Fluffy Sourdough Challah

Last Updated on March 29, 2026 by Rob Finkelstein

Soft, fluffy Sourdough Challah is a fun sourdough bread to make. Do not be fooled by the word “sourdough”. There is nothing sour about this challah! The word “sourdough” here merely means that we use a natural levain rather than commercial yeast. That is a great thing because the flavor from a natural starter provides so much depth to a sweet bread like challah. This recipe is a hybrid-conversion of my Challah recipe and my Tangzhong Challah recipe.

Note: This post and the recipe got a complete makeover on February 20, 2026. If you are looking for the prior version of this recipe, please feel free to contact me directly. 

What is Sourdough Challah?

Sourdough Challah is not (necessarily) sour. This recipe is not remotely reminiscent of a sour tasting sourdough bread. Rather, this is a challah that is naturally leavened without the use of commercial yeast and is actually on the sweet side. If you are new to sourdough or want a little more background on sourdough starters, take a look at my Sourdough Starter Guide.

Why make a Sourdough Challah?

It is of course faster to make a challah using commercial yeast. And, yes, Sourdough Challah is a two or three day “project”. I put that in quotes because it is not really such an ordeal. Although there is lots of time involved, 99% of that time is spent away from the dough, doing whatever else you want to be doing. There is very little active time.

There are a number of reasons why you should make Sourdough Challah. In no particular order, here are the ones that come to mind:

• Commercial yeast (fresh and dried) has its own distinctive flavor. That flavor carries through into the breads it is made with. Don’t get me wrong, commercial yeast renders fabulously delish breads! However, using a sourdough starter to leaven your bread renders a slightly different flavor due its natural fermentation.
• Breads made with sourdough starter are generally healthier than breads made with commercial yeast. I’m honestly not such a health maven (um, have you looked at the recipes on this blog?!?), so run it through the Google machine for more details.
• It is incredibly fascinating and exciting to create something completely from scratch that actually rises! Well, at least if you’re a bread nerd like me.

How is Sourdough Challah different from regular Challah?

Traditional Challah is generally loaded with eggs and sugar/honey. That’s what makes it so rich and delish! These enrichments do not always work well with a sourdough starter.

When creating this recipe, I was able to maintain the number of eggs I usually use. I noticed huge differences as I continued to increase the honey, mostly that it  took longer and longer to ferment and rise once braided. Over the course of two years, I baked many versions of what is now this Sourdough Challah recipe. I had to really play around with the amount of flour to ensure that the final product was soft and fluffy while balancing the desire for the braiding to keep its shape when baking.

The addition of tangzhong is what really keeps this challah super soft. Tangzhong is simply a cooked mixture of liquid with a little bit of flour. As the flour cooks, the starches in the flour gelatinize, which helps the dough retain moisture. For more on this, check out my Tangzhong Challah recipe.

How do I make Sourdough Challah?

As I said, although it looks like a time-consuming process, this actually requires very little active, hands-on time.

Day 1: Feed your starter

If you store your starter in the refrigerator, take it out three days before you plan on baking your challah so you can feed it several times and re-adjust it to life at room temperature. If your starter is out and has been consistently fed recently, you’re good to go.

Unfortunately, I cannot tell you exactly how long you need to wait before you can use your starter to mix the stiff levain. However, I’m going to tell you the secret to success with any sourdough starter: Get to know your starter!

You want the starter to be ripe and active, at its peak. That means you want to use the 40 grams of ripe starter when your starter has risen significantly, perhaps tripled in size, just before it starts to deflate. The only way to judge when your starter reaches its peak is to observe it each time you feed it just before you start this recipe. (Feed it, let it sit 3-4 hours, check on it, and keep checking on it every 30 minutes to get an idea how long it takes to reach its peak.)

Note what time you feed it and what time it seems to be at its peak. In my kitchen, which generally runs between 70℉ and 74℉, it takes approximately 8 hours to reach the desired point. In a warmer kitchen, it would likely take less time. If you want a warmer atmosphere, turn your oven light on and place your fed starter in it. Make sure no one turns the oven on! That will usually get you to approximately 80°F. But do this only after you have previously fed your starter and stored it in the oven so you know how long it will take for it to get to its ripe stage. I also own and regularly use the Sourdough Home from Brod & Taylor, and I must say that I absolutely love it because I can control when my starter will be ready.

Day 1: Mix the stiff levain

Once your starter has reached its peak, it’s time to mix the stiff levain. What is a levain? Without getting too into the bread science here, a levain is simply an offshoot of your starter. Creating a levain helps use less starter in this challah recipe while creating a preferment that will make the dough rise.

We use a stiff levain here (much more flour in proportion to water) because it is slightly less sour than a 100% hydration starter. It is also fun to watch the stiff levain grow overnight!

To mix the stiff levain, all you need to do is to mix your 40 grams of ripe starter with the rest of the stiff levain ingredients. Using a little bit of sugar helps feed the culture and starts developing the sweetness we look for in challah. (Life Tip: When using sourdough starter for anything, it is always a good idea to stir it. Starter loves air, so mixing it helps distribute more air within it.) It may seem almost too dry, so you will need to use your hands to knead the ingredients together into a smooth dough.

Cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit on the countertop overnight for approximately 12 hours. I like to poke a few holes in the top using a toothpick just to help give it a little breathing room without allowing it to dry up.

Day 2: Cook the tangzhong

Tangzhong is super easy to whip up. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the flour and the water so that the flour is fully absorbed. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly. Within a couple of minutes, it will quickly thicken and look like mashed potatoes. Ideally, you want the mixture to reach 149℉.  I recommend taking the temperature of the mixture the first time you make it so you know when it is done. A Thermapen thermometer is perfect for this! Once you know how it will look and feel, you do not need to be so precise in the future. The tangzhong mixture is at its best when cooked to 149℉ or so. It is fine it if gets hotter than that, but try to keep it less than 175℉. Once it is done, immediately spread it out on a plate to allow it to cool.

Day 2: Knead the dough

If you are using a planetary mixer (KitchenAid with a dough hook or a spiral mixer), you can toss the stiff levain with the rest of the ingredients (hold back the salt) into the bowl and knead. If you are using a mixer powered from the bottom like an Ankarsrum (which I own and have used for this recipe) or Bosch (which I have never used), I suggest ripping the stiff levain into small pieces to help it knead with the rest of the ingredients.

Once the dough is smooth, add the salt a little at a time and continue kneading until the dough passes the windowpane test. This just means that, when you take a small piece of dough and stretch it between your fingertips, it gets so thin that it is translucent without ripping. Once you reach that stage, you are done kneading.

Day 2: Bulk rise

Form the dough into a ball, place in an ungreased bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and allow it to bulk rise for 4-6 hours.  I recommend using a proofer, if you have one, set to 77℉. I generally let it ferment for approximately 4½  hours, and I use and strongly recommend the Brod & Taylor proofer. If you do not have a proofer, just keep it somewhere warm. You’ll know the dough is towards the end of its rise if you make a small impression with a wet index finger and the dough holds the impression. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the dough in the refrigerator overnight. I like breaking it up this way so that I am not rushed, and braiding and allowing it to rise on Day 3 has it baked, cooled and ready to be served for dinner.

However, you could absolutely make this all on Day 2. Instead of refrigerating the dough, divide and braid it, continuing to follow the directions.

Day 3: Divide , shape and rise

I find Sourdough Challah super easy to shape. Braid however your heart desires. I generally like to make two challahs with this recipe, but you can certainly make one big one instead. The video accompanying this post shows how to braid the challah. I suggest lightly dusting each strand with bread flour before braiding and again lightly dusting with more bread flour once braided to help ensure the braids do not bake into each other. Once braided, allow the challah to rise in a warm place. If using a proofer, set it again to 77℉. The challah may not rise significantly, but it will get puffy and airy, which will be noticeable when you do the poke test, just as you did after bulk fermentation. This usually takes approximately 6 hours for me.

Day 3: Egg wash and bake

Once you are ready to bake, be sure to give it a generous egg wash, being sure to reach to the very bottom of each loaf. Feel free to top with any seeds of your choosing: poppy, sesame…Everything Seasoning. Bake between 30-45 minutes. The challah should be lightly brown on the top and sides and the internal temperature should be at least 190℉.

Other Challah Recipes

Make this same Sourdough Challah recipe to make my Soft Sourdough Onion Rolls.

For my traditional recipe, check out my Challah.

For an even softer, doughier version, check out my Tangzhong Challah.

Want a whole grain version? Check out my Whole Wheat Challah or my Spelt Challah.

Looking for a round Challah or just an ornate challah? Check out my Festive Challah or my 4-Strand Round Challah.

For an egg-free or vegan version, check out my Vegan Challah.

Intended for Rosh Hashanah but delicious all year around is my Apple Challah.

Looking to use up the leftover egg whites? Check out my Chocolate Egg White Cake, which is an easy and wonderful parve (dairy free) dessert ideal for any Shabbat or Yom Tov.

Print Pin

Sourdough Challah

5 from 30 votes

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Resting time 2 days days

Total Time 2 days days 1 hour hour

Servings 24 slices

Calories 107

This naturally leavened challah is fluffy, sweet, and simply delicious.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

Stiff Starter:

• 40 grams ripe, acive starter (refreshed 6-10 hours earlier)
• 40 grams water (filtered, at room temperature)
• 120 grams bread flour
• 20 grams sugar

Tangzhong

• 30 grams bread flour
• 150 grams water

Dough:

• All of the levain
• All of the tangzhong
• 43 grams neutral oil (vegetable, sunflower, canola)
• 3 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 80 grams honey
• 290 grams bread flour
• 8 grams fine sea salt
• 1 egg (for egg wash; for a deeper colored exterior, use just the yolk)

Instructions 

Stiff Starter

• Just prior to going to bed, mix all ingedients together. Knead into a dough ball so that all of the flour is fully absorbed. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at warm room temperature, about 74℉, for 12 hours.

Tangzhong

• In a medium saucepan, whisk the flour into the water so it is fully absorbed. Cook over medium low heat, whisking constantly, until it resembles mashed potatoes and the temperature of the mixture has reached 149℉. Immediately transfer to a heat proof bowl or plate and allow to cool to at least 100℉.

Dough

• In the bowl of your electric mixer, add the stiff starter, tangzhong, oil, yolks, honey and bread flour. Knead until a smooth dough has formed, approximately 5 minutes. Slowly add in the salt. Knead for an additional 3-5 minutes. The dough should pass the windowpane test.
• Place dough in a large, ungreased bowl, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. If using a proofer, place the bowl with the dough in it set at 77℉. Allow to ferment for approximately 4½ hours. If you wet your index finger and make an impression on the dough, it should maintain the impression. Cover completely with plastic wrap and place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and knead it a bit to release the gasses and air bubbles. Weigh the dough and divide into as many strands as you need. (2 challah, 4 strands each works great.) Shape each portion into long strands and braid as desired. Very lightly dust the top with bread flour. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 5½ to 6½ hours at 77℉. The dough will not double in size, but it will increase in volume and look slightly puffy. You will know it’s ready to be baked by impressing a finger slightly into the dough. If the impression mostly remains, you are ready to bake.
• Towards the end of the rising time, preheat oven to 350℉.
• Apply egg wash. Sprinkle challah with any toppings, if using. Bake 30-45 minutes until golden brown on top and sides and the internal temperature reaches 190℉.

Notes

• I highly recommend a proofing box for this recipe, but you can certainly allow the dough to rise at warm room temperature for additional time.
• I prefer making this challah over the course of 3 days (Day 1: mix stiff starter at night; Day 2: knead and bulk ferment; Day 3: braid, rise and bake) because this ensures I can give the braided dough sufficient time to rise and have it ready to serve with dinner. You can absolutely skip the overnight rest in the refrigerator and braid immediately after bulk fermentation.

Author: Rob Finkelstein

Calories: 107kcal

Course: Bread, Breakfast, brunch, dinner

Cuisine: Jewish

Keyword: levain, naturally leavened, sourdough, starter

Nutrition

Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 43IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.3mg