Chocolate Babka is a real treat. Light, fluffy bread twisted with a layer of chocolate. You will be surprised at how simple the process is to make this beautiful work of art.

What is Babka
Chocolate Babka is a sweet braided bread. It’s made by rolling a yeasted dough with a chocolate filling and then braiding the pieces together. Babka is tender, buttery, and is a beautiful presentation!
How to Make Babka Dough
- Mix together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add eggs and water, then knead to combine.
- Knead the dough while slowly adding the butter until the dough is shiny and elastic.
- Allow the dough to rest in a covered, oiled bowl in the fridge for at least 6 hours. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 40 minutes before shaping.




How to Make Chocolate Babka Filling
- Chop the chocolate and add to a saucepan with butter, sugar, and cocoa powder. Cook and stir until it becomes creamy and combined.
- Set in the fridge to cool and thicken.


How to Shape Babka
- Divide the dough into two pieces and roll into rectangles. Spread the chocolate filling over each rectangle.
- Roll the rectangle (starting at one of the long edges) into a tight roll. Pinch the end to seal.
- Cut each roll into two pieces and twist the two pieces (with the cut sides up) to form two babka rolls. Add shaped babka to prepared bread pans and let it rise, covered with a towel, in a warm spot for 45 minutes.




Baking Babka
- Bake the babka loaves in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- While the babka is baking, make the syrup by combining the water and sugar in a saucepan and simmering until the sugar is dissolved.
- Brush the baked babkas with syrup. Remove them from the pans and cool before serving.

FAQ
Babka is a sweet, braided bread that is made from a brioche dough. A brioche dough is a cross between a pastry and a bread that is very buttery, soft, and fluffy. Brioche can be made into a sweet or savory bread.
Babka is from the Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine. It was developed in the Eastern European communities in the early 19th century. Chocolate was not originally used until the 20th century.
Your babka may be dry for several reasons such as too much flour was added to the dough or the babka was overbaked.
Babka is an Eastern European sweet bread that originated in Jewish communities.

Making Chocolate Babka in Advance
To make chocolate babka in advance, you can refrigerate the babka dough for up to two days. You can also freeze the fully baked babka that has been tightly sealed and fully wrapped.
Optionally, you can freeze the unbaked babka. After you form the babka into shape, place it on a parchment-lined sheet pan and freeze. Once fully frozen you can transfer it to an airtight container. When ready to bake, allow to thaw at room temperature for 5 hours before baking.
More of Sweet Breads
- Brioche Bread – airy, flaky, and great for french toast!
- Brioche Buns – fluffy, light, and perfect for your next BBQ.
- Poppy Seed Rolls – no rising time required and perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
- Fruit Piroshki Recipe – a delicious Eastern European pastry filled with jam.
Recipe
Ingredients
Babka Dough
- 4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup lukwarm water 110F
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
Babka Chocolate Filling
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 10 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar or chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Babka Syrup
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
Babka Dough
- Add flour, sugar, yeast and salt to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add in the eggs and water. Knead until the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Cut the butter into small cubes. Add one cube at a time as you knead the dough. Knead until the dough is shiny and elastic.
- Place the dough into a large oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours. Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for at least 40 minutes.
Chocolate Babka Filling
- When using a whole chocolate bar, chop the chocolate into pieces, set aside. In a heavy saucepan over medium-low, combine the butter, sugar, chocolate and cocoa powder.
- Cook and stir until it becomes creamy. Set in the fridge so it cools and thickens into a spreadable consistency.
Making Chocolate Babka
- Butter two 9-inch bread pans. Line them with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into two pieces. Roll each piece into a rectangle.
- Use a knife to spread the Chocolate Babka Filling on each rectangle of dough.
- Starting from the long side, roll the rectangle into a roll. Pinch the end to seal.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the roll lengthwise into two pieces. With the cut side facing up, twist the two pieces together. Pinch the edges and gently press them together to seal.
- Move each babka into a loaf pan. Cover with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the towel from the loaves and place them in the preheated oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
I believe the recipe was brought to the Eastern Europe from Austria. Where the cake called Kreintz ( ?) Natalya, you may look up into this.
Thank you for sharing your feedback.
Thank you.
I have seen recipes on internet with nutella and poppy seeds. never baked babka before. Will try. I did breaded khala bread few times. You made a very good presentation.
Thank you! Let me know what you think when you try the babka!
Tried it so yummy can you make wool roll bread
I'm so glad you enjoyed the babka, thank you for the request I will add it to the list.
Tried it and it is so delicious and I hope you will be uploading recipes in the YouTube
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for taking the time to comment your feedback! We will be adding more recipes to YouTube soon!
You have no idea how much I love this!! Chocolate & bread together..the most amazing combination ever!!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, thank you for your feedback!
Such a beautiful and delicious bread. Thank you!
So delicious - Light, fluffy and the layers of chocolate so good! Great recipe!
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Melissa, thank you for your feedback!