We’re entering the last few weeks of the year 5778, which, for Jewish households, means one thing — a whole lot of meal prep. Ushering in the new year requires meticulous planning, shopping, chopping and dicing, and picking the perfect menu that’s sure to appease relatives of all ages. You can prepare a mouth watering matzah ball soup and serve the crispiest apples in town, but like a birthday party without cake, what is a Rosh Hashanah feast without a marvelous, round challah?
One of the symbolic purposes of baking a round challah is to distinguish it as more special and distinctive than what we normally serve on Shabbat. That leaves a lot of creative room to play with different flavors, like the balsamic apple date stuffed challah, chocolate babka challah or these chocolate cranberry challah rolls with citrus sugar. Rumor has it that Starbucks started receiving PSL syrup, so no one’s judging if you opt for a pumpkin challah cinnamon roll recipe!
If you can’t bake a round challah, at the very least it must be aesthetically pleasing. Because in the golden era of social media, the camera eats first. Check out these jaw dropping Rosh Hashanah challahs on Instagram and grab a napkin, ’cause you will drool.
Pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, and sunflowers seeds? Oh my! Encased by a perfectly round challah, the bowl of honey practically begs you to dunk a piece off this bad boy in its gooey goodness.
I never thought I’d salivate over vegan challah, but, here I am wiping the drool away (don’t pretend like you’re not doing the same thing!). This pull-a-part maple challah bread is perfectly portioned for seven people, but I’m pretty sure I could devour the whole thing myself.
Have you ever seen two challahs conjoined at the hip? It’s double the work to bake, but the payoff is absolutely gorgeous.
Like a diamond necklace, this round sesame seed challah is a timeless classic. Surrounded by crisp apples and intricate honeycombs, it definitely deserves a spot on this list.
Stare too long at this challah and you’ll be overstimulated by the design. I’d love to break off a fish tail and dunk it in honey before stuffing it in my mouth, but it’s almost too beautiful to tamper with.
For double the sweetness, opt for this Tahini Swirl challah recipe. Bursting with flavor, this seemingly simple loaf is as beautiful as it is delicious.
This raspberry and pear challah literally took my breath away. The fruits oozing out of the masterfully woven braids add a lovely pop of color to the browned loaf.
This kraken of challahs is almost too beautiful to rip apart, so don’t forget to photograph it for prosperity. If you’re a master weaver and looking to make a big splash at the Rosh Hashanah dinner table, use this design.
If you stare long enough, you can almost taste the chunks of salt on this classic sesame seed challah. The edges resemble flames beckoning someone to rip off a bite and dancing in celebration of the new year.
A challah within another challah? Count me in. This is perfect for both poppyseed lovers and haters, and the dash of color makes it all the more exciting. If there was ever a time to hashtag #challahception, it’d be right before stuffing a handful of dough in your mouth and just after posting your #foodporn.
