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The BEST Flaky Honey Brioche Bread…for your weekend baking. This light, buttery, super soft, and eggy brioche bread is swirled with hints of sweet honey, and makes for the most delicious, extra fancy companion to your morning coffee. This bread is great on its own, toasted with butter and topped with cinnamon sugar (so good). Or use it to make your favorite french toast – the options are endless. The perfect way to start your day!
Why you’ll love it
- Soft, buttery crumb with light honey sweetness.
- Easy lamination for flaky layers—a brioche–meets–croissant vibe.
- Makes two loaves: enjoy one now, freeze one for later.
Ingredient notes
- Milk + yeast: Warm, not hot. If using active dry, proof first; instant can go straight in.
- Eggs + butter: Classic enriched dough—expect a silky, slightly tacky dough that firms up when chilled.
- Flour: Bread flour = extra chew/structure; all-purpose yields a softer crumb.
- Honey: Floral sweetness; slightly tenderizes the crumb.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and strengthens gluten.
I don’t know why, but I almost never share recipes like this. For some reason I feel like I always need to share crazy different and unique recipes. I forget that really good “basics” are just as important! I made this brioche a few weekends back. Mostly because I really wanted a good bread to use in my favorite baked blackberry french toast. Up where we live in the mountains, good bread can be incredibly hard to come by. Most of the time I can find a good Challah bread, but the last few weeks the bread pickings have been slim.
My guess is that all the snow over the past month has really set the stores back. For one, with the highway being closed on and off, trucks have had a hard time getting up here to make deliveries. Two, because of all the snow, the town has been packed to the brim with skiers. Leaving the grocery stores pretty much wiped clean daily.
first fold (in half with butter inside)
second fold (into an envelope)
rolled into a log (like a cinnamon roll)
(log cut in half to create 2 loaves)
Long story short, I couldn’t find good bread, so I made my own Brioche! And I am now sharing it with you guys. Because, oh my gosh, it’s possibly one of the very BEST breads I’ve ever made.
Yes, my homemade naan is amazing and will always be a favorite (always). But it’s a flatbread, so very different. And the beer bread in the cookbook? Totally still a favorite, but again it’s just very different, and nothing like a soft Brioche.
This bread is a game changer.
When I set out to make this, I was in no way planning to share the recipe. But as I was making the dough and swirling in the honey, it hit me that you guys might really enjoy the this recipe. I mean, everyone loves bread, right? And we all want to bake over the weekend, right?
Yes, we do!
Plus, the light in my kitchen and the colors of this bread were just too pretty. I had to photograph it and I had to share. Because it’s just a dang good recipe and that is always most important!
Ok, so the details.
If you’re afraid of bread making, please do not be. It’s easy (and made easier if you have a stand mixer…hint, hint, invest if you love to bake). To sum it up, to the mixer you’ll add milk, yeast, honey, eggs, flour, salt, and butter…that’s the dough. Six very simple pantry staple ingredients that are really simple to throw together.
Mix the dough, then allow about an hour for the dough to rise. Then it’s time to roll it out and layer with very cold butter (see photos!). The layers of extra cold butter are what make this a “flaky” brioche, instead of a more traditional brioche. It’s kind of like a cross between brioche and a croissant, DELICIOUS.
The key is to roll the dough out twice. I know it might seem like over-kill, but this will distribute the cold butter throughout the dough, creating buttery, flakiness with every single bite. Again, so DELICIOUS…and I promise it’s not hard or even that time consuming.
My other trick? Quickly chilling the dough in the freezer! Saves so much time!
After you roll the dough, divide it into two loaf pans, and let rise. Then brush the dough with a beaten egg to get an extra glossy top that looks beautiful after baking.
As the dough bakes, the smell of freshly baked bread will waft throughout your house. Truly the perfect scent to welcome in the first weekend of spring. I highly recommend enjoying a slice or two warm, fresh out of the oven. Just add a little butter and honey. I also highly recommend serving this as morning toast, or for Sunday brunch.
This is honestly the best when toasted with butter and spread with a sweet berry jam…or no, wait, with butter and cinnamon sugar. Yes, that’s my personal favorite (should I share my recipe for cinnamon toast???).
Another great thing about this recipe? It makes two loaves!! You can freeze the second loaf, or do as I do, and bake up my favorite spring brunch recipe, blackberry ricotta french toast. It’s always a crowd favorite.
You see? Endless options with this bread. Meaning, bake it soon, because it’s perfect for all your springtime brunching and snacking needs!
Ohhh, and I just thought of this too…PB&J sandwiches? Maybe toasted? Yes, I have to do this. See, endless options. Enjoy!
Serving ideas
- Sliced warm with butter + honey.
- Cinnamon-sugar toast (fan favorite).
- Thick-cut French toast or a brunch bread-pudding bake.
Make-ahead, storage & freezing
- Overnight option: After the first rise (or after shaping), cover and refrigerate overnight; this deepens flavor and makes laminating/shaping easier.
- Storage: Once cool, wrap tightly; best within 1–2 days at room temp.
- Freeze: Whole loaf or sliced; wrap well. Toast from frozen or thaw, then re-warm gently to refresh the crust.
Can I make this without a stand mixer?
Yes! Knead by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic. It will take longer; use the windowpane cue to know you’re there.
How do I know the butter is the right temperature for laminating?
Cold to the touch but pliable. If it cracks, let it sit 1-2 minutes; if it smears, chill briefly and dust exposed spots with flour.
Bread flour or all-purpose?
Bread flour gives more chew and structure; all-purpose makes a softer, more tender crumb. Both work, choose your preferred texture.
How do I freeze for French toast later?
Let the loaf cool completely, slice, and freeze slices in a single layer, then bag. Toast or griddle slices straight from frozen for best texture.
If you make this flaky honey brioche bread, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Flaky Honey Brioche Bread.
Servings: 10 makes 2 (9×5 inch) loaves
Calories Per Serving: 435 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup warm whole milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1/4 cup honey
- 5 eggs – 4 used in dough, plus 1 egg beaten for brushing
- 3 1/2 – 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold salted butter, sliced into thin pieces
Instructions
- 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, yeast, honey, 4 eggs, flour, and salt. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons room temp butter and mix until combined, about 2-3 minutes more.2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size. 3. Punch the dough down and roll out onto a lightly floured surface, creating a large rectangle that’s about 12×18 inches. Lay the thin slices of cold butter on one half of the dough, pressing gently to adhere. 4. Fold the other half of the dough over butter, covering it completely. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, roughly 12×18 inches. Fold 1/3 of the dough into the center, then fold the other 1/3 over the top of the first layer so you have three dough layers (like an envelope). Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer for 15-20 minutes until chilled. Alternately, you can chill the dough in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight. 5. Meanwhile, butter two (9×5 inch) bread pans. 6. Remove the dough from the freezer. Roll the (envelope shaped) dough into a rectangle (about 12×18 inches). Starting with the edge of dough closest to you, roll the dough into a log, keeping it tight as you go. When you reach the edge, pinch along the edges to seal.7. Cut the dough in half and place seam side down in prepared pans. Cover and let rise 45 minutes to 1 hour. 8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the bread pans on a rimmed baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg. Transfer to the oven and bake 30-35 minutes or until dark brown on top. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then flip out onto a cooling rack. Slice and serve warm or cold.
Notes
*Adapted from Martha Stewart.
This post was originally published on March 22, 2019
Hi! The bread sounds delicious, can I use spelt flour in the receipe?
thank you
Hi Vida! I have not tried it, so I am not comfortable recommending it! If you do try it, please let me know! xTieghan
If you are interested in making this based on the photos, you may want to try elsewhere. I and a group of friends all made this recipe in different states at different temps and using every trick in the books. None of us are novice bakers and all of our bread loaves came out looking rather unremarkable and nothing like the HBH photos. The dough is tacky and I wish HBH had used weights in her recipe. I put mine in the fridge over night and then rolled it out the next morning. My rolls looked nothing like her photos. Additionally, I know I had active yeast and my rise after an hour in the bread pans was minimal at best. They taste fine but the croissant-like texture photographed is not present. This recipe is a lot of work and in my mind, not really worth it. I would look to other websites like King Arthur for a stunner brioche.
Hi Rebekah! I am sorry that this did not turn out well for you or your friends.. Are there any questions I may be able to answer? I would love to help! Otherwise, I hope you lvoe other recipes of mine! xTieghan
I made this today and …WOW. Best bread I’ve ever eaten. Mine were not as pretty as yours but they tasted incredible. My daughter just got back from France where she ate brioche everyday and she said it was just as good! She asked that I add chocolate chips next time, so I will try that!
Thank you so much Rolanda! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Well, this receipt looks and sounds amazing but my dough was super sticky! I did warm milk but im not sure what could have gone wrong. I tried to roll as best as I could and it ripped as i attempted to fold it. I still went with it an stuck in fridge. hopefully when i roll it out tomorrow itll go better. We will see. Not going to waste dough or yeast right now as it took me 3 stores to find. LOL …. hoping for a miracle tomorrow morning with my floppy looking dough.
Hi Ruth,
So sorry about this! My recommendation would be to add a little more flour while you work with the dough. I hope it comes out for you!
Ok, I just made this bread and am BEYOND excited. It’s pretty simple and it makes you feel like such an accomplished baker! 🙂 This will definitely be replacing store bought bread! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Yes! Love to hear that! Thank you so much Ashley! xTieghan
Hi,
I made this recipe and I was wondering how you keep the butter from pooling into the bottom of the pan? It came out delicious but the bottom crust was soaked in butter.
Thanks!
Hey Caitlin!! Next time, try remove 4 tablespoons of butter from the recipe. That will help! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
I keep my eggs in the fridge, should they be room temp when adding to the dough?
HI! Yes, you can use room temp eggs. That always works best when baking. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
I’m a long-time reader and have been eyeing this recipe for a while so I just decided to make it on a whim this morning. The instructions were super easy to follow. I rolled out the dough a bit longer but just chopped off the ends from each loaf to make a mini loaf. All 3 came out layered, flaky, and beautiful. Not to mention, my apartment smells DIVINE.
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes! Can’t wait to cook through your entire book.
Yes! That is amazing to hear! Thank you so much for trying this Roni! xTieghan
I love your recipes – this one didn’t do it for me, lol!
The dough was very sticky – I added more flour also and more as I kneeded it
My dough didn’t rise in the bowl, nor in the loaf pans
I saw where the milk needed to be “steaming”? I assumed warm meant warm… mine was warm
My looks like giant crescent rolls – lol!
I will try again – hoping for better luck!
Hi Chrissy! I am so sorry about that! I hope this turns out better for you next time and please let me know if you have any questions! xTieghan
My dough did not rise nearly as much as pictured in your bread pans! It also didn’t rise well in my mixing bowl for the first proof. I followed the recipe exact. Could it have been a temperature thing? I live in the north and it is winter; I keep my house at around 70, give or take a couple degrees. Or could it have been my warm milk was not warm enough? Or maybe too warm? I heated it to about 115 degrees. My bread is still in the oven, so crossing fingers it still turns out good!
HI!! How did your bread turn out? It sounds like you did everything correctly, so my guess is that your bread baked up just right. Let me know!! If not, try allowing the bread to rise an additional hour. Sometimes bread just needs more time to rise. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
I made this bread and it was the best bread i,ve ever made.I,m making it again today,thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Thank you so much Jeannie! I am so glad you loved this bread! xTieghan
this is the best bread i have ever made,i,m making it again today,thank you for this wonderful recipe
Thank you so much Jeannie! xTieghan
hello,I made this wonderful bread today,it was not as flaky as yours because I forgot the 3rd fold but boy is it good,i,ll try to post a pic soon.the best bread i ever made,so crispy and delicious,thank you for the recipe!
Thank you so much Jeannie! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
The bread was delicious but I didn’t get the very flaky texture on the top of the bread and the crumb had a finer texture. Wondering if it’s the flour or my technique? I am a new fan, my daughter-in-law had your Super Simple cookbook and I rushed right out to buy it! Following you on Pinterest and looking forward to trying out your recipes!
Hey Monique! What flour did you use Was there anything you did differently at all? Any ingredients different? Method of baking? Any info will be helpful to help me problem solve and figure out what might be happening for you. It’s hard to know without knowing any details. Hope I can help you! AND thank you so much for the kind words. I hope you are enjoying the cookbook. xTieghan
This bread is amazing! I needed to bring some bread to a family gathering, and wan’t something more special then my normal go to bread, and this fit the bill perfectly! It came out wonderful and beautiful! Thank you!
Thank you Sarah! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan