Sweet Potato Challah
Bring the aroma of autumn indoors when you bake tender loaves of Sweet Potato Challah. It’s simpler than you might think, even the braiding!
Enjoy this simple twist on a tender Challah bread recipe when you bake Sweet Potato Challah. Add it to your list of favorite sweet potato recipes—you won’t believe how delicious your kitchen smells while it is baking!
There are a thousand puzzle pieces scattered all over our dining room table. The colors all seem to bleed into one another, and if you don’t squint just so, they all look the same. But we’ve got the outline finished, and slowly but surely, it’s filling in. Each time I pass by, I’m determined to find a piece and click it into place.
Puzzles are more of a wintertime activity for us, for when the cold and rain keep us indoors, and all I want to do is turn on the oven and bake something delicious while the family pecks away at games and puzzles.
My daughter surprised me by asking to buy a new puzzle, but I do think the nesting bug has bit us all…by the time autumn weather brings its chill, we will be very much ready for it.
And I seem to have already been bit by the baking bug.
Nothing feels more cozy than transforming humble ingredients, kneading in a little love, and smelling it rise in the oven.
If you haven’t yet tried making challah – please, give this Sweet Potato Challah a try! Challah bread is simpler than you think, even the braiding. And when you do make it, set aside one of the loaves for the overnight Baked Buttermilk French Toast with Oat Streusel I made with this very bread. I assure you, it’s worth every minute and every speck of flour on your countertops!
Disclosure: This post was originally brought to you in collaboration with KitchenAid. Thank you for supporting brands that I love – posts like these help behind the scenes at Kitchen Confidante.
MORE SWEET POTATO RECIPES TO TRY
Chipotle-Spiced Sweet Potato Tacos
Sheet Pan Moroccan Chicken with Broccoli Rice and Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potato Bebinca: Goan Pudding Cake
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Chowder
Sweet Potato Challah
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups warm water 110° F/45° C
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup sweet potatoes cooked and mashed
- 1 whole egg plus 2 yolks
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4-6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- egg wash 1 egg white plus 1 tablespoon water, beaten
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water for about 3-4 minutes
- When the yeast is bubbly and activated, mix in the eggs, honey, salt, melted butter and the mashed sweet potato using the paddle attachment until well blended. Remove the paddle attachment and switch to the dough hook. Add 4 cups of the flour to the mixing bowl, mixing on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Let the mixer knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes, gradually adding the flour about a 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is not too sticky and it comes together into a ball. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and do a few final kneads, adding a little more dough (add it in tablespoon increments) if necessary. The dough should be soft and supple, and can easily take the shape of a ball, and not too sticky.
- Place the dough in a bowl lightly coated with canola oil, giving it a turn so that the the dough has a very light coat of oil. Lightly cover with a kitchen towel and place the dough in a warm spot, free from any drafts.
- Let the dough rise for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.
- When the dough has ballooned, punch it down, turn it over, and let it chill in the refrigerator overnight. While the dough can be used right away, proofing it overnight in the refrigerator gives it a much deeper flavor. The dough will be ready to use the following morning, or even several days later if you wish.
On Baking Day
- On the day you are ready to bake, remove the dough (or a portion of the dough) from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. You could do a simple three strand braid if you wish. But to create a six strand braid, divide the dough into three pieces, then divide each piece into six more pieces for a total of 18 small rounds of dough. You should have enough dough to make three challah loaves.
- Take six pieces and roll each into a rope, about 1 inch thick and 12 inches long.
- To braid the dough, pinch the six strands together at the top. Take the right strand and cross it all the way over the left, and take the left strand and cross it all the way over to the right. Then take the strand that is now farthest to the left and place it between the four strands down the center. Repeat this pattern until you reach end of the end of the loaf, keeping the braid as tight as possible. Pinch the end under and fluff the loaf if necessary. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let the loaves rest for an hour at room temperature to let it rise one last time.
- If you wish to bake some of the braided loaves another day, freeze the loaves and let it rest before baking on another day.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F with the rack placed on the lowest setting.
- Lightly butter a 12" baking tray, and place one sweet potato challah on it. Brush the loaf with the egg wash. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the bread is golden, crisp on the outside and sounds hollow when you tap it. Bake the remaining loaves in batches.
- Let the loaves cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Enjoy warm with soft butter!
Nutrition
Comments
COOKBOOK
The best simple bread recipe I’ve ever made, not even close!
I made the doigh yesterday, baked it early this morning, but unfortunately didn’t have time to enjoy it before having to rush out the door.
Just now, I’ve finally gotten home and sliced my un-glazed loaf with a bread knife – perfectly soft, pillowy bread that absolutely smacks with some butter.
I made mine with purple sweet potatoes also, so the bread turned out a lovely pinkish hue. I’ll definitely be keeping this bookmarked.
Thank you SO much, Franz! I’m so happy you liked the challah, and I can picture the pretty shade of pink from the purple sweet potatoes!! :)
What if I only need 1 loaf?
While I have not tested the recipe for a single loaf, you can divide the ingredient quantities by 1/3. However, the eggs are the tricky part here. You can use just 1 large whole egg and omit the yolks, but the dough may not be as soft and tender. I hope this helps!
Hi. This does look interesting. The calorie count lists 911 calories. I assume that is not per slice/serving…..what amount is it for exactly? The whole recipe or,part? Thanks.
Hi Sharon, you’re correct — the calorie count is for 1 loaf of bread (the recipe yield 3 loaves), and not per slice or serving. I hope this helps!
Beautifully crafted! Brings me back to my mom’s homemade challah, which she’d make every Friday night when I was growing up. I actually haven’t tried it myself, so this recipe is inspiring me to get on that.
What a gorgeous challah bread! Love the sweet potato!
Girl this is absolutely fantastic!!!!! Seriously so inventive and so darn beautiful!
Beautifully crafted! Brings me back to my mom’s homemade challah, which she’d make every Friday night when I was growing up. I actually haven’t tried it myself, so this recipe is inspiring me to get on that.
Challah is my favorite bread. I love pulling apart the weave and buttering every surface. Just gorgeous loaves.