Tree Nut Free Classic Brioche

Total time11 hr 15 min

Prep time40 min

Cook time35 min

4.5

(18)

Buttery, pillowy, and impossibly rich, this classic brioche is the kind of bread that makes you feel like a proper baker the moment it comes out of the oven with that deep mahogany crust. The ingredient list is beautifully straightforward — flour, eggs, butter, milk, yeast — so there's no need to scan labels or worry about hidden tree nut oils sneaking in through a store-bought loaf. The real magic here is the slow cold fermentation overnight, which firms up all that butter and builds a complex, slightly sweet flavor that you simply can't rush. Kneading the dough until it passes the windowpane test and adding the butter gradually are the two steps that make the difference between a good loaf and a genuinely stunning one. The dough is shaped into eight balls nestled together in the pan, so each slice pulls apart into soft, domed sections — perfect for tearing at the table. Whether you're serving it alongside eggs in the morning, using it for the most indulgent French toast of your life, or just eating a warm slice with a little extra butter, this loaf delivers every single time.

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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)
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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