Brioche is a bread that every home cook needs to bake, at least once. It’s a weekend project that is completely worth the mess.
I have to admit…I knew Brioche was good, probably better than most breads, but good Lord.
Warm brioche right out of the oven and slathered with butter is indescribably good, and apparently I’ve been missing out.
Brioche is such a sexy name, right?
So fitting.
To make this glorious bread, you begin with butter. LOTS and LOTS of butter and eggs.
This is one dense bread, y’all.
Besides the ingredients, you must have, possess, be a pro at, and exercise, patience.
Other than that, it’s really not all that difficult.
Make sure your butter is at room temperature, as well as your eggs. This makes a silky, sticky dough.
Sticky AF.
Just preparing you.
Then, let it rise.
Now, this is where you get to take any pent up emotions, anger and/or any frustrations out on something that won’t call the police – punch that dough.
Punch it down and put it in the fridge to let it rise again…ALL NIGHT.
Yep, this is a two-dayer.
On day two, remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into two portions.
I have two loaf pans, and I thought one of them had to be regular loaf size, but no. Both are 7″ x 3″. This recipe will make two 9″ x 5″ loaves.
I got two loaves and 6 slider buns out of my batch.
You can put your halves each in the larger loaf pans like they are (they should fit snug), or you can braid them before you put them into the pan to make a pretty one and be a show off.
No, this is not my version of a brioche dough braid. ↓
I divided one big section into small sections, flattened them, then rolled the sections up tightly to create layers. 
I failed to take any rolling photos, but you can see in the loaf dish that they’re rolled up bundles of dough snuggled in tightly.
Please forgive me for being a very poor step-by-stepper.
Out of the sun and all bathed with sugar water.
I’m not gonna lie here.
I think I did some cheer moves, a cartwheel, along with high fiving myself and calling everybody I know to tell them about this beautiful puffy, buttery loaf of bread I made, even though they really don’t give one shit.
Loaf #1
Loaf #2
With the remaining dough, I made slider buns and I was pretty happy with how they turned out. I made these pretty little sliders, and luckily I had just made a batch of chicken salad.
Slider Buns
Of course, the buns gave me a good excuse to stuff them with something, and like a true Southerner, I chose my favorite salad sandwich.
I absolutely adore chicken salad. Well…except for the type that has grapes and things like that because they don’t belong.
IMO.
I usually make my chicken salad with tarragon and jalapeños, and oh.my.damn…It’s one of the best things in the world.
It’s something I’ve always made to keep in my refrigerator, and it’s usually my breakfast.
I try to keep the ingredients on hand, which isn’t difficult, so I can whip up a batch at the last minute if I need to. Now, tuna salad, on the other hand, I will only eat if it’s from a well known very good deli.
Otherwise, I only like mine.
We used to have a local grocery store chain called Bruno’s. I think there was only a few in Alabama.
They had the BEST tarragon chicken salad and tuna salad. I have no idea what they did to the tuna salad, but it was absolutely amazing and I haven’t been able to recreate it. It was a distinct taste that I’ll never forget.
I made this after I made the slider buns, and it was outstanding. Chopped ham, Cabot’s Farmhouse Reserve white cheddar (my favorite) and bacon adorned this pull-apart loaf.
Here’s your printable –
Brioche
A buttery, flaky pillowy bread you won't be able to get enough of.
Ingredients
- 7 large eggs, at room temperature, set one aside
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- ¼ c white sugar
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ c warm water
- 5 c all-purpose flour
- Coarse salt, like Maldon
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together 1 cup flour , 1 tablespoon active dry yeast, ¼ cup sugar, and 1½ teaspoons salt, before adding ½ cup warm water. Turn the mixer on at medium speed until combined.
- Add in 6 (six) eggs, 1 egg at a time, letting it incorporate before adding the next.
- Set the mixer to low. Add in 2 cups of flour, 1/3 cup at a time, and let the mixer go until the dough is well combined.
- Turn the mixer off, and cut the 2 sticks of softened butter into small cubes/chunks. With the mixer on medium, add the butter in 6 separate batches, waiting until the butter is well incorporated after each batch before adding more.
- Set mixer to low. Add in 1 3/4 cups of flour, a ¼ cup at a time until the dough is well-combined. This dough will be very sticky.
- Use a rubber spatula to clean the dough off the mixing paddle, and scrape the sides of the mixing bowl. Cover the dough with a plate or plastic wrap and let it proof at room temperature for 3 hours, until it doubles in size.
- After 3 hours have elapsed, punch and deflate the dough completely with a rubber spatula. Cover the dough again, and refrigerate it overnight until 3 hours before you’re ready to bake the next day.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into two equal pieces. Shape them on a lightly floured clean surface, and place each into its own loaf pan (9" x 5").
- Cover each loaf pan tightly and let proof at room temperature for about 2½ to 3 hours, until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350 while the dough is proofing.
- Whisk the last egg with a little water, brush the loaves with egg wash and sprinkle with a little salt.
- Bake for 37 to 40 minutes in the center of the oven. Tent the loaves with foil if the crust is getting too dark.
- Let the bread sit in the loaf pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
This recipe is adapted from The Woks of Life.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 255Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 220mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 6g
The provided nutrition calculated may not always be accurate.
