Chocolate Babka

Name: Chocolate Babka
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Manitoba flour (with at least 12.5 g of protein) 4.3 cups; Fresh brewer's yeast 0.9 oz; Unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ cup; Water 0.7 cup; Whole milk &frac23; cup; Fine salt 1.4 tsp; Spreadable hazelnut cream ½ cup; Dark chocolate chips 0.75 oz; Egg yolks 3; Whole milk to taste

it de es fr br

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Serving: 6
Cost: Average
Note + rising times

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
2Foodfitlovers

This chocolate babka is the perfect bread for breakfast or a sweet snack. Coming straight from Poland and loved all over Eastern Europe, this treat is basically a soft, tender bread with a rich chocolate swirl. And you know what? What makes this version special is its simplicity—no butter or sugar in the dough, just your basic stuff like flour, water, and yeast. The result? A homemade babka that comes together quickly. Pretty simple. You don’t need a ton of time or special skills to make it. A smooth chocolate spread and dark chocolate are used, melting together to create a moist, gooey filling everyone loves. And the smell? When it comes out of the oven—warm, fragrant, and slightly crispy on the outside—it’s seriously good.

In many Eastern European homes, babka’s a must-have on the table for breakfast or family gatherings, and sometimes even as a dessert. There are endless babka recipe variations—from those filled with raisins and nuts to poppy seed versions—but this easy chocolate babka is a favorite for those who want something richer yet straightforward. And look, the beauty of this style is that it’s not overly sweet. Perfect with coffee or tea. You can even add your own twist, like a sprinkle of cinnamon or orange zest for extra flavor. While some compare it to Jewish chocolate babka, this Polish version uses a classic yeast dough for a fluffier, more golden crumb. The tangy taste of dark chocolate woven into the braid gives a deeper flavor, providing a nice balance of sweet and slightly bitter in every bite. Super super tasty.

With its simple ingredients and easy method, this easy babka recipe lets anyone bake a sweet, moist treat without much effort or fancy gear. Whether you’re enjoying it fresh from the oven or toasting it the next day, this babka is sure to become a family favorite. So, grab your ingredients and give this really good bread a try—you won’t be disappointed! Really.

INGREDIENTS

For the dough (for a 10x4 inch pan): Manitoba flour 4.3 cups (500 g) - (with at least 12.5 g of protein); Fresh brewer's yeast 0.9 oz (25 g); Unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ cup (25 g); Water 0.7 cup (160 ml); Whole milk ⅔ cup (160 ml); Fine salt 1.4 tsp (8 g)

for filling: Spreadable hazelnut cream ½ cup (100 g); Dark chocolate chips 0.75 oz (20 g)

for brushing: Egg yolks 3; Whole milk to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Chocolate Babka

To prepare the chocolate babka, start by adding flour, cocoa powder, water 1, milk 2 into a stand mixer, then also add the crumbled yeast 3.

Lastly, add the salt 4. Begin mixing immediately with the hook at a minimum speed 5, then you can increase the speed and work until the dough is uniform and detaches from the sides 6.

On the working surface, knead the dough a bit and give it a couple of folds 7, then cover with a bowl and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Then repeat the folds, this way the dough will be smoother 9. If it is not smooth yet, you can repeat the 10-minute rest under the bowl and then the folds again.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin, aiming for a rectangular shape as much as possible 10, spread the cream 11, fold along the long side 12.

Spread the spreadable cream over this surface as well 13, then distribute the dark chocolate chips 14, then roll it onto itself from the shorter side 14 15.

Once rolled, make a cut starting 1-1.5 inches from one of the ends of the roll 16, cut to the other end to create two parts 17. Begin braiding them 18.

Continue to create the braid pattern to the end 19 20. Place the babka in a pan 3 inches high, 10 inches long, and 4 inches wide. Add more dark chocolate chips on top as desired 21.

Cover and let rise until doubled in size, it will take about 30 minutes 22. In a small bowl, you can mix milk and egg 23. Once risen, take the babka 34.

You can brush it with the milk and egg mixture 25, then bake at 356°F for 20-25 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven 26, let cool, then remove from the pan and slice to share your chocolate babka 27.