Soft Cream Brioche Bread

Ultra-Fluffy Brioche with Heavy Cream – No Mixer Needed

This soft cream brioche bread is made with trending ingredients like heavy cream and real butter, delivering a silky texture and rich flavor perfect for French toast, brunch spreads, or an elevated sandwich loaf. Whether you need it same-day or want the ease of an overnight prep, this approachable recipe walks you through it by hand—no stand mixer, no stress.

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Recipe

Servings: 12 slices

Calories per serving: 260

Total time: 4–6 hours (same-day) or overnight

Soft Cream Brioche Bread

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups (420g) all-purpose flour or bread flour

• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

• 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) instant yeast

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

• ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream, at room temperature

• ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, very soft

• 1 egg + 1 tbsp cream (for egg wash)

Instructions

1. Mix the Dry Ingredients

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

2. Combine the Wet Ingredients

   In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and heavy cream until smooth.

3. Make the Dough

   Pour the wet mixture into the dry. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hand until a shaggy dough forms.

4. Knead

   Transfer dough to a clean surface and knead by hand for 5–7 minutes until it begins to smooth.

5. Incorporate the Butter

   Add the soft butter a tablespoon at a time, kneading between additions. Use a bench scraper or slap-and-fold technique—dough will be sticky at first but will become soft and elastic after 10–12 minutes.

6. First Rise (Choose Your Method)

   1. Same-Day Rise:

      Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1.5 to 2 hours, until doubled. To speed it up: place in a turned-off oven that was pre-warmed for 1 minute.

   2. Overnight Rise:

      Cover tightly and refrigerate for 8–24 hours. Remove from fridge and let sit at room temp for 30 minutes before shaping.

7. Shape

   Gently deflate the dough. Shape into a loaf and place in a greased 9x5” pan, or divide into 10–12 equal pieces and roll into balls for brioche rolls.

8. Second Rise

   Cover loosely and let rise for 1 to 1.5 hours, until puffy and risen. To speed this up: use the same warm oven trick as above.

9. Preheat Oven

   Set oven to 350°F (175°C) during the final 15–20 minutes of rising. Brush dough with egg wash before baking.

10.  Bake

    1. Loaf: 30–35 minutes

    2. Rolls: 20–25 minutes. Bread is done when golden and internal temp reads 190°F. Tent with foil if browning too fast.

11. Cool

    Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Nutritional Information (per slice)

• Calories: 260

• Total Fat: 14g

• Saturated Fat: 8g

• Cholesterol: 105mg

• Carbohydrates: 28g

• Sugar: 4g

• Protein: 6g

• Sodium: 180mg

• Fiber: 1g

Storage Instructions

Wrap cooled brioche in an airtight bag and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Reheat gently for best texture.

Mix the Dry Ingredients

Mix the Dry Ingredients

Combine the Wet Ingredients

Combine the Wet Ingredients

Make the Dough and Knead

Incorporate the Butter

First Rise

First Rise

First Rise

Shape

Second Rise

Brush with egg and preheat oven

Bake

Cool

Cool

Enjoy!

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Prompt

Here's how I prompted this Soft Cream Brioche Bread recipe.

I started by asking:

What is the difference between brioche and challah 

And ChatGPT replied:

Brioche and challah are both enriched breads—meaning they include eggs, fat, and sugar—but they differ in ingredients, texture, and cultural origins:

1. Ingredients

• Brioche (French):

  • Rich in butter (lots of it), eggs, milk, and sugar.

  • Often includes a bit of cream or milk powder in some versions.

  • Can be slightly sweet or savory, depending on use.

• Challah (Jewish):

  • Contains oil instead of butter (traditionally to keep it kosher for meat meals), eggs, water, and sugar or honey.

  • No dairy.

2. Texture & Flavor

• Brioche:

  • Very soft, buttery, tender crumb, melts in your mouth.

  • Richer and more cake-like than challah due to the butter and milk.

• Challah:

  • Slightly firmer and chewier, with a clean eggy flavor.

  • It’s airy but with more structure—ideal for pulling apart or French toast.

3. Appearance

• Both are often braided, especially when made as loaves.

• Challah is usually shiny and golden from an egg wash.

• Brioche can be braided or shaped into buns, loaves, or baked in fluted molds (brioche à tête).

4. Cultural Use

• Challah is deeply tied to Jewish traditions, especially Sabbath and holiday meals.

• Brioche is a French classic, served at breakfast or as a base for pastries (e.g., brioche buns, pain perdu, etc.).

5. Dietary Differences

• Challah is non-dairy, making it suitable for kosher meat meals.

• Brioche is dairy-based, which may restrict how and when it can be consumed in kosher households.

Bottom line:Challah is leaner and firmer with oil; brioche is richer and softer with butter and milk. Both are delicious but serve different roles in baking and tradition.

I had some cream I needed to use so I requested a recipe:

Brioche recipe. With cream. I have a lot of cream I need to use

And ChatGPT replied:

Here’s a rich, French-style brioche recipe using heavy cream instead of milk. It’s ultra-soft, buttery, and perfect for using up that extra cream.

Cream-Enriched Brioche Recipe

🥖 Yield:

1 large loaf or 12 rolls

⏲️ Time:

• Prep: 30 min

• First rise: 1.5–2 hrs

• Chill: Overnight (recommended)

• Bake: 25–35 min

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups (420g) all-purpose flour (or bread flour for more chew)

• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

• 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) instant yeast

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 4 large eggs (room temp)

• ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream (room temp)

• ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces

For egg wash:

• 1 egg + 1 tbsp cream or water

Instructions

1. Mix the Dough

• In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook: combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

• Add eggs and cream. Mix on low until a rough dough forms (2–3 min).

• Increase to medium speed and knead 5–7 min until smooth and elastic.

2. Incorporate Butter

• With mixer on medium-low, add butter a few pieces at a time, letting each bit absorb before adding more. Scrape down bowl as needed.

• Once all the butter is in, knead another 5–10 minutes until dough is silky and stretchy. It’ll be soft and slightly sticky—don’t over-flour.

3. First Rise

• Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until doubled.

4. Cold Fermentation (Recommended)

• Punch down the dough gently, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. This improves flavor and makes it easier to shape.

5. Shape

• Remove from fridge and let rest at room temp 10–15 min.

• Shape into a loaf (place in a greased 9x5” pan) or divide into 12 equal pieces for rolls (shape and place in a greased muffin tin or on a baking tray).

6. Final Proof

• Cover loosely and let rise until puffy, about 1.5–2 hours at room temp.

7. Bake

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

• Brush top with egg wash.

• Bake:

  • Loaf: 30–35 min

  • Rolls: 20–25 min

• If top browns too fast, tent with foil for last 10 minutes.

• Internal temp should be 190°F (88°C).

8. Cool

• Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Storage

• Keeps 2 days at room temp wrapped well.

• Freeze slices or rolls up to 2 months. Toast or rewarm gently.

Serving Ideas

• Toasted with jam or butter

• Used for French toast or bread pudding

• As burger or sandwich buns (make smaller rolls)

Would you like a version scaled to use more cream or a double batch?

I didn't want cold fermentation:

Oh cold fermentation and also hand keading

But I said "Oh" instead of "no" so ChatGPT replied:

Great! Cold fermentation plus hand kneading = incredible flavor and tender texture—totally worth the effort. Here's your cream-enriched brioche recipe adapted specifically for hand kneading and an overnight chill.

🥖 Cream-Enriched Brioche (Hand-Kneaded + Cold Fermented)

Yield:

1 loaf (9x5”) or 10–12 rolls

Time:

• Active: 30–35 min (kneading + shaping)

• Rise 1: ~2 hours

• Cold ferment: overnight (8–24 hours)

• Rise 2: ~1.5 hours

• Bake: 25–35 min

🧈 Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups (420g) all-purpose or bread flour

• ¼ cup (50g) sugar

• 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) instant yeast

• 1 tsp fine salt

• 4 large eggs, room temp

• ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream, room temp

• ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, very soft but not melted

Egg wash:

• 1 egg + 1 tbsp cream or water

👐 Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Dough

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

• In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and cream together.

• Add wet to dry, and stir with a wooden spoon or your hand until a shaggy dough forms.

• Knead on a clean surface for 5–7 minutes until the dough starts to come together and feel smooth.

2. Work in the Butter

This is the tricky but magical part—don’t rush it:

• Flatten dough a bit, spread ~1 tbsp soft butter over it.

• Fold and knead until it’s absorbed (it’ll be messy).

• Repeat, adding a bit more butter at a time and kneading until fully incorporated (about 10–12 minutes total). Use a dough scraper if needed.

• The dough will start very sticky but keep going—after enough kneading, it’ll become smooth, stretchy, and only slightly tacky.

💡 Tip: Use the French "slap-and-fold" method if it gets too sticky to handle.

3. Bulk Rise

• Place dough in a lightly greased bowl.

• Cover and let rise in a warm spot until nearly doubled, about 1.5–2 hours.

4. Cold Fermentation

• Gently deflate the dough.

• Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight (8–24 hours). This slows fermentation and builds flavor. It also firms the dough, making it much easier to shape.

5. Shape

• Remove from fridge and let rest 10–15 minutes.

• Shape into a loaf (in a greased 9x5” pan) or divide into rolls.

  • For rolls: divide into 10–12 equal pieces, roll into balls, and arrange in a greased pan or muffin tin.

6. Final Rise

• Cover and let rise until puffy and about doubled, 1–1.5 hours.

7. Bake

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

• Brush tops with egg wash.

• Bake:

  • Loaf: 30–35 min

  • Rolls: 20–25 min

• Internal temp should reach 190°F (88°C). Tent with foil if browning too quickly.

8. Cool

• Cool in pan 10 min, then fully on a wire rack before slicing.

🧊 Storage

• Room temp: 2 days in an airtight bag

• Freezer: Slice and freeze for up to 2 months

🍽️ Serving Ideas

• Toasted with cinnamon butter

• Classic French toast

• Bread pudding

• Sandwich bread (croque monsieur, anyone?)

Let me know if you want a version that uses even more cream—you can sub cream for part of the butter too if you’re trying to use it up.

So I had to correct myself:

I meant no cold fermentation

And ChatGPT replied:

Got it—no cold fermentation, and you’ll be kneading by hand. Here’s your updated brioche recipe with heavy cream, designed for a same-day bake with no chilling and no stand mixer. Let’s make it rich and manageable.

🥖 Same-Day Cream-Enriched Brioche (Hand-Kneaded)

Yield:

1 loaf (9x5”) or 10–12 rolls

Time:

• Active time: ~30–40 minutes (kneading + shaping)

• First rise: 1.5–2 hours

• Second rise: ~1.5 hours

• Bake: 25–35 minutes

🧈 Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups (420g) all-purpose or bread flour

• ¼ cup (50g) sugar

• 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) instant yeast

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 4 large eggs, room temp

• ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream, room temp

• ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, very soft

Egg wash:1 egg + 1 tbsp cream or water

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Make the Dough

• In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

• In another bowl, beat eggs and cream together.

• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hand until a rough dough forms.

• Knead for 5–7 minutes until the dough starts holding together.

2. Add Butter

This is messy but key to that rich, soft crumb:

• Flatten dough slightly and smear in a tablespoon of soft butter.

• Fold and knead until absorbed.

• Repeat until all butter is incorporated. The dough will be sticky at first, but it will come together. This takes 10–12 minutes.

• Use a bench scraper and a slap-and-fold technique if needed.

✔️ Done when: dough is soft, smooth, elastic, and barely tacky.

3. First Rise

• Transfer dough to a greased bowl.

• Cover with a towel or wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1.5 to 2 hours.

4. Shape

• Gently punch down the dough.

• Shape into a loaf and place in a greased 9x5” pan, or divide into 10–12 pieces and roll into balls for brioche rolls.

5. Second Rise

• Cover loosely and let rise again in a warm spot until very puffy—about 1.5 hours.

6. Bake

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

• Brush tops with egg wash.

• Bake:

  • Loaf: 30–35 minutes

  • Rolls: 20–25 minutes

• Internal temp: 190°F (88°C). Tent loosely with foil if browning too fast.

7. Cool

• Let cool 10 minutes in pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before slicing.

🍞 Storage

• Room temp: 2 days, well-wrapped

• Freezer: Up to 2 months (slices or rolls)

🍽️ Serving Ideas

• Fresh with jam or salted butter

• Brioche French toast

• Savory sandwiches (with ham, egg, or roasted veggies)

• Grilled cheese or croque monsieur

Want to boost the cream content even more, or make it dairy-free down the line? I can adjust it either way.

As I was making, I noticed that I was running out of time. I asked:

I'm half way with first rise. Is there a way to rush the process? It's 4:30 and I'd love to put the loaf in the oven by 6

And ChatGPT replied:

Yes! You can safely speed up the rise a bit—especially now that you're halfway through the first rise and on a tight timeline. Here’s how to do it without compromising the brioche’s texture too much:

🔥 To Accelerate the First Rise (Finish by ~5 PM):

Try a gentle warm environment:

Option 1: Oven Warm Box (best option)

1. Preheat your oven for just 1 minute at 200°F (93°C), then turn it off.

2. Place the dough (covered) inside the turned-off oven with the door slightly ajar.

3. Check in 20–30 minutes—your dough should nearly double within that time.

Option 2: Microwave Warm Spot

1. Boil a mug of water in the microwave for 2 minutes.

2. Push it to the back and place your bowl of dough (covered) in the microwave (turned off) with the hot water.

3. Let it sit for 20–30 minutes.

🕕 Suggested Timeline

If it’s 4:30 now and your dough is already rising:

• Speed up now with one of the above methods.

• Shape by 5:15 PM.

• Second rise: Use the warm method again and aim to finish proofing by 5:45–5:50 PM.

• Oven preheated by 5:45 PM.

• Bake by 6:00 PM and enjoy fresh brioche by 6:30–6:45.

Let me know if your kitchen is particularly cold or warm—I can tailor timing a bit more closely if needed.

Scroll to the top or click the link below for the final recipe.

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