Soft Homemade Brioche Bread

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This Soft Homemade Brioche Bread is a fluffy, lightly sweet pull-apart loaf made with warm milk, yeast, egg, and neutral oil, then finished with a glossy egg wash and sliced almonds. The individual dough balls bake together into one tall, golden bread with a soft, airy crumb.

photo of soft homemade brioche bread showing the finished loaf and a fluffy sliced piece held by hand.

A Soft Pull-Apart Bread That Looks Straight From the Bakery.This is one of those breads that looks considerably more complicated than it actually is.

Instead of worrying about elaborate braids or shaping a perfect loaf, the dough gets divided into simple balls and tucked into a round pan. They rise together, bake into one golden loaf, and pull apart into pillowy pieces at the table.

Very little drama. Very good bread.

This particular recipe is brioche-style rather than a classic French brioche because the dough uses vegetable oil rather than the large quantity of butter traditionally associated with brioche. Classic brioche is normally enriched with eggs and substantial butter; King Arthur describes butter as one of the defining ingredients of traditional brioche. Read King Arthur Baking’s guide to brioche.

The oil works nicely for this homemade version because it keeps the crumb soft while making the dough easier to handle.

If you want to stay in the brioche family, try my Chocolate Brioche Buns next, or make these bakery-style Fresh Fruit Cream Brioche. Both recipes are already live on The Foodie Blog.

For another soft yeast bake, these Soft & Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls are filled with brown sugar and cinnamon, while my Homemade Donuts use another soft enriched dough that gets fried until golden.

Ingredients
How to Make Soft Homemade Brioche Bread
FAQs
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Soft homemade brioche bread dusted with powdered sugar and topped with almond flakes, photographed close up. — Soft Homemade Brioche Bread finished with powdered sugar and sliced almonds.

Ingredients

How to Make Soft Homemade Brioche Bread

Bloom the yeast
- In a large bowl mix together warm milk, yeast, sugar and vanilla sugar. Let stand until foamy (about 5 to 10 minutes).
Make the dough
- Whisk in egg and vegetable oil. Add the flour and salt, and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Combine and knead (hand or mixer) until soft and pliable.

Warm milk mixture being whisked in a bowl to start the dough — Activate the yeast in warm milk

First rise
- Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise until doubled. Dough should appear puffy and full of air.

Soft risen dough stretched to show an airy, elastic texture — Dough after the first rise

Shape into balls
- 7.Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide into pieces and shape them into smooth balls by tucking under the edges.

Dough being cut into portions and rolled into smooth balls — Divide and shape into balls

Arrange and second rise
- To prep your ingredients Grease a circular shaped cut pan (a springform pan is best). Put in the dough balls (imagine them as you would like when baked, since they can be quite close together) 10. Cover and let rise again until puffy.

Dough balls placed in a greased round pan and covered to rise — Second rise in the pan

Egg wash and top
- Brush the top lightly with a beaten egg. Sprinkle evenly with sliced almonds.

Brioche dough brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with sliced almonds — Brush and top before baking

Bake
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 25–30 minutes, until:
- Deeply golden on top
- Fully risen
- Set through the center
- If the almonds or top are browning too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil for the final portion of baking.
- For a soft enriched bread, an internal temperature around 190°F (88°C) is a useful doneness target. King Arthur notes that about 190°F in the center generally yields soft pan breads that are baked through without becoming unnecessarily dry. King Arthur Baking – Using a Thermometer With Yeast Bread.
- So I would change the current 200°F advice to around 190°F for this soft pull-apart loaf.

Brioche loaf baking in the oven and turning golden brown — Bake until deep golden

Close-up of soft homemade brioche bread with a fluffy sliced piece on top and almond flakes on the golden crust. — Soft Homemade Brioche Bread with a light, fluffy crumb and almond-topped golden crust.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Using milk that is too hot, which can kill the yeast.
Not kneading the dough long enough to develop a soft, stretchy texture.
Adding too much flour, which can make the brioche dry and heavy.
Adding the butter too quickly before the dough is ready.
Skipping the first rise or rushing the proofing time.
Baking at a temperature that is too high, causing the outside to brown before the inside is fully baked.
Slicing the brioche while it is still hot, which can make the crumb gummy.

What to Serve With Homemade Brioche Bread

This lightly sweet bread works for both breakfast and dessert.

Try it with:

Salted butter
Honey
Fruit preserves
Raspberry jam
Strawberry jam
Nutella
Peanut butter
Cream cheese
Fresh berries
Coffee
Tea
Hot chocolate

For a brunch table, serve it beside Soft & Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls.

If you want another bakery-style yeast recipe, add Homemade Donuts.

And if you’re specifically building your brioche topical cluster, internally link strongly to Chocolate Brioche Buns and Fresh Fruit Cream Brioche.

FAQs

Is there a way to keep it soft the next day ?

When fully cool, wrap tightly. Rewarm the slices briefly before serving for their best texture.

Can I bake this in a different pan ?

Yes. A 9-inch (23 cm) round pan is best but any similar sized cake pan is fine. A loaf pan will, though bake time might vary.

Why is my dough sticky ?

This is supposed to be soft dough. Oil your hands lightly or sprinkle with a little flour, but don’t add too much extra flour.

How Do I Know When It Is Kneaded Enough ?

It should be smooth and elastic, and it should stretch without tearing (it will be soft and doughy, not hard).

Can I substitute instant yeast for active dry yeast 2:1 ?

Yes. The dry yeast may be added directly to the dry ingredients (instant yeast) or activated and left to rise for 10 minutes in warm water (active dry yeast). You could expect rise time to be a little quicker.

What if my yeast doesn’t froth up ?

Possibly your milk was either too hot or too cold, or perhaps it has been along time since the yeast was fresh. Give it another go with fresh yeast and correctly warmed milk.

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