MSG Free Classic Brioche
Few breads feel as luxurious as a properly made brioche, with its deep mahogany crust, pillowy pull-apart rolls, and that impossibly rich, buttery crumb. Every ingredient here is a whole, recognizable kitchen staple — flour, eggs, butter, milk, yeast, sugar, and salt — so there's no need to scan a label or second-guess what's hiding in a store-bought loaf. The magic comes from patience: a long cold fermentation overnight firms the butter, builds complex flavor, and makes the dough far easier to shape than a same-day method ever could. Incorporating a full two sticks of softened butter piece by piece during mixing sounds fussy, but it's what gives the finished loaf that signature glossy, tender crumb that tears into soft, golden ribbons. The egg wash brushed on just before baking is what delivers that stunning, deep brown dome that makes this look like it came straight out of a Parisian boulangerie. Let it cool properly before slicing — the crumb is still setting as it rests, and the wait is absolutely worth it.
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Learn more →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)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 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
Combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tbsp of the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir briefly and let stand for 5–10 minutes, until foamy and fragrant.
- 2
Add the flour, salt, remaining 1 tbsp sugar, and the 4 room-temperature eggs to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes, then increase to medium speed and knead for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl, and passes the windowpane test — a small piece stretched between your fingers should stretch thin enough to see light through without tearing.
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