Tova's Shabbos Kitchen Make-ahead Shabbos and Yom Tov cooking

Make-Ahead Challah: Overnight Fridge Dough and How to Freeze Challah

Pareve · · By Tova's Shabbos Kitchen · Jump to recipe

Mix challah dough Thursday night, let it rise slowly in the fridge, and braid and bake Friday. Plus how to freeze challah baked or unbaked. Pareve.

Fresh challah on Friday is wonderful. Kneading dough on Friday morning, when the chicken needs to go in and the kids need to get out the door, is less wonderful. The answer is the fridge: mix the dough Thursday night, let it rise slowly overnight, and braid it Friday.

How the overnight rise works

Yeast slows down in the cold but doesn’t stop. A dough that would double in an hour on the counter takes 8 to 24 hours in the fridge. That slow rise builds more flavor, and it means the dough waits for you instead of the other way around.

Thursday: 20 minutes

Mix, knead, and put it in a covered container in the fridge. Use a container at least twice the size of the dough. It will grow.

Friday: 10 minutes of hands-on work

Cold dough is actually easier to braid. It is firmer and less sticky. Shape the loaves, let them rise until puffy, brush with egg, and bake. Most of Friday’s challah time is waiting, not working.

WhenTaskHands-on
Thursday nightMix and knead, into the fridge20 minutes
Friday morningDivide, braid, onto the pan10 minutes
1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours laterEgg wash, seeds, bake 25 to 30 minutes3 minutes

Or bake ahead and freeze

Challah freezes very well. Many cooks bake a big batch once a month and freeze it. If you go that route, your batch may be big enough that separating challah applies. Ask your rav about the amount and the bracha.

Store-bought is fine too

Store-bought challah is still challah. If your Friday is too packed, buy it, and use this recipe on the weeks you have time. Pair it with our make-ahead Shabbat dinner menu and keep track of challah weeks in the printable Shabbos menu planner.

Recipe card · Pareve

Overnight Make-Ahead Challah

A soft, slightly sweet pareve challah dough that rises slowly in the fridge overnight, then gets braided and baked Friday. Makes 2 medium loaves.

Prep
30 min
Cook
30 min
Total
11 hr
Yield
2 medium loaves
Kashrus
Pareve

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water (about 110 F)
  • 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) instant or active dry yeast
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 2 large eggs, plus 1 egg for brushing
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or 1 tsp table salt)
  • 4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour
  • Sesame or poppy seeds for the top (optional)

Instructions

  1. Wake up the yeast: In a large bowl, stir the yeast and a pinch of the sugar into the warm water. Let it sit 5 minutes until foamy. (Instant yeast doesn't strictly need this, but it confirms the yeast is alive.)
  2. Mix: Whisk in the rest of the sugar, the oil, 2 eggs, and the salt. Add 4 cups of flour and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
  3. Knead: Knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes, or 5 to 6 minutes with a dough hook, adding more flour 1 tablespoon at a time only if the dough is very sticky. It should be smooth, soft, and slightly tacky.
  4. Thursday night: into the fridge: Put the dough in a lightly oiled container at least twice its size. Cover tightly and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours. It will rise slowly, roughly doubling.
  5. Friday: shape: Divide the cold dough in half. Divide each half into 3 pieces, roll into ropes about 14 inches long, and braid. Pinch the ends and tuck them under. Set the loaves on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
  6. Rise: Cover loosely and let rise at room temperature until puffy and about one and a half times bigger, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Cold dough takes longer than fresh dough.
  7. Bake: Heat the oven to 350 F. Beat the remaining egg and brush it over the loaves. Sprinkle with seeds. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until deep golden brown and the center reads about 190 F. Cool on a rack.

Make-ahead and storage

  • Same-day option: skip the fridge. Let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, then shape, rise 45 to 60 minutes, and bake.
  • Freeze baked challah: cool completely, wrap in plastic and put in a freezer bag, up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter, still wrapped, 2 to 3 hours. Refresh at 300 F for 5 to 10 minutes before Shabbos if you like.
  • Freeze shaped, unbaked challah: freeze the braided loaves on the pan until firm, then wrap well, up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then let rise at room temperature 2 to 3 hours before brushing and baking.

Notes

  • This recipe uses about 4 to 4 1/2 cups of flour, well under the amount where many families separate challah. If you double or triple it, ask your rav about separating challah and whether to say a bracha.
  • Bread flour gives a chewier loaf; all-purpose gives a softer one. Both work.
  • Use flour and eggs with the hechsher your family relies on, and check flour according to your family's practice.

Questions people ask

Can you make challah dough the night before?

Yes. After kneading, cover it and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours. The slow, cold rise adds flavor. Shape it straight from the fridge and give it extra time to rise, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Can you freeze challah dough?

Yes. The easiest way is to braid it first, freeze the shaped loaves until firm, then wrap them. Thaw overnight in the fridge and let them rise 2 to 3 hours at room temperature before baking.

Can you freeze baked challah?

Yes, for up to 3 months. Wrap it well once it is completely cool, and thaw it on the counter still wrapped so it doesn't dry out.

Save it for Thursday night

Make-Ahead Challah: Mix Thursday Night, Bake Friday

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