Gluten-Free Sourdough Challah

This delicious, soft, and tangy gluten-free sourdough challah is great with butter, honey, and/or jam or on its own with a cup of tea or coffee. Sourdough takes an already great flavor to a whole new level! Make sure to check out my collection of the best gluten-free sourdough bread recipes!

What Is Challah?

Challah is a sweet brioche bread that is made with oil instead of butter. It gets its richness from the egg and milk and this specific type of challah has a slightly sour taste which adds depth to the flavor profile. Challah is a traditional Jewish bread that gained popularity in the 15th century. Before that, Jewish bread for the sabbath was called a different name.

What Is Sourdough?

Sourdough is wild yeast that can be used to leaven and raise gluten-free sourdough loaf. Sourdough is not gluten-free by nature, so to make a gluten-free sourdough challah, you would need to use a gluten-free sourdough starter. If you don’t have a starter, you can easily make your own, all it takes is flour, water, and a dash of patience! Once you have a starter, you can start making your own gluten-free leavened bread, naturally leavened pizza crust, and even fermented dinner rolls! Then, you can also use some of the starter to make desserts like fermented cookies, tangy cinnamon rolls, fluffy banana muffins, and more! I have collected the best gluten-free sourdough recipes for you to enjoy.

Ingredients

Gluten-free flour – I used my homemade all-purpose GF flour for this challah but other GF blends will work, too (they might need slight volume adjustments if the bread turns gummy when baked).

Gluten-free sourdough starter – a starter can be used both at its peak activity and after it has fallen, just don’t use a starter straight from the refrigerator. To make a starter, follow my GF starter recipe!

Psyllium husk – use whole husks. If you are using coarsely ground powder, use 85% of the original amount, and if you are using finely ground powder, you might need to use even less than that (I haven’t tested this recipe with fine powder). Check my psyllium husk in gluten-free baking article for more directions!

Substitutes

Vegan Version

Use plant-based milk and 1/4 cup of applesauce in place of 1 egg.

Dairy-Free Version

Use plant-based milk.

Gum-Free Version

If you have to leave out the xanthan gum, you might need to use a silicone form to make your bread appear braided as it will be tricky to braid if you only use psyllium husk. Or you can also try adding 10g of psyllium husk and attempt braiding although I have not tried this method with this challah!

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Mix the dough

In a large mixing bowl or a bowl of a stand mixer combine all the dry ingredients using a whisk or a paddle attachment.

In a small bowl combine milk, water, oil, and psyllium husk. Whisk to incorporate and leave for 1-2 minutes to form a gel.

Once psyllium gel is ready, add all of the ingredients to the large bowl with the dry ingredients and knead for 5 minutes using a stand mixer or a hand mixer. If you are mixing by hand, knead for 10 minutes to ensure a smooth dough.

Step 2 – Braid the challah

First, weigh the dough, then, separate it into three equal pieces (use a digital scale for this step as well).

Flour the working surface generously, then take one part of the dough, dust it with flour, and start rolling the dough into a rope. If the dough starts sticking, add more flour. The length of one “rope” should be around 37cm/14.5 inches. Repeat with the other two parts!

Carefully transfer all three dough ropes onto a piece of parchment paper. You can roll each piece onto the paper, you don’t need to lift them. Start braiding the dough. Take the right strand and put it over the middle one. Then, take the one on the left and put it over the one that is now in the middle. Then, do the same with the right one again. At the end tuck the ends of the challah under the braid. Leave the challah to rise and ferment for 3.5 hours or more.

Step 3 – Bake

20 minutes before the challah is done rising, start preheating the oven to 445F/230C. Place a large baking dish with water in the bottom of the oven, When challah is ready, make an egg wash by whisking an egg with a fork in a small bowl. Brush the challah with a silicone brush and top with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and/or almond flakes. Bake on a baking rack covered with foil for the first 20 minutes. Then, take the foil off and lower the temperature to 350F/175C and bake for another 25-30 minutes. A toothpick should come out without much raw dough sticking to it.

Let your sourdough challah cool completely before cutting into it. You can store it at room temperature for a couple of days, 3-4 days in the refrigerator, and up to 3-4 months in the freezer. Reheat the slices in the microwave before serving to make them softer!

Expert Tips

– If your challah is gummy, that might be because your sourdough starter has more water in it than mine. In that case, leave out the water from the recipe and use milk only the next time.

– Be careful when transferring the parchment paper with challah on it. Hold the paper at the ends of the bread rather than at the sides.

– Your challah doesn’t need to rise much during fermentation. It will rise the most during baking!

– Check out my elderberry recipe collection for more ideas of what to serve with this challah!

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