About this recipe

A timeless French enriched bread with a golden, glossy crust and an impossibly soft, pillowy crumb. Made with butter, eggs, and a touch of sugar, this brioche is rich without being heavy — the kind of bread that makes a weekend morning feel truly special. This well-tested recipe walks you through every step so you get bakery-worthy results at home, every time.

Instructions

1. 1

   In a small mixing bowl, combine the warm milk and active dry yeast. Stir gently and let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy. This confirms your yeast is active. If it doesn't foam, start over with fresh active dry yeast.

2. 2

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and fine salt. Whisk briefly by hand to combine. Add the eggs and the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes until a shaggy dough forms, then increase to medium speed and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

3. 3

   With the mixer running on ^[medium-low], add the butter one piece at a time, waiting about 20–30 seconds between each addition. This step takes patience — about 8–10 minutes total. Don't rush it. Once all the butter is incorporated, increase to ^[medium-high] and knead for another 5 minutes until the dough is very smooth, glossy, and slightly tacky but not sticky.

4. 4

   Scrape the dough into a lightly greased large mixing bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1.5 to 2 hours.

5. 5

   Once doubled, gently deflate the dough by folding it over itself a few times in the bowl. Re-cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight (up to 16 hours). The cold rest is key — it firms up the butter and makes the dough much easier to shape, and develops incredible flavor.

6. 6

   Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Lightly flour your work surface. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (about 75g each if you have a scale). To shape each piece, flatten it slightly, then fold the edges toward the center and pinch to seal. Flip seam-side down and roll under your cupped palm in a circular motion until you have a tight, smooth ball.

7. 7

   Arrange the dough balls in a greased loaf pan in two staggered rows of 5, or space them evenly in the pan side by side. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let proof at room temperature until puffed and nearly doubled again, about 1 to 1.5 hours. The dough should look pillowy and spring back slowly when poked.

8. 8

   Preheat your oven to ![375°F]. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and milk until smooth. Gently brush the top of the proofed brioche with the egg wash, being careful not to deflate the dough. Apply a thin, even coat for the best golden color.

9. 9

   Bake for 28–32 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads %[190°F]. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil after 20 minutes.

10. 10

    Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing — this allows the crumb to set properly. Serve warm or at room temperature.