Sweet Brioche Recipe calls for golden butter, creamy milk, and fresh eggs, resulting in the classic pillowy texture. A touch of yeast yields a delicate rise while helping balance the sweetness from the sugar. These French breads are light with a structured crumb. Perfectly portioned in mini loaf form, they are ideal for breakfast, brunch, or afternoon tea. These buns made with a stand mixer come together in less than an hour and can be enjoyed with jam, lightly toasted with butter, or simply on their own!
Over the years, I have tried my hand at various Sweet brioche recipes from magazines, books, and word-of-mouth recipes from friends and family. That said, it was in Singapore that I found the best Sweet Brioche recipe. My children’s French teacher at the international school there introduced them —and, by extension, me —to French culture and cuisine. It was during one of their immersion luncheons that their teacher shared a few recipes passed down from her grandmother. As part of their “homework,” their teacher wanted them to choose and prepare a dish with their family to share with the class. My son had brought home the little booklet, and we decided to bake the Sweet Brioche buns. While it was time-consuming and somewhat messy, we had a lot of fun making it. This recipe has been adapted from the booklet, with the addition of using a stand mixer to make the buns.
Origin of brioche:
Few memorable phrases in history are more misquoted than Marie-Antoinette’s, “Let them eat cake!” Attributed to the late French queen almost half a century following her end, what she reputedly said was, “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche!”, that is, “Let them eat brioche”. Obviously, some lost-in-translation going on there.
Nonetheless, this luxurious, sweet, and soft bread is just that – bread. And like most bread, it has a history dating back to around 1400 AD in Normandy, when it was simply compact, sourdough-based rounds or loaves. It was during the reign of Louis XIV that his bakers began crafting this simple dish into something more indulgent by increasing the butter-to-flour ratio. The brioche that we mostly consume today is the “Brioche Parisienne”, which is lighter and airier because of the introduction of yeast sometime in the 18th century.
French variations of the Sweet Brioche Recipe:
It may surprise you to know that, contrary to popular belief (outside France), there are several versions of brioche. Here are the more famous ones from different parts of France.
- Brioche tressée de Metz: a traditional braided version commonly consumed in the Lorraine region
- Brioche Vendéenne: French braided brioche that must be consumed fresh. It is popular at Easter and at weddings.
- Brioche Saint Genix: A leavened brioche enriched with sugar-coated nuts from Lyon
- Brioche de Nanterre: Yeast-risen dough, enriched with butter and eggs, divided into eight portions and served with butter and jam.
- Fallue: Traditional brioche from Normandy, served with a creamy rice pudding (teurgoule)
- Gâche Vendéenne: An oval-shaped, golden-crusted brioche associated with Vendée
- Pogne: Commonly associated with the Rhône-Alpes region, this brioche is prepared with a leavened, brioche-like dough flavored with orange blossom water. The recipe is believed to date back to the Middle Ages and was served at Easter.
Besides France, the Sweet Brioche recipe is also popular in bordering countries. The Belgians have a version called Cougnou, which is a yeasted dough shaped like a swaddled baby and enriched with raisins, chocolate chips, or pearl sugar. Equally, the Italians have the Sicilian Brioche Col Tuppo. This brioche can be enriched with orange or lemon rind, saffron, or apples and is accompanied by a sorbet or gelato.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is the difference between brioche and challah?
Both brioche and challah are rich, eggy breads. The key difference is that the brioche is French and uses butter, while challah is Jewish and uses oil. Brioche is hence softer and lighter than challah.
2. What are some variations of this Sweet Brioche Recipe?
Here are some variations:
- Encase a sweet brioche bun with either a cherry, cranberry, or blueberry.
- Brioche bread or buns can be made with other spices, such as coriander seeds or peppercorns, and herbs to give them a savory flavor. (I reduced the amount of sugar I used by a third).
- Knead brioche buns with poppy seeds, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, or ground chili.
3. How is the brioche different from regular bread?
The Sweet Brioche recipe, made with butter, eggs, and milk, is richer and sweeter than regular bread. White bread, on the other hand, is made with flour, yeast, and water.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
If you’ve tried this recipe or have questions, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to share (below) your thoughts, comments, or any questions that you might have. If you enjoy my recipes, consider subscribing to my mailing list for the latest updates, delivered right to your inbox. From my pen to your table, Bon Appétit!
Ingredients:
- Flour: bread flour (or use all-purpose flour)
- Unsalted butter
- Egg
- Yeast
- Milk
- Cane sugar
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make this dish. For the measurements, please refer to the recipe card below.
How to make Sweet Brioche with my recipe:
- Mix the yeast, sugar, warm water, milk, butter, and egg with a fork in a bowl.
2. Sift the bread flour with salt in a stand mixer. Pour the yeast-butter mixture into the bread flour. Using the dough attachment, knead the flour with the yeast-butter mix for 5 minutes or until the dough is slightly elastic. Grease the sides of the bowl, dust it with a bit of flour, cover with a damp towel, and prove it (in a warm oven) for 20 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
3. Knead the dough with your hands for 2-3 minutes. Divide the dough into six portions and shape each into a small ball. Place two balls in each mini loaf depression. Brush the buns with egg wash, and bake.
4. Serve the Sweet Brioche buns with butter and jam on the side.
1.Use lukewarm (tepid) milk and water. Yeast dies at above 130 degrees F and is happiest around 98 degrees F.
2. Keep the ambient temperature of the room at or around 70 degrees F. Alternatively, turn on the oven for a couple of minutes at the lowest temperature setting, then turn off the heat. Next, place the covered bowl in the oven. Please note that if the oven temperature is too high, the dough will rise dramatically and then deflate quickly after baking.
3. Sweet Brioche dough is supposed to be sticky and can be hard to handle. I usually dust my hands with a bit of flour when handling the dough. Adding too much extra flour to the dough will make the bread harder.
4. Try not to pack the cup densely with flour. Scoop the flour from the jar, gently shake the cup to remove the excess, and use a knife to smooth the top of the measuring cup.
5. To get shiny, golden brioche buns, brush the tops with egg wash before baking and with melted butter after baking them.
Serving suggestions:
Sweet Brioche can be lightly toasted and served with butter and jam or even enjoyed on its own.
Storage:
Sweet Brioche made with this recipe can be stored in an airtight box at room temperature for a week and refrigerated thereafter.
Other bread recipes that you might like:
Sweet Brioche Recipe
Equipment
- Oven
- mini loaf tray 4"x 2.5" per mini loaf
Ingredients
- 4 oz bread flour
- ¼ oz active dry yeast
- 2-3 tbsp tepid water
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1½-2 tbsp whole milk
- 2 oz unsalted butter
- 1 egg with 1 tbsp of milk for brushing
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients.
- Make the yeast-butter mixture by mixing the yeast, sugar, warm water, milk, butter, and egg with a fork in a bowl.
- Sift the bread flour with salt in a stand mixer. Add the yeast-butter mixture to the flour. Using the dough attachment, knead the flour with the yeast-butter mixture for 5 minutes or until the dough is slightly elastic. Grease the sides of the bowl, dust it with a bit of flour and cover it with a damp towel. Prove it for 20 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.Knock down the dough and knead it with your hands for 2-3minutes. Divide the dough into six portions and shape each into a small ball. Place two balls in each mini loaf depression. Brush them with egg wash and bake them for 15-16 minutes or until golden.
- Serve the Sweet Brioche buns with butter and jam on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
this is such a delicious weekend recipe! my parents loved it when I made it for them. thank you Kanchan!
I love this brioche!
Thanks!