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!
Table of contents
- Simple ingredients to make vegan brioche
- Notes about the ingredients
- Two ways to knead the dough
- 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
- Serving suggestions
- More vegan bread recipes!
Simple ingredients to make vegan brioche
Notes about the ingredients
Bread flour or all-purpose (plain) flour. This brioche works very well with either flour. All-purpose flour is better for a slightly cakier brioche whereas bread flour is better for a slightly chewier brioche.
Vegan butter. Brioche typically contains more butter than sandwich 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 is the easiest yeast to use and doesn't need to be proofed beforehand. Alternatively, you can use dry or regular yeast if you proof it first
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.
Two ways to knead the dough
There are two different ways you can knead vegan brioche dough:
- 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).
- 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 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 ;).
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.
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!
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.
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:
- Divide the dough into 4 equal parts
- Shape each part into a smooth ball. Squish each ball into a longer bun shape.
- 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).
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!
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 1:1 gluten-free flour. I am working on a gluten-free vegan brioche so watch this space!
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.
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.
More vegan bread recipes!
This brioche is used as the base for many other bread recipes on my site! My favorites are:
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Buttery Vegan Brioche
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
This post was originally published in August 2019 and has been updated a few times 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.
Really love this recipe, I ended up using the brioche for a french toast recipe. My brioche took a while to rise but I put it next the heater to start the process and that seemed to help a lot.
So glad to hear and love that you used it for french toast. Sounds like you troubleshooted the brioche well :). Thanks for your feedback!
Thank you! For a first time 'bread baker', this is very easy to follow. Other than the happiness after the brioche came out fresh from the oven and my partner is happy, it boosts my confidence that I'm looking forward to my next baking experience. Thank you!!
I'm so glad to hear that this recipe has boosted your confidence with baking!! Thanks so much for your feedback 🙂
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.
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 🙂
OK now I'm officially obsessed! I went looking for a GF brioche recipe (https://thereislifeafterwheat.com/2018/02/gluten-free-brioche/) 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!
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!
Hi, I kneaded 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 sprang back? Would you say this is enough or should I knead for longer? Thanks again!
Yes, knead it for longer! It's the kneading (and protein in the flour) which makes it stretchy. Or use bread flour :).
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!
Aw that's so great to hear and I LOVE that you used it for french toast! Thanks so much xo
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 😉
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
Can this be made in a breadmaker or do you need to tweak the recipe for that? Thanks!
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 :).
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
Yay, I'm soo glad to hear Paola! And I'm happy that all the little tips helped! Thank you so much xoxo
I made this recipe several times and always worked perfectly. Fluffy and buttery, no way to have any leftover. Thanks so much!
Aw that's the best news Judit! Thanks sooo much for letting me know - it makes my job all worth it xo
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.
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!
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
Yes I had the same experience! I'm still trying to figure out a good gluten free blend ratio. Watch this space 🙂
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?
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!
I am definitely going to make this but wonder if it will make a difference if I use bread flour rather than plain flour?
Hi Louise! Bread flour will work - your brioche will just be slightly chewier (and bread like) rather than cakey and that's fine!
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
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
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!!
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
That makes me so happy to hear Roxee! It's great when family enjoys these recipes. Thanks for your lovely comment 🙂
Hi, can I use pure monk fruit extract (sweetener) in place of the organic cane sugar and coconut sugar?
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.
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.
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 🙂
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.
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!
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!