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May 18, 2020 All Posts

Buttery Vegan Brioche (classic and healthier options)

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Buttery and fluffy vegan brioche with a tender crumb which just melts in your mouth. I included a ‘classic’ version using vegan butter and ‘healthier’ version with spelt flour, olive oil and no refined sugar!

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
 
 

Conventional brioche is made with butter and eggs. However, with a few easy substitutions you can make brioche vegan.

That means this brioche has no eggs, dairy or animal products! I can assure that this vegan brioche is fluffy and tender and will just melt in your mouth.

 

Ingredients for this vegan brioche recipe

In traditional french brioche, eggs add fat to the loaf which makes a super tender crumb. In order to create a beautiful crumb, I used apple cider vinegar (an acid) to tenderise the gluten in the flour.

Don’t worry – you can’t taste the apple cider vinegar in the final brioche! I managed to perfect ingredient ratios so no eggs are needed!

Flatlay of the ingredients for the vegan brioche including flour, cane sugar, melted vegan butter, milk, apple cider vinegar, instant yeast, and vanilla extract
 

Instead of using conventional butter, I used vegan butter or olive oil. Vegan butter creates a lighter crumb than olive oil (more info in the section about ‘customising your loaf’).

One benefit of using olive oil is that the oil’s naturally bold yellow colour can give the loaf a beautiful golden hue. I tested this recipe with olive oil which you can see in this recipe video on my Facebook page.

 
 

How to make vegan brioche: making the dough and the first rise

I used instant dried yeast which does not need to be proved or bloomed beforehand. To make the dough, simply add all the ingredients to a bowl, mix and knead it until it’s soft and stretchy.

I used a stand mixer to knead the dough and it reached the perfect consistency within 3 minutes. If you don’t have a stand mixer, You can absolutely mix and knead the dough with your hands! Consider it a free arm and hand exercise ;).

 

Place the dough in a bowl, cover it and place it in a WARM area for 1 hour until it doubles in size, like below. With the angle of the bowl and dough, you can’t see a significant increase, but I assure you that it did.

If your dough doesn’t grow, reposition it in a warm spot and wait until it does. Sometimes when it’s cold at home, I have to place the bowl above or near a steamer for just 3 minutes to kickstart the dough.

 
First rise of the dough for the vegan brioche french bread
 
 

How to make vegan brioche: second rise

To prepare your loaf/cake tin, you can line it with baking paper or brush it with butter/oil and dust it with flour.

Now that your dough has risen once, place your dough on a floured surface. Divide it into 4 equal parts then place it in a loaf tin!

Feel free to shape the dough in other ways, such as dividing it into less or more parts, or even braiding it!

 

Next step is, you guessed it – cover the dough and let it rise again.

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

How to customise this vegan brioche recipe

There are a few ways you can customise this loaf:

Replace plain flour with white spelt flour. Spelt flour doesn’t rise as well as plain flour but it still creates a beautiful crumb!

Replace vegan butter for olive oil. The taste and colour is probably the biggest difference in the final products. Butter helps create a lighter crumb so the bread ‘tears’ like a traditional brioche. Olive oil creates a crumb which is more similar to cake! Note that if you use oil, it’ll take longer to rise and it will be more dense.

 

Replace organic cane sugar for coconut sugar. Baking with a light-coloured cane sugar will result in a lighter coloured and fluffier bread than baking with coconut sugar!

Replace yeast with a sourdough starter. I’ve tried a similar recipe using about 75-150g of a bubbly active sourdough starter and it worked wonderfully! 75g was the minimum I needed to use to make the bread rise. For a stronger ‘sourdough’ taste, I increased the starter.

 

You can use the recipe to make individual vegan brioche buns instead. See my brioche bun post for more details!

Or you can make a savoury vegan brioche bread simply by reducing the sugar to 1 tablespoon. The sugar is still needed in the recipe to feed and activate the yeast

I have not tried baking the brioche with gluten free flour but if you do, please let me know how you go!

 
 

Baking the vegan brioche

This is my favourite part because the brioche makes your whole house/apartment smell AMAZING! Baking the brioche is pretty easy. Just pop it in at 180°C (355°F) for about 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

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

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

Side image of the vegan brioche french bread
 
 

Troubleshooting baking issues

Every time I made this brioche, it worked well. However, I’ve definitely had my fair share of ‘baking with yeast’ fails so I’ll share how I fixed them:

“My bread didn’t double in the first rise (when it’s in the bowl)”

Your bread doesn’t need to double in size – it just needs to grow at least by 150%! However, if it doesn’t grow at all, this could be due to various factors:

 

Possible issue 1: The dough needs to be placed in a WARM place. Unlike bread, this brioche has butter in it so the butter needs to be warm and loose for your brioche dough to rise!

If you live in a cold climate here are a few things you can do:

  • Turn your oven’s light on, place the dough near the light and close the door.
  • Preheat your oven or dehydrator to only 30°C / 85°F then turn it off. Place the covered dough inside.
  • Steam your dough double-boiler style for only 1 minute. Heating your dough to 50°C / 120°F will kill the yeast so don’t heat up the dough too much!

Possible issue 2: Your yeast is old and no longer active. Before baking, you can ‘proof’ your yeast to ‘prove’ whether its still useful. Add it to a small bowl of warm milk with a pinch of sugar and wait until it bubbles. If it doesn’t, the yeast may no longer be good for baking!

Possible issue 3: Your dough is too dry. All brands of flours and milks absorb differently. As Step 1 says, if your dough is too dry, simply add a little more milk and knead again. Use the above pictures as a guide for the consistency of your dough. It should be smooth and without cracks!

 

“I used a different ingredient and my bread didn’t increase in size”

  1. You used a different type of yeast which may need to be activated beforehand. Simply add it to a small bowl of warm milk with a pinch of sugar and wait until it bubbles. I used a common instant dried yeast which does not need to be activated before mixing with the other ingredients.
  2. Different flours and fats will affect how much the dough rises. For example, spelt flour and olive oil will inhibit the rising of the dough!
 
 

“My bread didn’t bake in the middle”

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

If the outside is brown and inside is uncooked, cover it with an oven-proof bowl or plate or aluminium foil. This minimises the oven’s radiant heat to the outside of the brioche and forces the heat into the middle of the brioche.

If you have any other questions or issues, leave a comment below!

Close up of texture of the vegan brioche french bread
 
 

How to serve the vegan brioche

If you don’t devour the whole brioche loaf fresh from the oven, you can enjoy it in many ways:

  • Toast a slice and smother it with jam, cream or any sweet spread!
  • Use the leftovers for french toast, a nourishing self-care breakfast or dessert! You deserve it!
  • Freeze and enjoy it when the cravings hit.
  • Crumble the bread, bake it at a low heat and use it as decadent topping for ice cream or other desserts.
 

Check out my other vegan bread recipes!

Here’s a secret: this brioche recipe is used as the foundation for my other yeast-based bread and scroll recipes! My favourites are:

  • Ultimate Blueberry Cinnamon Scrolls
  • Jam Donut Babka
  • Double Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns

If you want to make a yeast-free version of this brioche, check out my Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls recipe.

Or if you want to make this brioche into BUNS, check out my Buttery Vegan Brioche Buns recipe.

Enjoy! xo

You may also like:

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
4.87 from 46 votes

Buttery Vegan Brioche (classic and healthier options)

Buttery vegan brioche which melts in your mouth. I included a classic version and a 'healthier' version using olive oil and no refined sugar!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: baking, bread
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 3 1/3 cups (415g) plain or all-purpose flour, or white spelt flour*
  • 2/3 cup (165g) plant-based milk, such as almond, soy or coconut, warm
  • 1/4 cup (50g) cane sugar, or coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup (115g) melted vegan butter or margarine, or olive oil
  • 1 tbsp instant dried yeast**
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt, if using unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup, or any other light-coloured liquid sweetener

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients except the maple syrup to a large bowl and mix until combined. Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes or until the dough becomes soft and elastic. If you're using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and knead until the dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is a little dry, add a little more milk and knead again. If the dough is still sticking on the bowl, add a little flour and knead again.
  • Leave the dough in the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel (the damp towel prevents the dough from drying out). Leave it in a warm area to double in size for at least 1 hour.***
  • When the dough is puffy, divide it into 4 even sections. Shape each section into a round ball and place them a lined loaf tin (I used a 12×22 cm or 5×9 inch tin but any size tin will work). Cover the tin with a damp tea towel and leave it in a warm area to rest for another 30 minutes – 1 hour. The dough should increase in size by 150% or 200%.
  • When the dough is puffy again, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the surface is golden brown. The loaf is fully cooked in the middle when you can tap the bottom of the loaf and it sounds hollow. If the bread is browning too quickly on the top and has not fully cooked, reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (320°F).
  • When the brioche is still hot, brush the top with maple syrup then allow it to rest in the tin for 15 minutes. Turn it onto a wire rack and allow it to cool.
  • Store the brioche in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Notes

* Spelt flour absorbs more liquid than regular flour so you’ll need to add a little more milk than specified. Add the specified amount of milk, knead the dough then 1 tablespoon milk (15mL) at a time until the dough is soft and cohesive.
** Instant yeast doesn’t need to be ‘activated’ or ‘bloomed’ beforehand. However, if you use another type of yeast, make sure you’re using the right ratio for 1 tbsp instant yeast. Combine your yeast with warm milk and a pinch of sugar beforehand. Wait until it bubbles then use it in the recipe.
*** If your dough doesn’t increase in size, place it in a warmer spot in your house. Sometimes I kickstart this process by gently steaming the bowl for 1 minute. If your dough doesn’t increase in size at this stage, it will not bake well.
Did you make this recipe?Tag @rainbownourishments and use the hashtag #rainbownourishments on Instagram!
 
 

This post was originally published in August 2019 and was updated in May 2020.

Please leave a comment below if you made this recipe, have any questions or thoughts! Your comment will help other readers and Rainbow Nourishments.

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Buttery Vegan Brioche (classic and healthier options)
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  1. Laurel says

    January 15, 2021 at 6:35 am

    Okay, I have to make these for V day. I made some GF pumpkin cinnamon rolls for Christmas and they were fine but nothing like the ones I used to make with brioche dough. Duh.
    The thing I learned though from scrolling through multiple GF recipes is to a) add 1 Tbsp baking powder for insurance and because it doesn’t rise as well; and b) assemble, shape and let rise ONCE. That whole Gluten Free flour yeast bread thing generally only proofs once and won’t rise the second time.
    Watch this space.

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      January 15, 2021 at 4:53 pm

      Yay! And love those tips about gluten free brioche. My mission for the next few months is to make this recipe gf so your tips will come in handy! Let me know how you go nevertheless 🙂

      Reply
      • Laurel says

        January 16, 2021 at 3:23 am

        OK now I’m officially obsessed! I went looking for a GF brioche recipe because making it vegan is the easier part; I mean there’s aquafaba (gack), I’ll be trying 3 tapioca gel eggs (boil 1 Tbsp tapioca in 1 C water until gel like) and I’m not quite sure about the baking powder yet because the tapioca gel will help it rise. I love a puzzle!

        Reply
        • Laurel says

          January 16, 2021 at 3:24 am

          Eek, forgot https://thereislifeafterwheat.com/2018/02/gluten-free-brioche/

          Reply
          • Anthea says

            January 18, 2021 at 11:43 am

            Oooh, I’ve never heard of tapioca gel eggs! Can’t wait to hear how you go. I’m going to try it out when I have a moment too!

  2. Anjeli says

    January 14, 2021 at 9:37 am

    Hi, I made this today and I used lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar but I felt like my bread came out more cakey than bread like? Is there any suggestions/tips I can follow? I want to make this again because I believe I can get this to work!

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      January 14, 2021 at 10:11 am

      Hi! Sometimes that can happen if you don’t knead the bread for long enough. Unlike cakes, bread dough needs to be kneaded to activate the gluten which makes it a little chewier! The dough should be stretchy when you first knead it and pass the ‘bread windowpane’ test (google for examples).

      Or if your brioche was more ‘doughy’ it needs a little more liquid when mixing it together. Hope that helps?

      Reply
      • anjeli says

        January 15, 2021 at 1:45 am

        Hi, I needed it for 5 mins using my hand mixer that has dough hooks. I put a timer on for 5 mins and when I pressed down on the dough it was elastic and springed back? Would you say this is sufficient enough or should I knead for longer? Thanks again!

        Reply
  3. Maggie says

    January 9, 2021 at 5:51 pm

    5 stars
    This brioche turned out beautifully and made for the french toast of my dreams. Will definitely be making it again and checking out the other recipes on the blog!

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      January 13, 2021 at 10:00 pm

      Aw that’s so great to hear and I LOVE that you used it for french toast! Thanks so much xo

      Reply
  4. Nadine says

    January 2, 2021 at 4:47 am

    5 stars
    Amazing vegan brioche! Thank you so much for this recipe!

    I used F55 French flour and half/half olive oil and melted vegan butter.
    I had to put the dough in the oven at 50 degrees Celsius since next to the heater wasn’t enough.
    By the end I decided to push into the 4 balls some Callebaut chocolate chips and it became so amazing and authentic tasting!
    Definitely a new staple recipe in our house 😉

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      January 13, 2021 at 9:59 pm

      Thanks so much for all the tips and love your addition of chocolate :). Soo nice to hear that it tasted like authentic French bread too. Thanks again for your feedback xo

      Reply
  5. Vanessa says

    January 1, 2021 at 7:18 am

    Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      January 1, 2021 at 2:18 pm

      My pleasure! It keeps for up to 5 days and is best enjoyed warm!

      Reply
  6. Suzanne says

    January 1, 2021 at 7:17 am

    This looks so good! Does one plant milk work better than another?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      January 1, 2021 at 2:18 pm

      Aw thank you! I prefer soy milk but any will work 🙂

      Reply
  7. Helen says

    December 31, 2020 at 9:25 am

    Can this be made in a breadmaker or do you need to tweak the recipe for that? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      December 31, 2020 at 9:27 am

      Hi Helen, yes a breadmaker should be fine! Just keep an eye on it throughout the beginning to make sure the consistency of the dough is right! Let me know how you go :).

      Reply
  8. Paola says

    December 31, 2020 at 3:39 am

    5 stars
    Amazing recipe, thank you for sharing! I appreciated a lot also the tips on how to kick-start the rising process of the dough, it’s so cold in the house these days! XOXO

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      December 31, 2020 at 9:36 am

      Yay, I’m soo glad to hear Paola! And I’m happy that all the little tips helped! Thank you so much xoxo

      Reply
  9. Judit Bartok says

    December 28, 2020 at 3:07 am

    5 stars
    I made this recipe several times and always worked perfectly. Fluffy and buttery, no way to have any leftover. Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      December 31, 2020 at 9:35 am

      Aw that’s the best news Judit! Thanks sooo much for letting me know – it makes my job all worth it xo

      Reply
  10. Brett says

    December 26, 2020 at 7:32 am

    5 stars
    What’s better on Christmas than warm, delicious Brioche bread? The answer: nothing! I loved this recipe. Thanks for the detailed recipe and instructions. I used unsweetened almond milk and light brown sugar and I topped it with honey instead of maple syrup because that’s what I had. So good and easy too.

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      December 31, 2020 at 9:34 am

      Aw that’s great to hear Brett! It’d be perfect on Christmas :). Glad it worked with those adjustments too. Thanks soo much for leaving your feedback and I hope you had a lovely Christmas/holiday break!

      Reply
  11. Jay says

    December 11, 2020 at 3:18 am

    Hi there,
    I’m on my first prove of my second batch and again there is no rising happening.
    I feel like the recipe itself needs adjusting because with your measurements (both using cup or metric) the dough is ultimately way too dry.
    I have used my stand alone and hand kneading and seem to be getting exactly the same results which is so disheartening after wasting so much time and obviously the ingredients.
    The first result is extremely dense due to no rising, no matter how long it was left or any adjustment of temperature.
    Looking at previous comments it seems others have struggled too.
    Maybe this could be revised with some adjustments.
    Jay

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      December 11, 2020 at 6:50 am

      Hi Jay, I’m sorry it’s not working for you as it did for other people! This recipe is used as the basis for around 8 other recipes on my website so I’ve tested it over 30 times and I’m not sure how your measurements were different.

      As Step 1 said, if your dough is too dry, simply add more liquid. All brands of flours and milks absorb differently. I hope this works for you another time.

      Reply
  12. Ciara says

    December 6, 2020 at 1:18 pm

    For anyone wondering how this recipe works out with Gluten Free flour – don’t 😅 haha way too dense sadly. Not good turnout at all. Wheat flour so much easier to use dangit

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      December 10, 2020 at 8:16 pm

      Yes I had the same experience! I’m still trying to figure out a good gluten free blend ratio. Watch this space 🙂

      Reply
  13. Ada says

    September 15, 2020 at 1:00 pm

    Hello! Have you tried putting the dough in the fridge to ferment overnight? If you did would you do it after the first proof and shape or straight in the fridge overnight then shape and proof?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      September 15, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      Hi Ada, I’ve left the dough rest in the fridge overnight for both stages (different batches) and they both work fine! However, for the brioche, I prefer letting it rise in the fridge after shaping. Just make sure you let it come to room temperature before you bake it!

      Reply
  14. Louise says

    September 3, 2020 at 3:51 pm

    5 stars
    I am definitely going to make this but wonder if it will make a difference if I use bread flour rather than plain flour?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      September 3, 2020 at 7:08 pm

      Hi Louise! Bread flour will work – your brioche will just be slightly chewier (and bread like) rather than cakey and that’s fine!

      Reply
  15. Jacky says

    August 20, 2020 at 10:05 pm

    Hi, can I use lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar? If not, is there anything else I could sub it with?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      August 21, 2020 at 11:18 am

      Hi Jacky, yes you can use lemon juice! It just needs to be acidic to help tenderise the flour 🙂

      Reply
  16. Bex says

    August 14, 2020 at 6:55 pm

    4 stars
    Heya,

    I tried a vegan brioche recipe a while ago with olive oil and it wasn’t the best so I nearly gave up til I found this one!

    I wanted to use up fresh yeast so doubled the amount (that’s what I’ve been advised before) but I’m worried I’m doing something wrong as the finished product turns into more a bready, denser texture, rather than light, fluffy and tearable!

    I either am not kneading for long enough- did it for 5 mins, it went elastic and smooth- or the dough didn’t prove enough (it rose but not by double even above a tumble dryer!).

    That being said I added veeg choc chips and it tastes lovely, just would love to know where I’m going wrong?!

    Thanks again xxx

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      August 14, 2020 at 7:06 pm

      Hey Bex

      Thanks for your comment. Yep, brioche with olive oil is much more dense and probably like a dry cake!

      For this one, if you used olive oil or spelt flour, it’d be a denser loaf no matter what. I know fresh yeast can only be kept for a short time so it’s either that or the dough just needed to be proofed for longer (1-4 hours if needed) until it’s double or close to double the size. That happens to me sometimes – some days it rises really quickly near a heater and some days it doesn’t!

      That’s great your dough was elastic and smooth though! I know every brand of flour has a different absorbency so sometimes I find adding just a little more milk (to make a softer dough) helps with the rise.

      I hope that helps xo

      Reply
      • Bex says

        August 14, 2020 at 11:47 pm

        Thanks so much for replying!

        I used the butter instead of olive oil and the taste was much better/more briochey than the other one I’d made previously.
        Just need to figure out how to get it less cakey!
        Will 100% try again though with your tips and tricks. My flatmates and I have eaten it all today!!

        Reply
  17. Suzana Multani says

    August 14, 2020 at 8:01 am

    Whats the shelf life on these?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      August 14, 2020 at 9:17 am

      Like most home-made breads, it’s best eaten within a few days. However, I’ve kept my brioche for 1 week at room temperature (in Winter) and it’s been fine. Just always heat it up before you enjoy the leftovers!

      Reply
  18. Roxee says

    July 30, 2020 at 10:10 am

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! Wish we could upload a picture. My 7 yr old and husband are pescatarian’s and I love baking them items that cannot be found easily out on the street. Thank you

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      August 12, 2020 at 9:33 am

      That makes me so happy to hear Roxee! It’s great when family enjoys these recipes. Thanks for your lovely comment 🙂

      Reply
  19. Cleopatra says

    July 17, 2020 at 9:09 am

    Hi, can I use pure monk fruit extract (sweetener) in place of the organic cane sugar and coconut sugar?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      July 18, 2020 at 9:34 am

      I haven’t used monk fruit for this recipe but I heard/read that it won’t work to help activate the yeast and rise the bread.

      Reply
  20. Ngoc says

    July 12, 2020 at 2:55 pm

    Thank you for posting this recipe. I would really like to use my sourdough starter in this recipe. Apart from replacing the instant yeast with the starter, are there any other adjustments to your original recipe? Many thanks ?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      July 12, 2020 at 5:36 pm

      My pleasure! I’m actually experimenting with a sourdough brioche right now which I’m hoping to have ready in a few days! I’d recommend using this recipe but just the ‘roll ingredients’ and following the instructions on this vegan brioche recipe! I hope that helps 🙂

      Reply
  21. Vilmarie says

    July 11, 2020 at 12:32 am

    5 stars
    I love it! It did not turn out at is it should have though, but this might have been my fault. I tried using truvia which is a brand that sells brown sugar mixed with stevia so it’ll be less sugar. I also used oatmilk and spreadable butter because it was what I had in hand. One of these, maybe the butter, caused the dough to not rise in both stages. Well in the first stage it did, but only halfway and the second time it did not rise. And in both occasions I left it for as long as possible. Also when baking it the temperature was too much and it did not cook evenly so in the middle it was still raw. I lowered the temperature and cooked it for another 10 minutes and this did the trick. One more thing is that I forgot to spread the maple syrup over it when it was still hot and I don’t know if this affects the moistness. Because it ended up looking stale as if it had been done days ago. Nonetheless it was still good and it’s fixable by heating it in the microwave with a moist towel.

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      July 11, 2020 at 3:54 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it! Oatmilk and spreadable butter are fine! So I read that stevia can’t really be used in yeasted goods instead of sugar because it doesnt have the glucose to feed the yeast. But the denseness could also be the from temperature or texture of your dough. The dough needs to be placed in a warm place and the dough needs to be soft enough for it to rise (see the pictures in the post).

      With the temperature of baking, sometimes ovens are hotter than what they say but it sounds like you did the right thing here. The maple syrup glaze on top does keep some moisture in and 100% changes the appearance of the loaf! But even with the glaze, the brioche is definitely more dry the next day (butter solidifies) like all homemade baked goods. It’s best eaten warmed up so the butter in the bread melts in your mouth. I hope that helps! With a few minor tweaks, your next loaf will be better!

      Reply
      • Vilmarie says

        July 13, 2020 at 1:52 am

        Thank you!! That’s what I was thinking that maybe using that mic of brown sugar and stevia was not enough for the yeast. So next time I’ll just use the recommended sugar. Thank you very much!

        Reply
  22. Esther says

    July 6, 2020 at 9:11 am

    5 stars
    This bread tastes fantastic! l had to add a bit more milk to get the dough going, and might cut back on the flour next time. I also added 2g nutritional yeast per one of the other comments and it worked well! I think I should have let the second rise go a bit longer, though, because it was still a bit more dense than I would’ve liked. How can you tell when the dough is ready to put in the oven?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      July 9, 2020 at 3:36 pm

      So glad it worked for you! Yes sometimes I have to add a little more milk too – it depends on the day funnily. The dough is ready for the oven when you can press the dough with a finger and it bounces back. It should increase by at least 150% the second time then it’s ready for baking :).

      Reply
  23. Claire says

    July 3, 2020 at 11:08 pm

    I’m excited to try this recipe! Going to make it with the one tablespoon of sugar and butter. Any recommendations for how to make it as buns (for burgers) instead of a loaf?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      July 4, 2020 at 12:02 am

      Cool! Let me know how you go with less butter and sugar. You might be able to sub some of the 1/4 cup butter for oil too! For buns, do exactly the same thing except in Step 3, shape them into buns and leave them on a baking tray. It’ll need a shorter cooking time too (maybe around 15 minutes depending how big the buns are)

      Reply
  24. Malini says

    July 2, 2020 at 11:09 pm

    Hi can I use buttermilk instead of vinegar ?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      July 3, 2020 at 12:03 am

      Yep!

      Reply
  25. Olivia says

    June 22, 2020 at 3:57 am

    Just want to say it doesn’t work with GF flour (at least for me it doesn’t seem to) which is such a shame. I left it for 2h+ on the first rise and it rose but then eventually stopped and stayed at the level it had risen at the beginning (checked on it before and after a walk)
    Also when you prove ‘normal’ dough its usually done if it springs back when you press it. This just left an indentation. And no airbubbles or anything inside, and when i broke it in half was weird and gummy. And it was really quite tricky to work with. I used a commerical gf flour mix, next time I might try a homemade one. It’s really disappointing as I haven’t had brioche since before the beginning of this year, and I can’t eat normal brioche. I can’t even eat vegan brioche because I’m allergic to gluten as well as eggs and dairy ?).
    It looks amazing and I do want to try again with a homemade flour mix but I’m slightly discouraged given my first time trying to make GF vegan brioche (also my first time trying to make brioche full stop, but I do have experience in making glutinous enriched doughs, croissants etc from before I went gluten, dairy and egg free at the beginning of this year)

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      June 22, 2020 at 9:37 am

      Hi Olivia, oh that’s sad it doesn’t work with your GF flour! Often for vegan recipes, they won’t work if you simply substitute a commercial gf flour. However, they may work with a combination of different gf flours. They often turn out gummy and don’t rise, which is exactly what you experienced. That’s the case for the more popular gf flours we have in Australia at least! I’ll let you know if I perfect a gf flour blend for this recipe :).

      Reply
  26. Danah says

    June 19, 2020 at 8:23 pm

    5 stars
    This is my favorite recipe ever. I’ve made this loaf three times and love it more each time. It’s so easy to make, no hard to find ingredients, and just perfect. I freeze the loaf (one person household) and heat it up throughout the week and it still tastes as good! Trying it with spelt next time but it’s honestly my favorite vegan brioche recipe, and I have tried a few. I never thought I could bake but I keep making this and it comes out perfect every time. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      December 11, 2020 at 7:16 am

      Aw thanks for your kind feedback Danah and I’m soo glad the recipe has worked for you so many times! Love the idea of freezing it – I live in a small household too (2 people) so I’ll do this next time too! Thanks again lovely xo

      Reply
  27. Rachel says

    June 16, 2020 at 5:08 pm

    5 stars
    A simple to follow recipe with an AMAZING and super tasty result!
    No way to miss with this one 🙂
    Thank you ?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      December 11, 2020 at 7:11 am

      I’m so so glad to hear that Rachel! Thanks for leaving your positive feedback!

      Reply
  28. Cheryl says

    June 12, 2020 at 2:00 pm

    HI! is the maple syrup used for brushing? or when do you add it in?
    Also, what’s the purpose of the vinegar here? 🙂

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      June 12, 2020 at 2:03 pm

      Hi Cheryl! The maple syrup is used in step 6 – brush it on the brioche when it’s hot. And the vinegar mixes with the milk to make buttermilk and makes the brioche even softer :).

      Reply
      • cheryl says

        June 12, 2020 at 4:36 pm

        oops missed step 6 out! thanks Anthea :))

        Reply
  29. Ani Guevara says

    June 9, 2020 at 10:08 pm

    5 stars
    I made it this many times an it is delicius and very very easy to make. It is special as a gift to your familt and friends.

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      December 11, 2020 at 7:10 am

      That’s so amazing that you’ve made it many times and enjoyed it! Thanks for your kind feedback Ani!! Xo

      Reply
  30. Mary says

    June 8, 2020 at 2:04 pm

    5 stars
    I just made this brioche this morning, and it was amazing! I got such a good rise, and the bread was the perfect balance of flakey and sweet. I’m definitely going to make it again! Thank you for such a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      December 11, 2020 at 7:09 am

      I’m so glad to hear Mary and that it rose so well! Thanks so much for the lovely feedback!

      Reply
  31. Nina says

    May 27, 2020 at 6:37 am

    4 stars
    Thanks so much for this recipe! I’m French and my boyfriend is vegan so I was really excited to make him taste this and it turned out really well, almost the same as what I would have had for breakfast in France!
    I used fresh yeast, and after ‘waking it up’ in the milk + sugar I added to the flour mix. I had to put maybe 1/3 cup less flour than indicated, because the dough was getting too floury. Then when it first rose the top got a bit dry but during the second rise it was fine. Also I baked it for only 20 min (but I think my oven is quite powerful), and I omitted the vanilla extract because I didn’t have any left but the taste is great nonetheless!
    Anyway thanks again! Will be making more ?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      June 6, 2020 at 9:12 am

      So glad you liked the recipe and that it worked with fresh yeast! I find that different brands of plain flours have different absorbencies so good idea to ‘eyeball’ the dough and add a little less flour :). Something I did recently to prevent the dough from drying out is to use a damp tea towel, so I’ll add that to the recipe! Thanks for your comment!

      Reply
  32. Angela says

    May 26, 2020 at 8:32 pm

    5 stars
    Hi,

    I have made this recipe three times and have loved it more and more each time. My third attempt was the best so far. I decreased the apple cider vinegar by 1/2 tbsp and added extra plant-based milk as the dough was very dry when hand kneading. So lovely.

    Thank you for sharing,

    Angela

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      June 6, 2020 at 9:14 am

      So so glad to hear Angela!! And thanks for your tips about the apple cider vinegar and the milk. I’ll note it next time I make the brioche. I’m so appreciative of your comments :). Have a lovely day!

      Anthea

      Reply
  33. Angela says

    May 24, 2020 at 11:12 pm

    5 stars
    I have made this twice. Oh my gosh, I love this recipe. Just perfect for a carb fiend. I used granulated sugar as I had it on hand with easy bake yeast. Making it again today! Can’t wait!

    Reply
    • Angela says

      May 24, 2020 at 11:33 pm

      Forgot to say I have to add more plant-based milk as dough tends to be dry if mixing and needing by hand.

      Reply
      • Angela says

        June 1, 2020 at 6:40 pm

        Kneading even, silly autocorrect

        Reply
        • Anthea says

          June 6, 2020 at 9:13 am

          That’s amazing Angela! I love my carbs too haha. So interesting that it’s more dry if you’re mixing it by hand – I’ll try to do that one day 🙂

          Reply
  34. djajk says

    May 19, 2020 at 6:36 am

    Hi, I was wondering if I could use bread starter instead of yeast for this recipe. Do you think it would work just the same?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      May 19, 2020 at 5:34 pm

      I honestly haven’t tried it but I imagine it would work like my sourdough cinnamon scroll recipe. Try minimising the milk to 1/2 cup and adding about 1/3 – 1/2 cup of your starter.

      Reply
  35. Cheryl says

    May 4, 2020 at 3:25 am

    Hi,

    what is a pinch of sure? suggested when using active yeast? Did you mean salt?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      May 4, 2020 at 10:09 am

      Oh I meant sugar! I will correct it now 🙂

      Reply
  36. Holly says

    April 30, 2020 at 7:34 pm

    5 stars
    This worked perfectly! It was my first time ever making bread, I used the exact recipe, but proved the dough for 3 hours in a cooler environment and it definitely doubled in size. Had to bake for 45 mins so it was fully cooked and it was delicious! Super fluffy inside with a lovely hard crust, my whole family LOVED it 🙂

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      May 4, 2020 at 10:12 am

      That’s so amazing Holly! Glad your dough still proved in 3 hours in a cooler environment and great tip about the baking time! And so glad your family loved it too! Thanks for such a lovely comment 🙂

      Reply
  37. Priya says

    April 26, 2020 at 10:10 pm

    5 stars
    Hi. Tried your recipe today. I feel it came out good but I just want to show it to you. Is that possible if yes please let me know.

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      April 27, 2020 at 2:46 pm

      So glad to hear! Yes, feel free to send me a picture of your brioche via my Facebook page or Instagram page :).

      Reply
  38. Helen says

    April 17, 2020 at 6:36 pm

    5 stars
    I love this recipe so much that I’m making it for the third time today, oops! ? That’s what lockdown’ll do to you! I’ve used this recipe and amended it, for example I made the dough and then carried on to make cinnamon buns from it which were the best ones I’ve ever been able to make because they were so light and buttery. Thank you for this!! I can’t believe I can finally have vegan brioche!! Xx

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      April 18, 2020 at 6:11 pm

      Oooh that’s SOOO amazing to hear!! I’ve used this recipe as a base for cinnamon buns and babka so your thinking was completely on point and glad you enjoyed transforming it into buns! Being in lockdown is so interesting isn’t it?! But it makes me smile that this provided some relief xo

      Reply
    • Charli says

      May 12, 2020 at 6:34 pm

      I’m so excited to try this! What size loaf tin do you recommend?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        May 19, 2020 at 5:32 pm

        Great! I used a 12x22cm loaf tin and think that’s ideal to create a tall brioche!

        Reply
  39. Jessica says

    January 11, 2020 at 10:00 pm

    4 stars
    This is a great recipe, thank you. I had everything I needed to make it in my cupboards!

    I love the flavour (and so do my colleagues!) but I don’t think I have the texture down. It’s a little bit on the the heavy side. I added some finely grated vegan raw chocolate and I feel this may have inhibited the rising process? The crumb is quite close and I ended up leaving it to rise overnight after shaping.

    Any tips? I may try again without the chocolate and putting it in the oven on a lower temp, for a longer period?

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      January 26, 2020 at 9:28 am

      Hi Jessica, glad you liked the recipe! I’d definitely say that the chocolate inhibited the rising process. With yeast-based goods, unfortunately any additional liquid makes it heavier – that’s why it’s better to use butter instead of oil if you want a fluffier bread! If you try it again, try it without the chocolate and bake it at the temperature mentioned in the recipe. Let me know how you go!

      Reply
  40. NAOMI Walsh says

    December 25, 2019 at 10:21 am

    5 stars
    It is amazing! I used nutritional yeast for a little eggy flavor and coconut sugar with less flour and then braided 3 strands instead of 6 pull apart pieces. I was careful to cool down the milk (macadamia) before adding so as to not kill the yeast. This will make great vegan French toast!

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      January 10, 2020 at 3:34 pm

      Ooh I love that you used nutritional yeast and coconut sugar! Glad to know it works with 3 stands instead too. Thanks for leaving a lovely comment 🙂

      Reply
  41. Tiffany says

    December 20, 2019 at 11:23 am

    5 stars
    I made this bread yesterday and it turned out GREAT. First time I’ve made bread and I was SOOOOO happy with the end results and everyone thought it was delicious. Definitely will be making this again! I substituted dry yeast for active yeast, and it came out great!

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      January 10, 2020 at 3:33 pm

      Ooh that’s the best news!!! Thanks for letting me know and leaving such a kind comment :). And good to know active yeast works too xo

      Reply
  42. Alex says

    November 28, 2019 at 11:21 am

    5 stars
    It’s perfect! I’ve used fresh yeast (half of cube – so 21g). Also half coconut fat half vegan butter. Brushed with maple syrup. Heaven

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      November 28, 2019 at 4:31 pm

      I’m SO glad to hear that Alex! Good to know a coconut-based vegan butter worked with it and maple syrup. Enjoy the rest of your loaf 🙂

      Reply
  43. Nicks says

    November 9, 2019 at 3:55 am

    Hi there, thank you for this really straight forward recipe.

    I’m busy with it though and my dough is super dense and after 3 hours it doesn’t appear to have risen at all! Its been pretty hot here so I certainly wouldn’t say it’s too cold… I’ve put it in the fridge now and am hoping an overnight rise will help but do you perhaps have any idea what the problem could be?

    Thanks so much!

    Nicks

    Reply
    • Anthea says

      November 9, 2019 at 8:59 am

      Hey! Ooh that’s not meant to happen. It sounds like there is an issue with the yeast or somevother ingredients. Is the yeast you used fresh? And did you substitute any of the ingredients?

      Reply

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