Make rich, buttery brioche bread at home, ready in only 90 minutes! This fancy, indulgent bread is enriched with eggs and butter, but it’s still light and flaky with a beautiful golden-brown crust.
Homemade bread can seem daunting, but I promise you it’s the case where our brains make something seem harder than it actually is.
Plus, as a wife, mother of two, business owner, AND homesteader, I simply do not have time for complicated or time-consuming recipes!
So you might think I would skip a fancy enriched bread like brioche. But you would be wrong.
That’s one reason why I love this easy brioche recipe so much. It’s very simple and straightforward and yields a loaf of pillowy, buttery bread that will make you crave another piece.
WHAT IS BRIOCHE BREAD?
Brioche is a rich bread that’s typically made with a lot of butter and a lot of eggs. Some brioche recipes call for a full dozen eggs and multiple sticks of butter!
You can usually tell brioche bread apart from traditional bread because of the color. Egg yolks give the brioche loaf a yellowish color, and the more eggs, the darker the color.
Brioche bread feels flakey when you eat it too, almost like a croissant. You can attribute that flakey texture to all that butter!
EASY BRIOCHE BREAD RECIPE INGREDIENTS
This easy brioche bread recipe calls for ingredients that will look familiar, with a few additions.
- Warm Milk. Swapping whole milk for water creates a softer and richer dough.
- Active Dry Yeast. To help the bread rise and have that soft, pillowy texture.
- Granulated Sugar. You can use honey here if you’d prefer.
- Salt. For flavor. If you’re going to use salt, make sure it’s a good one like Ava Jane’s Kitchen which doesn’t have microplastics! You can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt right now (just pay shipping and handling!).
- Eggs. Whole fresh eggs are best, and you need several. No powdered eggs or egg whites.
- Unsalted Butter. You’ll need a lot of butter too. This is what gives the loaf a flakey feel and rich, buttery flavor.
- Flour. I use all-purpose einkorn flour because my daughter is sensitive to gluten. You can use typical all-purpose flour or bread flour without any substitutions. I don’t recommend whole wheat flour in this recipe, as it can weigh the dough down and will negate some of the light and fluffy texture that’s signature of brioche bread.
HOW TO MAKE BRIOCHE BREAD
I’ve written this recipe to be made in a stand mixer because it’s one kitchen appliance that’s not only a workhorse but a staple in my kitchen, but you can easily use a large bowl and knead by hand on a floured work surface. Be sure to follow the poke test in Step 2 to make sure your dough is kneaded enough.
Step 1: Warm the milk over the stove or in the microwave to 105-110F. Combine the milk, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together and let it sit until the yeast blooms. When the yeast creates bubbles that look a bit like beer foam, you’re ready to go (this takes about 5 minutes).
Step 2a: Add 1 cup of flour and whisk well. Add the remaining flour and salt to the mixture, and using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on medium-low speed until the dough starts to come together.
Step 2b: Add all of the eggs and continue to knead. When the eggs are incorporated, add 2 tablespoons of butter and knead until the butter is fully incorporated.
Step 2c: Continue to add butter 2 tablespoons at a time, waiting until each portion is incorporated before adding the next. This technique gives the gluten a bit of extra time to develop and yields a light and flakey loaf despite the heavy weight of eggs and butter. It also allows you to reduce the time needed to rise.
The dough is done when you’ve added all the butter, and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl AND holds up to the poke test. (Press the pad of your index finger into the dough. If the indent stays, keep kneading. If the indent starts to rebound back, you’re good to go.)
Step 3: Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm place to proof for 30 minutes. The dough may or may not double in size during this time. That’s fine.
Tip: The top of the refrigerator, or inside the oven, TURNED OFF with the light on, or in the oven on the “proof” setting are all good options.
Meanwhile, line a 9”x5” loaf pan with parchment paper (or butter and flour the bottom, edges, and sides of the pan very well). If you only have an 8”x4” pan, divide this recipe into two and use two pans; otherwise, you risk the loaf baking over the edges of the pan.
Step 4: Turn the brioche dough onto the lightly floured surface and gently pull one outside edge up and over towards the middle of the loaf. Turn the loaf ¼ turn and repeat this process, pulling up from the same angle (i.e. always the top, or always the right side) and pushing the dough into the center of the loaf. You’ll need to do this about 1 ½ – 2 full rotations to remove all the air bubbles from the dough.
Step 5: Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place it in one corner of the loaf pan. Roll a second ball of dough and fit it snugly next to the first ball. Repeat the process with the remaining pieces of dough, fitting them into the pan so that you have two pieces of dough side by side, with four rows of dough.
You can also split the dough into 3 sections and braid it instead, tucking the ends underneath before placing the braided loaf into the pan.
Cover the brioche loaf with a towel and let rise for another 30 minutes.
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 350F. Crack one large egg into a small dish, add 1 Tablespoon of water, and whisk with a fork. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash. Brushing the top of the dough is optional but gives the dough its signature deep golden-brown color during baking.
Step 7: Bake for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 190F with an instant-read thermometer.
Let the brioche loaf cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Brioche is perfect for making Brioche French Toast or sopping up Beef Stew at dinner!
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING BRIOCHE BREAD BUN DOUGH
- Milk Temperature: Milk should be between 110F and 120F. Milk that’s too hot will kill the yeast, and milk that’s too cool won’t activate the yeast. Use an instant-read digital thermometer (like this one I recommend) to make sure the milk temperature is correct.
- Rise Temperature: The ideal temperature for the dough to rise is 75F to 78F. I’ve found that the inside of my oven with the oven light on is perfect (be sure your oven is OFF and not cooling down from recently being used).
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Starting with room temperature milk, butter, and eggs will yield the best brioche bun bread dough, and in turn the best brioche bread.
- Prepping the Dough: When the dough is proofed, sprinkle flour over your counter or work surface. A DIY Flour Shaker is perfect for this! I like to use Silpat mats because they’re much easier to clean dough off of than my counters!
HOW TO STORE BRIOCHE BUN BREAD
You can store brioche in an airtight container at room temperature for two days, or in the fridge for up to two weeks.
In general, brioche bread has a longer shelf life than some other bread recipes thanks to the butter. If you live in a warm and/or humid climate, you may need to store your bread in the fridge from the get-go to avoid the bread going moldy too quickly.
HOW TO FREEZE BRIOCHE BREAD
You can also freeze brioche. I recommend wrapping the brioche loaf in plastic wrap and then placing it in a resealable freezer-safe bag. The double wrapping will prevent freezer burn and you’ll be able to easily see what’s inside the bag.
To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter until the bread has reached room temperature.
If you prefer to use one slice of brioche bread at a time, let the bread cool, slice it, then wrap it for the freezer. Then you can easily pull out one slice to thaw or toast.
Read all my tips for freezing bread and other baked goods here.
BRIOCHE LOAF RECIPE VS. BRIOCHE BREAD BUN RECIPE
As you can see, this homemade brioche recipe is written as a loaf, but you can easily place the shaped rolls on a baking sheet to make brioche buns.
Reduce the bake time to 15 minutes and still check with an instant-read thermometer to ensure the brioche bread buns are baked through but not overdone.
Brioche rolls make great brioche hamburger buns too!
DOES BRIOCHE BREAD FIT WITH MY NUTRITION GOALS?
If you’re tracking what you eat and working with specific macro goals, you might be wondering if enjoying a slice of this delicious, buttery bread is even a possibility. It is! Here are my suggestions for making brioche fit into your day.
- Always pair carbs like brioche with protein to help stabilize your blood sugar.
- Enjoy brioche bread alongside lean protein and plenty of produce and you’ll still have a balanced meal.
- Make sure you’re accurately tracking the portion of the loaf that you’re eating. If you cut the bread into a different number of slices, adjust your totals.
- Remember that your macros are spread across the whole day, not just one meal.
- Above all, consistency counts! One piece of bread will not derail your consistent efforts to fuel your body well.
Want to learn more about macros, nutrition goals, and accurately tracking what you eat? Grab my free guide here to start achieving your real body goals by eating the foods you love!
BRIOCHE BUN BREAD FAQS
Is brioche bread healthy?
All brioche bread will have copious amounts of egg and butter, but homemade brioche bread won’t contain any of the preservatives or additives that store-bought white bread usually has.
Is French bread the same as brioche?
No. French bread is a yeast bread that typically doesn’t have eggs or butter and has a chewier texture. Here’s an easy French Bread recipe if you’re looking for one. However, “brioche” is a French word so technically you could call this recipe a French brioche. 😉
Why is brioche so expensive?
Brioche is a higher-priced bread because it contains more expensive ingredients than other bread recipes: eggs and butter. However, this homemade version can be made fairly inexpensively with ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen.
MORE DELICIOUS BREAD RECIPES
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Brioche Bread
Make rich, buttery brioche bread at home, ready in only 90 minutes! This fancy, indulgent bread is enriched with eggs and butter, but it’s still light and flaky with a beautiful golden-brown crust.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices (1 loaf) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: French
Instructions
1. Warm the milk over the stove or in the microwave to 105-110F. Combine the milk, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together and let it sit until the yeast blooms. When the yeast creates bubbles that look a bit like beer foam, you’re ready to go (this takes about 5 minutes).
2a. Add 1 cup of flour and whisk well. Add the remaining flour and salt, and using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on medium-low speed until the dough starts to come together.
2b. Add all of the eggs and continue to knead. When the eggs are incorporated, add 2 tablespoons of butter and knead until the butter is fully incorporated.
2c. Continue to add butter 2 tablespoons at a time, waiting until each portion is incorporated before adding the next. This technique gives the gluten a bit of extra time to develop and yields a light and flakey loaf despite the heavy weight of eggs and butter. It also allows you to reduce the time needed to rise.
The dough is done when you’ve added all the butter and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl AND holds up to the poke test. (Press the pad of your index finger into the dough. If the indent stays, keep kneading. If the indent starts to rebound back, you’re good to go.)
3. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm place to proof for 30 minutes. The dough may or may not double in size during this time. That’s fine.
Tip: The top of the refrigerator, inside the oven, TURNED OFF with the light on, or in the oven on the “proof” setting are all good options.
Meanwhile, line a 9”x5” loaf pan with parchment paper (or butter and flour the bottom, edges, and sides of the pan, very well). If you only have an 8”x4” pan, divide this recipe into two and use two pans, otherwise, you risk the loaf baking over the edges of the pan.
4. When the dough is proofed, sprinkle flour over your counter or work surface. I like to use Silpat mats because they’re much easier to clean dough off of than my counters!
Turn the dough onto the lightly floured surface and gently pull one outside edge up and over towards the middle of the loaf. Turn the loaf ¼ turn and repeat this process, pulling up from the same angle (i.e. always the top, or always the right side) and pushing the dough into the center of the loaf. You’ll need to do this about 1 ½ – 2 full rotations to remove all the air bubbles from the dough.
5. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place it in one corner of the loaf pan. Roll a second ball of dough and fit it snugly next to the first ball. Repeat the process with the remaining pieces of dough, fitting them into the pan so that you have two pieces of dough side by side, with four rows of dough.
Cover the loaf with a towel and let rise for another 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 350F. Crack one large egg into a small dish, add 1 tbsp of water, and whisk with a fork. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash. Brushing the top of the dough is optional, but gives the dough its signature deep golden brown color during baking.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 190F with an instant-read thermometer.
Let the bread cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Milk Temperature: Milk should be between 110F and 120F. Milk that’s too hot will kill the yeast, and milk that’s too cool won’t activate the yeast. Use an instant-read digital thermometer (like this one I recommend) to make sure the milk temperature is correct.
- Rise Temperature: The ideal temperature for the dough to rise is 75F to 78F. I’ve found that the inside of my oven with the oven light on is perfect (be sure your oven is OFF, and not cooling down from recently being used).
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Starting with room temperature milk, butter, and eggs will yield the best brioche dough, and in turn the best brioche bread.
