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This super soft and fluffy buttery vegan brioche tastes just like the classic French brioche loaf, only entirely eggless and dairy free! With step by step instructions and every tip you’ll need to make bread, you’ll have the most soft and pillowy brioche bread ever! Perfect for vegan French toast, bread pudding, or even as a slice of toast for a delicious vegan breakfast treat!

sliced vegan brioche bread

Is traditional brioche vegan?

Many times, bread is naturally vegan, as it just uses water as the liquid (the core formula for bread is often: yeast, flour, salt, water). However, brioche is usually not vegan, as it is made with an enriched dough.

The delicious French bread actually dates way back to the Middle Ages. To make brioche traditionally, one would use eggs, milk, and butter. 

But can you make a brioche vegan? Yes, you absolutely can! This vegan brioche achieves the texture and taste of the classic recipe without using eggs or any dairy products.

pulled slice of brioche bread

You’ll also notice that the dough, when baked, is actually quite similar to cake texture. This comes into play with kneading the dough, as well as the ingredients used (fat creates a more pillowy, melt-in-the-mouth texture). The crumb of enriched dough is light and soft, and the air pockets should be quite tight together (thanks to the kneading), so this bread will NOT sound hollow once baked.

sliced vegan brioche bread

How the heck do we make brioche eggless and dairy free?

Simple! While classic French brioche bread uses eggs, butter and dairy milk to create that super soft and pillowy texture, we can do the same with entirely vegan ingredients.

  • In place of eggs, we’re using unsweetened applesauce or dairy free yogurt. Both are great egg replacements in many recipes, including cakes and cupcakes. Much like eggs, applesauce and yogurt have a binding property that, once baked, keeps the ingredients together.
  • In place of butter, we’re using vegan butter! There are so many wonderful vegan butter brands on the market these days. The 21st century is certainly in its prime with this. I use Flora Plant Butter for my friends and family with nut allergies, as Flora Plant Butter helps to keep this vegan brioche nut free and soy free. If I’m making this loaf for Jared and I, then I typically just use Miyoko’s vegan butter, unsalted.
  • In place of dairy milk, we’re using dairy free milk! I personally love this bread with either oat milk or coconut milk.
sliced vegan brioche loaf

You can use granulated sugar or coconut sugar here. To keep this vegan bread refined sugar free, I like to use coconut sugar. The only thing to note here is that while yeast love sugar, too much sugar will inhibit the rise process. Not to worry though- the amounts we’ve listed in the recipe below are perfect!

Ingredients:

  • Flour: You can use bread flour or all-purpose flour.
  • Unsweetened applesauce: You can also use dairy free yogurt, which is what I used in this version!
  • Active Dry Yeast: This is different than instant yeast, so make sure you’re reading the label!
  • Vegan butter: I used Miyoko’s vegan butter here, and unsalted. Be sure that your vegan butter is unsalted.  Alternatively, you can use coconut oil.
  • Dairy free milk: I recommend Forager Project Soymilk or Cashewmilk for the creamiest flavor.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Sugar: You can also use coconut sugar if you’d like refined sugar free.
brioche bread ingredients

How to make vegan brioche (overview)

For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.

Now that you’ve gathered a bit more of an understanding of how to make bread, the difference between a brioche bread from an artisan loaf, and the ingredients we need in order to turn this brioche vegan, LET’S MAKE THIS LOAF!

Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, it’s time to start. I’ve explained each section in depth below, but don’t let the words overwhelm you. This is, again, to ensure that everyone can make this vegan brioche bread, whether this is their first yeasted bread or their 100th.

Here’s an overview of the process:

  1. Bloom the yeast:

    We’ll make the dough by first activating the yeast. This means heating the dairy free milk to precisely 110F. Too hot, and the yeast will be finished and you can’t use the mixture. Too cold, and it just won’t activate. Use a kitchen thermometer for accuracy. You’ll then mix it with a bit of flour and sugar to get the yeast hungry. Cover and store in a hot area to activate (this is considered feeding the yeast, and takes about 10 minutes).

  2. Whisk together the dry ingredients.

    Add the bread flour and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use a large bowl and make this dough by hand, but it will be a bit longer. Use the paddle attachment, and just mix the flour and sugar together lightly on medium speed.how to make vegan brioche

  3. Make a shaggy dough.

    Add in the dairy free yogurt, vanilla, and bloomed yeast mixture. Then mix the dough on medium speed with a paddle attachment until it forms a shaggy dough, about 3-5 minutes.how to make vegan brioche

  4. Add in the vegan butter.

    Slice the vegan butter into pats, then add the butter to the dough. Turn the mixer on to medium and allow the mixer to knead the dough until the butter is completely mixed in. Once mixed into the dough, turn the stand mixer onto high speed, and allow the dough to be kneaded for 10-15 minutes. The dough will look super smooth, and be slightly tacky. You’ll know when the brioche dough is ready when you can do the “windowpane” test. how to make vegan brioche

  5. First proof:

    Place your kneaded dough into a clean greased bowl and cover. Set in a warm area that’s at least 85F or warmer. Once kneaded, you’ll place the dough ball into a clean oiled bowl and cover to be set in a warm area (ideally 80F) to rise. When the bread is resting, this allows the yeast to create even more CO2, causing the bread to rise and expand. This should take about an hour to two hours if your house or kitchen area is on the cooler side. After the dough has had its first proof, you’ll lightly punch down the dough and form it into a large ball on a clean floured surface again. Use a bench scraper or large kitchen knife to slice the dough into 6 even dough balls. Shape the dough to be more oval than circular.first proof for the vegan brioche

  6. This is what the brioche looks like doubled in size:

    It should be very noticeable! This should take about an hour to two hours if your house or kitchen area is on the cooler side. brioche bread after being risen

  7. Punch down the dough

    After the dough has had its first proof, you’ll lightly punch down the dough and form it into a large ball on a clean floured surface again. Use a bench scraper or large kitchen knife to slice the dough into 6 even dough balls. Shape the dough to be more oval than circular.punched down dough

  8. Shaping the brioche.

    I’ve made braided brioche as well as circular brioche- either works! Here’s a great article on how to shape your brioche the way that you’d like. I have a step-by-step for how to braid the dough below.braided brioche bread

  9. Second proof:

    Place the dough into your prepared baking pan. Cover the vegan brioche loaf dough once again, this time placing it near your preheating oven to rest and rise again. The dough should rise nearly double while the oven preheats. I give the dough about 40 minutes for the second proof, which also fully allows my oven to come to 390F (it’s not exactly at 390F once it “dings” but a few minutes after). preparing the brioche bread for baking

  10. Bake the brioche:

    Brush the vegan “egg” wash (next section for more deets!) on top of the dough and bake until lightly golden brown!baked brioche bread

Steps for how to braid brioche bread:

how to braid brioche bread
how to braid brioche bread
how to braid brioche bread
how to braid brioche

Vegan Bread “Egg Wash”

This is one of my favorite vegan baking tricks. Ever want glossy vegan bread? Well this is your trick! Typically, a loaf like this would use an egg wash over the dough before it bakes. This gives the bread that glossy look.

Well, we’re keeping it all vegan here by using a mixture of maple syrup and dairy free milk. The maple syrup, when baking, caramelizes and forms a glossy sheen, giving your bread the appearance of a glossy wash!

If you don’t have maple syrup: You can actually heat a tablespoon of dairy free milk with a tablespoon of vegan butter until REALLY hot. Then add in a tablespoon of sugar, and stir vigorously until the sugar melts into the liquid. Then use as your vegan “egg wash!”

slice of vegan brioche bread on marble

What to use vegan brioche for

Now that your vegan brioche is baked, it’s time to try a slice!! Trust me, this brioche tastes AMAZING as is. But here are some other ideas for how you can enjoy this vegan bread:

sliced vegan brioche bread

I hope you love making this vegan brioche bread as much as I do! If you try it, let me know how it goes by leaving a comment down below, as well as a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others may find it.

As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!

Happy vegan bread baking!

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

Unbelievably Buttery & Soft Vegan Brioche Bread Recipe (Easy!) Pinterest pin

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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sliced vegan brioche bread on a wooden board

Buttery Soft Easy Vegan Brioche Bread Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews
  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes plus resting time
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 13 minute
  • Yield: 16 1x
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: French
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This super soft and fluffy buttery vegan brioche tastes just like the classic French brioche loaf, only entirely eggless and dairy free! With step by step instructions and every tip you’ll need to make bread, you’ll have the most soft and pillowy brioche bread ever!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup (120 mL) dairy free milk, heated to 110F
  • 1/3 cup (80 g) granulated sugar or coconut sugar, divided
  • 3 1/4 cups (400 g) bread flour or all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp (5 g) dry activated yeast
  • 7 tbsp (111 g) unsalted salted vegan butter, room temperature
  • 1/8 cup (38 grams) unsweetened applesauce or dairy free yogurt, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • vegan “egg” wash*

Instructions

  1. Please read through all instructions before beginning.
  2. Prep: Grease a medium bowl with olive or coconut oil, and set aside. Generously grease a 9″ loaf pan with olive or coconut oil as well, and set aside.
  3. Bloom the yeast: In a separate large bowl, combine the dairy free milk, 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 tsp bread flour, and activated yeast. Mix with a wooden spoon, and cover. Place in a warm area to activate for about 10 minutes. The yeast should begin to foam and smell yeast-like (similar to beer). 
  4. Make the dough: Once the yeast is activated,  you’ll start the dough. In a large bowl or using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, add the bread flour and remaining sugar to the bowl. Mix just until the sugar is mixed throughout the flour. Then add in the dairy free yogurt, vanilla, and bloomed yeast mixture. Mix on medium speed until a very shaggy dough forms, about 3-4 minutes. Then add in the tablespoons of vegan butter, and begin to mix again on medium speed. Stop every so often to reincorporate the butter. Once the vegan butter is incorporated, turn the speed of the stand mixer onto high, and allow the dough to be kneaded in the bowl for about 10-15 minutes, or until soft and pliable. The dough might still be slightly tacky, but should not leave globs of dough on your finger tip.
  5. Knead the dough: Once it starts to form a ball, lightly flour a clean surface and shape the dough into a ball.
  6. First proof: Place the dough ball into the medium sized greased bowl. Cover with a clean dish towel and place in a warm area (ideally above 80F) to rest for about 60-120 minutes, or until doubled in size. 
  7. Shape the dough: Once doubled in size, lightly punch down the dough ball in the bowl to release the air. Lightly flour a clean surface again and divide the dough into 6 even balls. Gently shape each ball to be more oval. Place the bread ovals into the prepared baking pan, lining them up. Alternatively, you may braid the dough by dividing it into 3 even sections. Roll out each section to be about 11-12 inches. Pinch the tops of the three strands together. Then braid the dough as you would hair. Pinch the bottoms of the strands together. Then carefully place the dough into the loaf pan.
  8. Second proof: Cover the loaf pan with a clean kitchen towel and place by or on top of the oven while it preheats to 390F, allowing the dough to rest for 40-50 minutes in the pan. The dough should nearly double in size once more.
  9. Bake the brioche: Once rested, brush the loaf with the vegan “egg” wash. Place the loaf pan into the oven to bake for 20 minutes, uncovered, then 20 minutes covered. Remove from the oven and allow the loaf to cool for 30 minutes in the pan before carefully removing the loaf to serve.
  10. Slice and enjoy: Tear, share and enjoy!

Notes

Vegan “Egg” Wash: Combine 1 tbsp maple syrup with 1 tbsp dairy free milk. Mix together thoroughly. Brush on top of dough.