Vegan Brioche Recipe (2024)

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Brioche bread is a rich and fluffy French classic. Today we are making a vegan brioche bread that is just as delicious!

Before we went vegan we used to get brioche or challah and make french toast often. The time has come to perfect some vegan brioche bread recipe and you are going to fall in love. We guarantee it.

Now, you don’t have to make french toast with it. In fact, it’s delicious no matter if you are eating it plain or you are making something out of it like a sandwich or french toast.

If you are wondering how you say brioche – it’s pronounced “bree-o-sh”.

So what is vegan brioche bread?

Brioche is a classic French bread that has a high ratio of eggs and butter that give it a fluffy, yet super rich flavor.

Because of how soft it is, it can be filled with sweet or savory fillings and served during breakfast, dinner and dessert time.

Some even consider it a pastry because of the sweetness.

It is served at both breakfast and dessert times as a pastry because of how soft it is.

What does vegan brioche bread taste like?

If you know what challah is, brioche is very similar whether it is vegan or not

It should be soft and fluffy, a touch of sweetness, have a richness to it and a very light and airy texture.

Soft, sweet, and delicious are great ways to describe it.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

Why are potatoes in this recipe?

We are using Yukon potatoes in this recipe for a few reasons. One it replaces the egg. The purees potatoes acts as a moistener, but also a binder. The taste of Yukon potatoes is also neutral, but buttery adding to the flavor of the dish. But we are also using it for the color. Eggs traditional give brioche a yellow hue and that’s what we will get for the yukon potatoes.

Can I use a different type of potato?

You can use other white potatoes but you won’t get the yellow color. For something like swapping sweet potatoes, it will give an even more yellow to orange hue.

Does how I shape the bread matter?

Absolutely not. We show three styles in the photo above. A 3 roll loaf, a 6 roll loaf and a 3-braid twist. Inside the recipe directions below we describe the 3 and 6 roll loaves. In order to do a 3 (shown in photo) or 6 braid twist – refer to the directions in ourvegan challah bread.

This doesn’t reflect the taste or texture of the bread itself, but is just a nice conversation piece and a way for it to look fancier.

Do I have to use a stand mixer?

No, not at all. We prefer it, but it’s not a requirement. You can make this recipe with a bowl and a silicone spatula.

Why do the instructions say the rise time may take longer?

Traditional brioche is so good because of the increased amount of butter and eggs. We are replacing that with lots of vegan butter and potatoes to mimic eggs. This makes for a very enriched dough which in turn may take longer to rise as the ingredients are developed together.

Can you make this a Top 9 Allergen Free Brioche Bread?

We do not currently have a gluten free dough recipe to recommend, although we are working to create one.

For the remaining ingredients, yes you can.

The only other allergen ingredient may be the vegan butter Ensure that you are using a soy free, dairy free butter. We use Flora or Earth Balance Soy free that comes in a red tub.

Can I make this into vegan brioche buns?

Yes! Following the recipe as instructed but instead of braiding or shaping for a loaf you are going to equally cut into pieces and roll. See our vegan hamburger buns recipe for better instructions.

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant to make vegan brioche bread?

Instant yeast rises faster and less of an issue. However, you can still use active dry. It typically will take longer to rise, so just follow the instructions for letting is rise until doubled in size.

Can I prep vegan brioche bread ahead of time?

This bread can be made and stored in an air tight container for 5-7 days.

Also — when making the dough, once you put cover the bowl to rise, instead of leaving in a warm place, you can place the bowl in the fridge up to 2 days before you plan to use it.

Just make the recipe as written, cover and place in fridge until ready to use.

Can I replace the yellow potatoes with something else?

Yes! Regular white potatoes, sweet potatoes or even fresh or canned pumpkin can be used. If using sweet potatoes or pumpkin it will alter the color a bit but not the taste.

This purpose of using this is both for color and to be the “egg” in the recipe. So you can use any of these in a similar manor.

Can I make this vegan brioche bread oil free?

You can! We recommend that you follow our recipe for our vegan everything dough which is an oil free bread recipe. Then just follow the steps for the rising and braiding.

It won’t have the richness that you get from the vegan butter; however, it will still be great.

How do you eat vegan brioche bread?

Vegan brioche is delicious plain, as is, with nothing else added to it; however, you can toast it, making sandwiches or even use it to make french toast. The possibilities are endless.

How do I make vegan french toast with brioche bread?

We love turning this into vegan french toast. If you desire to make french toast out of it, then you can follow the instructions that we have for our vegan babka french toast. Just scroll down to the french toast sections once you have your brioche bread made.

We do not recommend letting brioche get stale first like we do with the babka. We prefer to be able to use right away once it has cooled.

What other bread recipes can I make?

If you love bread, this you will love these other recipes. Here’s some of our favorite:

The Best Vegan Dinner Rolls
Vegan Chimichurri Monkey Bread
Easy Vegan Garlic Knots
Vegan Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
Vegan Italian Cheesy Bread Rolls
Tuscan Mushroom Rolls
Vegan Ham Broccoli and Cheese Rolls
Vegan Sausage Egg and Cheese Rolls
Easy Vegan Soft Pretzel Bites
Vegan Bread Bowls
Vegan Pesto Rolls
Easy Vegan Focaccia
Vegan Hawaiian Rolls

Print Recipe

4.98 from 42 votes

Vegan Brioche Bread

Brioche bread is a rich and fluffy French classic. Today we are making a vegan brioche bread that is just as delicious!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Rise Time2 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs

Ingredients

▢ 5 ½ – 6 cups flour (we prefer bread, can use all-purpose)
▢ ¾ cup vegan cane sugar
▢ 2 packages instant yeast (1 package = 2 ¼ tsp)
▢ 2 teaspoon salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric, Optional for color (omit if swapping with sweet potato)
▢ 1 ¼ cup yukon potatoes, cooked, cooled, mashed (sub with sweet potato or pumpkin)
▢ 1 cup vegan butter
▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla
▢ ¾ – 1 cup water

For the simple syrup

▢ 2 tablespoon maple syrup
▢ 2 tablespoon vegan butter, melted

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together 5 ½ cups flour, sugar, yeast, salt and turmeric (if adding). Set bowl aside.
In a second bowl (preferably a stand mixer bowl if you have one), with the paddle attachment, cream the potato, butter, and vanilla together. Add in ¾ cup of water and combine.
Add the flour mixture in 3 parts. Blend on low speed using the paddle attachment between the first 2 parts. Remove the paddle and scrape off any excess on the attachment back into the bowl.Switch to dough hook and add the rest of your flour on low speed until all the flour is combined.
Knead in the stand mixer for 15-20 mins or until it doesn't stick to the bowl. It will pull away from the dough. Still slightly sticky but not sticking to your hands.
*If dough is dry add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time. If too sticky add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
Spray bowl, form into a ball and place ball inside. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 60-90 minutes in a warm, draft free place until doubled (may take longer).
Punch it down. Let rise again for 40-60 minutes until doubled in size again (may take longer).
Prep two bread loaf pans with parchment paper and grease with oil. Set aside.
Uncover, punch down again and take out.
For the 3 or 6 bun loafs –
For the 3 roll loaf – Cut your dough into 6 even pieces. Use a scale for accurate measurements. Gently flatten a piece, fold left and right sides into the middle, then roll ends into a log. Place 3 pieces in each of your bread pans next to each other.
For the 6 roll loaf – Cut your dough into 12 even pieces. Use a scale for accurate measurements. Grab a piece and fold the ends under shaping into a ball. Then roll the dough into a ball with the ends at the bottom. Make 2 uneven rows of 3 balls.
Cover for 35-40 to rise again.
*If you push the dough and it springs back it's not ready. If it doesn't spring back at all or very slowly it's ready.
15 minutes before done, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Make the simple syrup by adding the maple syrup and melted vegan butter to a bowl and whisk.
Once ready, brush the dough with the simple syrup mixture.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or under golden brown on top. Remove from oven and serve.

Video

Notes

*See post for notes about Top 8 Allergy Free variation and more notes

**Nutritional facts are just estimates. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates.

*In order to do a 3 (shown in photo) or 6 braid twist – refer to the directions in our vegan challah bread.

Nutrition

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FAQs

What is vegan brioche made of? ›

Ingredients: Flour: You can use bread flour or all-purpose flour. Unsweetened applesauce: You can also use dairy free yogurt, which is what I used in this version! Active Dry Yeast: This is different than instant yeast, so make sure you're reading the label!

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Why is my brioche not fluffy? ›

If the kneading is not done correctly and the dough is not kneaded enough or is kneaded too much, this will affect the texture of the brioche. The dough should be left to rise in a warm place, away from any draughts.

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Why does brioche burn so easily? ›

Because brioche bread has a higher sugar content than most other breads, it can also burn more quickly. For that reason, you need to pay close attention when you're making brioche toast, or warming up your burger buns.

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Why does brioche need to sit overnight? ›

Overnight Proof: By letting the dough rise slowly in a cold environment, it not only develops more depth of flavor, but also gives you more flexibility with the timing of baking the loaf. Cold brioche dough is also much easier to work with!

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What is a substitute for butter in brioche? ›

While many types of oil can be used, we opt for oils such as olive and hazelnut that add flavor to the bread. Using oil also results in a more open, tender crumb. To compensate for the loss of structural support that butter provides, we add vital wheat gluten and ascorbic acid to strengthen the dough.

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What is a good substitute for butter in brioche bread? ›

Sure, you can substitute margarine for butter in brioche if you really want to. In terms of adding fat to create a softer, less chewy crumb by interfering with gluten formation, it will work. Not quite as well as an equal amount of butter, because margarine has more water in it, but it'll do the job.

Why add butter slowly to brioche? ›

Why should butter be added slowly to brioche dough? Adding the butter into your brioche dough is a fairly lengthy process, and the butter should only be added approx. one tablespoon at a time. This is so the dough maintains the stretchy gluten we've built up, and the butter is absorbed slowly.

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What is the trick to fluffy bread? ›

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

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Why does my brioche taste yeasty? ›

If the area is too warm, bread will rise too fast and begin cooking before the yeast has finished acting. This will impart a "yeasty" taste to the dough that will be transferred to the finished baked loaf. Using old ingredients (rancid nuts, "old" shortening) will cause yeast breads to taste old or have an "off" taste.

Why is brioche bread bad for you? ›

The glycemic index (GI) of brioche is 72, classifying it as a high GI food. GI is a measure of how quickly a food can make your blood sugar rise, on a scale of 1 to 100. A GI of 72 indicates that brioche bread will have a large effect on blood sugar, causing a spike.

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Is brioche bad for you? ›

“Brioche contains a high amount of carbs and fat, making it a less than ideal bread,” Richards cautioned. “The carbs are from refined flour which means it will spike blood glucose as well as cause inflammation.”

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Why does brioche smell weird? ›

Yeast contamination can occasionally occur in bread after baking which can produce a chemical smell that is similar to acetone. Yeast does not survive the baking process, but bread can become contaminated with "wild" yeast during the cooling, slicing or packaging processes (post processing contamination).

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How do you know when brioche is done proofing? ›

Look: Your dough should be about double the size it was when it started. If it's in a bowl covered with plastic wrap, then use a marker to trace an outline of the dough on the plastic — the dough is done rising/proofing when it stretches beyond that mark by about double.

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How long can you let brioche dough rise? ›

Place the dough into the greased pan(s) of your choice, cover lightly, and let rise for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until it's doubled and looks very puffy. If you're making two loaves, it's fun to make simple three-strand braids, and set them in the loaf pans.

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What is brioche bread made of? ›

Brioche dough contains flour, eggs, butter, liquid (milk, water, cream, and sometimes brandy), leavening (yeast or sourdough), salt, and sometimes sugar.

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What does vegan bread have in it? ›

Vegans can eat bread that does not contain animal products or byproducts. This includes breads that only use some variation on flour, water, yeast, and salt including ciabatta, baguette, focaccia, sourdough, pita, and ezekiel breads.

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What makes vegan bread vegan? ›

Vegan bread shouldn't contain any animal products, including dairy, eggs, or honey. While some baking companies claim to have vegan bread, not all do because they still use egg or honey in their breads. To get a truly vegan bread with many varieties you have to look at Food for Life.