Introduction

Oh, hello there! Do you remember that feeling? That first bite of a perfectly baked babka, the warm, soft dough giving way to swirls of rich chocolate, all topped with a delicate, sweet glaze? It’s pure magic, isn’t it? For me, it brings back memories of cozy weekend mornings, the aroma filling the house, and the sheer joy of sharing something truly special. And guess what? You can absolutely recreate that magic right in your own kitchen! This Chocolate Babka recipe is more than just a dessert; it’s an experience, and surprisingly, it’s totally achievable, even if you’re new to baking. Get ready to impress yourself (and everyone you know!).

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast (ish): While baking takes time, the hands-on part is surprisingly quick, and the chilling step makes it manageable.
Easy to Master: Don’t let the beautiful swirls intimidate you! The steps are straightforward and forgiving.
Perfect for Gifting: Imagine handing someone a beautifully baked babka. It’s the ultimate homemade present!
Crowd-Pleasing: Seriously, who can resist chocolate and amazing bread? This is a guaranteed hit at any gathering.

Ingredients

Let’s gather our goodies! Don’t worry, it’s a list, but each ingredient plays its part in creating something truly spectacular.

For the Bread:

3 to 3 ½ cups (375-438 g) all-purpose flour: The foundation of our delicious bread. Start with 3 cups, and have the extra ready if your dough needs a little more company.
⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar: Just a touch of sweetness to make the dough happy.
1 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast: Our little magic worker that makes the dough rise and get all fluffy.
¾ teaspoon salt: Essential for balancing flavors and strengthening our dough.
2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten and at room temperature: These add richness and a beautiful golden hue to our bread. Room temperature is key for a smoother dough!
½ cup (118 ml) milk, warmed to 100°F (38°C): Warm milk wakes up the yeast and helps create a soft crumb. Think warm bathwater for the yeast!
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract: For that irresistible cozy aroma and flavor.
⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into tablespoons: This is what makes our babka wonderfully tender and rich. Softer butter incorporates much better!

For the Chocolate Filling:

8 oz (227 g) 60% chocolate bar, finely chopped: Choose a good quality chocolate; it really makes a difference! Dark chocolate adds a lovely depth.
⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter: Melts into that glorious chocolate to create a luscious filling.
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream: For extra silkiness and that irresistible glossy finish.
2 Tablespoons natural cocoa powder: To amp up that chocolatey goodness!
½ cup (65 g) powdered sugar: For a smooth, sweet chocolate spread.
½ teaspoon vanilla extract: A little extra vanilla never hurt anyone, right?
¼ teaspoon salt: To enhance all those sweet chocolate notes.

For the Syrup:

⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar: Our secret weapon for a beautifully glazed, moist babka.
¼ cup (60 ml) water: To dissolve that sugar and create a simple, effective glaze.

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get our hands (slightly) messy and create some deliciousness!

Get the Dough Going: Grab your stand mixer, fit it with the dough hook, and toss in 3 cups of your all-purpose flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt. Give it a little mix.
Add the Wet Ingredients: Pour in your lightly beaten eggs, the warm milk, and the vanilla extract.
First Mix: Let the mixer do its thing on low speed until everything just starts to come together. No need to overmix here!
Knead it Smooth: Crank the speed up to medium-low and let it knead for about 5-7 minutes. You’re looking for a dough that’s smooth and feels elastic, like a well-loved rubber band.
Butter, Butter, Butter! Now, with the mixer still running, gradually add your softened butter, a tablespoon at a time. Wait until each piece is mostly incorporated before adding the next. This can take another 5-7 minutes. The dough will start to look beautiful, smooth, and pull away from the sides of the bowl. If it feels too sticky, add that extra half cup of flour, a tablespoon at a time, until it’s just right.
First Rise: Transfer your beautiful dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and find a warm, cozy spot for it to rise for about 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until it’s doubled in size. Patience, my friend!
Chill Out: Once it’s doubled, gently punch down the dough. Cover it again and pop it into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or even better, overnight. This chilling step makes the dough much easier to handle for rolling and twisting!
Whip Up That Filling: While your dough is having its spa day in the fridge, let’s make that glorious chocolate filling. Gently melt your chopped chocolate and butter together. You can do this in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water (a double boiler!) or in the microwave, zapping in 30-second intervals and stirring in between until it’s all smooth and melty. Remove it from the heat.
Flavor Boost: Stir in the heavy cream, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix it all up until it’s wonderfully smooth and combined. Let it cool slightly so it’s spreadable but not runny.
Time to Assemble! Lightly flour a clean surface. Gently turn your chilled dough out onto it.
Roll it Out: Roll that dough into a big rectangle, about 12×18 inches. Imagine you’re making a giant chocolatey canvas.
Spread the Love: Generously spread your cooled chocolate filling evenly over the dough. Leave a little space on one of the long edges – that’s our sealing edge!
Roll it Up: Starting from the long edge that has the filling all the way to it, tightly roll up the dough into a log.
Seal the Deal: Pinch that seam to seal it shut. Now, carefully cut the log right in half down the middle, lengthwise.
Get Twisting! Take your two halves and twist them together, like you’re braiding a beautiful ribbon. This creates those gorgeous, iconic babka swirls!
Pan Up: Gently place your twisted dough into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan. It might look a little wild, but trust the process!
Second Rise: Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let it rise again in a warm place for about 45-60 minutes. You want it to look nice and puffy.
Preheat Perfection: While it’s having its final rise, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake to Golden Bliss: Bake your babka for 35-45 minutes, or until it’s a beautiful golden brown and cooked through. If you notice the top browning too quickly, just loosely tent it with a piece of foil.
Syrup Time: While your babka is baking, let’s make that simple syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves. Remove from heat.
Glaze it Up! As soon as your golden babka comes out of the oven, brush that warm syrup generously all over the top. This is where the magic happens – it makes it super moist and gives it that lovely sheen!
Cool Down: Let your beautiful babka cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Resist the urge to cut into it right away – the wait is worth it!

Substitutions & Additions

Feeling creative? I love that about you! Here are a few ideas to make this babka even more you:

Nutty Delight: Fold in some finely chopped toasted walnuts or pecans into the chocolate filling for an extra crunch and flavor.
Espresso Kick: Add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the chocolate filling to intensify the chocolate flavor.
Cinnamon Swirl: Before adding the chocolate filling, lightly sprinkle the dough with cinnamon sugar for a hint of warmth.
Jammy Surprise: If you’re feeling adventurous, you could swirl a thin layer of raspberry or apricot jam into the chocolate filling.

Tips for Success

A few little tricks up our sleeves can make all the difference!

Don’t Over-flour: It’s tempting to add a lot of flour if the dough is sticky, but try to resist! Soft butter can make the dough a bit wet initially, but it incorporates. Add flour sparingly.
Room Temperature is Key: Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This helps them incorporate smoothly into the dough, resulting in a better texture.
Chill is Your Friend: Don’t skip the chilling step! It firms up the dough and makes rolling, filling, and twisting so much easier.
Prep Ahead: You can absolutely make the dough and let it chill in the fridge overnight. Then, on baking day, all you have to do is assemble, rise, and bake!

How to Store It

Once your glorious babka has cooled, you’ll want to keep it fresh. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you live in a warm climate or want to keep it longer, the refrigerator is your best bet, but it might slightly firm up the crumb. Just let it come to room temperature before enjoying!

FAQs

Can I make this babka without a stand mixer?

Absolutely! You can definitely knead the dough by hand. It will take a bit more arm power, but it’s totally doable. You’ll just need to knead for a bit longer, around 10-15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

How do I know if my yeast is still good?

To check your yeast, simply sprinkle it into a small bowl with a little of your warm milk and a pinch of sugar. If it gets foamy and bubbly within 5-10 minutes, it’s active and ready to go!

My babka didn’t get very swirly. What did I do wrong?

Don’t worry! Sometimes the swirls can be subtle, especially with a rich dough like this. Make sure you rolled the dough out evenly and rolled it up tightly. Cutting the log carefully and twisting it gently also helps maintain those beautiful layers.

Can I freeze chocolate babka?

Yes! Once completely cooled, you can wrap the babka tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. It freezes well for up to 2-3 months. Thaw it at room temperature before enjoying.

Chocolate Babka

A rich, decadent, and surprisingly easy chocolate babka recipe with beautiful swirls, perfect for sharing or gifting.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Servings 12 slices

Equipment

Stand Mixer with dough hook
Heatproof bowl for double boiler or microwave
Saucepan for syrup
Loaf pan 9x5 inch
Wire rack

Ingredients

For the Bread

3.5 cups all-purpose flour start with 3 cups, have extra ready
0.33 cup granulated sugar for the dough
1.25 teaspoons instant yeast
0.75 teaspoons salt for the dough
0.5 cup milk warmed to 100°F (38°C)
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract for the dough
0.33 cup unsalted butter softened and cut into tablespoons

For the Chocolate Filling

8 oz 60% chocolate bar finely chopped
0.33 cup unsalted butter for the filling
0.25 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons natural cocoa powder
0.5 cup powdered sugar
0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract for the filling
0.25 teaspoon salt for the filling

For the Syrup

0.33 cup granulated sugar for the syrup
0.25 cup water for the syrup

Instructions

In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 3 cups of all-purpose flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt. Mix briefly.
Add the lightly beaten eggs, warm milk, and vanilla extract to the mixer.
Mix on low speed until the ingredients just start to come together.
Increase speed to medium-low and knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Gradually add the softened butter, one tablespoon at a time, while the mixer is running. Continue kneading for another 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add extra flour if needed.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Gently punch down the dough, cover again, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
While the dough chills, gently melt the chopped chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in the microwave. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat.
Stir in the heavy cream, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt into the melted chocolate mixture until smooth. Let cool slightly.
Turn the chilled dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 12x18 inch rectangle.
Spread the chocolate filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small margin on one long edge.
Tightly roll up the dough from the filled long edge into a log and pinch the seam to seal.
Carefully cut the log in half lengthwise, then twist the two halves together.
Gently place the twisted dough into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Loosely cover the pan and let it rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes until puffy.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
While the babka bakes, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.
Brush the warm syrup generously over the hot babka as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For a nutty delight, add toasted walnuts or pecans to the filling. For an espresso kick, add instant espresso powder to the filling. For a cinnamon swirl, sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the dough before adding the filling. A thin layer of jam can also be swirled into the filling.