From scratch · Enriched breads

Brioche (loaf or buns)

Eggs and lots of butter make a rich, tender bread; the dough rests overnight in the refrigerator.

✋ 44 min hands-on ⏱ 16 hr 11 min start to finish 🍽 One 9 × 5-inch loaf or 8 burger buns.

ContainsWheat, Milk, Eggs.

Ingredients

  • 375 g all-purpose flour, or bread flour
  • 7 g active dry yeast
  • 7 g table salt
  • 50 g granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup whole milk, warm
  • 5 eggs, large, 4 for the dough, 1 for brushing
  • 170 g butter, salted, soft, in pieces

Time

Hands-on time is when you’re busy; the rest is rising, simmering, chilling or cooling, when you can do something else.

StepHands-onWaiting
Mix and knead in the butter (the day before)25 min1 hr
Chill overnight (the day before)2 min12 hr
Shape while cold15 min1 hr 40 min
Bake at 375°F (buns)2 min17 min
Cool–30 min
In all44 min15 hr 27 min

How long it keeps

  • Counter: in a bag, about 3 days (NDSU’s figure for bread and rolls).
  • Freezer: bag them once cool, up to 3 months (University of Missouri).

Nutrition

Estimated from the ingredients’ USDA FoodData Central numbers.

Steps

You’ll need: stand mixer with dough hook (strongly recommended), loaf pan or baking sheet, plastic wrap.

  1. Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in the mixer bowl. Add the milk and 4 eggs and knead on medium-low about 5 minutes, until smooth.
  2. With the mixer running, add the butter a piece at a time, waiting until each disappears. Knead 8 to 10 minutes more, until the dough is glossy and pulls from the sides.
  3. Cover and let it rise 1 hour at room temperature, then press it down, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight (8 to 16 hours). Cold dough is much easier to shape.
  4. Shape while cold: a loaf (8 small balls in two rows in a greased 9 × 5 pan) or 8 buns flattened to 3½ inches on a lined sheet.
  5. Let rise in a warm spot until puffy, 1½ to 2 hours. Heat the oven to 375°F for buns or 350°F for a loaf. Brush with beaten egg.
  6. Bake buns 15 to 18 minutes; a loaf 35 to 40 minutes (cover with foil if it browns too fast). It’s done at about 190°F. Cool on a rack.
⚖️ ScalingKeep the butter about 45% of the flour’s weight. A stand mixer handles up to a double batch.
🛡 SafetyDon’t taste raw dough or batter, and wash your hands and the counter after handling flour: raw flour can carry germs that only baking kills (FDA).
Good to knowBrioche buns are a favorite for burgers.

🌱 Grow it

You can grow some of what goes into this: eggs (backyard hens).

Sources

  1. Food Storage Guide (FN579), NDSU Extension, reviewed January 2023. Accessed 2026-10-25.
  2. Tips for Storing Bread, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Herkimer County, 2020. Accessed 2026-10-25.
  3. How to Freeze Home-Prepared Foods (GH1505), University of Missouri Extension. Accessed 2026-10-25.
  4. Handling Flour Safely: What You Need to Know, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed 2026-10-25.

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