Bread Machine Brioche Loaf

Aren’t bread machines the best? All the bread without the work! This bread machine brioche loaf is simple and gives you a delicious, versatile, and slightly sweet loaf. With its soft crumb and rich, buttery flavor, this brioche is perfect for sandwiches, toast, or even French toast. While this recipe is simple, it’s important to check your dough after it mixes it up. It might need a little tweaking.

close up of brioche loaf with two slices cut.

Bread Machine Brioche Loaf

This slightly sweet, buttery brioche is perfect for sandwiches, toast, or even French toast. With a soft crumb and rich flavor, it’s a versatile loaf you’ll love making in your bread machine. I typically double this when baking in my machine and make a 2-pound loaf. Makes a 1 pound loaf.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2 50

Total Time 3

Serving Size slices

Equipment

Bread machine

Ingredients

1 ½ cups bread flour
2 tablespoons sugar (see sweetness note)
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
1 ½ large eggs (1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk; save the egg white for optional egg wash)
2 tablespoons milk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened and cut into pieces)
3 tablespoons warm water 110°F

Instructions

Layer Ingredients. Add the ingredients to your bread machine pan in this order: water, milk, whisked egg and yolk, sugar, salt, and flour. Place the butter pieces on top of the flour. Make a small indentation in the flour and add the yeast.
Select Cycle. Set your bread machine to the “Basic” or “Sweet” bread setting, with a light or medium crust option, and start the machine.
Monitor Dough. After a few minutes of kneading, check the dough’s consistency. It should form a soft, smooth ball. If it’s too sticky, add a teaspoon of flour; if it’s too dry, add a teaspoon of water.
Optional Egg Wash. Save the leftover egg white and lightly whisk it. When the machine signals the beginning of the bake cycle (usually after the final rise), gently brush the egg wash on top of the dough for a shiny, golden crust. This step is optional and just for appearance—the loaf will still taste great without it!
Finish and Cool. When the cycle is complete, carefully remove the loaf from the machine and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

Sweetness Note: This recipe uses 2 tablespoons of sugar, giving the bread a pleasant, subtle sweetness. You can adjust the sugar amount to your taste:
- 1 tablespoon for a very mild sweetness (more traditional brioche flavor)
- 2 tablespoons for a noticeable sweetness (suitable for both sandwiches and toast)
- 3 tablespoons for a slightly sweet bread (great for French toast or pairing with jam)
If you choose to double the recipe, just use 3 whole eggs.

I love making bread in my bread machine. I’ve made a delicious buttermilk bread, and this brioche loaf is just as good! It’s easy, everyone loves it, and you can eat it with anything.

brioche loaf with two slices cut showing soft inside, all on a wooden board.

Use it for sandwiches, toast, grilled cheese, French toast, or with a bowl of soup. Seriously, this bread tastes good in any way you want.

Bread Making Tips

Flour Power: Different brands of flour absorb liquid differently. Keep an eye on your dough during the first few minutes of mixing. If it seems too wet, add a touch more flour; if it’s too dry, add a tiny bit of water.
Yeast Check: Make sure your yeast is fresh! Old yeast might not activate properly, and your bread won’t rise.
Butter Temperature: Use softened butter, not melted. Melted butter will change the texture of the dough.
Warm Water Works: Use warm water (around 110°F) to activate the yeast. Water that’s too hot can kill the yeast, and water that’s too cold won’t activate it properly.
Patience is Key: Resist the urge to open the bread machine during baking. Opening it can cause the temperature to drop and affect the rise of your bread.
Adjust for Altitude: Use this article to help you adjust the recipe if you live above sea level.

Key Ingredients and Tools

Here are a few key things to keep in mind for this recipe:

brioche loaf ingredients measured in bowls on counter.

Bread Flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which gives the brioche its structure.
Instant Yeast. Instant yeast doesn’t need to be proofed in warm water before using, making the process quicker. You can usually find it in the baking aisle near the other yeast.
Unsalted Butter. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt in the recipe.

Having the right ingredients will help you get the best results!

Serving Suggestions

Serve with butter, jam, coffee, and tea. You can also use it for grilled cheese with tomato soup or French toast with a cast iron skillet omelet.

Troubleshooting and Help

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?

While bread flour is best for the structure of the brioche, you can use all-purpose flour in a pinch. The texture might be slightly different, but it will still be tasty!

My bread machine doesn’t have a “Sweet” bread setting. What should I do?

No problem! The “Basic” setting will work just fine.

My dough is too sticky, even after adding more flour. What should I do?

Hmm, sometimes humidity can affect the dough’s consistency. Add a little more flour, just a teaspoon at a time, until it forms a smooth ball that’s slightly tacky but not overly sticky.

My dough is too dry and crumbly. What did I do wrong?

It sounds like the dough might not have enough moisture. Try adding a teaspoon of water at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough comes together in a smooth ball.

If you have any more questions about this recipe, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below. I’ll do my best to answer them as quickly as possible.

Storing Leftovers

Room Temperature:

Store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
It will typically stay good for about 3-4 days.

Freezing:

Allow the loaf to cool completely. Then, slice it or leave it whole (depending on how you plan to use it) and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a few hours. You can also warm individual slices in the toaster or oven.

I hope you enjoy this simple and delicious bread machine brioche loaf. It’s versatile so you can enjoy it anytime and with nearly any meal. Whether you’re toasting it with jam for breakfast or serving it alongside a soup for dinner, everyone will love it.

Bread Machine Brioche Loaf