• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Me
  • All Recipes
  • Shop
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

Rainbow Nourishments logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • About Me
  • Shop
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Bread » Yeast Bread and Cinnamon Rolls

    Published: May 18, 2020 · Modified: Sep 7, 2022 by Anthea

    Buttery Vegan Brioche

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    10K Shares
    JUMP TO RECIPE
    4.88 from 83 votes

    Buttery vegan brioche with a fluffy and tender crumb that melts in your mouth. This brioche uses only 7 common pantry ingredients and is egg-free and dairy-free!

    Vegan brioche bread on chopping board with slice cut off showing golden and soft interior.

    Table of contents

    • Ingredients to make vegan brioche
    • Notes about the ingredients
    • Two ways to knead the dough
      • Easy kneading method
      • Advanced kneading method
    • How to tell if the dough has been kneaded enough?
    • Tips for the first rise
    • Tips for shaping the brioche and second rise
    • Baking the vegan brioche
    • Customizing this recipe
    • Troubleshooting baking issues
      • Problem 1: "My bread didn't double in the first rise (when it's in the bowl)"
      • Problem 2: "My bread didn't bake in the middle"
    • Serving suggestions
    • More vegan bread recipes!

    Ingredients to make vegan brioche

    You'll need a few simple ingredients including:

    Flatlay of ingredients for the vegan brioche.

    Notes about the ingredients

    Bread flour or all-purpose (plain) flour. This brioche works very well with either flour. However, I recommend bread flour for a more traditional brioche texture. It's higher in protein so creates a chewier rather than cakier bread.

    Vegan butter. Brioche typically contains more butter than typical bread which helps create a tender melt-in-your-mouth texture. The butter needs to be at room temperature, not melted as the latter can interfere with the formation of gluten.

    Dairy-free milk for dairy-free brioche (it's really that easy!). Any type of dairy-free milk will work but I prefer soy milk as it's higher in protein and leaves no aftertaste.

    Instant dried yeast which is the easiest yeast to use and doesn't need to be proved beforehand. However, you can use dry or regular yeast, you will need to prove it.

    Traditional French brioche is usually enriched with eggs or egg yolks. However, by increasing the amount of fat through butter and rising power through yeast, we're able to create an eggless brioche that is soft, fluffy and tender. You don't need any store-bought egg replacers!

    A complete list of ingredients, quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Buttery golden vegan brioche loaf on a serving board.

    Two ways to knead the dough

    There are two different ways you can knead the vegan brioche dough:

    1. Easy method where you add all ingredients to the mixer and knead. It takes 5-10 minutes and makes a soft and buttery brioche (left picture).
    2. Advanced method where you knead in the butter afterward. This is the traditional way of making brioche and takes at least 20-30 minutes. It makes a softer bread which is more feathery when you pull it apart (right picture).
    Easy method
    Advanced method

    Easy kneading method

    For an easy vegan brioche bread, add all the ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl and knead until it's soft and stretchy.

    Initially, the dough will be very sticky but try to avoid adding any flour. Kneading the dough strengthens its gluten structure and, over time, the dough will become less sticky and pull away from the side of the bowl.

    If you don't have a stand mixer, you can mix and knead the dough by hand! It will take a little longer so consider it a free arm and hand exercise ;).

    Collage of vegan brioche dough in silver stand mixer bowl showing easy kneading method.

    Advanced kneading method

    The advanced method takes a little longer so I recommend using a stand mixer.

    First, knead together all the bread ingredients (except the butter) until it forms a rough and stretchy dough with no pockets of flour. If it's too tough, add a dash of milk. The longer you knead, the better!

    Next, while the bread is kneading, gradually add the butter (around 3 tablespoons at a time). The first time you add the butter, the dough will resist it... just keep kneading!

    When each lot of butter has been mixed in, add a little more. Eventually, your dough will be soft and stretchy.

    Four image collage of advanced kneading method for vegan brioche dough.

    How to tell if the dough has been kneaded enough?

    No matter how you knead your bread, the windowpane test is the best way to tell if your dough is ready.

    Simply grab a small piece of dough and stretch it between your fingers. The dough shouldn't break and, if you hold the bread against a light, you should be able to see gluten 'membranes' in the dough.

    If the dough tears, just keep kneading!

    Hands stretching piece of brioche dough demonstrating window pane test.

    Tips for the first rise

    Place the vegan brioche dough in a bowl, cover it and place it in a humid and WARM spot in your home for 1 hour. It should double in size like below.

    If your dough doesn't double in size, move it to a warmer spot. In a cold environment, it can take over 2 hours for the dough to double in size.

    First rise of the dough for the vegan brioche french bread

    Tips for shaping the brioche and second rise

    It doesn't really matter how you shape your brioche. You can place it as a whole in a loaf pan or braid it into a pretty challah bread.

    However, this is what I did:

    1. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts
    2. Shape each part into a smooth ball. Squish each ball into a longer bun shape.
    3. Squish each 'bun' into a lined loaf pan!

    You'll need to rest the brioche for a second time. It should increase in size by around 50% and become puffy again. If you poke the dough, it should spring back slowly (otherwise known as the poke test).

    Second rise of the dough in a loaf tin for the vegan brioche french bread

    Baking the vegan brioche

    The brioche is ready when the top is golden brown. If the top of your bread is turning brown but the middle isn't cooked, simply turn down the temperature or cover the bread with aluminum foil.

    While the bread is still warm, brush it with a little maple syrup to create the most beautiful egg-free glaze ever!

    See, it is 100% possible to make DELICIOUS vegan French bread!

    Vegan brioche on chopping board with slice torn off revealing soft and fluffy interior.

    Customizing this recipe

    Replace the flour with whole wheat or spelt flour. The latter two flours won't rise as much and create a denser brioche, but it will still be delicious!

    Replace vegan butter for olive oil. I recommend adding a generous pinch of salt to the dough to mimic the buttery flavor and adding more flour as the dough will be softer. The final brioche is a little denser and more cake-like compared to the original brioche.

    Replace organic cane sugar for coconut sugar or maple syrup for a refined sugar-free brioche, which will be slightly darker in color.

    Replace yeast with a sourdough starter. This brioche rises and bakes well with 75-150g of an active sourdough starter with 100% hydration. For a stronger sourdough flavor, use more starter. Or you can make sourdough cinnamon rolls!

    To make vegan brioche BUNS, you can use this recipe or check out my Buttery Vegan Brioche Buns recipe.

    Unfortunately, this recipe will not work with a 1:1 gluten-free flour. I am working on a gluten-free vegan brioche so watch this space!

    Flatlay of vegan brioche torn into 4 sections revealing fluffy and feathery interior.

    Troubleshooting baking issues

    Problem 1: "My bread didn't double in the first rise (when it's in the bowl)"

    a: Your brioche dough needs to be in a WARM spot at ~25°C (77°F). This dough is enriched with a lot of butter so it rises slower than regular dough. Try placing the dough in your oven with the light on or in the warmest spot in your home! King Arthur Baking gives some tips on how to keep your dough warm.

    The exception is if you're proofing the bread overnight. The dough can be cold because it has more time (8+ hours) to ferment.

    b: Your vegan brioche dough is too dry which may be due to your ingredients or incorrectly measuring them. As Steps 1 and 2 say, if your dough is too dry, add a little more dairy-free milk and knead again. The dough should be smooth and stretchy!

    If your dough hasn't risen, you can still knead more liquid into it and let it rest again.

    c: Your yeast is old and no longer active. If you've already made the dough, you may still be able to find an active batch of yeast, combine it with warm milk then knead it into the dough.

    d. Ingredient substitutions affect the rise of the dough. For example, dough made with spelt flour or olive oil will rise slower!

    Problem 2: "My bread didn't bake in the middle"

    Before you finish baking, make sure you test your dough by inserting a knife or skewer into it.

    If the outside is brown and the inside is uncooked, tent it with aluminum foil or cover it with a large oven-proof bowl. This slows down the outside of the bread baking and forces the heat into the middle of the loaf.

    Side image of the vegan french bread loaf

    Serving suggestions

    If you don't devour the whole brioche fresh, you can enjoy it in many ways:

    • Toast a slice and smother it with jam, cream, or any sweet spread!
    • Use stale leftovers for vegan french toast casserole. You deserve it!
    • Freeze and enjoy it when the cravings hit.
    • Crumble the vegan bread, bake it at low heat and use it as a decadent topping for ice cream or other desserts.
    Close up of feathery texture of one slice of brioche.

    More vegan bread recipes!

    This brioche is used as the base for many other bread recipes on my site! My favorites are:

    • Vegan Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
    • Double Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns (vegan)
    • Vegan Chocolate Babka (simple and easy)
    • Jam donut babka (vegan)

    Follow Rainbow Nourishments on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of our latest recipes!

    Vegan brioche french bread on chopping board. Slice cut off showing golden and soft interior. The board is surrounded by brioche accompaniments such as jam
    Print Recipe
    4.88 from 83 votes

    Buttery Vegan Brioche

    Buttery vegan brioche with a fluffy and tender crumb that melts in your mouth. This brioche uses only 7 common pantry ingredients and is egg-free and dairy-free!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time35 mins
    Resting Time2 hrs
    Total Time2 hrs 45 mins
    Cuisine: French, Vegan
    Servings: 10
    Author: Anthea

    Ingredients

    Vegan Brioche Bread

    • 3 cups (375g) bread flour, plain / all-purpose flour or white spelt flour (note 1)
    • ¾ cup (190g) dairy-free milk, warm, plus more if needed
    • ⅔ cup (150g) vegan butter or margarine, room temperature or ½ cup (125g) olive oil
    • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, or coconut sugar
    • 1 tbsp instant dry yeast, (note 2)
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • ½ tsp salt, if using unsalted butter or oil

    To glaze

    • 3 tbsp maple syrup, or any other light-coloured liquid sweetener

    Instructions

    To make the brioche dough:

    • EASY METHOD: Add all the ingredients (except the maple syrup) to a stand mixer bowl with the dough hook. Knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth, soft and elastic. You can also do this in a bowl and on a floured surface but it will take a little longer. The dough should be very tacky but should just come away from the sides of the bowl. However, if your dough is too dry, add a little more milk and knead well.
    • ADVANCED METHOD: Add all the ingredients except the butter and maple syrup to a stand mixer with the dough hook. Knead until the dough is well combined (at least 5 minutes). Add a little milk if needed. While the dough is kneading, gradually add the butter, around 3 tbsp (40g) at a time. Knead until the dough is very smooth and comes away from the bowl (at least 15 minutes).
    • Shape the dough into a smooth ball, place it in a clean bowl and cover with a tea towel. Place the dough in a WARM area to double in size for at least 1 hour (note 3).

    To shape the brioche:

    • Line a 9-inch (20cm) loaf with parchment paper or dust with flour.
    • When the dough is puffy, divide it into 4 even sections. Shape each section into a round ball and arrange them in your loaf pan. Cover with a tea towel and leave it in a warm area to rest for at least 1 hour. The dough should increase in size by 50% - 100%.

    Baking the brioche:

    • When the dough is puffy again, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
    • Bake the brioche for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. The loaf is fully cooked when you can tap the bottom and it sounds hollow or if you poke a skewer in the middle and it doesn't collect any raw dough. If the bread is browning too quickly but is not baked in the middle, reduce the oven to 160°C (320°F) or tent the brioche with aluminum foil.
    • While the brioche is still hot from the oven, brush the top with maple syrup then rest it in the pan for 15 minutes. Turn it onto a wire rack and allow to cool slightly.
    • Serve the brioche warm. Store the brioche in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Leftover brioche is best enjoyed warmed or toasted.

    Notes

    1. Bread flour results in a more traditional bread-like texture whereas all-purpose flour results in a cake-like brioche. Spelt flour absorbs more liquid than regular flour so you may need to add a little more milk than mentioned.
    2. Instant yeast doesn't need to be 'proofed' beforehand. If you use active dry yeast, combine it with warm milk and a pinch of sugar beforehand. Wait until it bubbles then use it in the recipe.
    3. The dough can take anywhere from 1-4 hours to rise, depending on the temperature of your home and how you made your dough. If your dough doesn't increase in size, place it in a warmer spot in your house. Read my post above for some tips.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 240mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 574IU | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!

    This post was originally published in August 2019 and has been updated a few times since then with an improved recipe that is more similar to traditional French brioche.

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

    Buttery Vegan Brioche
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    10K Shares

    Reader Interactions

      Leave a Comment and Rating! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Anna says

      March 24, 2023 at 12:34 pm

      Is there a specific butter brand you recommend?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        March 25, 2023 at 4:31 pm

        Hi Anna, it depends where you're based but I love Naturli's block butter. However, any firm vegan butter will work well with this recipe.

        Reply
    2. Fraser Elder says

      January 31, 2023 at 3:27 am

      5 stars
      This was absolutely amazing, thank you so much for the recipe! I made it 3x in one week and then for my birthday the next week - delicious! It takes me 45 minutes to knead it by hand, and my arms have never been stronger

      Reply
    3. N says

      January 09, 2023 at 10:13 pm

      Now that I've read that this is a master dough, I'm really looking I to converting one of the rolls into a savory situation. Most likely cheese, pesto, and gomashio or everything bagel seasoning. I was just going to follow this recipe and then roll it out but I noticed that the percentages for your rolls are different from the master dough. Should I just follow the rolls (sans cinnamon and maybe reduced sugar) recipe? Or would I be okay just following this? If you're able to share, would love to know the reasoning behind the difference in ratios too! Thanks so much, Anthea!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        January 11, 2023 at 10:01 am

        Hey! This master dough acts really well as rolls and for customizing! I think it'll be wonderful with cheese, pesto or anything savory. My cinnamon roll recipes have slightly different ratios because the dough needs to be firmer for rolling and cutting. Cinnamon rolls also have added frosting/filling so the plain dough doesn't need as much butter. I hope that helps!

        Reply
        • N says

          January 11, 2023 at 10:37 am

          Oooh. Got it! Hmmm, I do want the butteriness but I'm also planning on rolling it out and cutting it. If I used the cinnamon roll recipe (sans cinnamon and maybe just 2 tbsp sugar) by how much do you think I can up the butter so that it still handles well for rolling and cutting? Thank you so much, Anthea! I've been daydreaming about these savory rolls since I read the recipe and I'm so excited to make them!

        • Anthea says

          January 11, 2023 at 8:18 pm

          If you use a cinnamon roll recipe, I think you should be able to increase the butter to 3/4 cups (170 grams) but this will depend on the flour that you use, how well you knead it and the temperature of your dough! Once the dough comes together, you can always add more butter (and this will be similar to the traditional way of making brioche). It sounds like it'll be a delicious project!

        • N says

          January 11, 2023 at 8:22 pm

          Got it! I'll use your cinnamon roll recipe with the increased butter and this recipe side by side to test. Will report back. Either way we will be eating well this weekend! Thank you!

    4. Alma says

      December 22, 2022 at 12:14 pm

      5 stars
      Omg! I been down with a flu and was craving the flavors of home ( grew up in a bakery). This did it. I had all the ingredients took less than 2 hrs and it was perfect. I will treasure this recipe for years to come 💘

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        December 22, 2022 at 4:09 pm

        I'm sooo happy that you loved brioche and that it brought some nostalgia to help with your flu! I'm in the same boat and may just make this brioche too, haha. Thank you so much Alma and I hope you heal soon x

        Reply
    5. Jtolam says

      September 18, 2022 at 11:21 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe tastes like Hong Kong Pai Bao or Hokkaido milk bread, But without the fuss of tangzhong. I love how simple it is and it turns out very well every time. I used the advanced method and it was still more easier to put together than making pai bao. I taught my 10 and 13 yr old the recipe and they love making them.
      Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
    6. Eilish says

      August 10, 2022 at 2:45 am

      5 stars
      I have made this bread four times now, once made them into buns for a BBQ. always tasty, and always successful thank you for posting this recipie

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        August 30, 2022 at 6:26 pm

        Wow, four times, you're amazing! I'm so glad you've enjoy this brioche and that it worked well as buns for you :).

        Reply
    7. Colby says

      July 15, 2022 at 8:32 am

      5 stars
      I have made this recipe over 20 times and love it so much! I want to make four mini loaves instead (the exact size is 5.75” x 3”. Do you know if this would affect the baking time?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        July 15, 2022 at 11:20 am

        Aw that's the best thing I've heard today!! I'm so glad you've enjoyed this brioche so much :). Also yes, definitely reduce the baking time with your mini loaves. I'd say check them at around 20 minutes and bake them until the top is golden brown. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    8. Maria says

      July 01, 2022 at 12:17 am

      Hi! I want to make a gluten free version but I am afraid of the texture not turning out well. Do you have any suggestions of what flours I can use?
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        July 03, 2022 at 12:21 pm

        Hi Maria, I've tried this recipe with a few gluten-free all-purpose flours and individual flours but the results weren't great. When testing the individual flours, each time, I combined 2-3 of the following flours: rice, sorghum, almond, buckwheat, tapioca and potato. However, I still haven't been able to perfect it! Let me know if you do any experimentation with this recipe!

        Reply
    9. Carla says

      June 15, 2022 at 3:58 pm

      5 stars
      I baked it this afternoon and it turned out amazing. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        June 30, 2022 at 6:27 pm

        I'm so stoked to hear that Carla! Thanks for your feedback 🙂

        Reply
    10. Rhulia says

      May 27, 2022 at 8:41 am

      5 stars
      I just finished making the bread and it’s absolutely perfect. It’s always a miss when I bake bread (I don’t why) but this one came out the way I wanted it. Thank you Anthea for the wonderful recipe.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        May 30, 2022 at 6:28 pm

        That's amazing Rhulia! Yes, bread can be a hit and miss due to sooo many factors but I'm so happy this was perfect for you :). Thank you!

        Reply
      • Diana Guilfoyle says

        January 11, 2023 at 6:14 am

        I have problems with bread also. I have started weighing in grams if told in recipe. It has helped.

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    About Anthea

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Vegan Cinnamon Babka
    • Vegan Banana Bread
    • Easy Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake
    • Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes
    • Buttery Vegan Brioche
    • Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

    Seasonal Recipes

    • Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes
    • Vegan Blueberry Muffins
    • Vegan Carrot Muffins
    • Vegan Gnocchi Bake with Bolognese Sauce
    • One-Pot Easy Vegan Ramen (with miso sesame soup)
    • Easy Thai Red Curry Potato Lentil Soup

    Get my cookbook

    Cover of Incredible Plant Based Desserts

    About Anthea

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Vegan Cinnamon Babka
    • Vegan Banana Bread
    • Easy Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake
    • Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes
    • Buttery Vegan Brioche
    • Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

    Seasonal Recipes

    • Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes
    • Vegan Blueberry Muffins
    • Vegan Carrot Muffins
    • Vegan Gnocchi Bake with Bolognese Sauce
    • One-Pot Easy Vegan Ramen (with miso sesame soup)
    • Easy Thai Red Curry Potato Lentil Soup

    Get my cookbook

    Cover of Incredible Plant Based Desserts

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Featured in

    Banner with 10 logos where Rainbow Nourishments has been featured.

    More

    About
    Work with Me
    Contact

    Shop

    Get my cookbook

    Follow Me

    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    COPYRIGHT © 2023 · RAINBOW NOURISHMENTS · PRIVACY POLICY ·  ACCESSIBILITY POLICY