Brioche Recipe UK: Soft, Buttery Bread Made Easy

Brioche is a rich, tender French bread made with butter and eggs, giving it a golden, slightly sweet crumb that works for everything from breakfast toast to burger buns. This UK-friendly recipe uses strong bread flour and simple ingredients you can find in any supermarket, and the dough is forgiving enough for a home oven. The result is a soft, pillowy loaf with a deep, buttery flavour that stays fresh for days.

Ingredients

500 g (4 cups) strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
10 g (2 tsp) instant yeast (or 12 g fresh yeast)
50 g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
10 g (2 tsp) fine salt
5 large eggs (about 250 g), at room temperature
100 ml (1/2 cup) lukewarm milk (full-fat or semi-skimmed)
250 g (1 cup plus 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, very soft but not melted
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp milk, for glaze

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the centre.
Add the eggs and lukewarm milk to the well. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms. It will be very sticky – that’s normal.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8–10 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium-low speed for 6–8 minutes. The dough should pull away from the bowl but still be soft.
Gradually add the soft butter in three additions, kneading well after each. The dough will look messy at first, but keep kneading until it comes back together and is glossy and stretchy. This can take 5–7 minutes by hand or 4–5 minutes in a mixer.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel or cling film and leave to rise in a warm place (about 24–26°C) for 1–1.5 hours, until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
For a classic loaf, shape the dough into a rectangle and roll it up tightly. Place seam-side down in a greased 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin. For brioche à tête, divide the dough into 8–10 balls and place them in a greased brioche mould or a deep round tin.
Cover loosely and let rise again for 45–60 minutes, until puffy and almost doubled. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Brush the risen dough gently with the egg yolk and milk glaze. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 90°C (194°F) if you have a thermometer. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Best eaten warm, but cool completely for slicing.

Tips

Butter temperature: The butter must be soft but not melted. If it’s too cold, the dough will tear; if too warm, the dough will become greasy. Take it out of the fridge 1 hour before starting.
Sticky dough: Brioche is a very wet dough. Don’t add extra flour unless absolutely necessary – resist the urge. A light dusting on the work surface is fine, but too much flour makes the bread dense.
Rising time: If your kitchen is cool, let the dough rise in the oven with the light on (but not the heat). Or place it in a bowl over a pan of warm water. The first rise can take up to 2 hours in a cold room.
No stand mixer? You can knead by hand, but it will take longer. Use a plastic scraper to help lift the sticky dough. The dough is ready when it passes the windowpane test – a small piece stretches thin without tearing.

Serving Suggestions

Brioche is incredibly versatile. Serve thick slices toasted with jam or lemon curd for breakfast, or use it for French toast – it soaks up custard beautifully. It also makes excellent burger buns or slider rolls; just shape into small rounds and bake for 15–20 minutes. For a savoury twist, serve with pâté or smoked salmon and crème fraîche.

Variations

Chocolate chip brioche: Fold 150 g (1 cup) dark chocolate chips into the dough after the butter is fully incorporated.
Orange or lemon zest: Add the finely grated zest of 1 orange or lemon to the flour mixture for a citrusy aroma.
Brioche buns: Shape the dough into 8 equal balls, place on a baking tray, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 18–20 minutes. Brush with glaze before baking for a shiny top.
Savory brioche: Reduce the sugar to 30 g (2 tbsp) and add 1 tbsp of dried herbs (thyme or rosemary) and 1 tsp of garlic powder for a herby loaf.

Storage and Reheating

Brioche keeps well at room temperature for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in cling film. To freeze, wrap the cooled loaf in a layer of cling film and then foil; it will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2–3 hours. To reheat, place slices in a toaster or under the grill for 1–2 minutes, or warm the whole loaf in a 150°C (300°F) oven for 5–8 minutes. Do not refrigerate brioche – it goes stale faster in the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my brioche dough so sticky? Brioche is a high-hydration dough, so stickiness is normal. The key is to knead long enough – the gluten will develop and the dough will become smoother, but it will still be tacky. Avoid adding too much extra flour, as that will make the bread heavy.

Can I use plain flour instead of bread flour? You can, but the loaf will be less tall and slightly denser. Bread flour has more protein, which gives brioche its characteristic light, airy texture. If you only have plain flour, add 1 tbsp of vital wheat gluten if you have it.

Why didn’t my dough rise? The most common reason is that the yeast was dead or the liquid was too hot. Check the expiry date on your yeast, and make sure the milk is lukewarm – not hot – to the touch. Also, a cold room can slow rising; move the dough to a warmer spot.

Can I make brioche without a stand mixer? Absolutely. It will take more elbow grease, but you can knead by hand for 10–15 minutes. Use a dough scraper to help handle the sticky dough. The result will be just as good.

How do I know when brioche is baked? The loaf should be deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. For accuracy, use an instant-read thermometer – the centre should read 90°C (194°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, insert a skewer; it should come out clean.

Can I use salted butter? Yes, but reduce the added salt to 5 g (1 tsp) to avoid an overly salty loaf. If you use salted butter, skip the extra salt entirely.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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