, it should be properly proofed. Do the finger test to find out if the dough is properly proofed. To do this, gently press the side of the loaf with your lightly floured finger. This leaves an indentation. If this indentation remains, OR if it bounces back halfway, then the loaf is ready to be baked.
If the indentation bounces back completely, then it’s under-proofed and needs more time to proof.
Proofed nantaise loaf Proofed braided loaf
What to do if your brioche was over-proofed?
If the indentation causes the loaf to deflate, that means it was over-proofed!
If your loaf deflates after proofing, then you have to reshape the dough and start again. Otherwise, baking an over-proofed dough can cause the loaf to overflow, or deflate once baked. So make sure to check on the dough periodically, especially when it has nearly doubled in size.
Egg wash or not?
I prefer an egg wash on my plain brioche bread loaves. It gives it a beautiful, shiny crust!
You can alternatively brush the loaf with simple syrup once out of the oven too. But I prefer this option for sweeter brioche bread recipes (like cinnamon rolls or babka).
Brush the surface well with an egg wash. You can sprinkle the top with small pearl sugar (Swedish pearl sugar, not the Belgian kind) if you like, for that extra crunch!
Preheat the oven while you prep the loaves for baking. Bake the loaves in the preheated oven until the loaf is a beautiful deep golden brown in color, and the internal temperature is about 180° – 190°F when checked with an instant read thermometer. Because this dough is enriched, it doesn’t need to reach 205°F like other types of lean dough.
Once baked, turn the loaf out onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.
How to enjoy brioche bread
Brioche toast is an incredibly delicious way to enjoy brioche bread. It doesn’t even need any butter because of how rich it is (but it won’t hurt of course!).
Slather some jam on your brioche bread, or any kind of spread – like my fig jam, strawberry jam, grape jelly, or spiced plum jam).
Make cinnamon toast with the brioche bread. The caramelized crunchy cinnamon on top is a great textural contrast with the soft bread.
You can slice the brioche loaf while it’s still a little warm. A freshly baked, warm piece of brioche dough is one of life’s simple pleasures, indeed! 🙂
What to do with leftover brioche?
- French toast
- Bread pudding
- Croutons
- Bread crumbs
- Bostock
- Stuffing
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Brioche Bread Recipe
INTERMEDIATE - This is an easy brioche recipe, but requires a stand mixer. The dough is slightly harder to manage than a regular lean dough. US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions
Ingredients:
- ½ cup warm milk
- 2 ½ tsp active dry yeast about 9 g
- 2 tsp honey
- 5 large eggs
- 1 yolk from a large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2.1 oz granulated white sugar 5 tbsp
- 17.6 oz AP flour 4 cups + 2 tbsp
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt fine grind
- 8.8 oz unsalted butter very soft, roughly divided into four portions (1 cup + 2 tbsp)
Instructions:
DAY ONE
Making the dough
- Measure all the ingredients.
- Add the milk, yeast and honey into the mixing bowl and whisk gently to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
- Add the eggs and yolks, and whisk gently to break the egg yolks.
- Add the vanilla, sugar, flour and sea salt, and mix to form a scraggly dough.
- With the dough hook attachment, knead the dough on speed 2 or 3 for about 1 minute.
- Add the first portion of butter, in increments, after the first minute of kneading. Allow the butter to be mixed well into the dough. This should take about 2 minutes.
- Repeat with the other 3 portions of butter, kneading the dough for about 2 minutes after each addition. Make sure to stop the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl (and the bottom if needed) between kneading as well. You will have incorporated all the butter in about 9 - 10 minutes of kneading time.
- Once all the butter is incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl (and bottom if needed), and knead the dough for a further 5 - 8 minutes on speed 5 or 6.
- The dough will have been kneaded enough when it can be lifted fairly cleanly off the bottom of the bowl when picked up with the dough hook. It will be very soft and tacky to the touch, but shouldn’t stick to your fingertips.
- Flour your work surface, and turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Lightly flour your hands and the surface of the dough to prevent the dough from sticking to your palms. Then flatten the dough with your hands to deflate.
- Fold in the edges of the dough towards the middle and gently press them into the dough (see pictures in the post for more information). Carefully flip the dough over, and then with the heel of your palms, shape the dough to form a tight ball.
- Carefully pick up the dough ball and place it back in the mixer bowl (or another large bowl).
- Let it rise until at least doubled in size, in a warm place (72°F), for about 1 hour.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and fold in the edges again as before towards the middle and press them in. Carefully flip the dough over (seam side down now). Tighten the dough into a ball with a smooth, taut surface (using the edges of your palms). Transfer the dough into the mixer bowl again.
- Cover and let it chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
DAY TWO
Shaping and baking the bread
- Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. The dough will be much easier to work with now.
- Butter and dust two 8.5 x 4 inch, standard loaf pans. (You can also use 9 x 5 inch loaf pans).
- Keep a bowl of flour, a pastry brush and a dough scraper/cutter ready as well.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Deflate the dough by flattening it lightly. Measure the weight of the dough, and then divide it into two EQUAL portions, using the dough cutter or a sharp knife.
- Now you've got two dough portions to make two brioche bread loaves.
Shaping the loaves
Nantaise brioche loaf
- Weigh one portion of the loaf and divide it into 8 equal portions.
- For each portion (with the smooth side down), fold in the edges towards the middle as before. Carefully flip the dough over, and using a cupped palm, roll the dough portion on your work surface until you have a smooth dough ball (see pictures in the post for more details). Repeat with the other dough portions to get 8 smooth dough balls.
- Place the dough balls in the loaf pan in a zig-zag manner. This will likely be a fairly snug fit.
- After arranging the dough balls in the loaf pan, flatten them slightly. Then cover the pan with plastic wrap and set aside.
Braided brioche loaf
- Divide one portion of the dough into 3 equal portions.
- Flatten each portion into a small rectangle. Then tightly roll up the rectangle to form a tube. Using your palms, and a back and forth motion, roll out the dough into a 14 inch long bread rope. Apply light but even pressure to get a bread rope with even width.
- Repeat with the other two portions.
- Now you have three 14 inch long bread ropes. Bring the ends of the three ropes together and pinch to seal. Braid the dough, while being careful to avoid any loose folds and to not stretch the dough ropes at the same time. Once braided, the bread loaf should be a little longer than the length of the pan (about 9 - 10 inches).
- Pinch to seal the other end. Using your palms, press down the ends of the bread to flatten them against the work surface. Tuck the flattened ends to get a lovely, rounded loaf.
- Carefully transfer this to the buttered and floured bread pan. Flatten slightly to fit the loaf pan.
- Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
Regular bread loaf
- Follow the same shaping instructions as for my white bread loaf in this recipe to form a regular bread loaf shape.
Proofing the bread before baking
- Proof the bread in the covered loaf pans for about 2 hours at room temperature, or until doubled in size, and almost reaching the top of the pan. Preheat the oven to 325°F/163°C before baking the loaves.
- Once doubled in size, brush the tops with an egg wash. Optionally, you can also sprinkle some Swedish sugar pearls on top for a sweet crunch.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden brown on top and the internal temperature registers 190°F/88°C. This can take about 35 - 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let the bread loaf cool slightly - about 5 minutes.
- Carefully flip the bread loaf out of the pan, onto a cooling rack. Let it cool completely. Store in an air-tight container.
Tips & Tricks
- If you have access to fresh yeast, use 18 g of fresh yeast.
- If you have access to instant yeast, use 4.5 g of instant yeast.
Erin says
Hello! I am extremely excited to try this! Can you provide the recipe with fresh yeast? I cannot find dry active yeast. Only fresh yeast is available right now!
Dini says
Hi Erin, I have indicated how much fresh yeast to use (18 g) in the notes section at the bottom of the recipe. Good luck, I hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Estefani Rush says
Hi, thank you for taking the time to be so detailed. I have a question, if I’m using salted butter, how much salt should I use then?
Thank you
Dini says
Hi Estefani
It will entirely depend on how salty the butter is. I usually prefer to cut the salt in half if I use salted butter in cookies or cakes. But since this brioche recipe uses alot of butter, it might not even need the extra salt.
I hope that helps!
Cynthia says
I have a levain question- so, if I try to make this recipe using my levain starter, would I adjust the ingredients to flour 447 g, milk 72 g,, starter 104 g, and add a pinch of whatever yeast I got from a restaurant that was selling it as there is no yeast to be found in the grocery stores – of 4.5 grams?
Dini says
Hi Cynthia
I haven’t made this with a starter, so I can’t recommend how to make substitutions. I recommend following a brioche recipe that uses a starter in the recipe as it will be designed to work with it. It will be less riskier than trying to adapt a yeast leavened recipe.
I hope that helps!
Cammy says
Thanks for a fabulous recipe. This was my very first attempt at making a brioche and the step by step instructions were on pointe . My family loved it . I can see this recipe becoming a firm favorite.
Joe says
Hi, I’ve been making your Brioche for the past 3 days.. I even used some of the dough to roll into cinnamon rolls. It was fantastic. The whole family can’t get enough of it.
I’m thinking of folding in some raisins/nuts etc into the recipe. Would it work? Would the dough be able to support the “additional weight”?
Thanks
Dini says
Hi Joe!
I’m so glad you and your family have been enjoying this recipe!
I think the bread would be fine with some raisins and nuts added to it. I had another reader who added chocolate chips and let me know it came out well.
I hope that helps!
Beth Tamayo says
worth the wait!
Alexa M says
This recipe was amazing!! I made it by hand and used instant yeast and it came out perfect. This was my first time making brioche and your instructions/pictures were very helpful! Thank you so much!!
DC says
Hi. The recipe looks great. I’m drooling just by reading it. Will definitely try it out this weekend. Just wondering, if I do not have a thermometer, how do I tell if the brioche is actually ready? And does fan-forced oven affect it at all?
Thanks.
Dini says
Hi DC
With a fan forced oven, you usually need to drop the temperature by about 25°. Personally, I would preheat the oven to 325, and then as soon as I place the bread in the oven, I would reduce the oven to 300 and bake it for the full 45 minutes. I can’t be 100% sure because I don’t own a fan oven myself.
Since you don’t have a thermometer you can let it bake for the full 45 minutes with one loaf, and see how it comes out. If you like the texture, you can bake the second the same way. It takes a little trial and error to find out how your oven will work, and that’s why it’s hard for me to provide specific instructions. But I hope this gives you a place to start!
VC says
Hi! if I dont have honey what can I use to substitute? Thanks!
Dini says
Hi VC
You can use corn syrup, malt syrup, golden syrup as honey substitutes. Invert sugars help activate the yeast better.
However if you have none of these, you can use sugar instead too!
Hope that helps!
Neha Shanbhag says
This recipe is fabulous and your directions were spot on and so detailed. I followed all the directions as mentioned. I am in love with this bread! It came out so fluffy, tender and delicious! I could eat the whole loaf with some soft butter 🙂 but I controlled my cravings so i could make french toast with this tomorrow 🙂 Thank you so much!
Patricia says
Hello! I tried to make this recipe for the first time, the texture is amazing! Its so soft and fluffly, but there is a slight bitter aftertaste to it, did i do something wrong?
Dini says
Hi Patricia
I’m not sure what could have caused a bitter taste, because I haven’t had that experience at all. Sometimes older ingredients, especially flour can go rancid and give bread a bitter after taste. Do you know how fresh your flour was?
Lauren Tom says
This was my second attempt at making brioche and it was 1000 times better than the first recipe I tried. I’m not sure, but I may have added too much flour (because I didn’t follow the first instruction of measuring everything out first) but it still turned out amazing! We made French toast the next morning and it was such a treat! Thank you for your detailed instructions and pictures!
Deedee says
I’m proofing my dough now and I can’t wait. I want to try and make one loaf and some rolls. But I have no idea how long I would bake the rolls for. Is it about the same as a loaf? I’m kind of new at this, sorry. LOL.
Libby says
Hi!! This recipe looks so good that I’m whipping up my grocery list now so that I can get the ingredients I need on the weekend. Just wondering – you’d be using whole milk in baking, not 2 or 1% fat milks right?
Dini says
Hi Libby
You can use whole milk or 2%! I avoid using 1% milk in general for my baked goods. However, if all you have at home is 1%, you can use it because in this recipe we use a lot of butter and eggs to add fat too.
I hope that helps!
Vilma Bustos says
My God. This bread was so soft but the top so toasty. I loved it so much, it was worth spending 2 days on it.
Katy says
Tried this recipe for the first time – I do not have a stand-mixer and I only had instant yeast.
Used the same amount of yeast as what’s recommended for active dry (I didn’t see your ‘Tips and Tricks’ until after…)
I also doubled the time to knead. Definitely work up a sweat kneading by hand, but very therapeutic and the bread turned out fantastic! Will definitely make again!
Mona says
This makes fabulous brioche. It’s as good as the loaves I fell in love with in Paris.
Bee says
hi, may i know if it is possible to replace the unsalted butter with salted butter?
Do I need to reduce the salt quantity?
Do I need to adjust the sequence of placing the ingredients?
How does it affect the taste and texture of the bread?
Thank you so much.
Dini says
Hi Bee
Salted butter has more water content than unsalted butter, so theoretically substituting salted butter for unsalted may make the dough more “liquid” and reduce richness.
But I don’t know if it will make a marked difference since I haven’t made that substitution. For me personally, I don’t like using salted butter because I can’t control the salt levels.
You can either reduce the amount of salt you add the beginning, and then add the salted butter later (the sequence doesn’t change if you’re using salted butter). Hopefully it won’t be too salty.
OR you can omit the salt added at the start altogether, and hope that the salt from the butter would be enough for the loaf. I do not recommend adding salt later after adding the butter because the salt crystals won’t have a chance to dissolve and mix properly.
I hope that helps!
Rosann says
The bread turned out great! Thanks to your detailed instructions especially the pictures. Some steps took longer than noted to achieve the right consistency. I refrigerated it for about 30 hrs. and the crumb and texture are flaky and chewy, just wonderful.
Tanaya Gupta says
I made this recipe and followed each and every step as explained. This was the best brioche we ever ate. It turned much better than the ones we buy from the bakeries and stores. Thankyou so much
Jack says
Can this dough recipe be used to make New England Style hot dog buns? What should the baking temperature/time be?
Dini says
Hi Jack
I haven’t made this into New England style hot dog buns, but it is possible. You will be able to fill at least 2 trays of hot dog buns though (as this recipe make enough for 2 loaves).
I have a recipe for New England style hot dog buns that you can use as a reference. I would still bake them at 350, but the time will change according to how big the buns are. Usually will be between 15 – 30 minutes.
I hope that helps!
Candice says
Question about the instant yeast. Since it doesn’t need to be activated like active yeast, can I go straight into making the dough without setting it aside for 10 min?
Dini says
Hi Candice
Yes you can skip the activating step and go straight into mixing the dough! I would still avoid direct contact between the yeast and salt (add salt after the flour).
Just to let you know however, I haven’t made this recipe with instant yeast myself. The amount recommended here is based on the advice from a Le cordon bleu chef.
I hope that helps!
Candice says
Good to know. Thank you so much!
AdriF says
Absolutely loved your post and recipe!!
All of the people who tried what I baked also loved it!! Definitely part of my go to recipes now!!
Karina says
Hi Dini,
Could I freeze one of the Brioches?
Im going to try to make your recipe now 🙂
Dini says
Hi Karina
I slice and freeze my extra brioche loaf all the time. That way I can take what I need and let it defrost and the rest stays fresh for longer! Make sure its wrapped well with plastic wrap and a layer of foil too!
I hope that helps!
Maggie says
I followed this recipe exactly by weight but I had a more batter-like consistency. I added flour (maybe another half cup) until it wasn’t so wet. It still wouldn’t hold its shape when I tried to form it. Any idea what went wrong?
Dini says
Hi Maggie
A brioche is a hybrid between a cake and bread, so the dough is VERY slack and wet.
It needs to be kneaded for quite a long time and it becomes smooth and shiny on the surface, but still a VERY soft dough.
If you feel like the dough didn’t become smooth and shiny, and didn’t easily come off the sides after kneading, it’s probably because it needed to be kneaded for longer. See the photos that show the dough before being kneaded long enough, and once it’s done kneading. No extra flour was added between these two images.
It is very hard to shape because it’s a soft dough. That’s why I recommend refrigerating it overnight to make it easier to manage, after first proof. However, eventhough the dough is soft, it doesn’t stick to your hands like cake batter would, IF the dough was kneaded enough. You can add more flour if you like and you will still get good results. However the bread probably won’t be as soft as it could be.
I hope that helps!
Ashul Agrasyn says
I am an aspiring home chef, and in these times I have more time to indulge.
Your recipe was simply and easy to follow. My brioche is waiting for the final proof before going to the oven. I love the way you laid out your instructions in clear concise steps. brioche is daunting for most, however you made simple as cake. Marie Antoinette would be so proud!!
Gena says
This is a great recipe but I seem to have really active yeast. This is my 3rd time making this and every time I try to do the refrigerator proofing for at least 8 hours, my dough is coming out of the covered bowl and I end up baking the same day. Tonight I moved the dough to a larger bowl hoping it will work until morning at least. Any ideas what I could do about this?
Dini says
Hi Gena!
Are you using active dry yeast or instant yeast?
I haven’t had this issue when making this bread because I always place the dough in the mixer bowl that I use to knead the dough. Even if the dough doubles in size, there’s still plenty of room left in the bowl to accommodate it.
If you proofed the dough in a very warm room, then it can also continue to proof in the fridge until the dough has cooled down in the middle too. If this is something that happens often, then I recommend shortening the first proof time (until it has proofed to about 1 1/2 times) and then deflate, reshape and let it rest in the fridge.
I hope that helps!
Lauren says
Thank you so much for your detailed and comprehensive recipe! The pictures and descriptions are super helpful. My dough is in the fridge retarding, but it seems to have more-than-doubled in the last 5 hours…and is almost filling the bowl it’s in. I’m thinking I may not have punched/folded it down enough before putting it in? Should I deflate/fold it down again? Thanks for your help!
Dini says
Hi Lauren
if you proofed the dough in a very warm place, then the dough can remain warm in the center for longer even in the fridge. This could contribute to the dough proofing too fast in the fridge. Sometimes, it could also mean that there’s a little too much yeast (if you measure with teaspoons, this can happen unfortunately).
I always use the same bowl I mixed the dough in to proof it in. Which can accommodate the dough at 4 times the size.
You can deflate the dough a little if you like. I’ve never done it, so I don’t know what the impact of that would be.
What I recommend for next time, is to only allow the dough to proof until it’s about 1 1/2 times larger, deflate, reshape and then let it rest in the fridge overnight.
I hope that helps!
Kern says
So delicious! This bread is totally worth the time, effort, and all the eggs. I started it yesterday and had my doubts this morning when I pulled the dough out of the fridge, and even more doubts when I formed it into loaves. My shaping skills may be a work in progress, but oh my goodness, the final product may be some of the best bread I’ve ever eaten. It’s certainly the best I’ve ever made.
Thank you for the recipe and for the beautifully detailed and clear notes which made it possible for a not very experienced baker like me to turn out such a happy-making result.
Dini says
Thank you so much for letting me know Kern. I’m so glad the recipe turned out a happy-making result, I love that phrase! 🙂
Anise M. says
Loved this recipe! Just clarifying, but the croissant picture above is not made from this brioche recipe, right?
Dini says
Thank you Anise!
I’m glad you liked this recipe 🙂
And yes, the croissant isn’t made with this brioche recipe… but I am in the process of making a detailed post on how to make croissants!
Tabitha B says
Can I substitute the honey for Organic Maple Syrup? I need to sub the honey out as my son cannot eat honey because he has Fructose Malabsorption. This sounds delicious!
Dini says
Hi Tabitha!
You can use any other natural sweetener instead of the honey! Maple syrup is great! You could even use corn syrup or molasses or even just replace with sugar.
Honey, maple syrup, molasses and corn syrup are inverted sugar sources that is easier for the yeast to feed on. They can still feed on regular sugar too. So feel free to use any of these instead of the honey 🙂
I hope that helps!
CY says
I’ve attempted to make brioche twice before using different recipe and they weren’t successful. Then I came across this recipe when I was searching for Japanese Mild Bread recipe.
I wished I saw this recipe from 2 weeks ago and I would have made many brioches loaves. This recipe WORKS! Thank you for the detailed notes, tips and pictures! Love your work!
Going to try your Japanese Milk Bread next!
Also your croissant looks divine, I can’t wait for it to be published…
Francis Almon says
This recipe is out of this world well explained. fantastic thank u.
Terese D says
Your recipe is very detail. I was looking for French brioche online. Since we are staying home, we started to bake and cook much more than before. Thank you for sharing.
Regarding the baking temperature you have mentioned is 325F. I have read other recipes, some recommended 375, some 395F.
I wonder what would be the ideal temperature for baking Brioche.
If you have any experience with baking at different temperature, please share.
Does mixing cake flour or bread flour with APF yield a better texture for brioche?
Thank you
Dini says
Hi Terese
I usually bake it between 325 – 350. I find that at 350, the loaf browns too quickly on the surface. If I were to make brioche buns, I would choose 350, but for a loaf I find that 325 helps bake my bread to the right internal temperature, while not burning the top too quickly. The smaller the dough portions, I would be more inclined to raise the temperature slightly.
You can choose any temperature between 325 – 375, and find what works for you. It’s important the the right internal temperature is reached to make sure the bread isn’t gummy or raw inside.
I prefer not to use cake flour for bread recipes, as they don’t have enough gluten to form the structure in the brioche. I would think that mixing AP flour with bread flour would be fine as long as you knead the dough properly. If you use all bread flour, it may give a more chewier texture because of the higher gluten formation. Using AP flour yields a more tender result. I prefer AP flour because brioche texture is meant to be between a bread and a cake.
I hope that helps!
Kate says
This looks so good! Was wondering if you think I could sub with a nut milk (I’m not vegan I just don’t have milk on hand and don’t want to go back to the grocery store!). Thanks.
Dini says
Hi Kate!
Yes you can absolutely use nut milk instead of regular milk 🙂
Belinda Hudson says
Can you please clarify ?
Instant Dry yeast listed in the ingredients list says
2 & 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
about 9 grams
Then in your – Notes on Yeast,
at end of recipe
You recommend 4.5gms of instant yeast
Can you please clarify which Dry Yeast amount is correct ?
Because 4.5gms of dry yeast Difference, will have a massive impact if I use the incorrect amount
So is the correct amount
9 Grams or 4.5gms?
Dini says
Hi Belinda
Those two types of yeast (active dry yeast vs instant yeast) are different types of yeast.
I haven’t made this with instant yeast, I usually make it with active dry yeast (9 grams) as indicated in the recipe.
However, since instant yeast is more active than active dry yeast, it is recommended to use less. If you choose to use the same amount of instant yeast as active dry yeast, then the proofing times will be reduced greatly.
Hope that helps!
Belinda Hudson says
My apologies
I thought they were same thing
Belinda Hudson says
Thanks for clarifying
I’m using the dough as the base for apricot & current hot cross buns
Kat says
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
If I want to make it with chocolate chips or sultanas/raisins, would you recommend using this recipe for it? At what stage would you add them?
Dini says
Hi Kat!
You can absolutely use chocolate chips or raisins! You can add them either,
AFTER the dough has been kneaded properly. After the dough has been kneaded, add the add-ins and knead it a few extra minutes to disperse all of it evenly through the dough. OR
I would knead them into the dough AFTER the first proofing, before the overnight proofing. Knead them in by hand or using the lowest speed of your mixer 🙂
Hope that helps!
Stephanie says
I just made this dough to make Easter bunnies with it and it went perfectly with your recipe! Thanks for sharing
Alma Ferrer says
Yooo this is the best brioche recipe!! My favorite new go to recipe place! Love how there’s a lot of tips and pictures too! I’ve made this twice now and they come out so nice! Maybe not as fluffy but reminds me of a croissant! I make them by hand and oh my yeah never doing that again lol I was needing for like 2 hours! And my house was cold too. Overall always comes out good!
Maggie says
I live in a very humid city (Singapore) and I have 2 failed attempts to bake this. My dough became “sweaty” and “greasy” and was difficult to shape. I even proofed this in a cool room of 24deg C. would appreciate any advise how to rectify the problem. thanks
Dini says
Hi Maggie
Which recipe did you use to bake brioche? If you used this recipe, did you knead it until the dough was smooth and pulled off the sides cleanly when kneaded?
Did you use an overnight proof in the fridge? This will make it much easier for the bread to be shaped as the dough will be cold. You will have to work quickly to shape the dough if it’s very hot and the other portions of dough can be kept wrapped in the fridge while you’re working with the other portions.
If you have done this and it’s still sweaty and greasy let me know!
Audrey Chew says
Am going to try making this! But I don’t have a stand mixer, will have to do it by hand – can you give me any tips before I start?
Dini says
Hi Audrey!
It will definitely be more difficult making this dough by hand compared to making it in the stand mixer, but it is do-able.
It will take longer, so you must be patient. Kneading by hand will make the process much longer, but it can be therapeutic! 🙂 Also only make one loaf as making two might be too much to handle by hand. This recipe should be halved to make 1 loaf (use 2 eggs + 1 yolk).
Have a smooth work surface. I have a smooth kitchen countertop that I use for kneading bread by hand (but never brioche because I am definitely lazy for that). Don’t use a wooden surface because it may absorb the butter. You will need to use the palm of your hand to press and push the dough and butter together to incorporate and knead the dough.
As a rule of thumb, I knead the dough about twice as long by hand than with a stand mixer. This could be different for an enriched dough like brioche as it will take a longer time for butter to be mixed into the dough.
Prepare for it to be extremely sticky! Especially when the butter needs to be incorporated the dough will get sticky each time you add a little butter. But you have to be patient and keep kneading it until it’s incorporated. Make sure the butter is nice and soft, and add a little at a time so it’s easier to incorporate.
Avoid adding extra flour because this will make the loaf drier. Brioche is known to be soft and rich, because it’s made with a really soft and enriched dough. Adding flour will make it less so.
Once the butter is incorporated, knead the dough until the surface is really smooth. Put some music on, and call it an upper body workout day!
Good luck! I hope it comes out well. If you do make this by hand, please let me know the results. I would love to know 🙂
Aprelle says
Made this dough and left in the fridge overnight. Then baked a loaf and cinnamon rolls this morning . It added so much depth to my cinnamon rolls, that I must say it will be my new go to dough! Can’t wait to make french toast or sandwich with the braided loaf. Are braided loaf didn’t come out so pretty but it still tasted delicious! Thank you for your recipe! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Naomi says
Having tested 3 different white bread recipes and finding that yours is the best, I decided to try my hand at brioche. What can I say? Your recipe is fantastic! On first attempt, it produced two loaves of cloudy, buttery perfection! I left the dough in the fridge for the full 24 hours, and found that 30 mins of baking was all it needed. Thanks for these excellent recipes! Unfortunately, my kitchen aid artisan died during kneading my last batch of white bread – second one to die in a year 🙁 can you recommend a stand mixer better equipped to knead bread dough?
Dini says
Hi Naomi!
I’m so glad that you liked this recipe 🙂 And I’m also really glad that you liked my white bread recipe too!
I do use a kitchen aid artisan mixer for smaller batches of dough as I find it can’t handle large batches unfortunately. I use my kitchen aid pro line mixer for larger batches of dough. However, I also understand that it’s not an appliance everyone may want to purchase for their home.
I have heard great things about the Bosch Universal Plus Mixer as well! It has a smaller footprint and mixes and kneads well (I’m told). It is the mixer I would like to purchase if my current KA mixer fails me 🙂 I have also used kenwood mixers when I lived in Australia and my sister is still using my old one to this day! So it’s a good brand too!
I hope that helps!
Barb says
I loved making this recipe, just wondering how long can I keep this mixture in the fridge before I bake it? Can it be formed and frozen? Or does it need to be baked soon after the last proofing? I would like to make it early for Easter.
Dini says
Hi Barb!
I’m glad you liked this recipe 🙂
I don’t recommend keeping it in the fridge for more than 24 hours in the fridge for the first proof. The longer you keep the dough in the fridge the yeast will keep being active (slowly), and would develop a yeasty flavor if it’s proofing in the fridge for too long.
You can try to freeze the dough, after the first proof (and even after it’s shaped and put int a loaf). However, you have to make sure it’s wrapped REALLY well to avoid any freezer burn on the dough. Freezer burn can have an impact of the texture and proofing of the dough. When you’re ready to bake it, you will need to allow the dough to thaw out, and then proof until ready (second and last proof before baking which will be longer than stated in the recipe), and bake it as recommended in the recipe. I haven’t tried this method for brioche, but I have done this with pizza dough.
I wouldn’t recommend freezing the dough after the second proofing as this will impact the dough texture as it thaws out before baking. I also like to freeze my brioche bread (wrapped well with plastic wrap and foil), as it keeps for about 1 month this way.
I hope that helps!
Cheers,
Dini
Kathryn Swanson says
Your recipes are so clear and concise. Your science education is showing! As a retired science geek, i appreciate your approach. I have been looking for my perfect recipe for everyday white bread. I will try yours next. I am hopeful yours will be the one for which I have been searching.
Aubrea Curtis says
I made this bread and it’s delicious, can I make buns out of this instead of loaves?
Dini says
Hi Aubrea!
Absolutely you can! 🙂 They will need to shaped into balls instead and the proof and bake times will be less.
Hope that helps!
Romina says
I saw this recipe on reddit and when I started reading all the details and explanations I knew I had to try it. So here I am, doing it. The dough is resting as I write this (first proof), but I couldnt manage it to form it to a tight ball. The butter was melting I think and it just wouldn’t form a ball. I placed the dough in a floured surface and tried to fold it to form it but it wasnt working so I just placed it back into the bowl of my mixer (kitchenaid heavyduty) and now it’s sitting there. I followed the steps to the t. My only guess of what’s happening is: it’s super hot where I’m at, and/or my flour isnt too strong. Do you think it’s going to work anyway? Do you think those factors could be the reason it just wouldn’t form a ball inside the mixer after 15 minutes of kneading it (5 speed)? Thank you.
Dini says
Hi Romina!
This brioche dough is really soft! So the “tight ball” is more of a soft dough ball with a tight or taut surface. Even if it isn’t a well defined ball it’s OK! After 15 minutes of kneading the dough (after adding the butter), the gluten should have definitely formed. I use AP flour, so the protein content is pretty average, so I think you should be fine (unless you used cake flour or pastry flour).
Also, the dough won’t form into a ball inside the mixer while kneading it either, and I don’t actually say that it does in the recipe or post. It should simply pull from the sides of the mixer bowl, and form into a shiny, satiny, tacky dough as you can see in the pictures, but not a defined ball (this dough is too rich and soft for that). If your dough was satiny, and soft, then you should get great results.
Once the dough is chilled, it will be much easier to handle and shape before placing the dough in the loaf pans. I hope that helps. Please do let me know how it turns out, if you can. Good luck! 🙂
Romina says
The loaves turned out great!!! I’m so happy and so is my family. I’ve already recommended it to some friends and on my tumblr hah! It’s so SOFT AND RICH. It’s heavenly. I’m in love. I posted a pic to my twitter https://twitter.com/rominatrix/status/1216536023913713671?s=19
Thank you so much! Your blog is awesome.
Dini says
Yay, that’s fantastic, thank you so much for letting me know Romina! 🙂 I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe!