Today we continue with the Bountiful Bread Basket series, Part 9, with the Top 15 Gluten-Free Challah Bread Recipes. Beautiful and wonderful gluten-free challah bread recipes.
The best gluten-free challah bread recipes. Even grain-free recipes. (More on the grain-free factor in a moment.) Even vegan recipes. There’s even a great gluten-free Sourdough Challah recipe!
Challah is usually a braided bread that is traditionally eaten on Jewish holidays, at certain Jewish celebrations, and at Shabbat, the weekly Sabbath meal.
I learned that there is important religious symbolism in the appearance and presentation of challah. For example, holiday challah, such as for Rosh Hashanah, is baked in a circle rather than presented as the more traditional braided loaf. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year—which is considered a time of renewal–and the circle represents the cycle of life and the wholeness of the universe.
There are other meanings for the seeds and twin loaves (when used) and even symbolism for the flour used in the recipes and for the loaf itself. Rosh Hashanah is a serious and respectful time marked by many traditions and rituals, and enjoying challah bread–gluten-free challah bread for all of us who eat gluten free–is an important one.
Challah Baking Pans and Molds
Some gluten-free versions of challah are actually braided from three strands of dough, but others—especially grain-free versions—are made using a mold, such as The Kosher Cook Amazing Perfect Braid Royal Challah Silicone Bakeware or this Kaiser Bakeware 15-Inch Classic Braided Loaf Pan. Other options are the Kaiser 13-Inch Classic Braided Ring Mold and The Kosher Cook Deluxe Royal Challets/Rolls Silicone Baking Pan. One of the readers who commented on one of these recipes stated that she used a Bundt pan to make her round challah.
An important note: Per my research for this post, for bread to truly be considered challah and suitable for religious purposes per the Jewish faith, it must contain a certain amount of grain-full flour. The flours specified by Judaism all contain gluten except for oat flour IF one uses certified gluten-free oat flour that is made from purity protocol oats. My understanding is that over half of the weight of the flour must be oat flour for the challah to qualify as Hamotzi and be used in the Hamotzi Braccha for Orthodox Jews.
If you are Jewish and seeking a recipe for that purpose, please check with your rabbi on the suitability of the recipe you have in mind beforehand. Some of these recipes contain neither grains nor oat flour and may not be suitable for religious purposes. However, knowing that some of you who are gluten free also can’t tolerate certified gluten-free purity protocol oats, personally, I hope that sometimes exceptions are made.
Now, let’s get to these delicious challah recipes! (Click on the recipe title to go the recipe.)
Gluten-Free Challah Bread Recipes
~ The Best Gluten-Free Challah Recipe from Just Call Me Chaviva ~ gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian
Chaviva says this is the challah that she “perfected in her kitchen, that her son prefers to regular challah and that was recently a hit at a friend’s conference.” She uses The Kosher Cook Deluxe Royal Challets/Rolls Silicone Baking Pan for making her challah.
~ Easy 1-Hour Gluten-Free and Grain-Free Challah from Gluten Free A to Z ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, yeast free, vegetarian
Judee notes that with this recipe if you want a braided look (as shown in her photo below)—versus making a regular loaf of bread—you need to use The Kosher Cook Amazing Perfect Braid Royal Challah Silicone Bakeware. She adds that this bread “slices beautifully and taste like a mildly sweet bread. It is perfect for French toast. It was so so easy to make the batter (I just mixed it in a bowl) and then I poured it into the mold. Actually, I made it with my 3 and 6 year old grandkids. Does it get any easier?”
~ Gluten-Free Batter Bread Challah from Better Batter Flour ~ gluten free, vegetarian
Reader review: “I used this recipe with a “braided-loaf” pan to make gf challah for my son’s Bar Mitzvah. It was fantastic, and the challah was GONE within five minutes.” and “It’s only been a few years since I had “real” challah, but this tasted EXACTLY like the real thing to me, and made in the “braided-loaf” pan, it looked like the real thing, too!
~ Gluten-Free Braidable Challah from Better Batter Flour ~ gluten free, vegetarian, with dairy-free option
Naomi says: “Challah is an egg bread, very similar to brioche bread, but a bit denser. It stays very moist, for days, and is great for dunking in soups or using in bread puddings and other applications where a sturdy structure is called for. Challah is also very sweet. This makes a very large braid or two regular sized ones.”
~ Gluten-Free Challah from Gluten-Free Bay ~ gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian
Reader reviews: “Well I tried this today but had to substitute almond flour (no rice), xanthan gum (no guar), and my dried milk wasn’t dairy free, and I didn’t use any honey (dont eat sugar) It was DELISH! Thanx for your help 🙂 As a pastry chef I was pretty determined this wouldn’t fail!” and “This was delicious! I did make one small change that I thought I would share. I used a small single serving vanilla soy yogurt instead of the dairy substitute. It turned out amazing. Moist and light. And it even smelled like traditional challah when it was baking! thanks for sharing this!”
~ Gluten-Free Challah from Gluten Free in the Greens ~ gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegetarian (Note that a bread mold was used to make this recipe.)
Reader review: “Thanks for the recipe: I tried it and it came out wonderful! Thanks for sharing.”
~ Gluten-Free Challah from No Gluten, No Problem ~ gluten free, vegetarian, with dairy-free and refined sugar-free options (Note that Pete and Kelli used this challah mold.)
Reader reviews: “The bread is delicious!” and “Hi! I just finished eating 2 slices of this recipe & it is FANTASTIC!! Though I must admit I’ve never had challah before today. I made this with a gf flour mix I made that’s very close to your mix. This was the EASIEST gf bread I’ve made yet, & I’ve been at this about 3yrs! I’m NO expert OR blogger just a simple girl trying to feel better by eating gf…. & NOT going broke while doing so! I will make this again!”
~ Gluten-Free Challah with Apples and Raisins from GF Jules ~ gluten free, vegetarian, with dairy-free option (Read Jules’ 18 Tips for Baking Gluten-Free Bread.)
Reader review: “Oh my goodness…Jules! Thank you!! This challah is absolutely delicious. I love the texture of the challah as well…I have only 1 major issue…I might eat it all before my kids and husband get home. OY!! Oh well…happy baking and eating.”
~ Gluten-Free Challah Crown from GF Jules ~ gluten free, vegetarian, with dairy-free option (Note: Here are Jules’ directions for making this recipe in a bread maker. “Add the liquids first in the bread maker then add whisked dry ingredients next. Let the bread maker mix the dough for you and bake as a regular loaf, or take out the mixed dough and shape per the recipe and bake in the oven.” (Be sure to check out Jules’ 18 Tips for Baking Gluten-Free Bread.)
Reader review: “I tried the recipe tonight for the first time and my child devoured the challah! Great recipe! Thank you Jules best GF challah we found to date!” and “Seriously, this is amazing. I have so missed challah; it’s a part of our every week Sabbath table and I have been searching for a GF replacement. I have found it!!!! I really don’t like baking, but this is worth the time and expense. It will be on our table every week.”
~ Gluten-Free Sourdough Challah from Nourishing Foodways ~ gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, with refined sugar-free options
Dori’s inspiration for this bread was a sourdough bread recipe from Sandor Katz’s book Wild Fermentation, which is an outstanding resource that I have spoken about and given away here before on gfe. (Note that there is an updated version of this book and another fermentation book from Katz here.) Because this challah is a sourdough recipe, Dori shows you how to make a gluten-free starter culture using what she calls a “whole flour mix,” a common fruit to introduce natural yeast into the process and water. She says this bread is “excellent sopped in extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.”
~ Gluten-Free and Vegan Challah from The “V” Word ~ gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan
Gluten Free Vegan Challah Bread
Rhea says it took “a gazillion attempts” to create this delicious gluten-free, vegan challah, but she persisted because her followers “kept asking for a recipe—whether it was for their child who was gluten-free and feeling left out at school or for a special occasion coming up like Jewish New Year. Well, my persistence paid off. This challah is perfect! My vegan and gluten-free challah is soft, moist, light and tender. And it was still soft and tender the next day when it made delicious French toast (recipe to come soon). It even held together on the 3rd day when sliced thinly and put in the toaster.” Note that she used the The Kosher Cook Amazing Perfect Braid Royal Challah Silicone Bakeware Mold.
~ The Ultimate Gluten-Free Oat Challah from Couldn’t Be Parve ~ gluten free
Shoshana says: “Each time I have made this challah I have changed it just a bit more, until I have a final version that I adore. I kept the basic blend of flours the same as that original recipe but I have changed the ratio of pretty much everything else. More honey to give it extra sweetness, an extra egg yolk for added moisture, even a bit of gelatin to give it a bit more of that chew that I want in my challah. The end result does not taste exactly like traditional challah, but it is sweet and delicious in that special shabbat way. And it makes my gluten-free son very happy to have his challah like everyone else.”
She uses the same Royal Challah Silicone Baking Pan used by so many others or this Challah Rolls Pan, which yields what she calls mini challahs (shown below). For smaller, individual challah rolls, Shoshana recommends using a muffin tin.
Final note on this recipe: Shoshana is a rabbi herself. She says that her research, “including extensive conversation with other rabbis,” indicates to her that “the amount of oat flour in this challah is sufficient to deem it hamotzi, especially if it is being used for that purpose. The rules of what makes something hamotzi or mezonot are quite complicated, but this is similar in composition to a standard challah recipe in terms of ratio of eggs:honey:flour.”
~ Grain-Free Challah from Zenbelly ~ gluten free, grain free, refined sugar free, vegetarian, primal
Simone used this Kaiser Bakeware Braided Loaf Pan to create her Grain-Free Challah. She jokes about what the pan and resulting loaf remind her of, but I think her loaf is really very pretty in the photos. She said she plans to use The Kosher Cook Amazing Perfect Braid Royal Challah Silicone Bakeware shown above in the future. She adds that: “It’s so amazing for French toast! Seriously just like I remember it from my pre-paleo days.”
Reader reviews: “I made it today and it was a great success! I used the ground flax meal instead of psyllium husk. Thinking of the difference in the behavior of the two ingredients I upped the flax to a generous 3 tbls.” and “I have to say again how fantastic this is and how grateful I am for the efforts that must have gone into perfecting it. Even my “I wish you’d never started this stupid Paleo diet” kids ask if they can have a slice (or two, or three) of this bread. I may have to bake it again before Thursday. It’s going fast.” and “I don’t have the challah pan and only own one loaf pan…. So I’ve been making it in my Bundt pan! It turns out really well, though it does have to bake a bit longer. I’m making it for the 3rd time tonight – it’s my hubby’s favorite grain-free bread.”
~ Grain-Free, Nut-Free Challah from Zenbelly ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, nut free, refined sugar free, paleo, primal
Simone says: “This gluten-free grain-free, dairy-free challah is way too good to be all of those things. Just in time for Rosh Hashanah. Shana Tova! And if you don’t celebrate, make this anyway and have the best French toast ever. An important note: this is made like real bread, in that it is mixed, proofed, punched down, proofed again, kneaded, shaped and proofed again. BREAD! It’s worth it. It takes time; most of that is not active, but plan accordingly.”
~ Updated Grain-Free Challah from Zenbelly ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, paleo, primal, vegetarian
Simone says: “This challah recipe is a variation of the original Grain-Free Challah that I wrote last year around this time. I’ve updated it to yield a regular sized loaf, and also to be dairy-free, so it is both more Paleo compliant and suitable to be eaten with meat if you’re kosher.” She adds that this recipe works fine in a traditional loaf pan, or the braided loaf mold (which is what she used to make the loaf shown in the photo below) or the challah rolls mold may be used.
~ Water Challah Rolls and Egg Challah Rolls from Levana Cooks ~ gluten free, vegetarian with refined sugar-free options
Levana says: “This gluten-free bread recipe is quite elastic, and might well be the solution to your gluten-free bread cravings. This is quite a place to include some super foods ingredients your children might ordinarily resist if they were offered in recognizable forms. Here’s all I ask if you want to pull this off perfectly: Don’t shape the dough into loaves until you get more experienced. Rather, shape into rolls. There will be much less room to end up with a dried-out bread.”
Reader reviews: “The challah recipe is amazing! I have tried every type of recipe for four years and this has been by far the best.” and “I used all oat flour (plus the tapioca) and it was lovely GF dough that rose well.”
Recipes Made with “Leftover” Gluten-Free Challah Bread
Note that these recipes may not be suitable for Jewish holidays, kosher, etc., but leftover challah can be used in all.
~ Mini Maple French Toast Casseroles from Go Dairy Free ~ gluten free (use the gluten-free option), dairy free, with egg-free, vegan options
This recipe from Alisa has only five ingredients! She says “they can be made on the spot or in advance. You can chill them unbaked, or stash a couple baked ones in your fridge for reheating on demand.”
~ Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding from Gluten Free Easily ~ gluten free, vegetarian, with dairy-free option
In the photos shown for this recipe, I used leftover ready-made gluten-free challah, which had been sent to my support group for one of our meetings. Note that any bread will work though, even the occasional loaf of “failed” bread.
Reader reviews: “I made this recipe today and it is absolutely delicious! I used gluten-free cinnamon raisin bread and cut back on the cinnamon and nutmeg. I have tried other recipes for gluten free bread pudding but this one is the best! Thank you for sharing!” and “I just made this recipe with some adaptations [for my diet]. Its sweetness is just right and a good texture too. Thanks for the great framework!”
If you’re interested in more terrific gluten-free bread recipes—in all categories—you’ll want to check out the whole series via the links below.
Part 1: Top 20 Gluten-Free Bread Recipes: Loaves
Part 2: Top 40 Gluten-Free Bread Recipes: Basic Rolls and Biscuits
Part 3: Top 20 Gluten-Free Bread Recipes Made in a Bread Machine, Plus More Info and Tips on Bread Machines
Part 4: Top 30+ Best Gluten-Free Tortilla and Wrap Recipes
Part 5: Top 30+ Best Gluten-Free Hamburger, Hot Dog, and Sandwich Roll Recipes
Part 6: Top 50+ Best Gluten-Free Flatbread, Focaccia, Naan, and Pita Bread Recipes
Part 7: Top 50+ Best Gluten-Free Bagel, Breadstick, Croissant, English Muffin, and Soft Pretzel Recipes
Originally published September 11, 2015; updated January 1, 2019.
Brita says
I tasted challah for the first time recently, but only a tiny bit because it wasn’t gf. It tasted like a Finnish coffee bread my mother made, called pulla, except pulla has ground cardamom. I’m eager to make challah using one of these recipes, adding cardamom. Sliced, toasted, buttered or dunked in coffee, yum!
Shirley says
Hi Brita–Good to see you here at gfe again! I know you’ve been a reader for a good while, but I don’t know that I’ve ever officially welcomed you because you were commenting on giveaways previously. (As much as I’d like to I simply can’t respond to all the folks who enter giveaways.) So a belated but warm welcome to you! 🙂
Thanks for sharing the information on pulla. I did some reading and it seems the pulla is very much like challah but has the added “warmth of spices,” as one food writer put it. I can’t wait to hear if you have success creating a cardamom, pulla-like version with one of these recipes! Fingers crossed!
Shirley
Raia says
Thanks so much for letting us use this over at Savoring Saturdays, Shirley! It’s a beautiful round-up! 🙂
Shirley says
Hi Raia–I’m honored! Thanks to you all for giving me the kick in the butt to wrap up my post and hit “publish”! 😉 I do love all these amazing recipes and hope they bring good challah—or simply good bread—back into someone’s life. 🙂 I’m looking forward to Savoring Saturdays as always!
Shirley
Simone Miller says
Thanks for including my grain-free challah, Shirley! What a great round-up. In regards to how religious laws pertain to ingredients, I think exceptions are definitely made in today’s day and age. I personally put more weight on the symbolism of the foods than the laws behind them. Any rabbi that would rather a celiac eating make themselves sick as opposed to eating gluten-free challah has some serious issues. (in my not so humble opinion, haha!) L’Shana Tova to everyone celebrating!
Shirley says
Hi Simone–My pleasure, of course! I love the diversity and wonderful recipes shown here. Your bread is such a beautiful challah–and truly a masterpiece given that it’s grain free as well. 🙂 I do agree with you, of course, but I didn’t want to step on any toes! Plus, in all my reading I didn’t see any exceptions mentioned. I also know that a similar concern with Christianity and communion bread/wafers. Some church leaders (more and more, I think) do accept gluten-free communion bread/wafers as acceptable, but some remain who say that the bread/wafers must contain wheat in order to be used for communion. I believe that this only occurred in the Catholic church, but I can’t recall all the details. I know that this mandate led to the creation of low-gluten communion wafers. Even writing that makes me wince. Some gluten-free church members were so distraught about not being able to take communion that they would eat the low-gluten communion wafer once a month. As we know, no amount of gluten is safe for us, and even that amount once a month was keeping those with celiac/NCGS ill. I very much like your approach of putting more weight on the symbolism than any requirements for certain ingredients!
Shirley
Pamela G says
As we approach the Easter holiday season and I come across this recipe while searching for gluten free alternatives for myself I certainly didn’t expect to see one more good reason why I like being a cradle Lutheran and glad I wasn’t born into another denomination. I have respect for the Catholic church, I really do. After all, it is the foundation for where my church emerged from, however, in saying that here is just one more time I hear something about the Catholic “thinking” and just shake my head.
Since the bread at communion is SUPPOSE to represent as in the Lutheran church or actually BE as in the Catholic faith the “body of Christ”, then HOW can what it contains have ANY bearing on whether its acceptable or not? The human body isn’t comprised of ANY wheat as far as I was ever taught in any college level biology AND anatomy and physiology classes. So WHY in the world would they have to have wheat as part of the communion wafer? I realize there is scripture that states where Jesus declares “I am the bread of life.” but he does NOT say, “I am the wheat bread of life” and if you want to get downright picky about it, almost ALL bread before modern times for the average man was RYE bread, not wheat. In fact, this is believed to have played a huge role in several major plagues throughout history because rye, only available to the ordinary person, wheat was ONLY available to the VERY wealthy, easily developed various fungus problems and henceforth illnesses and death. So if the Catholic church wants to stick to “tradition”, then they SHOULD be using rye bread because the odds are that’s what the bread at the Last Supper would have been. The bottom line is the Catholic church, and as crazy as it seems somewhat worse in America than some other places, just cringes and is horrified at ANY change its faced with even one as small as the ingredients in the communion bread. At some point habit becomes confused with tradition which in turn is often mistakenly then believed to be doctrine or scripture when in the VERY beginning things were just done a certain way because it was easiest. That’s how MANY traditions develop in all sorts of areas of life around the world and it seems the more ridiculous and senseless they are, the more some try to hold onto them. I bet you the current Pope, who has
[email protected] Gluten Free A-Z Blog says
Shirley,
What an incredible round up of varied challah recipes and helpful information. After reading through the recipes, I wanted to go right to the kitchen and start baking! I appreciate you including my 1 hour batter challah in this challah roundup. Happy Jewish New Year to those who celebrate!
Shirley says
Hi Judee–Thanks! I so appreciate you letting me include your recipe in this roundup. I know it will be helpful to so many! 🙂
Shirley
Louise G says
Thank you Shirley for this post. I’ve been “trying” to find Challah recipes that actually work and have found one that is actually Paleo that works so very well. You are an angel and I appreciate all the hard work you do to put all of this together. I’ve bookmarked your page and will be back often.
Bless you. LG
Shirley says
Hi Louise–You’re welcome, of course! Thanks so much for the really sweet words, dear. It means so much to know that you find my recipes and the ones I round up so very helpful! 🙂
Happy New Year and hugs to you!
Shirley
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
How cool – I had no idea my recipe would be a fit with this group!
Shirley says
Alisa–Your individual Maple French Toast Casseroles would be especially divine when made with challah! Definitely a reason to be sure one has leftover challah! 😉
Shirley
Ina Gawne says
Shirley – all of these breads look amazing! I have never had Challah before…I must try out a few of these recipes when I get some time. Mouth watering photos look to die for!
Shirley says
Hi Ina–The talent in the blogging community is incredible, isn’t it? So many lovely loaves of bread. I think you will really love challah when you give it a try!
Shirley
Raia says
Great round-up, Shirley! Thanks for sharing it at Savoring Saturdays!
Shirley says
I was so pleased with the recipes I discovered for this roundup! Truly something for everyone and they all look fabulous! 🙂 Always happy to participate in Savoring Saturdays–thanks!
Shirley
swathi says
Shirley this is an awesome collection of gluten free challah recipes thanks for sharing this to Hearth and soul blog hop, pinning and tweeting.
Shirley says
Thanks so much on all, Swathi! I was so pleased with how many amazing gluten-free challah recipes there were to be shared with everyone. 🙂
Have a good week!
Shirley
Sandi (@sandigtweets) says
I am a total challah failure…I am going to give a few of these a try. Challah is the one thing my family truly misses.
Shirley says
Sandi–Oh no, that can’t be! Hopefully, one of these recipes will make you a challah queen the way you are a 7-layer bar queen. 😉 So many of these recipes are easy–and totally delicious–per the recipe creators and their readers who have made them! 🙂 Good luck!
Shirley
Merinda says
Hi Shirley, any possibility that you will be able to supply me with the recipe of the Vegan Challah Bread from Waldorf Moms….the link does not open up.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Merinda–Welcome to gfe! As I emailed you while my site was being worked on, I’m trying to get in touch with Lori of Waldorf Moms to see if her site is down for good or just has a glitch. I’ll let you know when I know. Fingers crossed that it’s just a glitch!
Shirley
Claire says
Ok I have to comment because you are making my blood boil.
Challah is not pronounced Hallah
It is CHAL-LAH. The CH is rolled. It is not pronounced as an “H”.
Shirley Braden says
Hello Claire–I did not state that (after hearing friends pronounce it that way) without looking elsewhere online. In the first pronunciation aid that came up, I found it pronounced as an “h” here. I also found it pronounced that way here (use listen function) and here but also just found this listing of numerous pronunciations for challah and discovered pronunciation videos for some of those pronunciations as well.
Happy New Year,
Shirley