Everything Bagel Braided Loaf

This is the perfect weeknight bread. Just start it early enough in the afternoon to let it get a good double rise, then throw it together just before dinner. It’s so beautiful it’s deceptive how simple it is. Your family will be totally impressed!

Not your ordinary braided loaf

Yall, I am a sucker for pretty food. I mean, there are some things we eat that just cant be made pretty. Lookin at you, cinnamon oatmeal. But other foods are just effortlessly beautiful. And I get downright giddy about it. And my kids have been around me long enough that I’ve rubbed off on them and now they get excited when food looks inviting. I actually made this everything bagel braided loaf last night and they all thanked me multiple times before the meal even started.

I love that I’m giving them so much more than bread. I’m giving them a home where mom regularly makes fresh bread just for them- an environment where they get to feel like the honored guests at the table. It’s for the same reason that I’ll randomly bust out the fine china on a Tuesday afternoon and yell “Tea Party!”. I’m catechizing them to know that children are the wealth of our home.

Now, just because this bread is simple enough for a weeknight dinner does not mean I won’t proudly share it with friends and neighbors. Oh, I definitely do. It pairs well with any meal- like this Chicken and Wild Rice Soup– and the everything topping just takes it over the top in terms of flavor. Sharing this bread is a sure way to make people feel cared for!

Everything Bagel Braided Loaf

Callie Morgan
This is the perfect weeknight bread. Just start it early enough in the afternoon to let it get a good double rise, then throw it together just before dinner. It's so beautiful it's deceptive how simple it is. Your family will be totally impressed!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 28 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

  • 1 Stand Mixer with dough hook

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup warm water (95° to 110°F)
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large eggs

Topping

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 tsp water
  • Everything bagel seasoning

Instructions
 

  • First, you'll need to activate your yeast. Do this by adding the yeast, warm water and sugar into the bowl of your mixer. Leave it to sit for five minutes, or until it becomes foamy.
  • Next, add the flour, salt, oil, and eggs to the activated yeast. Using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough for five minutes. The dough should take shape and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
  • Turn out the dough into a large greased bowl and cover it with a clean dry towel. Let it rise for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
  • Before you start working the dough, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • After your dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal sections using a dough scraper or knife.
  • Take each section of dough and begin rolling them out into long ropes, maybe 12 inches long. I find it is best to start in the center of the dough, rolling my hands down and away from the center.
  • Finally, once you have three ropes roughly the same size, lay them next to each other on your work surface, lengthwise in front of you. Pinch together the top ends of the dough and then begin braiding the loaf.
  • Once the loaf is braided, pinch the bottom ends of the dough together and carefully tuck both the top and bottom ends underneath the loaf. Transfer to your parchment lined baking sheet and let rise for 45 minutes.
  • Once your dough is soft and risen, mix together the egg, cream and water. Using a brush, gently brush on the egg mixture to every visible surface of the dough, then sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.
  • Bake in the oven on a middle rack for 28 minutes.

Notes

I ALWAYS double this recipe for my family of 8 so that everyone can have a slice with breakfast the next day. 
This bread can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days, though I doubt it will last that long.
For a fun alternative, substitute the everything bagel seasoning for a mixture of 1 tablespoon cinnamon to 1/4 cup sugar. Your children will sing your praises at the gates.
This dough is a little bit dryer than other doughs I usually work with. If it seems too dry when mixing it, you can add 1 tbsp of water at a time until it comes together nicely into a uniform ball. It’s OKAY that it isn’t sticky or wet like other doughs though, it will come out perfectly in the end.
If you don’t have an electric mixer, you CAN still make this dough by kneading by hand. It actually doesn’t require much kneading. So just mix the ingredients in a bowl until they come together and then turn out onto a clean surface and knead the dough for maybe ten minutes, or until it is smooth and somewhat elastic.
Keyword bread

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