What Is Brioche? Discover the Rich History and Secrets of This French Classic

What is brioche, and why is it so different from regular bread? Brioche is a rich, tender French bread known for its soft crumb, slightly sweet flavor, and golden, buttery texture. Often described as a cross between bread and pastry, brioche stands out because of its high egg and butter content, which gives it a luxurious feel and versatility in both sweet and savory dishes.

What is Brioche? The French Bread That Acts Like a Cake

What is brioche exactly? Brioche is a classic French bread enriched with butter, eggs, milk, and sugar, which gives it a soft, fluffy texture and a slightly sweet taste. Because of this rich ingredient list, brioche behaves more like a cake or pastry than a traditional lean bread.

Unlike everyday bread made mostly from flour, water, and yeast, brioche contains a high amount of fat and eggs. This creates a tender crumb, golden color, and delicate sweetness that sets it apart. When baked, brioche develops a glossy crust while staying light and airy inside.

This unique structure is why brioche is often used for:

• Breakfast breads
• French toast
• Burger buns
• Desserts like bread pudding

In short, brioche sits perfectly between bread and cake. Understanding what is brioche helps explain why it’s so versatile, indulgent, and beloved in both sweet and savory recipes.

What Makes Brioche Different from Regular Bread?

The key to understanding what is brioche lies in how it differs from regular bread—mainly in ingredients, texture, and flavor.

Rich, Enriched Ingredients

Regular bread (like baguettes or sandwich bread) is made with flour, water, yeast, and salt. Brioche, on the other hand, is an enriched dough, meaning it includes:

• A high amount of butter
• Eggs (often several)
• Milk
• A touch of sugar

These ingredients transform the dough from simple to luxurious.

Softer, Cake-Like Texture

Because of the butter and eggs, brioche has:

• A very soft, tender crumb
• A light, fluffy interior
• A delicate pull-apart structure

Regular bread is usually chewier and more structured.

Slightly Sweet Flavor

Brioche tastes subtly sweet, even when used in savory dishes. Regular bread is typically neutral or savory.

Rich Color and Shine

Eggs give brioche its:

• Deep golden-yellow interior
• Glossy crust (often enhanced with egg wash)

Regular bread is paler and more matte.

Versatility in the Kitchen

This is where brioche really stands out:

• Used for French toast, pastries, and desserts
• Also perfect for burger buns and sandwiches

Quick Comparison

• Richer & softer → Brioche
• Chewier & simpler → Regular bread

In essence, brioche is bread with pastry-like qualities. That’s why knowing what is brioche helps explain why it feels indulgent, special, and different from everyday loaves.

Essential Ingredients: Can You Make Brioche Without Traditional Butter?

To understand what is brioche, it helps to know that butter is one of its defining ingredients—but yes, brioche can be made without traditional dairy butter, with a few important trade-offs.

Traditional Brioche Ingredients (The Classic Base)

Classic brioche relies on:

• Flour
• Eggs
• Milk
• Sugar
• Yeast
• Butter (lots of it)

Butter is responsible for brioche’s rich flavor, soft crumb, and melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Butter Substitutes: What Works and What Changes

You can substitute butter, but the result will be slightly different.

Plant-based butter (best alternative):

• Closest in texture and fat content
• Works well in vegan or dairy-free brioche
• Flavor may be slightly less rich

Oil (olive, neutral vegetable, avocado):

• Produces a softer bread, but less structure
• Flavor is milder and less “brioche-like”
• Texture leans more toward enriched sandwich bread

Margarine:

• Works functionally
• Less depth of flavor
• Softer crumb, less aroma

What You’ll Notice Without Butter

• Less buttery aroma
• Slightly tighter crumb
• Reduced richness
• Still soft, but more bread-like than pastry-like

So while you can make brioche without traditional butter, the result moves away from the classic definition of what is brioche and closer to a general enriched bread.

Bottom Line

Butter isn’t just an ingredient in brioche—it’s part of its identity. Substitutes can work for dietary needs, but for true brioche flavor and texture, traditional butter remains unmatched.

How to Use Baker’s Choice for the Perfect Brioche Loaf?

When learning what is brioche, one of the biggest challenges is balancing richness with structure. That’s where Baker’s Choice—using a butter and oil combination—can help you achieve a soft, tender crumb without making the dough too heavy or greasy.

Why Baker’s Choice Works for Brioche

• Butter delivers classic brioche flavor and aroma
• Oil improves moisture and softness
• The combination makes dough easier to handle and knead

This approach is especially useful for home bakers who struggle with overly soft or sticky brioche dough.

How to Apply Baker’s Choice in Brioche

Instead of using 100% butter:

• Replace 10–20% of the butter with a neutral oil (like vegetable or avocado oil)
• Keep the remaining butter for flavor

Example:
If a recipe calls for 200g butter → use 160–180g butter + 20–40g oil

When to Add It

• Add oil with the eggs and milk
• Incorporate softened butter gradually after gluten starts forming

This helps the dough absorb fat evenly without breaking down.

The Result

• Softer crumb
• Better moisture retention
• Slightly easier shaping
• Still rich and unmistakably brioche

Final Tip

Baker’s Choice doesn’t replace butter—it supports it. Used correctly, it enhances texture while preserving the identity of brioche, reinforcing everything that defines what is brioche: richness, tenderness, and versatility.

Is brioche a bread or a cake?

The short answer is: brioche is bread—but it behaves like a cake.

To fully understand what is brioche, it helps to know that brioche is classified as an enriched yeast bread. It’s made with yeast (like bread), but it also contains a high amount of butter, eggs, milk, and sugar, which are ingredients more commonly associated with cake.

Why Brioche Is Considered Bread

• It uses yeast, not chemical leaveners
• It requires kneading and rising
• It has a bread-like structure when sliced

Why It Feels Like a Cake

• Soft, tender, almost fluffy crumb
• Slightly sweet flavor
• Rich, buttery mouthfeel
• Golden, delicate crust

Because of this unique combination, brioche sits between bread and cake. It’s not sweet enough or structured like a true cake, but it’s far richer than everyday bread.

The Takeaway

Brioche is best described as a bread with cake-like qualities. That’s exactly what makes it so versatile—perfect for French toast, desserts, sandwiches, and even burger buns.

Can I substitute butter with Baker’s Choice in brioche?

Yes—you can substitute butter with Baker’s Choice in brioche, but it’s best done partially, not as a full replacement. This approach keeps the character of brioche intact while improving texture and handling.

To understand why this works, remember what is brioche at its core: a rich, butter-forward, enriched bread. Butter defines its flavor and aroma, so removing it completely changes the result.

How Baker’s Choice Works in Brioche

Baker’s Choice means using mostly butter with a small amount of oil to support it.

Best ratio:

• Replace 10–20% of the butter with a neutral oil
• Keep 80–90% butter for classic brioche flavor

Example:
If a recipe calls for 200g butter → use 160–180g butter + 20–40g oil

Benefits of Using Baker’s Choice

• Softer, more tender crumb
• Better moisture retention
• Easier dough handling (less tearing during kneading)
• Slightly longer freshness

What Happens If You Replace All the Butter?

• Loss of classic buttery flavor
• Less golden color
• Texture becomes closer to enriched sandwich bread
• No longer true brioche by definition

Final Verdict

You can substitute butter with Baker’s Choice in brioche—but only partially. Used correctly, it enhances texture without compromising what makes brioche special. This balance respects the essence of what is brioche while making it more forgiving for home bakers.

why is my brioche dry and not fluffy?

If your brioche turns out dry or dense, it usually means something went wrong with fat, hydration, or fermentation. Since what is brioche is an enriched bread meant to be soft and airy, even small mistakes can affect the final texture.

Here are the most common reasons—and how to fix them.

Too Little Fat

Brioche relies heavily on butter (and sometimes Baker’s Choice).

• Not enough butter = dry, bread-like crumb
• Butter added too late or too quickly can also cause poor texture

Fix:
Use the full fat amount and add butter gradually after gluten forms.

Overbaking

Even a few extra minutes can dry out brioche.

• Brioche continues to cook after removal
• High oven temperatures worsen dryness

Fix:
Bake until golden and just set (internal temp ~190–195°F / 88–90°C).

Underproofing

If brioche doesn’t rise enough:

• The crumb will be tight and heavy
• Texture feels dry instead of fluffy

Fix:
Let the dough fully double during bulk rise and proof again after shaping.

Overworking the Dough

Too much kneading after adding butter can:

• Break down the dough
• Cause fat separation
• Reduce softness

Fix:
Stop kneading once the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test.

Too Much Flour

Adding extra flour during kneading is a common mistake.

• Makes dough stiff
• Absorbs moisture needed for softness

Fix:
Accept sticky dough early on—it smooths out as butter incorporates.

Butter Substituted Incorrectly

Replacing all butter with oil removes brioche’s structure and richness.

Fix:
If using Baker’s Choice, replace only 10–20% of the butter, not all of it.

The Bottom Line

Dry brioche usually means too little fat, not enough rise, or too much heat. When you respect what defines brioche—rich dough, proper proofing, and gentle baking—you’ll get the soft, fluffy texture that answers the question what is brioche in the most delicious way.

FAQ

What is brioche made of?

Brioche is made from flour, yeast, eggs, milk, sugar, and a generous amount of butter. These enriched ingredients give it a soft, rich, and slightly sweet texture.

Is brioche sweet or savory?

Brioche is slightly sweet, but not like cake. This mild sweetness makes it versatile for both sweet dishes (French toast, desserts) and savory ones (sandwiches, burger buns).

Is brioche healthier than regular bread?

Brioche is richer and higher in calories due to butter and eggs. While it’s more indulgent than regular bread, it also provides protein and fats that add satiety.

Can brioche be made dairy-free?

Yes, brioche can be made dairy-free using plant-based butter and milk alternatives, though the flavor and texture will be slightly different from classic brioche.

Why is brioche so soft and fluffy?

The high fat and egg content coats the flour proteins, limiting gluten toughness and creating a tender, airy crumb—one of the defining traits of what is brioche.

What is brioche best used for?

Brioche is commonly used for:

• French toast
• Burger buns
• Breakfast breads
• Bread pudding
• Sweet and savory sandwiches

How is brioche different from challah?

Both are enriched breads, but brioche uses butter, while challah traditionally uses oil and has a less rich, less cake-like texture.

Conclusion

So, what is brioche? It’s a rich, enriched French bread that blurs the line between bread and cake. Made with butter, eggs, and milk, brioche stands out for its soft, fluffy crumb, golden color, and lightly sweet flavor that works just as well in savory dishes as it does in desserts.

Understanding what makes brioche unique—from its ingredients to proper technique—helps you appreciate why it’s so beloved and how to bake it successfully at home. When done right, brioche isn’t just bread; it’s an indulgent, versatile staple that elevates anything it touches.