Orange Challah Bread

If you want to add a little zest to a homemade challah recipe, try my orange challah bread. We make the challah from scratch and add a delectable orange glaze that’s destined to put a spring in your step.

We have become regular challah bakers in our house and just love this delicious fluffy yeast bread. I usually make it a few times a month; most often on Fridays so we can enjoy it Friday night and with our fellowship group on Saturday. 

The bread itself has a mild orange flavor and is no sweeter than regular challah bread. It’s essentially my original challah recipe with the addition of a little orange zest and orange extract. But the fresh orange glaze adds that delightful bite of sweetness and an additional punch of orange flavor thanks to the added zest there. 

So, what ingredients do you need to make my orange challah bread recipe? Warm water, rapid-rise yeast, honey, eggs, orange extract, olive oil, salt, bread flour, oranges, and vanilla extract. Let me reassure you that orange challah bread is not difficult to make.

It just takes about 15 minutes to get it going (making the dough and doing the first kneading), then you wait for it to rise, knead it again and shape it, wait again, and then bake. Yep, it’s easy, but you just have to have patience cos there’s a little bit of waiting in your future. Personally, I incorporate making this bread into my afternoon work whenever we need it (generally on Thursdays or Fridays so that we can have it for our special Friday night supper).

But let me tell ya, it’s worth it y’all. From the first bite, all of the Jordans have declared this to be our very favorite challah! I hope you’ll give it a try soon! Challah bread is easier to make than you may realize, even if you do everything by hand as we do! 

Recipe Ingredients

• Rapid-rise yeast
• Honey
• Eggs
• Orange extract
• Kosher olive oil
• Kosher salt or sea salt
• Bread flour
• Oranges
• Vanilla extract

How to Make Orange Challah Bread

For step-by-step photo instructions on how to make challah, visit my original honey challah bread recipe.

Making the dough

Place the warm water in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Stir and allow it to sit for five minutes.

After five minutes, if there are bubbles on top, proceed with the recipe. If there are no bubbles, wait until you can purchase new yeast.

Zest one orange and add that zest to the yeast mixture along with the honey, oil, eggs, orange extract, and salt. Stir ingredients with a whisk until well combined.

Add in 4 cups of flour and stir with a sturdy wooden spoon until mixed in. Add the remaining flour and stir until the flour is incorporated and the dough is stiff.

Sprinkle a clean surface with one cup of flour. Turn dough out onto this and sprinkle more flour on top. Knead with both hands for ten minutes, adding more flour to spots that become too sticky to knead.

After ten minutes, transfer dough to a large bowl and cover it with a clean cloth. Allow the dough to rise for 1.5 hours.

After the allocated time, punch down the dough and then turn it out onto a floured surface. Sprinkle a little more flour over the top and knead the dough for about five minutes.

Braiding the dough

Separate the dough into two portions and then separate each portion into three smaller portions (this is for a three-strand braid). Roll each portion into a rope.

It doesn’t matter how long the rope is as long as you make sure each of the ropes is about the same size. Mine usually end up being 12-15 inches.

Pinch three ropes together at one end and then braid them, pinching them together at the other end when done. Fold the ends under the loaf to hide them, leaving a pretty braided dough.

Place this carefully onto a greased baking sheet and repeat with the other loaf.

Spray the loaves lightly with cooking spray (preferably kosher olive oil) and cover loosely with plastic wrap or waxed paper. Then, cover all of this with a towel.

Set aside and allow to rise for about an hour.

Baking the bread

Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, beat egg and water together. Uncover risen bread and brush with egg wash.

Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the crevices on top of the bread with egg wash again.

Return to oven and bake for 20-25 more minutes or until the bread is dark golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Allow it to cool completely.

Making the orange glaze

Zest the remaining orange and then juice both oranges. Place this orange juice and zest in a small bowl and add the remaining orange extract and vanilla extract.

Stir in enough confectioner’s sugar to make a glaze the consistency of school glue. This will be anywhere from 1/2 to 1 cup, depending on the amount of juice in your oranges.

If the glaze is too thin, add more confectioner’s sugar or allow it to sit for a few minutes to thicken.

Brush the glaze over the cooled loaves and let it dry completely before storing the challah in an airtight container until ready to eat.

Storage

• I recommend storing leftover challah in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. I also recommend serving warm, whether that’s reheating slices in the oven or toaster.
• You can also freeze bread for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Recipe Notes

• Feel free to add a little more flour to this recipe if your dough is too sticky to work with. I use a little less in the initial dough because I end up incorporating a lot through the kneading process.
• The bread itself only has a slight hint of orange flavor. If you’d like it to have more, double the extract amount. But as the recipe is written, the orange flavor in the glaze really makes it shine.
• About the ingredients: I use Pompeian olive oil, Pillsbury bread flour, and Red Star yeast, and you’ll find orange extract in Walmart.

Tips for baking a successful challah

• The temperature of the water is very important when dealing with yeast. If your water is too hot, the yeast will die. If the water is too cold, the yeast will be reluctant to become active. Think “baby bath water” because that is the perfect temperature. It should be comfortably warm but not hot.
• To me, the brand of yeast absolutely does matter. This is in no way sponsored by any brand but I just want to tell you that I will not buy any yeast but Red Star. Other brands have always been a 50/50 success/fail rate at best for me but Red Star has never let me down. I buy it in a little jar and keep it in my freezer for extra freshness. 
• Kneading enough is essential. This is where Southerners and others used to making biscuits tend to fall short because we know that over-kneading biscuits yield hockey pucks so we tend to stay on the gentle side in making yeast bread, too. However, the principle is the opposite in yeast bread. The more you knead yeast bread, the softer and fluffier it will be because it helps develop the gluten which forms the bonds that create that soft, chewy texture. Pay close attention to the number of minutes I knead the dough in this recipe. I set a timer and I don’t stop kneading until that timer goes off.

Recipe FAQs

What is challah traditionally topped with?

Challah is traditionally brushed with honey. But in this instance, we’re using an egg wash and then an orange glaze

How can I make my challah moister?

If the dough ever feels too dry or crumbly, add a little bit more olive oil. It’s the magic ingredient to bring moisture and pliability back into the bread dough.

Should challah be cut or torn?

I recommend cutting the challah into thick slices because it will stay fresher for longer and then you can make french toast in the morning!

What can I add to my challah?

Here are some common recipe variations:

• Sprinkle the challah with sesame seeds or poppy seeds after adding the egg wash.
• Knead in up to 2 cups of raisins, dried cranberries, or slivered almonds during the first kneading.
• Stuff the ropes with diced apples before braiding them to make apple honey challah.

Can you let challah rise overnight?

Yes, you can let the challah rise in the fridge overnight during the first rise. 

How can I use leftover challah?

Besides toast, I’d recommend baking french toast with leftover challah or bread pudding.

I think you’ll also like these recipes:

2-Ingredient Biscuits With Ice Cream

Easy Orange Rolls

Spoon Rolls

Quick Mayonnaise Dinner Rolls

Soft Unleavened Bread

Homemade Dinner Rolls (a.k.a Preston Rolls)

 

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