Walnut Free Brioche Loaf

Total time11 hr 15 min

Prep time40 min

Cook time35 min

4.7

(14)

Few baked goods hit the way a proper brioche does — that golden, deeply bronzed crust giving way to a crumb that's impossibly soft, rich, and just a little pillowy. This loaf gets its luxurious texture from a generous amount of butter worked slowly into the dough, plus a long overnight chill that firms everything up and builds serious flavor before you even turn on the oven. The four-ball shaping method means every slice has that classic pull-apart quality that makes brioche so satisfying to tear into. Store-bought enriched breads can be a minefield of shared production lines and unexpected add-ins, so making this from scratch with a short, straightforward ingredient list puts you fully in control. The windowpane test and the internal temperature cue take the guesswork out of knowing when the dough and the bake are truly done — no underdone center, no collapsed loaf. Once it cools and you cut that first slice, you'll understand why this style of bread has such a devoted following. Slather it with good butter, use it for French toast, or just eat it plain — it earns its place on the counter either way.

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Ingredients

10 servings

For the dough

¼ cup whole milk, warmed to 110°f (43°c)
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp fine salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
14 tbsp (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, softened

For the egg wash

1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp whole milk

Instructions

1
Combine the warmed milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy and fragrant.
2
Add the flour, sugar, salt, and 4 eggs to the yeast mixture. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and mix on low speed for 2 minutes, until the ingredients are just combined into a shaggy mass, then increase to medium speed and knead for 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.

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