Chive Butter Bread (Vegan)

This chive butter bread is one of the best vegan brioche recipes on my blog. It’s soft, fluffy, versatile, and stuffed with chive butter, what’s not to love? And the best part is that it’s plant based, but can be easily made with whatever ingredients you personally have on hand. It’s so simple, so good, and a total crowd pleaser.

What is brioche?

Simply put, brioche is an enriched dough recipe. That means where most breads just use flour, water and yeast, a brioche adds the addition of eggs, sugar, and butter.

This results in a softer, fluffier, denser and sweeter bread, and that’s what makes it a classic brioche. Brioche can be made in many forms, but typically you will see it as rolls or loaves.

I like brioche because it feels like a full-proof bread. You are relying on many ingredients to get the job done, so the stakes are lower, and the results are always delicious. And this chive butter bread proves it imo.

Why is this brioche vegan?

Simply put, we are removing the egg (you don’t need it when the yeast provides most of the lift and flour provides all the structure) and replacing the classic brioche enriching ingredients with plant-based versions.

This chive “butter” bread can be made with regular milk and butter, but it also works with vegan options, and that’s why I love how easy and versatile a vegan brioche can be!

How to make a vegan “egg wash”

Use maple syrup! It is the best vegan egg wash replacer I’ve found by far. It gives the same golden hue but it is plant-based!

The one downside is, it does lend a slightly sweet flavor. If you are making a vegan brioche or enriched dough like this chive butter bread, the sweetness doesn’t matter as much, but if you are making something that leans heavily savory, the sweet addition can be a hindrance.

My work-around for this is to dilute the maple syrup with a bit of olive oil to temper the flavor!

Ingredients you will need for this chive butter bread

The ingredients for this recipe are in grams for the dry ingredients, just to avoid any chance for error! Here is what you’ll need:

For the bread:

• 120 grams all-purpose flour
• 120 grams whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 30 grams extra flour for kneading, I recommend doing half all-purpose and half whole wheat
• 1/2 cup plant-based milk of choice, at 115-120 degrees Fahrenheit
• 1/4 cup water at 115-120 degrees Fahrenheit
• 2 tbsp melted plant-based butter, I recommend Miyokos creamery
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 & ⅛ tsp active dry yeast

For the chive butter & “egg” wash

• 1/4 cup vegan butter, I recommend Miyokos Creamery
• 2 tbsp chopped chives
• 1-2 tbsp pure maple syrup optional: dilute with 1 tbsp olive oil

How to make the vegan brioche section of this recipe

This bread, like all good things, takes time. But it is soooo worth it. The biggest aspect of this chive butter bread is the waiting, but the actual working time is relatively low!

Here’s how to prep the dough:

• Begin by blooming your yeast. Combine the milk, water, butter and sugar in a small bowl or cup and stir to combine.
• Sprinkle the yeast mixture evenly on top, and stir again until all the yeast is evenly distributed. Let this mixture sit for five minutes. At the end of that time period, the yeast should be very fizzy and bubbly. If it is not, throw the mix out and repeat with a different yeast.
• While the yeast is blooming, mix together the flours and salt. Combine with either a wooden spoon or your hands.
• When it is ready, pour in the yeast mixture to the flour. Use a wooden spoon to mix the two together until you have a shaggy dough.
• For the next process you can either use a stand mixer or do it by hand

Hand kneading instructions:

• If you are doing it by hand, pull your dough from the bowl and put it on a lightly floured surface. Have a reserve of the 30 grams of flour set to the side to use while you knead. Try not to use more than this amount.
• Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes, using the traditional fold-and-push technique. You will know the dough is ready when you can poke a finger in it and it bounces back. This might take up to 15 minutes of kneading, so get ready to put in the work!

Stand mixer instructions:

• If you prefer a stand mixer, put the dough in a mixing bowl and add the dough hook to your stand mixer. Set the stand mixer on the lowest setting and watch how it works with the dough. If the dough is sticking to the bottom or sides, add 1 tbsp of the extra 30 grams of flour until it no longer sticks. It should form one mound in the middle.
• Set a timer for 6 minutes and let the stand mixer work the dough. At the end of the six minutes, pull the dough off the hook and check its firmness. Use the window pane method, where you pull a chunk of dough off and stretch it out with your fingers. If you can almost see through it, and it doesn’t break, then enough gluten has developed. If not, put it back in the mixer for 2 minute increments until it passes the test.
• Once your dough is ready, place it in a large bowl and cover it. Let it rest in a warm dry place for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
• Once the dough has risen, lightly push out the air and place the dough on a work surface.

How to assemble and bake the chive butter bread

After the dough is prepped, it’s all about shaping, stuffing and baking the chive butter bread. It’s super simple, but here are the deets:

• Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and form them into ball shapes. Use a rolling pin to roll them out into flat circles, kind of like mini pizzas.
• Prepare the chive butter by combining the vegan butter and chives in one bowl.
• Prepare an 8’x4′ baking pan by lining it with parchment paper.
• Take a knife and put about 1/2 tbsp of the chive butter in the middle of each dough circle. Roll these circles up like a cigar.
• Place the “cigars” seam-side down in the parchment lined baking sheet. All 8 pieces should fit, but it will be snug!
• Cover and let the dough proof another hour. During this time preheat your oven to 375F.
• Before baking, brush a light coating of the maple syrup on top of the bread. If you want a little less of a sweet flavor, dilute the maple syrup with a bit of olive oil.
• Bake the bread at 375F for 22-25 minutes. Serve whenever!

Looking for other bread recipes like this chive butter bread?

I’ve got all kinds – here are a few of my favorites!

And that’s it for this chive butter bread recipe!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3