Challah Week: Challah Recipes That Will Help Satisfy The Challah Cravings

Who else has missed challah as much as we have?! Out of all the things we can’t eat over Passover, challah might be one of the foods we at kosher.com miss the most. We can’t wait to have that first bite of challah this coming Shabbat, but more importantly, we can’t wait to BAKE challah for this coming Shabbat!

We love baking challah every week, but this week is extra special – it’s shlissel challah week! “Shlissel” challah (which is challah shaped like a key) has become super trendy over the last couple of years, and for good reason! We look forward to getting in on the action every year and love making it for our families.

Whether you are shaping your challah into a key or not, we highly recommend going all out and baking challah from scratch this week. We have rounded up some of our favorite challah recipes and categorized them for your convenience!

We hope you enjoy! Happy Challah Baking!

For those of you who want to read more about shlissel challah, check out this informative article.

Don’t forget to perform hafrashat challah when making a large batch of challah dough. Click here to learn more about hafrashat challah.

Challahs on this page:

Better For You:

White Spelt Challah by Faigy GrossmannI’ve been making Estee Kafra’s water challah exclusively for the last few years. It’s light, airy, and has never failed me. In an effort to eat more healthy, however, I wanted to try switching to spelt challah. I figured I’d start with the same recipe and tweak it as needed — but it worked out great! For the Shabbos night and day meals, I am a traditionalist and use only plain challah. For Shalosh Seudos, I don’t mind changing things up a bit, so I filled some of the challahs with a savory paste (see instructions below).
Family Favorite Whole Wheat Challah by Malky and Yossi Levine
Look no further for the perfect challah recipe for baking with white whole wheat flour.
Fluffiest Challah Ever (White Spelt Challah) by Brynie Greisman
Over the years, I’ve contributed various challah recipes to the magazine — whole wheat challah, water challah, and more — but this is the best challah I’ve ever tasted. And that’s the opinion of all family members and guests who’ve tried it. It looks like white challah, tastes like white challah (better actually), and is made with white spelt flour.
Multi-Grain Challah by Kosher Scoop user Lynne
We make two of these along with the usual white. It’s easy to make and delicious. ***WINNER OF KOSHER SCOOP’S BEST-EVER CHALLAH CONTEST***
Honey Whole Wheat Challah from the Dining In Cookbook
Challah is a rich, braided bread traditionally eaten by Jewish people during Shabbat and holiday meals and other ceremonial occasions. Baking challah with whole wheat is a great way to fit more whole grains into a traditional Jewish meal, which are often heavy. Whole wheat challahs can sometimes be less fluffy than their white-wheat counterparts, but luckily this is one recipe that breaks the mold! In this challah recipe, honey is used instead of sugar. This recipe is one of the best whole wheat challah recipes we’ve found and is really popular with Kosher.com readers.
Water Challah by Hindy Bertram
This challah is amazingly simple, has the benefit of being egg-free, and has the beautiful look of a bakery challah. Yields 6 medium challahs.
Light and Fluffy Challah from the Dining In Cookbook
Light and ﬂuffy inside; crispy outside. Be sure to make some rolls (bilkelach) for the kids to enjoy on Erev Shabbos!
Delicious Whole Wheat Challah by Kosher Scoop user Mindy
Wholesome but still very tasty and soft challah. So delicious you’ll forget it’s healthy!

Special Diets:

Egg-Free Challah (Water Challah) by Laya Rosenbaum
Challah is traditionally a very rich, eggy bread, putting this Jewish classic out of reach for anyone with egg allergies – or, more casually, anyone who’s just discovered an empty egg carton in their fridge and doesn’t want to run out to the store. This delicious recipe, made without eggs, yields six challah loaves.
Water Challah from the Dining In Cookbook
Our neighborhood bakery made these with an extra rope of dough laid vertically along the top of the challah. We called this crispy, delicious strip the “Top,” and the child who helped the most for Shabbos got the biggest piece!
Orly’s Famous Gluten-Free Challah by Orly Gottesman (Blends by Orly)I’ve gotten great feedback about this challah over the years. Using Blends by Orly Manhattan Blend to bake gluten-free challah gets you a perfect result every time.
Egg Free Spelt Challah by Chevy Slomovics and Raizy Janklowitz
Gluten-Free Oat Challah by Sharon Matten
In a regular bread recipe, the gluten acts as a binder and gives you the elasticity that you want in a good quality bread dough. Since there is no gluten in oat flour, we need something to bind the challah together, which is why we add xanthan gum and starch.
Gluten-Free Challah Muffins by Sharon MattenDetermined to face the challenge and not cower
I started to play with some gluten free flour

Almond, potato, coconut and rice

Just a few of them, to make something ‘nice’

I played and played for many an hour

Trying to create something to devour

Tapioca, xanthan gum, corn and yeast

Mixing, blending, but no kneading, at least

Once risen, then baked, it sure could compete

With a regular Shabbos Challah made from wheat.

Unique Flavors:

Savory Tricolored Mini Challahs by Chavi Feldman
These beautiful mini loaves make a fabulous Purim seudah surprise! Aside from the pops of color that will grace your table, the infusion of flavor really enhances the basic challah dough.
“Golden Milk” Challah by Micah SivaI’ll never turn down a bite of challah, no matter how hungry I am. Especially when it’s full of golden turmeric, warm cinnamon, spicy cardamom, and coconut.
The Challah Mummys Elderflower Challah by Allegra Benitah
This cordial is utterly heavenly! Just the right amount of sweetness from the honey and sharpness from the lemon and a divine scent. You can taste the elderflower when mixed into your challah dough!
The Challah Mummy’s Wild Garlic Challah by Allegra Benitah
It’s wild garlic season and we were delighted to find it growing in East Cork last bank holiday weekend. There was wild garlic in the woods, in gardens and even by the roadside. We picked some large bunches of wild garlic flowers and leaves and took them home to make wild garlic pesto. We then filled our usual challah dough with the pesto and the result was magnificent!
The Challah Mummy’s Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Challah Tart by Allegra Benitah
Roasted asparagus, plum tomato and freshly picked wild watercress Challah Tart. A layer of challah dough topped with chopped tomatoes and wild watercress picked along the East Cork Ballycotton Cliff Walk covered with another layer of challah dough and topped with asparagus and plum tomatoes. Seasonal, fresh and delicious!
Pesto and Goat Cheese Stuffed Challah by Shannon Sarna
Pesto is one of my favorite ingredients to stuff inside challah or babka. Because of the consistency of pesto, the flavors sort of infuse right into the dough as it bakes. Don’t feel you have to restrict yourself to classic basil pesto – I have improvised various versions of pesto made from whatever is local and fresh at my farmers’ market including kale, basil, spinach, garlic scapes, and even uber-trendy ramps. Note, this challah (as with all stuffed challahs) can either be made round or braided.
Aqua-Fabulous Challah by Lori Stiefel
Do you need to do your baking without eggs? Have a guest with dairy allergies? This recipe from PJ Library Engagement Officer, Lori Stiefel, is a snap to prepare, approved by kids of all ages, and is a vegan, allergen-friendly alternative to a traditional challah recipe. Aquafaba, or the water that canned chickpeas are soaked in, is a nutrient-dense, easy way to replace eggs in almost any recipe. Check out the full recipe below.

Sweet:

Cinnamon Crumb Challah by Jamie Feit
This challah will make your house smell like a bakery. If you’ve never baked your own challah before, don’t be intimidated – the process is time-consuming (you’ll need four to five hours), but the steps themselves are simple. The base recipe without the topping works great for savory challah – bake it plain or sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.
Cinnamon Raisin Whole Wheat Challah by Chavi Feldman
This recipe takes homemade, whole wheat challah to a whole new level. The hint of cinnamon enhances the taste of this fabulous challah, especially when dipped in honey.
Challah with Streusel Crumbs by Brynie Greisman
I have the Family First challah recipe for so many years that it’s no longer legible. Have no fear — I’ve made it so many times that I know it by heart! The crumbs add a new dimension to the challah — it becomes moister, sweeter, and “malei taam” (very tasty). It tastes almost like doughnuts! It freezes beautifully, as well.
Sweet Raisin Challah by Estee Kafra
Raisin lovers will love this sweet raisin challah! Soft and fluffy in texture, the additions of raisins to this challah really adds that little bit of extra sweetness that is just perfect for Rosh Hashana. Top this challah with either a sweet egg wash, or a classic streusel topping that everyone will love.
Honey Challah with a Touch of Apples by Temi Philip
This sweet challah is just a little different from the standard raisin challah. Try it and watch it disappear!

Classics:

Best Challah Ever by Esty Wolbe
Thousands of women swear by this challah recipe and make it for Shabbat every week. It’s just the right amount of sweetness, a soft and doughy consistency, with a rich flavor. The dough rises well and is easy to work with, not too sticky to braid. The recipe is very versatile and you can easily adapt it to your own taste and it will still come out great.
Rebbetzin Kohen’s Yerushalmi Challah from the Dining In Cookbook
This delicious recipe comes from a Rebbetzin in Yerushalayim … Bake it this week and bring a touch of Eretz Yisrael into your home!
The Best Challah by Kosher Scoop user Zahava
At the beginning, this takes a while. Now it takes me around 25 minutes, start to finish, to make this challah dough, by hand. Adjust sugar according to taste. The recipe as-is makes pretty sweet dough.
Delicious No-Fail Challah from the Dining In Cookbook
There is no more mouthwatering smell than that of challah baking for Shabbos!
No-Grease Everything Knots by Esther DeutschI love that these garlic knots are not coated with oil. Instead they are washed with egg yolk for maximum crispiness. These knots are super addictive, so when you keep reaching for one after another, you’ll be pleased that they won’t leave a greasy residue on your hands.
Shabbos Challah by Kiki Fisher
If it’s a showstopper of a challah you seek, look no further. This challah is as delicious as it is impressive.
Tremendous Simcha Challah by Tamar Ansh
Challah Dip Rolls by Tamar Ansh
Family-Favorite Challah by Naomi Elberg
We love this challah in my house. Adapted from Kim Kushner.