Charlene's Ultimate Challah Recipe

Charlene Aminoff Charlene Aminoff
5.0 (2 reviews)

This is the recipe Charlene Aminoff bakes week after week, transforming a simple dough into something deeply meaningful. Soft, fluffy, and perfectly golden, it’s the kind of challah that fills your kitchen with warmth before it even comes out of the oven. But what makes it truly special isn’t just the texture or taste, it’s the intention behind it.

Charlene is known for baking with purpose, using the time of hafrashat challah as a moment for tefillah, reflection, and connection. In a live event challah bake in the Kosher.com studio, she shared her personal journey with raw honesty, speaking about challenges, resilience, and what it means to keep going with emunah and strength. You can watch the recording of Charlene’s challah bake here.

2h 30m 6
Easy Vegetarian Pescatarian Parve

Contains: Gluten, Wheat, Egg

Directions

  1. First, mix the yeast, warm/hot water and sugar in a bowl. Let forth/bubble for at least 10 to 15 minutes, preferably somewhere warm.

  2. Add in the oil and eggs. Mix.

  3. Add the full five-pound bag of flour. Mix.

  4. Add salt last. Mix.

  5. Mix (or knead) very well, all the while davening and not hearing or speaking Lashon Hara.

  6. Cover bowl with saran wrap. Let rise for one hour (somewhere warm, like by a fireplace or near the kitchen stove). Punch down and let rise again for an additional hour.

  7. Connect N,S, E, and W and take challah as you usually do. Double wrap the ball and burn it, or discard.

  8. Braid as desired. Let rise for another 45 minutes. Egg wash with one egg. Top with desired toppings.

  9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake Challah in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until you like how the top AND bottom of the challah look.

  10. Tizku L’Mitzvot! May all your tefillot be answered l’tova and may your Challah taste as delicious as the Maan in the midbar!

About

Description:
This recipe was distributed at the Kosher.com Challah Bake 2024. Download and print a recipe + Nishmas prayer card to keep on hand for when you do hafrashat challah.

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6 Comments

sari •

THIS.IS.THE.BEST.CHALLAH!! Follow my tweaks! :)

I cut the sugar and oil and in result it was the fluffiest challah ever that I even made some of it into cinnamon buns!!

  • ( I did 1 cup sugar divided into two

- first half in the yeast to help it foam up quicker and half mixed in later
And instead of doing 1 cup oil I did 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup water!!)

Aliza Aminoff •

THE BEST CHALLAH IN THE WORLD!! Tastes like Mun directly from shamayim!

Kaufman •

are you from gallys wigs

devo isaacs •
Reply to Kaufman

she has a beautiful story of how she created gollys wigs..
highly recommend you listen to it

Malka Kellerman •

Challah was delicious!

Chava •

Thank You!!!! looks amazing