Give Thanksgiving a Jewish Twist with Pumpkin Challah

Challah at Thanksgiving? In my experience, no bread more represents intention and gratitude than a loaf of homemade challah. At Thanksgiving (or at the Shabbat Thanksgiving leftovers dinner the next day), I give my challah a twist and flavor it with pumpkin.

Challah is such a strong symbol of Jewish life! For example, there is the tradition of “giving challah,” the practice of burning a symbolic piece of dough as an offering, which, to me, truly makes challah an important symbol of giving thanks and recognizing the needs of others.

One way I do that is donating to Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America — and it’s Giving Tuesday on Tuesday, December 2! It’s a great time to support the Hadassah Medical Organization and its two research hospitals in Jerusalem, its two Youth Aliyah villages, women’s rights and Hadassah’s other advocacy efforts in Israel, the US and throughout the world. Hadassah’s programs and hospitals are non-discriminatory and open to all.

Here are two pumpkin challah variations to be thankful for. Savory Pumpkin Challah is flavored with cumin and dried chilis for a zesty loaf. Besides it spicing up a Thanksgiving turkey or a day-after turkey sandwich, I like it with hearty soups and stews. Omit the chili flakes for a milder loaf.

Sweet Pumpkin Challah is not really that sweet and features pumpkin pie spices. It is a good dinner accompaniment. I also crave it slathered with cream cheese and sprinkled with chopped pecans as a morning treat.

The challahs are made with pumpkin, not eggs. To make them vegan, substitute non-dairy milk mixed with a little agave for the egg wash.

Directions below are for a three-braid loaf. See notes below for directions for a pumpkin-shaped challah for the ultimate Thanksgiving centerpiece!

Savory Pumpkin Challah
Serves 8

Packet (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1 tsp. plus 2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup warm (100-110 degrees) water
1 cup canned or homemade pumpkin purée (see notes)
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsps. vegetable oil plus extra
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. red chili flakes
3-4 cups bread flour plus extra
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. everything bagel topping mix
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. shelled, roasted pumpkin seeds (salted or unsalted)

Stir yeast and 1 tsp. sugar into warm water. Let it sit 10 minutes until foamy.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin with 1/4 cup water, 2 Tbsps. oil, 2 Tbsps. sugar, salt, cumin, cayenne and chili flakes. Stir in 3 cups flour, one at a time. If a shaggy ball of dough has not formed, mix in flour by the tablespoon until it does. Dough should still be sticky.

Flour work surface and hands. Knead dough about 8-10 minutes, adding flour by tablespoon as needed, until smooth and a bit tacky. (If too dry, add water by the tablespoon.) Dough will be softer and stickier than regular challah dough. The dough is kneaded when pinching it feels like pinching an earlobe.

Oil a large bowl. Turn dough in bowl to coat with oil. Cover with towel. Set in a warm, dry place until doubled in size (about 1 hour, timing varies).

Punch dough down. Knead 2-3 minutes on floured surface. Divide into 3 equal pieces. Let it rest a few minutes. Roll into 3 18-inch-long ropes.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly oil paper. Place ropes 1-inch apart and parallel to each other in center across the length of baking sheet.

Turn pan so short end faces you. Pinch the three ropes together at top end. Pick up rope on your right and pass over the center rope. (The rope that started on the right is now the center rope.) Take the left rope pass it over the center rope. Repeat until braided (but not too tight or loose). Pinch together at bottom. Turn both pinched ends under. Cover with towel. Let rise in warm, draft-free location until doubled in size (about 45 minutes, timing varies).

About 20 minutes before baking challah, heat oven to 350 degrees. Once loaf has doubled in size, mix egg with paprika. Brush over top and sides of challah. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. everything bagel topping and 1 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds. Place baking sheet in oven.

After 10 minutes, brush egg mixture over any newly exposed areas, sprinkling those with 1 tsp. everything mix and 1 tsp. pumpkin seeds. Bake an additional 15-25 minutes, rotating in oven if necessary. Challah’s ready when it’s golden brown, the bottom sounds hollow when tapped and an instant read thermometer registers 190 degrees. Cool on wire rack.

Sweet Pumpkin Challah Variation
 For dough, use 3 Tbsps. instead of 2 Tbsps. sugar (Use 4 Tbsps. for an even sweeter challah.) Omit cumin, cayenne and chili flakes and use 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice. For egg wash, omit paprika. For topping, use 2 Tbsps. sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, reserving 2 tsp. for the second sprinkle.

Notes: Choose a plain canned pumpkin puree, not one labeled pumpkin pie filling, which has additional spices.

To create a pumpkin-shaped challah: After the first rise, shape into a round. Then oil outside of round and loosely tie with string to resemble pumpkin sections.

Place in oiled 10-inch pie tin. Let rise. Prepare egg wash as directed. Brush on (skip toppings for a more realistic pumpkin) and bake loaf in tin. (Baking time may vary.) Remove string. Add stem of a real pumpkin or cinnamon stick for the stem. Or use a small, whole chili for the stem of a savory loaf.

Faith Kramer is a member of the Hadassah Writers’ Circle, a dynamic and diverse writing group for leaders and members to express their thoughts and feelings about all the things Hadassah does to make the world a better place. It’s where they celebrate their personal Hadassah journeys and share their Jewish values, family traditions and interpretations of Jewish texts. Hadassah members are proud of their Zionist mission and their role as keepers of the flame of Jewish values, traditions and beliefs as well as advocating for women’s empowerment and health equity for all. Since 2019, the Hadassah Writers’ Circle has published nearly 650 columns in The Times of Israel Blogs and other Jewish media outlets. Interested? Please contact hwc@hadassah.org.