Sourdough Challah Bread Made with Fresh Milled Flour
Once you try sourdough challah made with freshly milled flour, there’s no going back. The aroma hits you first—nutty, earthy, warm—and then that first bite? Dense and chewy, yet soft and rich, but not super heavy. It’s the kind of bread that makes you sneak “just one more slice” even though you said you’d save some for tomorrow.
I still remember the first time I baked challah. My kitchen smelled like a bakery in the middle of a field of wheat. I honestly didn’t expect such a good loaf using freshly milled flour, but it turned an already special bread into something unforgettable (and my family ate the whole thing in 24 hours).
If you’ve been intimidated by this bread, don’t worry. We’ll walk through everything step by step, with plenty of tips. Think of it like bread playing dress-up—it looks fancy, but underneath it’s just a delicious dough that wants to be baked.
Try baking some of our other tasty recipes like Soft Milk Bread, Overnight Sourdough Bread, Milk & Honey Cornbread, or Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies. If you’re just getting started with using fresh milled flour, check out our FMF Beginner’s Guide or Grain Guide.
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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Challah Recipe
It’s the perfect bread recipe for special occasions, or to make normal occasions feel special. It’s flavorful and wholesome, and fresh milled whole wheat flour brings a nutty depth that store-bought flour just can’t match. Using your own sourdough starter gives a pillowy texture and a subtle tang to this beautiful, enriched dough.
Whether you use three strands, a four-strand braid, or go full-on six-strand fancy, it’s always gorgeous and versatile. Perfect for Jewish holidays, parties, brunch, or just a cozy weekend bake.
Sourdough Challah Bread Recipe
Tools
- Grain Mill
- Stand Mixer with Dough Hook Attachment
- Measuring Cups
- Kitchen Scale (we weigh our ingredients!)
- Bench scraper
- Rice flour (for dusting work surface)
- Baking sheet or challah pan
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush (for egg wash)
Ingredients
- 2.5 Cups (510g) Hard White Wheat Berries (we measure the berries, NOT the flour)
- 1/2 Cup (150g) Active Sourdough Starter
- 3/4 Cup (170g) Warm Water
- 6 Tablespoons (75g) Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons (63g) Honey (or maple syrup)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 Large Egg Yolk (reserve egg white for egg wash)
- 1.5 teaspoons (10g) Salt
Notes
- I like to make a stiff starter of 1 part starter to 2 parts flour to 1 part water (50% hydration). A stiff sourdough starter typically has a lower hydration level—meaning less water relative to flour—resulting in a thicker, more dough-like consistency
- You can make this recipe with commercial yeast instead of sourdough, just use 4 teaspoons (12g) dry active yeast, and note that rise times will be significantly less.
- Poke test: when final dough is proofed enough it will not bounce back all the way when gently pressed with a finger
Step-by-Step Instructions for Easy Sourdough Challah
Making the Dough
Feed Your Sourdough Starter: A few hours or the night before mixing dough (depends on your starter and kitchen temp), feed your starter so it’s active and bubbly when ready to bake.
Mill Your Berries: Grind your wheat berries right before baking. Fresh flour retains oils and nutrients that make a world of difference.
Mix the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together active starter, water, honey, eggs (2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk), and oil. Add the flour, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes to autolyse.
Bulk Fermentation (first rise): Sprinkle salt over dough and knead on low speed using the dough hook until it passes the windowpane test (8–10 minutes in my KitchenAid mixer). Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature for about 4–6 hours, depending on kitchen temperature. I usually look for a rise of about 50-75%, and dough that is somewhat domed and isn’t super sticky anymore.
Shaping and Baking Challah Bread
Shape and Braid: Dump dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into 3, 4, or 6 equal pieces, rolling into ropes about 20″ long. Cover and let dough rest for 10-15 minutes.
After resting, pinch the tops of the ropes together and braid your loaf. It doesn’t have to be perfect!
Final Proof: Place your braided sourdough challah loaf on a lightly floured and parchment-lined baking sheet, tucking ends of loaf under. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature for about 1 hour (may need longer) or until it passes the poke test.
Egg Wash + Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush loaf with egg wash (egg white and a splash of water beaten) for a glossy golden crust. Bake 30–35 minutes, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature hits about 200°F.
Cool & Enjoy: Resist the urge to slice immediately (I know, it’s hard). Let it cool on a cooling rack for 30-60 minutes to set the crumb and prevent any gumminess. Then slice and schmear with butter!
Variations for Challah Dough
Sprinkle your favorite seasonings on top of the egg wash or add in some inclusions to the dough for a fun twist.
- Classic Toppings: Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning
- Sweet Twist: Add in raisins, dried cranberries, or even chocolate chips
- Herbal Spin: Try chopped rosemary and garlic, or swap honey for molasses for a deeper flavor
- Flour Blends: Try mixing in a bit of spelt, rye, or einkorn for a rustic take (don’t replace all the hard wheat!)
Leftover Sourdough Challah Recipes
Don’t throw away any extras! If you happen to end up with any leftover slices (I know, sounds impossible), there are tons of ways to use them. Try making French toast, bread pudding (sweet or savory!), stuffing/dressing, or my favorite, grilled cheese. This soft, sweet bread crisps up so tasty and will have you wondering why you ever used regular bread in the first place.
Baking challah sourdough bread with fresh-milled flour will have you falling in love with bread baking all over again. Don’t stress about the braid or perfection. The beauty of homemade challah is that each loaf has its own personality and character. Enjoy it fresh, share it with friends!
Sourdough Challah Bread Made with Fresh Milled Flour
Learn how to bake the most flavorful, soft, and wholesome sourdough challah bread made with fresh-milled flour. A step-by-step guide!
Ingredients
- 2.5 Cups (510g) Hard White Wheat Berries (we measure berries, NOT flour)
- 1/2 Cup (150g) Active Sourdough Starter
- 3/4 Cup (170g) Warm Water
- 6 Tablespoons (75g) Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons (63g) Honey (or maple syrup)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 Large Egg Yolk (reserve egg white for egg wash)
- 1.5 teaspoons (10g) Salt
Instructions
- Feed Your Sourdough Starter: A few hours or the night before mixing dough (depends on your starter and kitchen temp), feed your starter so it’s active and bubbly when ready to bake.
- Mill Your Berries: Grind your wheat berries right before baking. Measure the whole wheat berries, NOT the flour.
- Mix the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together active starter, water, honey, eggs (2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk), and oil. Add the flour, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes to autolyse.
- Bulk Fermentation (first rise): Sprinkle salt over dough and knead on low speed using the dough hook until it passes the windowpane test (8–10 minutes in my KitchenAid mixer). Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature for about 4–6 hours, depending on kitchen temperature. I usually look for a rise of about 50-75%, and dough that is somewhat domed and isn’t super sticky anymore.
- Shape and Braid: Dump dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into 3, 4, or 6 equal pieces, rolling into ropes about 20" long. Cover and let dough rest for 10-15 minutes. After resting, pinch the tops of the ropes together and braid your loaf. It doesn't have to be perfect!
- Final Proof: Place your braided sourdough challah loaf on a lightly floured and parchment-lined baking sheet, tucking ends of loaf under. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature for about 1 hour (may need longer) or until it passes the poke test.
- Egg Wash + Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush loaf with egg wash (egg white and a splash of water beaten) for a glossy golden crust. Bake 30–35 minutes, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature hits about 200°F.
- Cool & Enjoy: Resist the urge to slice immediately (I know, it’s hard). Let it cool on a cooling rack for 30-60 minutes to set the crumb and prevent any gumminess. Then slice and schmear with butter!
Notes
- I like to make a stiff starter of 1 part starter to 2 parts flour to 1 part water (50% hydration). A stiff sourdough starter typically has a lower hydration level—meaning less water relative to flour—resulting in a thicker, more dough-like consistency
- We measure our whole wheat berries by weight or cups; we do not measure the flour by cups in our recipes.
- You can make this recipe with commercial yeast instead of sourdough, just use 4 teaspoons (12g) dry active yeast, and note that rise times will be significantly less.
- Poke test: when final dough is proofed enough it will not bounce back all the way when gently pressed with a finger
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 133Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 62mgSodium 20mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 1gSugar 0gProtein 4g
*This has not been evaluated by the FDA
FAQS
Fresh flour retains its natural oils and vitamins that normally get lost in commercially milled, packaged flour.
Yes! You can try using 20–30% bread or all-purpose flour makes the loaf a little softer and lighter while still keeping some of the fresh-milled character.
Tuck the ends of the braid under the loaf before allowing it to rise the second time.
Yes. Freeze the baked (and cooled) loaf for up to 3 months.
I like to store my challah in a bread bag or on a cake stand at room temperature. The fridge may dry it out.
Love a soft challah bread!
The step-by-step guide makes this impressive loaf approachable, even for beginner bread makers like me.
I LOVE challah bread, it’s so soft and delicious! You really can’t go wrong with a slice any day of the week!
Wow this looks so good! Love the fresh milled flour & how gorgious this bread looks!
Thank you for the detailed recipe!