Fluffy, soft, and rich in flavor – that’s how an authentic French Brioche Bread must be! Let me show you how to make the best brioche bread recipe at home!
What Is Brioche Bread
Brioche bread is one of the most known and most authentic French bread that exists. It’s made with eggs and butter, which gives this bread a very rich flavor.
The texture of this bread is similar to soft toast bread or challah bread, but much fluffier. Furthermore, it has a very intense flavor and is due to the use of a high amount of butter quite buttery. Some like it, others don’t.
Because French Brioche Bread is so buttery, it’s an excellent bread to use for making Brioche French Toast, Baked French Toast Casseroles, or Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
I love to toast it and use it for sandwiches or spread it with Nutella or jam in the mornings.
How To Make Brioche Loaf
The loaf is basically a yeast dough with extra butter and eggs. The dough is hard to handle and quite sticky (different than regular bread). Therefore, I can highly recommend you to use your stand mixer!
I have never made the dough from hand and would never try it, to be honest with you.
Also, you need to knead your dough for 20 minutes, and I wouldn’t want you to spend that time on kneading, your stand mixer can do this for you!
The key to a very fluffy and airy brioche bread is to let it rise for at least 4 hours up to a maximum of 16 hours. My tip is to start with the dough in the early evening and let it rise in your fridge overnight.
The next morning, you can form it into a loaf, let it rise again, and bake it. Your French brioche will be ready around noon (depends if you are an early bird or like to sleep in).
The second option is starting in the early morning, let it rise in the fridge during the day, finish and bake it in the evening!
I always bake my brioche as a loaf in a loaf pan. But you can also use the dough to make brioche buns or burger buns (sprinkle with seeds). If so, reduce the baking time and take the buns out of the oven when golden brown.
French Brioche Recipe
Ingredients you need:
- Fresh yeast, or active dry yeast → I always recommend using fresh yeast if available in your supermarket, don’t spin your head if it’s not available and use dried yeast instead
- Milk, can be substituted with plant-based milk, preferably soy or oat milk
- Sugar, necessary for the yeast and a light sweet taste
- Eggs → can’t be replaced if you are following a vegan diet, sorry
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Butter, needs to be cold → can be substituted with a plant-based butter
How to make it:
- Mix the yeast, milk (need to be lukewarm, but not hot → warm up in the microwave or a small pot), and sugar until the yeast starts foaming. → This takes about 5 minutes, you will see the process very well when using fresh yeast.
- Mix in the eggs.
- Give it with the flour and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer and knead for 5 minutes at speed level one using the dough hook. → The dough is quite hard to handle, don’t add more milk.
- Now, add the butter in pieces and knead for another 15 minutes at speed level two until the butter is well incorporated and your dough is smooth and still slightly sticky but comes easily from the bowl if using a silicone spatula.
- Grease a bowl with oil (olive, sunflower, or canola oil).
- Add your dough, turn it around once until fully covered with the oil, and cover it with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap.
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- Leave your dough to rise for one hour at room temperature.
- Place in the fridge and leave to rise for 4-16 hours. → Overnight is perfect.
- The next morning, your dough is very airy and has a lot of bubbles. Place on a lightly floured surface and divide into five equal pieces (using a knife or dough scraper).
- Fold each one into a log:
- Form it first into a rectangle → slightly press the dough with the palm of your hands and stretch using your fingers.
- Then roll it up into a log using your fingers.
- Place the logs in a with oil greased 10×5-inch loaf pan (25x12cm). You can push them carefully together if they don’t fit.
- Cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let it rise again for 1.5-2 hours until it has grown significantly to the top of the loaf pan. Start preheating your oven (395°F/200°C) after 1.5 hours.
- Brush your brioche with a beaten egg (use a baking brush). → This ensures a golden top and keeps your dough from drying out during baking. Vegan egg wash alternative: 2 tablespoon unsweetened soymilk, 1 tablespoon agave nectar, 1 pinch ground turmeric.
- Bake the brioche for 30-35 minutes in the preheated oven until it’s golden brown.
- Take it out, place on a wire rack, and let it cool down for at least 15 minutes before you take it out of the pan. Leat if cool entirely before slicing.
French Brioche Recipe FAQ
How To Store Brioche?
Store your brioche wrapped in a tea towel or plastic bag for three days.
Can I Freeze Brioche?
You can freeze the whole loaf or cut in slices (easy to defrost in a toaster). Place them in freezer friendly zip bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in your oven or toaster before serving.
Can I skip the overnight freezer rise?
You can, but I don’t recommend it. If you do so, your brioche is still delicious, but it’s not as airy and fluffy when skipping this significant step.
Can I make this brioche recipe vegan-friendly?
Unfortunately, you need eggs for this recipe to work. But I give options for all other dairy products used which can be easily swapped with the non-diary version.
This recipe takes so much time, can I shorten it?
Most of the time is just dough rising time, and only little is actual active time in the kitchen. Give it a try, and you will be amazed by how simple it is making quality bread at home.
More Authentic French Recipes
- Authentic French Crepes
- Brioche French Toast
- French Croissants
- French Chocolate Croissants
- White French Dressing
- Vegan French Dressing
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📖 Recipe
French Brioche
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Ingredients
French Brioche Dough
- 1 tablespoon fresh yeast, or 2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- ¼ cup milk, lukewarm, use soy or oat milk as a non-diary option
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, chilled, use plant-based butter as a non-diary option
Egg Wash
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- Mix the yeast, lukewarm milk, and sugar, and let it sit for 5 minutes until foaming. Mix in the eggs until well combined.
- Place it with the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, and knead at speed level 1 for 5 minutes (your dough is very sticky). Add the butter in pieces and knead for another 15 minutes at speed level 2 (your dough should be sticky but comes easily from the bowl using a silicone spatula).
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp tea towel, and let it rise at room temperature for one hour. Refrigerate for 4-16 hours ➝ makes your brioche soft & airy.
- Take the dough out of the fridge, place on a lightly floured surface, divide into five pieces and fold each one into a log (punch down the dough gently with the ball of your hand, stretch into a rectangle, and roll up into a log). Place them in a greased (or with parchment paper lined) 10×5-inch loaf pan (25x12cm), cover with a damp tea towel and let it rise for 1.5-2 hours at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 395°F/200°C. Brush the dough with the egg wash and bake it for 30-35 minutes until brown.
- Allow the brioche to cool down on a cooling rack before slicing.
Notes
- Use a plastic wrap instead of a damp tea towel to cover your dough.
- The temperature in the recipe is for the use of a regular oven. If you use a convection oven (fan-based), set the temperature to 355°F/180°C.
- Brioche is the best if fresh, but can be stored in an airtight container for a few days or up to three months in the freezer. Defrost in the oven or toaster.
Nutrition
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I made this lovely brioche and am IN LOVE! I had bread flour (also known as strong flour) on hand which I needed to use, so I thought I would try it for this recipe. I followed all directions explicitly for my first try and the bread was absolute perfection. I then decided to make sandwich buns with the dough, and again, absolutely wonderful!
One tip that I recommend, is that you must measure accurately and do NOT add additional flour to the recipe during the 15 minute kneading process in the mixer. The flour may take longer to absorb moisture, so leave it to knead undisturbed. I did scrape my mixer bowl twice during kneading, but otherwise, left it to knead. I found that at 7 minutes, the dough was quite wet, but at 15 minutes only slightly tacky.
I removed my dough at that point and floured my hands only, giving the dough 3-4 turns by hand and voila! It was ready for its first rise! Thereafter, the directions were perfect as was this bread!
This is my go to recipe for perfect brioche! Thank you Aline!
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Kate! It makes me so happy that the brioche turned out perfect, and the recipe was easy for you to follow. Thank you for sharing your experience. I am sure other users can benefit from it too!
Enjoy your Homemade Brioche! 😉
All the best,
Aline
If I want to triple the recipe can I use one bowl in the frig overnight or should they be split up into 3 different bowls for the rise? Thanks so much!!
Hi Angela, using one bowl will do it! 😉
This was such an easy and delicious recipe! Loaf looks professional! One thing I would note is my dough was very tough when the butter was mixed at a chilled temp — I went with room temp and saw a much easier to work result.
Thank you so much for your lovely words and for sharing your baking experience, Cara!
I am happy to hear that the Brioche turned out well!
All the best,
Aline
Thank you for this near fool-proof recipe Aline!
I did utilize bread flour after reviewing the link you included in an earlier reply to me. I did a 1:1 substitution and made no adjustments otherwise. I measured everything in grams and ml’s using my trusty kitchen scale. My first rise was about 40 minutes and then, as you’d instructed, I placed my dough in the refrigerator over-night. I elected to make large sandwich buns, with each ball of dough weighing around 3.75 ounces. They were allowed to rise for about 1 hour and baked off for 15 minutes! The result is a very light, airy bun with very nice structure! Thank you for a great recipe,
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Kate! I am super happy to hear that the recipe worked great with the bread flour and that you enjoy the result! Baking your own bread is so rewarding!
Enjoy your brioche. ☺️
All the best,
Aline ❤️
I actually have a question. Can this be made with bread flour vs all purpose? What are your thoughts in this regard?
Hi Kate
As we don’t have bread flour where I live, I do not have experience with it. However, I checked it for you and it seems that it shouldn’t be a problem. Have a quick look at this article before you make the recipe, but it should be fine.
All the best,
Aline
Thank you Aline! I luckily have both flours available in my kitchen however, needed to use the bread flour I have on hand! Thank you for the link! This looks like a fabulous recipe!!!
Can you use an electric bread machine? Does it change the recipe amounts? Also when I bake bread I use my machine and I just use the dough button which mixes and rises the bread dough. Then I let it rise one more time ( in this case overnight) and then bake in my gas oven or electric conventional/convection oven. By the way I have to put the wet products together then the dry with the bread machine yeast on top after making a well on the dry products.
Hi Susan
I have never made bread in a bread machine and therefore can’t give you any advice on that. Sorry!
If you do have experience and made the same procedure with other bread recipes, which didn’t call for a bread machine, I would just give it a try and see how it goes! Good luck with it.
All the best,
Aline
I am wondering if you tried this and how it turned out? I also use my bread machine the way and want to try this recipe.
This is the Best bread, I have ever made! It was gone before I got a chance for the picture! On my thanksgiving menu! Thank you
Hi Donna, your comment makes me so happy! Thank you for letting me know and I wish you lots of success and joy with your Thanksgiving menu!
All the best,
Aline
Hello, does it matter what type of milk is used, such as whole, 2%, skim…?
Thank you!
Hi Lucy,
no, it doesn’t matter. You can use any kind of milk. Happy baking!
All the best,
Aline
super delicious couldn’t stop eating it
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know!
All the best,
Aline
Hi! Aline, Can I use instant yeast for this recipe?
Thank You!
Rose
Hi Rosallia, instant yeast can be used too! Have fun baking! 😉
This turned out great! Our 16 year old French exchange student said it was perfect 😊 Merçi beaucoup !
I am so happy to hear that, Rachael! Your French exchange student must know!:) Happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for letting me know!
All the best,
Aline
Should the butter be salted or unsalted? Or does it not matter?
Hi Erin,
Thank you for your question. Use unsalted butter, works better for this recipe. Here in Switzerland, butter is always unsalted. 🙂
I will adjust the recipe, so no more confusion.
If you only have salted butter at hand, leave out the salt in the recipe.
Happy baking and much love,
Aline
I did it…. However, my bread climbed out of my carefully measured pan while baking. Next time I’ll use my 12X4 pan. Otherwise, I think this recipe is a WINNER! Im a pastry chef and rarely need to do a beautiful bread like this. It was fun.
Hi Christine
I am so glad to hear that and thank you for letting me know that you made my recipe & you like it!
The brioche should slightly climb out of the pan, that’s normal. But if you prefer if it doesn’t, go for the larger pan next time.
Happy baking and much love,
Aline
I always wanted to try making brioche bread, so I’ll give this recipe a go! It looks so fluffy 🙂 And love all the progress photos. Wish me luck!
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Paula! You should give it a try! I am sure you will manage this brioche recipe just fine! And I hope the step-by-step pictures are going to help you when making it the first time – don’t be scared of the sticky dough!
All the best,
Aline
Last night I asked how long I would be able to leave it in the fridge. Well, let me tell you:!!
It ended up being in the fridge for 20 hours! I got it out and figured it was no good but I would at least try to see if would turn out okay. Boy did it! I had to set it outside covered with the tea cloth for 2 hours. Then I put it in my convection oven on 350 for 30 minutes and it turned out PERFECT!
I will post a picture ❤️
Dear Sonja, thank you for your question and for letting me know. I am thrilled to hear that it turned out so perfect and that you like the Brioche recipe. Dough in the fridge should be stable for a few more hours, as the rising process works very slowly. But for the next time, it’s also ok to bake the Brioche one day in advance to make French toasts, I usually make those with leftover bread.
So again, I am delighted about your result and looking forward to your picture. 🙂
All the best,
Aline
I haven’t made this yet but I will, the directions are so clear anyone could follow it, thank you for that. I love brioche bread but always buy it, maybe after this I won’t have too.
Hi Charlotte
Thank you so much for your kind words! I try to give my best to make it as easy as possible for anyone to follow my recipes! Therefore, it makes me happy to read your comment!
I wish you lots of success with baking this Brioche. Let me know how it turned out. =)
All the best,
Aline
This bread looks amazing and I plan on making your French toast with it in the morning. However , I put it in the fridge too early and it will be in there for longer than 12 hours. Is this okay? It will end up being in the fridge for about 16 hours…
Thank you for clearing up the question about the salt. I made it and it was wonderful. But I understand the issue with the mixer. My Kitchenaid mixer was definitely working on this one as the dough becomes very stiff. But the finished product was great!
You are welcome, Cindi. I am happy to hear that you made this brioche recipe and you liked it. About the Kitchenaid problem: Did you use cups or a scale for the ingredients? Because cups are not as precise as measuring everything with the scale, and already 1 tbsp more flour or less liquid can, unfortunately, change the dough. Furthermore, each flour brand is a little bit different and also has an impact. But what you could try is if the dough is too stiff, add 1 tsp milk, see how it goes and add another one if needed. Just make sure it doesn’t get too sticky at the end 🙂 Enjoy your Brioche!
The list of ingredients indicates 1 TEASPOON of salt. However, in the recipe, it says to add 1 TABLESPOON. Just want to make sure I get the amount right. Looks delicious. Thank you.
Hi Cindi, that was a glitch! Thank you so much for letting me know, I just corrected it.
Have a fantastic day.
All the best,
Aline
I had a very difficult time with this recipe, had to try it as I love brioche. First would have been nice to see the US conversion along with metric. Searched web but still wasn’t sure if the measurements were correct. The dough is so stiff at times it broke the paddle on my kitchen aid, it was the plastic type. Have purchased a new heavy replacement with the rubber portion on one end only. The taste was very good, however the bread dry and I know from past experience it was because of handling too much. One other thing, the ingredient list reads 1 tsp. Salt, directions read one tablespoon salt, which is it? I used the teaspoon measure. Plan to try it again, can you send a correct list of US measurements? I’ve been baking a long time and quite aware that the correct measurements are crucial to the end result.
Dear Helen, thank you for sharing your experience.
I am very sorry to hear that your plastic paddle broke ? I always use the metal attachments from Kenwood and never had problems with it.
The US conversions are right there in the recipe, you just have to switch from Metric to US Customary (under Ingredients). However, for baking, I always recommend using a scale, as measuring with cups is not as exact and can change your end results especially for baking goods.
And I just changed the salt-glitch in the recipe, thanks for letting me know. As soon as I have time I am going to update the recipe with some more information and step-by-step images, I hope this will help you to have more success.
All the best,
Aline
How do I incorporate dry yeast? Fresh yeast is not available where I am. 🙁
Oh what a pity, Jasmine! Baking with fresh yeast is so much more fun – and I like the result more. However, you can substitute it with 2.5 tsp active dry yeast. I will write it in the recipe for other readers too! Enjoy baking! 🙂
All the best,
Aline
Hello Aline!
Thank you very much for the receipt!
Just want to make sure there is no mistake in baking time. Is it really 60 min on 320°?
I tried to make it and after 15 min on 395° it has already looked golden brown and ready, so I lowered to 320° but after 15 more min I decided to get it out, because I was afraid it can be burnt.
Thank you.
Dear Olga,
I am happy to hear that you tried my recipe. Every oven is a little bit different, and it can be that yours is heating more or the temperature you set is not the actual temperature in the oven (regular kitchen ovens tend to be not 100% accurate). Was the bread baked when you took it out after 15 minutes? If yes, bake it always this way. If no, you could try to lower the temperature in your oven even more and try to bake it longer. Make sure to place it in the middle of the oven. Furthermore, I always bake bread with upper and lower heat and not conventional. I hope the brioche bread was still delicious.
All the best,
Aline
How soft and delicious this looks!
Thank you so much Kasey, it’s indeed.