Learn to make rich, buttery brioche bread at home with a tender crumb and golden crust. This French classic takes about 4-5 hours total (including rising time), but the hands-on work is manageable for beginners. Perfect for toast, French toast, or enjoying warm with jam.
Clear a clean work surface and gather all ingredients. Take the butter and eggs out of the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before starting so they come to room temperature. Room temperature ingredients mix more easily and create better texture.
Pour the milk into a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Warm it gently until it reaches about 110°F (43°C) — it should feel warm but not hot when you test it with your finger. If it's too hot, it will kill the yeast.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Stir gently and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy on top. This means your yeast is alive and ready to work.
While the yeast activates, whisk together the flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a separate bowl. This ensures the salt is evenly distributed and won't come into direct contact with the yeast too early, which can slow its activity.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl and lightly beat them with a fork. Once your yeast mixture is foamy, add the beaten eggs to the mixer bowl with the yeast and milk. Mix briefly just to combine.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in the mixer bowl. Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer. Mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains. The dough will look rough and sticky at this stage.
Increase the mixer speed to medium-low and knead for 8-10 minutes. The dough should become smoother and start to pull away from the sides of the bowl. It will still be quite sticky — this is normal for brioche.
With the mixer running on low speed, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time, waiting until each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next. This takes about 10-15 minutes total. The dough will look like it's breaking apart at first — keep going, it will come back together.
Once all the butter is added, increase speed to medium and knead for another 5-7 minutes. The dough should become smooth, glossy, and elastic. When you pull a small piece, it should stretch thin without breaking (windowpane test).
Scrape the dough into a large greased bowl and turn it to coat all sides with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours, or until doubled in size. In a cool kitchen, this may take longer.
Once doubled, punch down the dough gently to deflate it. Cover the bowl again with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight (up to 24 hours). Chilling makes the butter-rich dough much easier to shape.
Generously butter the inside of a 9x5-inch loaf pan, making sure to get into all the corners. You can also line the bottom with parchment paper for easier removal if desired.
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 3 or 4 equal pieces using a bench scraper or knife. Roll each piece into a smooth ball.
Place the dough balls in a row in the prepared loaf pan. They should be touching but not squashed. Gently press them down so they sit evenly. This creates the classic brioche loaf shape with beautiful domed sections.
Cover the pan loosely with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at warm room temperature for 1.5-2 hours, until it has risen about 1 inch above the rim of the pan and looks puffy. It should spring back slowly when gently pressed.
About 20 minutes before the dough finishes rising, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Position a rack in the lower third of the oven so the top of the loaf doesn't brown too quickly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg with 1 tablespoon of milk or water until smooth. This egg wash will give your brioche a beautiful shiny, golden-brown crust.
Using a pastry brush, gently brush the egg wash over the entire surface of the risen dough. Be careful not to deflate the dough. Brush gently but make sure to cover all visible dough for even browning.
Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35-45 minutes. The brioche is done when the top is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C) on an instant-read thermometer. If the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil after 25 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Then carefully turn the loaf out of the pan and let it cool completely on the rack before slicing, about 1 hour. Slice with a serrated knife and enjoy with butter, jam, or use for the best French toast ever.