Soft Vegan Brioche Bread is a light, oil-based version of the classic French brioche. A baked good with less fat, but just as soft and delicious, it's ideal for dunking in a cup of hot milk in the morning or as a snack with a drizzle of fruit jam.
This recipe, accessible to everyone and made with just a few simple ingredients, can be made either by hand or with a stand mixer with equally satisfying results: simply mix together flour, sugar, seed oil, water, and dehydrated brewer's yeast, season with grated lemon zest, and let the resulting smooth mixture rest for at least a couple of hours. Then, all you have to do is form the dough into balls of the same weight, place them in a loaf pan, and let them rise for a while until they stick together.
Baking will do the rest, creating a leavened product with a slightly sweet flavor, perfect for pairing with cured meats and cheeses for Sunday brunch.
Made with a dough without eggs, milk, butter or animal products, the pain brioche is also suitable for those following a vegan or dairy-free diet.
Vegan Brioche Variations
If you like, you can flavor the dough with a pinch of cinnamon, vanilla extract, or a little grated orange zest, or you can enrich it with chopped dried fruit, dark chocolate chips, or dried raisins soaked in a drop of rum.
If the preparation is intended for a savory buffet, you can sprinkle the surface with oily seeds or incorporate cubes of vegan cured meats into the other ingredients, further reducing the amount of sugar.
Can I Make This Vegan Brioche Ahead of Time?
You have a couple of options. You can prepare the dough and let it do its first rise in the refrigerator overnight, which actually helps develop more flavor. The next day, shape it, let it proof, and bake as usual.
Can I Freeze This Vegan Brioche?
Of course! If freezing, wrap it tightly and thaw at room temperature, then warm it slightly in the oven to bring back its softness. Because vegan brioche is enriched with fats like plant-based butter, it holds up quite well — just make sure it’s stored properly to prevent it from drying out.
Can I Use Vegan Butter Instead of Oil?
Of course you can! Brioche is traditionally a rich, buttery bread, so using vegan butter helps recreate that classic soft, tender crumb and slightly rich flavor. Oil can work, but it tends to produce a loaf that’s more neutral and slightly less fluffy, without the same melt-in-your-mouth texture. When substituting, use vegan butter in the same quantity as the oil, and make sure it’s softened (not melted) so it incorporates properly into the dough. The result will be closer to traditional brioche—light, airy, and just a bit indulgent.
Can I Make Buns With This Recipe?
You can! After the first rise, instead of shaping the dough into a loaf, simply divide it into equal portions (usually 8–12, depending on size), then shape each piece into a smooth ball by tucking the edges underneath. Place them on a lined baking sheet, leaving space between each bun, and let them proof until puffy. Bake at the same temperature as the loaf, but for a shorter time — usually 15–20 minutes, depending on size — until golden on top.
Ingredients
How to Make Vegan Brioche Bread
Collect the sifted flour in a bowl.
Collect the sifted flour in a bowl.
Add the sugar.
Add the sugar.
Add the dehydrated brewer's yeast.
Add the dehydrated brewer's yeast.
Continue with the salt.
Continue with the salt.
Pour the water.
Pour the water.
Add the seed oil.
Add the seed oil.
Flavor with grated lemon zest.
Flavor with grated lemon zest.
Work the ingredients until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough.
Work the ingredients until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough.
Cover with a sheet of cling film and let it rise at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Cover with a sheet of cling film and let it rise at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Once the resting time has elapsed, transfer the dough onto a floured work surface.
Once the resting time has elapsed, transfer the dough onto a floured work surface.
Divide it into 8 pieces of the same weight.
Divide it into 8 pieces of the same weight.
Roll out each portion of dough.
Roll out each portion of dough.
Roll it up on itself and perform the rounding by rotating the dough on the work surface.
Roll it up on itself and perform the rounding by rotating the dough on the work surface.
Place the balls obtained in a plumcake mould lined with baking paper.
Place the balls obtained in a plumcake mould lined with baking paper.
Cover with a clean tea towel and let it rise for 1 hour and 1/2.
Cover with a clean tea towel and let it rise for 1 hour and 1/2.
When the balls have doubled in volume and joined together, take back the pain brioche.
When the balls have doubled in volume and joined together, take back the pain brioche.
Brush the surface with a drop of milk.
Brush the surface with a drop of milk.
Place in the oven at 355°F/180°C and cook for approximately 30 minutes.
Place in the oven at 355°F/180°C and cook for approximately 30 minutes.
Once the cooking time is up, take the brioche out of the oven and let it cool.
Once the cooking time is up, take the brioche out of the oven and let it cool.
Unmold the brioche bread without butter and place it on a cutting board or on a serving platter, and serve. Enjoy!
Unmold the brioche bread without butter and place it on a cutting board or on a serving platter, and serve. Enjoy!
Storage Instructions
The butter-free brioche bread can be stored at room temperature, under a cake dome, for 2-3 days maximum.
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