Sweet and Salty Mini Chocolate Chip Challah Buns
Croissants and sticky buns, you may have met your match! These salted mini chocolate chip challah buns are my new favorite dessert-for-breakfast carb.
These little challah buns started out as something completely different in my mind. But after a huge baking failure I decided to take it down a notch, keep things simple. So what was going to be cute and Easter-y is now this— strands of sweet challah dough studded with mini chocolate chips braided together, and topped with both sugar and salt.
Sometimes I am very, very grateful for baking failures.
I took my challah bread recipe, cut it in half and added mini chocolate chips. And what was one loaf is now 8 single-serving buns perfect on their own and even better with a cup of coffee.
The mini chocolate chips are important, as full-sized chocolate chips would be too large for the small braided strands. And because they are so small, some of them melt into the warm dough while it’s kneaded, creating a fun light and dark marbled look.
I don’t know what I love about these more— the soft honey-sweetened bread, the little bursts of chocolate in every bite, the sweet and salty topping, or how cute they are.
Can I pick All of the Above?
I ate two straight off the baking sheet, that should tell you something.
baking tip:How to create a 4-strand braided bun
1. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces, 1 for each bun.
2. Divide each bun into 4 equal pieces.
3. Roll each piece into a 6-inch long rope.
4. Lay 2 of the ropes out in front of you and place the other 2 on top, perpendicular to the first two. Alternate over and under (similar to a pie lattice).
5. Take the 4 ropes that are “under” and pull them over the “over” ropes to their left.
6. Tuck all rope ends under, creating a round braided bun.
Salted Mini Chocolate Chip Challah Buns
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (56 grams)
- ⅓ cup honey (113 grams)
- ½ cup water (118 ml)
- 2 ½-3 cups bread flour (300-360 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active-dry yeast (1 package, 7 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips (85 grams)
- 1 large egg + 1 teaspoon water , for egg wash
- Coarse sugar , for sprinkling
- Coarse salt , for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the butter, honey and water until butter is melted. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, or until 120-130°F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 1 ½ cups of the flour with the salt and yeast. Add the butter mixture, mixing until combined, followed by the eggs.
- With the mixer on medium speed, add the remaining flour ¼ cup at a time until dough is sticky, but does not come off on your hands when touched. You may not need all 3 cups of the flour.
- Add the mini chocolate chips. Continue kneading dough on medium speed until smooth and elastic about 5-7 minutes. Put dough in a greased bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Punch down dough gently to release gases. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces, cover with the greased plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out the dough.
- Working with each piece at a time, divide them again into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 6-inch long rope. Lay 2 of the ropes out in front of you and place the other 2 on top, perpendicular to the first two. Alternate over and under (similar to a pie lattice). Take the 4 ropes that are "under" and pull them over the "over" ropes to their left. Tuck all rope ends under, creating a round braided bun.
- Place the braided buns on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush with egg wash and cover with greased plastic wrap. Let rise until almost doubled again, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F.
- Brush with egg wash again and sprinkle generously with the coarse sugar and salt. Bake until golden, about 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.
- Buns are best the day they are baked, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Oh my…I have no words to describe how much I like this recipe and pictures! You came up with the most amazing and delicious-looking idea ever! Thanks so much for this inspiration 🙂
xo, Elisa
Gah!! These look so yummy!! I love challah on its own so much…but with chocolate?! YES!
Your braiding is the best! Thank your for such a great tutorial for great breakfast staple
Love the mini chocolate chips addition! These look so good!
Thanks for the braiding tutorial–SO CUTE! I don’t know if I have the patience, but one of these days I’ll have to give it a try!
These are GORGEOUS!!! I love the braiding. I really could never do something like that; I’m pretty sure it’d be a hot mess! Lol
Oh Julie, you could totally do it! I had to watch a few YouTube videos before starting and after the first few I was a pro. No biggie! 🙂
I just baked these today. They came out awesome!!! I made just one batch and they flew within 5 minutes!!!
I’m not a fan of chocolate chips so, I switched them for dried cranberries and cherries. Yuum! I must bake a double batch next time!
Thank you so much for sharing!
So glad to hear you enjoyed them! And I’m not surprised at all to hear that they disappeared so quickly, they tend to do that!
Was so excited to make these and then the batter melted my mini chocolate chips, even though I waited until the temperature was at 120 degrees. Couldn’t even finish the recipe. Wish it worked.
I am in the middle of making. Next time I will leave the chips out until the rising stage or last minute of kneading.
Would doubling this recipe work out alright? Any alterations other than doubling each ingredient?
I think it should work fine!