French Brioche Recipe Without Butter

Quick Summary: This quick French brioche is made without butter, using grape seed oil (or olive oil) and milk for an ultra-soft, pillowy crumb. The dough is kneaded in a stand mixer, rested, shaped into balls in a loaf pan, and baked at 355°F (180°C) for 25 minutes. It makes one 6-bun loaf.

What is brioche?

Brioche is a rich French bread with a soft, almost pastry-like crumb, traditionally made with a high proportion of eggs and butter. It belongs to the viennoiserie family of leavened, enriched baked goods, which is why brioche is often called "the meeting point of pastry and bread."

This version is a lighter take: it swaps butter for grapeseed or olive oil and milk, so it stays dairy-forward and ultra-soft while being easier and quicker to make than a classic butter brioche. If you prefer individual servings, try my French mini brioche rolls made with the same easy approach.

The word "brioche" first goes back to 1404, and food historians believe it was adapted from a classic Norman recipe. The French perfected the technique, and their butter-rich (or, here, oil-based) brioche is the version known and loved today.

Types of brioche

There are several types of brioche.

• Brioche loaf is baked in a pan without shaping the dough into balls, which makes it perfect for slicing and toasting.

• Brioche Nanterre is baked in a standard loaf pan with two rows of dough balls. As they proof and bake, the balls fuse and rise into a pretty pattern.

• Brioche à tête ("brioche with a head") has a small ball of dough set on top and is baked in a fluted mold to get its classic rounded shape.

Other types include braided brioche, crumbed brioche, Vendée brioche, muslin brioche, and the soft brioche base of a tarte tropézienne.

Tips for making French brioche

A few key techniques make all the difference between a dense loaf and a light, tender brioche. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Keep ingredients cool. According to Madam Mercotte, cold ingredients stop the dough from overheating while it kneads, which protects the texture.

• Knead in a stand mixer. Mix on low speed first to build body and elasticity, then increase the speed to develop the gluten. The dough is ready when it pulls away from the bowl and stretches without tearing.

• Respect the three rests. First, a fermentation rise (up to 24 hours), then punch down to release the gas; next, chill in the fridge (up to 2 hours) to firm the dough for shaping; and finally, proof until doubled. To test the proof, press gently: a slow spring-back means it is ready.

• Shape evenly. Divide the dough into equal balls, using a little flour, so the buns rise and bake evenly.

• Bake in a metal pan. Metal molds conduct heat best. Avoid silicone, which blocks proper heat convection, and grease the pan well before adding the dough.

• Glaze for color. Brush with beaten egg (or milk for an egg-free glaze) before baking for a glossy, golden crust. Use a pastry brush, not a silicone one.

Why you'll love this recipe

• No butter needed. This French brioche is made without butter, using grape seed or olive oil and milk, so it is lighter and dairy-flexible while staying ultra-soft.
• Quick and easy. It is simpler and faster to make than a classic butter brioche, with no complicated butter-incorporation step.
• Easy shaping. Shape the dough into equal balls and arrange them in a loaf pan; no fancy technique required.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Milk: the recipe calls for whole milk, but you can use plant-based milk instead. Unlike traditional brioche, this French recipe doesn't use butter; the milk provides part of the dough's hydration.

• Grape seed oil: this neutral-flavored oil adds moisture without affecting the brioche's flavor. You can substitute rapeseed oil or, for a more distinctive flavor, use black truffle or roasted hazelnut oil.

• Vanilla sugar: it brings the vanilla flavor to brioche.

• Flour: use fresh all-purpose flour, or try French farine de gruau (sometimes translated as "oatmeal flour," though it is not oat flour). Made from soft wheat and higher in gluten, it gives the brioche dough greater elasticity.

• Sugar: the recipe calls for granulated white sugar. It helps create a moist, tender crumb, promotes browning, and supports proper fermentation and yeast development.

• Salt: It adds taste, enhances flavor, improves the elasticity of the brioche dough, and promotes crust coloring.

• Instant active yeast: This recipe calls for instant dry yeast or fresh baker's yeast.

Equipment

To make this French brioche, you will need:

• stand mixer with a dough hook
• nonstick loaf or bread pan
• rubber spatula
• pastry brush
• kitchen towel
• wire rack

How to make French brioche

Step 1. To make the brioche dough, melt instant active yeast in the warm milk and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

Step 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, place flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla sugar. Add grapeseed oil and mix at low speed for about 2 minutes (photo 1).

Step 3. Then gradually add the milk/yeast mixture. Knead the dough in the stand mixer until smooth for about 11 minutes: 5 minutes at the average speed, then 6 minutes at the maximum speed (photo 2).

Step 4. Transfer the dough to a bowl (photo 3), cover it with a cloth, and let it rest in the switched-off oven (aka cool oven) for about 1 to 1.5 hours until the dough is doubled in size.

Step 5. To shape the dough, divide it into six equal parts and shape the balls (use a bit of flour while shaping).

Step 6. Butter a nonstick bread pan and arrange the dough balls in the mold, leaving a little space between them (photo 4).

Step 7. Let the shaped dough grow at room temperature (better in the switched-off oven) until it doubles in size, for about 20 minutes to 1 hour (photo 5).

Step 8. Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Glaze the brioche with the egg beaten with salt using a pastry brush. Bake for 25 minutes.

Step 9. Remove and let cool slightly before turning out onto a cooling rack (photo 6). Let it cool completely before slicing.

Expert tips

1. Read the main tips for making French brioche loaf above in the post.
2. Replace instant dry yeast with 0.7 oz (20 g) of fresh baker's yeast.
3. If you brush brioche with an egg, you will get a shiny result. Replace the egg with milk if you prefer.
4. Keep an eye on the brioche while baking: you may need to cover it with aluminum foil at some point to keep it from browning too much.

How to serve brioche

French brioche is best served warm, ideally the same day it is baked. Once the loaf is ready, pull it apart into buns, or let it cool, slice it, and enjoy.

Eat it on its own or torn into pieces with a little butter. It is also lovely with jam or preserves, and children love it toasted with Nutella.

Any leftovers make excellent French toast, so nothing goes to waste. For a special breakfast, serve slices with fresh berries and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Recipe variations

This oil-based brioche is easy to adapt to different diets and flavors:

• Olive oil brioche: swap the grape seed oil for a mild extra-virgin olive oil for a fruitier, Mediterranean-style loaf.
• Dairy-free version: use a plant-based milk such as almond, oat, or soy in place of whole milk to keep it fully dairy-free.
• Eggless option: brush the loaf with milk instead of egg for the glaze to keep the whole recipe egg-free.
• Other oils: rapeseed oil works well, or use a scented oil like roasted hazelnut for a nutty aroma.
• Add-ins: fold in chocolate chips, raisins, or candied orange peel, or top with pearl sugar before baking.
• Vanilla or citrus: add extra vanilla sugar, or a little orange or lemon zest, to flavor the dough.

Storing & freezing

To store, wrap the brioche in a kitchen towel or place it in a plastic bag and keep it at room temperature for up to three days. Because there is no butter, it stays soft but is still best eaten within a couple of days.

To freeze, let the brioche cool completely, then wrap the whole loaf, or individual slices, in plastic film and freeze for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour before serving.

You can also freeze the dough straight from the stand mixer. When ready to bake, let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then shape it, let it rise, and bake as directed.

FAQ

Can you make brioche without butter?
Yes. This French brioche replaces butter with grape seed or olive oil plus milk. The oil keeps the crumb moist and ultra-soft, and it makes the dough quicker and easier to mix than a classic butter brioche.

Can you use olive oil instead of butter in brioche?
Yes. A mild extra-virgin olive oil works very well and gives the loaf a subtle fruity flavor. For a more neutral taste, use grape seed or rapeseed oil instead.

What is the secret to a perfect brioche?
The secrets are kneading the dough until it is smooth and elastic and pulls away from the bowl, respecting all three resting times, and not rushing the proof. With an oil-based dough like this one, keeping the ingredients at the right temperature also helps.

What flour is best for brioche?
A strong all-purpose or bread flour with a good gluten content works best, as gluten gives the dough its elasticity and structure. In France, T45 pastry flour is the traditional choice.

Can you make brioche without a stand mixer?
A stand mixer is strongly recommended, because the dough needs about 15 to 20 minutes of kneading to develop properly. Kneading by hand is difficult and rarely gives the same smooth, elastic result.

Love yeasted treats? Try these next!

• French Mini Brioche Rolls Recipe
• Kouglof Recipe (Alsatian Brioche)
• Brioche French Toast Casserole
• Beignets aux Pommes (French Apple Fritters)
• Blueberry Fritters (Beignets aux Myrtille)
• Yeasted Blini

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from https://www.aux-fourneaux.fr/ and  https://www.mercotte.fr/. It was originally published on August 30, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.