Rich, buttery brioche bread with a fraction of the effort? Count me in! This Bread Machine Brioche is so easy to make and delivers an amazing loaf of bread every time. Make this easy recipe once, and you will be hooked!
Do you love brioche bread? Our family sure does!
What’s not to love about butter, egg, and sugar-enriched bread?
Making it from scratch is a fun (but time-consuming) process.
The good news is that it is really easy to make using a bread machine.
This simple brioche bread machine recipe produces a fantastic loaf every time. You get all the texture and taste with a fraction of the effort.
Try it once, and you will be hooked!
Ingredients
- Water: Use room temperature water, preferably filtered water.
- Eggs: Make sure you use large eggs and allow them to come to room temperature before using..
- Butter: Use unsalted butter and be sure to melt it and slightly cool it before adding it to the bread machine.
- Bread flour: Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour. This adds strength to the dough and helps to create a high loaf.
- Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to the bread.
- Instant yeast: This type of yeast does not require proofing in warm water before use. You will often see it labeled bread machine yeast.
- Salt: Balances out the sweetness from the sugar and enhances the flavor of the bread.
Tips & Tricks
- Use the best quality butter that you can. Typically American butter has a fat content of about 80%, while European-style butter has lower moisture content and increased fat content of 82%. I prefer to use European-style butter when making this bread maker brioche recipe.
- Don’t skip the egg wash - this is what creates the signature crust on brioche bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a brioche different from most bread?
One key difference is the use of eggs and butter in the dough, which gives brioche a richer and softer texture.
Additionally, brioche can be shaped into elaborate forms and sometimes even includes added ingredients like chocolate or fruit. It is also traditionally sweetened, making it a popular choice for desserts or breakfast pastries.
However, it can also be used in savory dishes, such as in sandwiches or served alongside the main course.
Is brioche better with bread flour or all-purpose flour?
For this bread machine brioche dough, bread flour works best. If you use all-purpose flour, the dough will be too moist and not come together as well.
Tools Needed to Make
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Storage
Brioche is best eaten fresh. Leftovers can be kept for about three days.
You can store the bread in the freezer for up to three months. I like to store it in slices, but you could store the whole loaf too.
For a great way to use slightly stale brioche, try using it in stuffing, bread pudding, or to make French toast.
How to Make Bread Maker Brioche
The first step is to add the water, eggs, butter, bread flour, sugar, yeast, and salt to the bread pan of your bread machine.
Make sure that all of the ingredients are added to the bread machine pan in the correct order, as each one serves a specific purpose in the baking process.
Next, select the dough cycle and hit start.
The dough will then begin to form and will need to be processed according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Remember - every bread machine is a little different, so make sure you read your user's manual.
Making the dough generally takes about two hours.
Once the dough is finished in the bread machine, it should be transferred to a bowl and covered tightly with plastic wrap. Don’t worry if it looks really soft and not at all like bread dough now. That is completely normal.
It needs to be refrigerated overnight or for up to two days. Don’t skip the time in the refrigerator - this is an important part of the process.
When you're ready to bake the bread, remove it from the fridge and turn it out onto a well-floured surface.
Divide it into two equal pieces - each of these will be half of your brioche loaf.
Press each half into a 4-inch round shape and fold the edges into the center until a ball forms.
Turn the dough over so that the seam side is down, and continue to shape it into a ball.
Then, spray an 8 ½” x 4 ½-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and place the rounds inside, seam side down.
Press the dough into the corners of the pan so that it forms an even shape.
Let it rise for another two hours in a warm space. I recommend using the proofing cycle in your oven if you have one.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Beat one egg with a tablespoon of water and add a pinch of salt.
Brush this mixture on top of the bread and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature is 190° F.
Let it cool in the loaf pan, and then turn out the bread onto a wire rack to cool completely.
More Bread Recipes to Try
- Want to enjoy fresh bread without heating up the oven? This Ninja Foodi Cornbread is just what you need!
- You won’t believe how delicious (and easy) this Rosemary Focaccia Bread is! It works well as an appetizer, side dish, or even to make a sandwich.
- Gluten-free bread doesn’t get any better than this Quinoa Bread.
- Once you make homemade Bread Machine Hamburger Buns, you will wonder why you ever bought buns at the grocery store!
- Looking for a fall quick bread that will get you into the spirit of the season? Cozy up to this Bread Machine Pumpkin Bread.
Bread Machine Brioche
Equipment
- Bread Machine
Ingredients
- ¼ cup water
- 3 large eggs at room temperature, beaten
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter slightly cooled
- 1 ⅔ cups bread flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- For topping
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
- Place the water, eggs, butter, bread flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in your bread machine.
- Select the dough cycle and hit start. Process the dough according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Transfer the dough to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or up to two days.
- Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Divide into two.
- Press each half into a 4-inch round, and fold the edges into the center until a ball forms.
- Turn, seam side down, and continue to form into a ball.
- Spray an 8 ½” x 4 ½-inch loaf pan well.
- Place the rounds, seam side down, in the loaf plan, pressing the dough into the corners.
- Let rise for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Beat the remaining egg with a tablespoon of water and add a pinch of salt. Brush on top of the bread.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the internal temperature is 190 degrees. Let cool in the loaf pan for 15 minutes, and then allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Eveline
Hi Wendy .. love your recipes.
For this one, what kind of flour? Gluten-free?
Thanks
Wendy Polisi
Thanks so much!
I use regular bread flour for this one. I haven't tried it with gluten-free flour, so I can't say that it would work.
Joan
Wendy, Is it absolutely necessary to refrigerate the dough? I would like to bake it today. The only thing I can think of is the butter needs to be set up with refrigeration???? Any help for me? Thank you. Joan
Wendy Polisi
I do think it needs refrigeration when making brioche, but you could try baking it today. I have never tried making brioche bread - in a bread maker or by hand - without refrigerating the dough. It is a pretty wet dough and the texture changes a bit overnight.
Sue
Fabulous, easy recipe that produces a delicious, buttery loaf of brioche! The crust and crumb are just perfect. This one is a keeper--thank you so much for sharing it!