Maple-Glazed Vegan Water Challah (Pareve)

It might seem blasphemous to make egg bread—another name for challah—without eggs, but if you're out of eggs, vegan, or avoiding eggs for another reason, this recipe produces a spectacular and delicious result. The dough rises beautifully and is easy to work with.

Crusty, chewy, and a bit sweet, this challah will become your go-to for Shabbat or any other time you want to serve challah. If there happen to be any leftovers, turn the bread into vegan French toast.

Braiding a 3-Strand Challah

What Is Water Challah?

Egg-free challah has likely been made as long as challah with eggs has existed. In fact, "nowhere in Jewish scripture is it written that challah is a braided, sweet, yellow, deliciously squishy bread of the kind familiar to most American Jews, which comes from the rich tradition of Eastern European baking," according to the New York Times.

Water challah had a bit of a heyday in the United States during the 1970s and '80s when Jewish bakeries sold it to cater to people who were shunning eggs for fear of raising their cholesterol. Some people still do avoid eggs, but as nutrition science advanced, the egg was vindicated, and for many people in the United States, water challah was forgotten. While it might be harder to find water challah in U.S. bakeries these days, it's thankfully easy to make at home.

Tips for the Best Water Challah

• Make sure your yeast is active—This recipe calls for active dry yeast. Be sure to proof the yeast before you proceed with the recipe to be sure it's active. It's as simple as combining a pinch of sugar, the yeast, and lukewarm water and setting aside until the mixture is foamy. If it doesn't foam, your yeast isn't active and you should discard it and start with new yeast.
• Use a neutral oil—A mild-tasting, neutral oil such as canola or grapeseed is best for this recipe.
• Know how to knead, punch down, and shape your bread—Knowing how to properly knead dough is a skill that will come in handy for this challah and many other bread recipes. Kneading creates structure and strength in the dough and gives your bread a good chew. Kneading isn't hard, and once you've done it a few times you'll learn just how the dough should feel in your hands. After kneading, you'll allow your dough to rise, then you'll punch the dough down, and shape the challah as desired before letting it rise again and then baking.
• Don't skip the maple syrup wash—Egg challah is traditionally brushed with an egg wash, which gives it a beautiful shiny browned exterior. Just because you are making a vegan challah doesn't mean you have to forgo this look. Simply follow the recipe instructions and make a maple wash by whisking together maple syrup and soy milk or another non-dairy milk.