Make sure to use an activated starter for this recipe! I fed mine the day before, one part sourdough starter to two parts water and bread flour to prepare it for this bake!

In your Kitchenaid mixer with the bread hook attachment, add in your 150 grams of active sourdough starter, 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp of warm milk, 3 tbsp of sugar, 2 eggs, plus two egg yolks at room temperature, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix together.

Add in the 3 1/3 cups of bread flour and knead on low, to medium-low speed until the dough comes together and is smooth, 6-8 minutes. 

If your dough seems too dry, add in up to 2 tbsp more milk.

Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. After the dough has sat for two hours, turn the dough over in the bowl so the bottom becomes the top. Wrap with plastic wrap again and allow to rise for another 6 hours, 8 hours total. 

If you want to start this recipe in the evening before you go to bed, the dough can sit overnight and rise while you sleep!

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with oil.

After the first rise is finished, weigh out the total weight of the dough and divide it by 6. This will give you the weight for each of the six strands of dough to be braided. 

If you don't have a kitchen scale, estimate and divide the dough as equally as you can.

Roll out each of the 6 pieces of dough along your counter to form long ropes approximately 22" long.

Connect all 6 pieces together at the top of the braid and follow the diagram for the six-strand braid.

Once the challah is braided, place it on the lightly oiled parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. Place it in a warm place to rise for another 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

For this rise, I set it in my oven, sporadically turning it quickly on and off to keep the loaf warm.

You'll know it is ready to bake when you wet your finger, poke the dough, and it springs back slowly leaving a small indent.

Towards the end of the second rise, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

(If you've been using your oven as a proofing box, make sure to remove the challah before preheating or you'll prematurely bake the loaf!)

After the sourdough challah is done rising for the second time, mix up the egg wash and gently brush the entire loaf, top and sides, before baking.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when you tap the bottom.

While the Sourdough Challah is baking, make the glaze.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp of butter and stir until butter turns a dark golden brown. Immediately remove from heat and pour it into a medium-size bowl.

Add in the vanilla, heavy cream, and powdered sugar, stir with a rubber spatula until combined.

When the Sourdough Challah is done baking, remove it from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Allow it to cool 5-10 minutes.

After 5-10 minutes, use a basting brush to glaze the top of the entire loaf while it is still warm. If your glaze is too thick to brush on, place it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to heat it back up and liquefy it.

After the glaze has been brushed on, sprinkle the top with 2-3 tbsp of chopped walnuts if you would like!

Slice and serve while it's still warm!