Xanthan Gum Free Buttery Soft Brioche Bread
Rich, pillowy, and impossibly tender, this brioche is the kind of bread that makes you want to tear off a warm chunk the second it comes out of the oven. The magic here is pure, classic technique — eggs, butter, milk, and flour working together to build that signature soft crumb and glossy, deep-brown crust without a single additive or stabilizer in sight. For anyone navigating xanthan gum sensitivities, this recipe is a natural fit because traditional brioche has never needed it: the gluten network developed through patient kneading and the slow incorporation of butter does all the structural work on its own. The overnight cold retard in the refrigerator is a quiet game-changer, firming up the butter-rich dough and deepening the flavor in a way that a same-day loaf simply can't match. Passing the windowpane test before the first rise ensures you've built enough gluten strength to support that beautiful, open crumb — so don't rush the kneading. Once baked to a chestnut brown and cooled properly, every slice is buttery, feather-light, and genuinely stunning. Whether you're serving it as French toast, alongside a bowl of soup, or just with a smear of good salted butter, this loaf delivers bakery-level results from your own kitchen.
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Learn more →Ingredients
10 servings
For the dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast (1 standard packet)
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ tsp fine salt
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup whole milk, warm (about 100°f / 38°c)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, softened to room temperature
For the egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk
Instructions
- 1
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Whisk briefly by hand to distribute evenly.
- 2
Add the 4 room-temperature eggs and the warm milk to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes, then increase to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl, about 8 minutes.
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