DIRECTIONS

1. DISSOLVE 1 packet of Rapid Rise Yeast in ¼ cup of lukewarm water, and 1 ½ teaspoons of sugar in a medium sized bowl. Stir a little, then wait 5 minutes, and put in another ¼ cup of lukewarm water. In a few minutes, your bowl should be bubbly and a little foamy. If not, try again with another packet of yeast. 
2. MIX together the sugar, egg, egg yolks, honey, oil and salt in a big bowl. Then mix in the brown sugar, pumpkin puree,  cinnamon, nutmeg, and your bowl of sugary yeasty water. 
3. SLOWLY ADD your flour to the bowl (about half a cup at a time), and stir (if you have a wooden spoon, cool, if not, use a big spatula). Mix until dough is smooth and stretchy; it can get pretty sticky, feel free to add up to 4.5 cups total flour to make the dough more manageable - but it will be sticky! 
4. LIGHTLY BUTTER or oil a big bowl - just grab a stick and smear that stuff around. Drop your dough into your buttered bowl, and flip it over a couple times so it gets a little butter on it, then cover the bowl with a damp cloth. 
5. LET IT RISE. Put the towel-covered bowl in your unheated oven, and add a pot of hot water to one of the shelves. This helps make a cozy rising environment for your challah. 
6. 2 HOURS LATER: After its risen for 2 hours, take the dough out and put it on a lightly floured surface, divide it into three even sections. Use your hands to make three tubes of dough, then start braiding, loosey goosey. Cover a cookie sheet with foil, and LIGHTLY spritz it with non-stick cooking spray, then place the braided dough on it and cover with a damp cloth for the second rise.
7. ONE HOUR LATER: After your challah has risen for another hour, get ready to bake it! Preheat the oven to 350.
8. WHISK together the other half of the egg, water, and brown sugar in a small bowl.
9. GLAZE YOUR CHALLAH using a pastry brush, paint the top of the dough with the glaze mix you just made - get into all the nooks and crannies. Then, sprinkle on a few pinches of brown sugar all over the top of the challah if you're feelin' wild. 
10. BAKIN’ TIME: Toss that challah in the middle rack of your oven for 30-40 minutes (we’re averaging 38 minutes). At 35 minutes, we take it out, and slowly turn the Challah on it’s side by peeling up the foil. When you knock on the bottom of the Challah, and it sounds hollow, that’s a good sign that it’s done (you can also take a steak knife and cut a TEENY square out of the bottom to see). 
11. COOLIN' TIME: Take it off the pan, and put it on a cooling rack for about half an hour. 

Then, put it that baby on your table and watch as everyone FREAKS OUT at how tasty it is. 

*A couple people said their challahs we’re a little dry (gasp!). If this happens, try baking for less time or using a little more oil. Also eating your challah same-day is always best, the longer you wait, the less tasty it gets. We don’t use preservatives, y’all! 

EAT. MORE. CHALLAH!