Easy Chocolate Babka Recipe

This chocolate babka is made with a rich, buttery brioche dough swirled with homemade chocolate filling and baked until beautifully golden. A simple syrup brushed over the warm loaf keeps every slice soft, moist, and full of chocolate flavor.

Babka is one of those recipes that looks impressive but is surprisingly fun to make. Once you learn how to roll, cut, and twist the dough, you get those beautiful chocolate layers every time.

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Living in Israel, babka is one of those treats you see everywhere. Almost every bakery has beautiful loaves lined up with chocolate, cinnamon, or other fillings, and my husband especially loves it because it reminds him of the flavors he grew up with.

Of course, I couldn’t resist making my own version at home. I use a rich brioche-style dough because I love the extra softness from the butter and eggs. And the little trick that makes all the difference is brushing the warm babka with simple syrup so it stays moist for days.

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Step-by-step: Chocolate babka – 2 loaves

Babka dough

• Combine– In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine warm milk (110°F), yeast, sugar, and eggs. Followed by the flour and salt. Combine on medium-high speed for a minute or two.
  Pro tip – Use a whisk to ensure everything is well combined. Especially if you are using fresh baker’s yeast like me.
• Knead – once all the flour is well incorporated, knead on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes.
  Pro tip – To knead by hand, transfer to a well-dusted worktop and knead for 12 to 15 minutes.
• Butter – Next, add the soft room-temperature butter, one cube at a time. Once all the butter is in, knead for 8 to 10 minutes more.
  Pro tip – A brioche dough is soft, elastic, smooth, and still slightly sticky. So do not be tempted to add extra flour.
• Transfer to an oiled bowl, seam side down. Coat the surface with oil to prevent drying. Cover with a damp kitchen cloth or plastic wrap.
• Rise – Leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour or until it doubles in volume.
  Pro tip – You can also cover and leave it in the fridge to rise for 6 to 12 hours or up to 24 hours.

Chocolate filling

• In a microwave-safe bowl or double-boiler, melt the chocolate, butter, and cream. Then, add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Combine until smooth.
  Pro tip – The combination of powdered sugar and cocoa powder with chocolate prevents the chocolate from burning in the bread.

Rolling and shaping

• Pans – Generously grease two 9 x 4-inch loaf pans and set aside.
  Pro tip – you can also make 1 large 13 x 4-inch loaf. Today, I made one chocolate and one Nutella babka.
• Divide – Punch the dough and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into two to make two loaves.
• Fill – Roll each portion into a rectangle about 1/8 inch in thickness. Drop spoonfuls of the chocolate mixture all over the dough, then use an offset spatula to spread evenly, making sure to get to all the edges too.
• Roll – Working from the long side, roll the dough from side to side (similar to a Swiss roll). Pinch the seams together.
  Pro tip – I like to place the long in the freezer for 15 minutes before I cut it. This sets the chocolate and makes it easier (less messy) to work with.

• Twist – Using a serrated knife or bench scraper, cut the roll in the middle, dividing it into two lengthways. Turn the cut side facing upwards. Twist the two parts onto each other and pinch the ends to prevent them from opening.
  Pro tip – It is easier if you start from the middle, twist one end, then twist the other end, and pinch the ends as shown in the video.
• Pan – Pick the twisted dough up carefully and place it into the prepared loaf pan, making sure the twisted part is up and the seams are under.
• Proof – Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place for about 60 to 90 minutes.
  Pro tip – You can even place the dough in the fridge for 6 to 9 hours (or overnight). Thaw an hour before baking. Perfect for a weekend or festive breakfast.
• Sugar syrup – While the bread is proofing (or baking), combine water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.60 g Sugar,60 g Water

Bake & Moisten

• Bake – 10 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C / Gas Mark 5. Brush the babka with egg wash and transfer to the oven on the middle rack and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden on top.
  Pro tip – egg wash is just a beaten egg with 2 tbsp of water or milk.½ Egg with 2 tbsp of water
• Syrup – Remove from the oven and brush with sugar syrup. Then, continue baking for another 10 minutes. About 30 to 35 minutes of total baking time.
  Pro tip – The sugar syrup helps keep the babka moist long after it has been baked.
• Cool – Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then, invert onto a cooling rack or platter to cool further.
  Pro tip – Once the chocolate cools, getting it out of the pan might be challenging. So it is best to do that when the chocolate is still warm.

How to get beautiful babka layers

• Roll the dough into an even rectangle.
• Spread the chocolate filling all the way to the edges.
• Chill the rolled dough for 10–15 minutes before slicing.
• Keep the cut chocolate layers facing upward when twisting.
• Do not overproof after shaping or the layers can lose definition.

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Tips for Success

• Use good-quality chocolate – Since chocolate is the main flavor, use a chocolate you enjoy eating. Chop it finely so it melts smoothly into the filling.
• Give the dough enough time to rise – Babka is made with an enriched dough, so the butter and eggs can slow the rise slightly. Let the dough double in volume rather than watching only the clock.
• Chill before slicing – After spreading the chocolate and rolling the dough, chill the roll for 10–15 minutes. This firms the filling and makes it easier to cut and twist clean layers.
• Prepare before filling – Have your pans, knife, and tools ready before spreading the chocolate. Once filled, the dough can get messy to move around.
• Watch the color while baking – Because this is a rich dough, it browns quickly. Tent loosely with foil if the top gets dark before the center is baked.
• Try different variations – Add chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or swap the filling for cinnamon, Nutella, or another favorite.

More sweet and savory babka recipes

• The Ultimate Nutella Babka Recipe
• Jam Babka Recipe (Brioche)
• Irresistible Biscoff Babka
• Savory Pesto Babka

Troubleshooting

Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
Babka is dense or heavy	The dough did not rise enough or too much flour was added	Let the dough double in size before shaping and keep the dough soft and slightly tacky
Chocolate filling leaks out	The filling was too warm or the dough was difficult to cut	Chill the rolled dough for 10–15 minutes before slicing and twisting
Layers disappeared after baking	Dough was rolled too thick or overproofed after shaping	Roll evenly and proof only until the loaf looks puffy
Babka is dry	Overbaked or not enough syrup added after baking	Avoid overbaking and brush the warm loaf with simple syrup
Top browns too quickly	Enriched dough with butter and sugar browns faster	Tent loosely with foil and continue baking until done

Frequently asked questions

more sweet bread recipes

• Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
• Chocolate Rugelach or Rugelach Chocolate Rolls
• Cinnamon Rolls – Condensed Milk or `Cream Cheese glaze
• Chocolate Croissants
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
• See all chocolate recipes

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