What is za'atar and what does it taste like?

Za'atar is a fantastic Middle Eastern spice blend based on wild thyme, sumac (which adds a lovely fresh, tangy accent), and toasted sesame seeds. It's an absolute match made in heaven with creamy dairy products such as our homemade labneh. You can now find it in most supermarkets or at your local Turkish or Moroccan shop.

My brioche dough remains very sticky during kneading, what am I doing wrong?

No panic, no stress! Brioche dough is a rich dough with lots of eggs and cold butter, which makes it very sticky at first. The secret? Keep kneading! Let your stand mixer work for at least 10 minutes. This develops the gluten and transforms your dough into a smooth, shiny ball. And don't forget: the dough then goes into the fridge for at least 4 hours to firm up, after which it's super easy to manipulate and shape.

What's the best way to store these za'atar brioche buns?

These buns are at their absolute best when freshly baked and still a little warm. If you have any left over, store the filled buns in an airtight container in the fridge (due to the labneh). You can eat them cold for lunch the next day, or warm them briefly in a preheated oven (at about 150°C) to make the brioche soft again.

Can I freeze these brioche buns?

Yes, that works perfectly, but do this before filling them with the labneh! Bake the brioche buns, let them cool completely, and put them directly in the freezer. When you want to serve them, let them thaw, and if you like, briefly warm them in the oven for that freshly baked touch.

Brioche buns with za'atar and labneh

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50min + 3h rising

Soft, buttery brioche buns with a spicy twist of za'atar and creamy homemade labneh… wow, these buns are truly next level delicious. I once tasted such a savory pastry in a trendy bakery in London and immediately thought: I want to make this at home. The result? Super airy za'atar brioche filled with fresh labneh and finished with olive oil, extra za'atar! My thyme plant is in bloom, so I garnished it with that – what a sight!

Perfect for a luxurious brunch, an original lunch or just as a showstopper with aperitifs. And yes, it looks fancy, but with a stand mixer, the dough practically does all the work for you!

And for the enthusiasts, I have the perfect recipe for brioche bread.

Ingredients

What do you need?

Quantity: 6 rolls

For the brioche dough
90 ml lukewarm milk
1 tbsp active dry yeast
300 g plain flour or T45 flour
40 g sugar
4 g salt
220 g cold butter, cubed
2 eggs
2 egg yolks

For the labneh filling
1 kg full-fat yoghurt
salt and pepper
1 tbsp za'atar
1 tbsp olive oil

To finish
1 egg yolk splash of milk
extra za'atar
olive oil
thyme flowers (optional)

90 ml lukewarm milk
1 tbsp active dry yeast
300 g plain flour or T45 flour
40 g sugar
4 g salt
220 g cold butter, cubed
2 eggs
2 egg yolks

1 kg full-fat yoghurt
salt and pepper
1 tbsp za'atar
1 tbsp olive oil

1 egg yolk splash of milk
extra za'atar
olive oil
thyme flowers (optional)

Preparation method

How do you make this?

Make the labneh the day before

Place a cheesecloth or a clean, rinsed kitchen towel in a sieve resting on a bowl and pour the yogurt into it. Fold the cloth closed and let it drain overnight in the refrigerator.

The next day, you'll have about half the amount left: a thick, creamy labneh that is perfect as a filling.

Making brioche dough

Combine the lukewarm milk with the yeast and a small amount of the sugar in a measuring cup. Let stand for 5 minutes until it starts to foam.

Meanwhile, put the flour, the rest of the sugar, and the salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the cold butter cubes, the eggs, the egg yolks, and the yeast mixture.

Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes. This long kneading creates a lot of gluten, resulting in that delicious airy brioche texture.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, form a ball, and wrap it in plastic film. Let it firm up in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours.

Forming the buns

Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.

Meanwhile, butter and flour a muffin tin.

First, form each piece of dough into a ball and then roll it out into an oval shape, about 12 cm long. Sprinkle with za'atar and fold the dough in half onto itself.

Using a sharp knife or dough scraper, make incisions every half centimeter on the folded side. Then roll up the dough and place it upright in the muffin tin.

Repeat with the other pieces of dough.

Let the buns rise until they are nicely airy and doubled in volume.

Baking

Mix the egg yolk with a small splash of milk and brush the buns with it.

Bake for 25 minutes in a preheated oven at 170°C until golden brown and nicely risen.

Let cool completely.

Making the labneh filling

Mix the drained labneh with pepper, salt, olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of za'atar.

Put into a piping bag.

Make a small hole at the bottom of each brioche bun and fill generously with the labneh.

Pipe a small dollop of extra labneh on top. Using a spoon, make a small dimple in the filling, drizzle with some olive oil, and finish with extra za'atar.

Optionally, garnish with thyme flowers for an extra beautiful finishing touch.

Tips

Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend with thyme, sumac, and sesame, among other ingredients. It's incredibly delicious with creamy dairy products!
These buns taste fantastic warm, but are also delightful cold for brunch or lunch.
I also love to drizzle a spoonful of honey over them; the sweet and salty combination is heavenly!