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Cinnamon Babka

Aug 23, 2023 · 13 Comments

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Collage with two slices of cinnamon babka on a dark background on top, a loaf showing the inside of the babka on bottom, and the words "cinnamon babka" in the center.

Buttery and soft bread loaf with swirls of sweet cinnamon in this Cinnamon Babka make it impossible to have just one slice! Just look at those beautiful swirls!

A loaf of cinnamon babka on a small cutting board showing just the end where pieces have already been cut off, exposing the swirls inside.

Cinnamon Babka

Cinnamon babka features a buttery, soft bread with swirls of sweet, gooey cinnamon swirled throughout. It's as delicious to eat as it is beautiful to look at.

I won't lie to you, cinnamon babka, or babka of any kind really, is a little time consuming to make. The steps are simple but the rise times are slightly longer than typical bread. All of that being said, this cinnamon babka is absolutely worth the wait!

Whenever I hear "cinnamon babka," my brain automatically goes to the episode of Seinfeld where they're going to a party and trying to get a babka to bring from the bakery. Elaine thinks cinnamon is the "lesser babka." But I agree with Jerry. Cinnamon takes a backseat to no babka!

And let the baking begin. ๐Ÿ™ˆ๐Ÿ˜†

What is Babka?

Babka is a sweet braided bread that originated in Jewish communities. It is considered a bread and not a cake because it uses a dough with yeast that rises instead of a typical cake batter.

The dough is then rolled out covered in a filling flavor, such as cinnamon and brown sugar in this recipe. Then the dough is rolled up and braided into a loaf.

There are many different flavors and variations of babka including chocolate or fruits such as apple or blueberry.

What is the Difference Between Brioche and Babka?

Two slices of cinnamon babka with different swirl patterns next to the remaining loaf on a cutting board.

The Components of Cinnamon Babka

There are three main parts of cinnamon babka: The dough, the filling, and the syrup. And they each play their part to make this one of most delicious breads you will ever taste.

The Dough

The dough is a bread dough that rises with yeast. It takes a little longer to rise than your typical dough because it is rich with fat, and it is also a little stickier than your average dough. So flour your work surface well!

The Filling

After making this the first time, I bumped the amount of filling up just a bit to give it even more gooey, sweet cinnamon flavor. The filling for cinnamon babka is a lot like cinnamon roll filling, and it's made with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and an egg white to hold it all together.

The Syrup

When the babka is done baking, you will brush a simple syrup, made from sugar and water, all over it. This will soak into the bread itself, as well as crystallize on the tops for a little sugary crisp around the edges.

Rolling and Shaping Cinnamon Babka

After applying the filling to rolled out dough, you will roll up the dough like a cinnamon roll. You will want to hold the short edge to roll it up so that you get the most gooey cinnamon layers.

Once your dough is rolled up, you will notice that it is not long enough to braid. So we're going to use our preschool-playdoh technique of using our hands to roll it on the counter making a looong snake!

Once your dough snake is about twice the length of your loaf pan, you can twist it into a braid, as shown below in the video. Pinch together the ends, and transfer it to the loaf pan for the final rise!

Slices of cinnamon babka with different swirl patterns surrounding the remaining loaf on a cutting board and a linen napkin behind, all on a dark backdrop.

How to Serve Cinnamon Babka

Cinnamon Babka has the flavor and sweetness of a cake, so by itself, preferably warm is an amazing way to eat it.

Since it's actually a bread, you can also put spreads like butter (like this cinnamon honey butter), peanut butter, or Nutella or even a little drizzle of honey.

More Cinnamon Recipes You'll Love

  • Cinnamon Swirl Bread - a yeast bread with swirls of cinnamon. It's a little less sweet than this babka, and I love using it for French toast.
  • Cinnamon Honey Butter - the perfect spread for breads and rolls when you want to add a hint of sweet and cinnamon spice.
  • Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake Loaf - No yeast in this one! Get the same sweet cinnamon flavors in a fraction of the time.
  • Snickerdoodles - soft, chewy cookies with cinnamon sugar around the outside.
  • Spiced Sugar Cookies - classic sugar cookies with a spicy cinnamon twist. These cinnamon-y cookies are to-die-for topped with frosting.

Cinnamon Babka Video

A loaf of cinnamon babka on a small cutting board showing just the end where pieces have already been cut off, exposing the swirls inside.

Cinnamon Babka

Buttery and soft bread loaf with swirls of sweet cinnamon in this Cinnamon Babka make it impossible to have just one slice! Just look at those beautiful swirls!
5 from 12 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Jewish
Keyword: Cinnamon Babka
Servings: 24 servings
Calories:
Author: Michelle
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • โ…” cup milk
  • ยฝ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk (reserve white for filling)
  • 1ยผ teaspoons salt
  • 3ยพ cup all-purpose flour
  • Oil for greasing (neutral flavor such as canola, vegetable or light-tasting olive oil

Cinnamon Filling

  • 1ยฝ cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1 egg white (reserved from dough)

Simple Syrup

  • ยฝ cup water
  • ยฝ cup granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Activate the yeast: In a small saucepan over medium heat, add milk and sugar and heat to 110ยฐ-115ยฐF.
  • Whisk in yeast. Cover. Set aside for 5 minutes to activate yeast.
  • After 5 minutes, transfer yeast mixture to a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer.
  • Prepare the dough: Add butter, eggs, egg yolk, salt, and 1 cup flour.
  • Beat on low speed with the dough hook attachment for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then add another 1 cup of flour. Beat on medium speed until incorporated.
  • Continue adding flour ยฝ-cup at a time and beating at medium speed until the dough comes together. (The dough should be very soft and almost creamy-feeling. Do not add more flour than you need.)
  • Knead the dough:ย Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 3 minutes or knead by hand on a lightly floured work surface for 3 minutes. Add additional flour as you knead it, as needed to prevent it from sticking to the work surface. The dough is very soft.
  • 1st Rise:ย Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray or a neutral-tasting oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it once to coat both sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 3-4 hours or until nearly double in size.
  • Grease two 9"x5" loaf pans. Set aside.
  • At the end of the rise, prepare the filling: In a medium mixing bowl, add all filling ingredients (making sure butter is not too hot so that it doesn't cook the egg white). Whisk together to combine. Set aside.
  • Shape the dough:ย When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air.
  • Divide the dough in half. Flour a work surface and rolling pin.
  • Roll out each half into a 10x18 inch rectangle. Carefully spread the cinnamon filling mixture evenly between the two rectangles.
  • Using flour hands, tightly roll up the dough, starting at the short end to form a 10-inch long log.
  • On a floured surface, gently roll the dough back and forth (like how you make "snake" with clay) until the log reaches about 16-inches of equal thickness.
  • Place the log on its seam. Fold in half, then twist it to form a figure 8. Pinch the ends together. Place in prepared loaf pans.
  • 2nd Rise:ย Cover shaped babka with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise until itโ€™s puffy and nearly reaches the top of the loaf pan, about 1 to 1ยฝ hours.
  • Bake: Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Remove cover from the loaves and place on the middle rack of the oven for about 35-40 minutes, until golden brown on top. (Or an internal temperature of about 200ยฐF)
  • While the babka is in the oven, make the syrup: In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring water and sugar to a boil. As soon as the sugar dissolves, remove from heat and set aside.
  • Once the cakes are out of the oven, gently brush the syrup over them. Use all of the syrup even if it looks like a lot.
  • Let cakes cool until they are warm, then remove from pans and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Makes 2 loaves.
  • Don't have a stand mixer? Electric hand mixers have dough mixers too, so no problem. Here's the one I have on Amazon.
  • Why does it take so long for the dough to rise? Compared to your average loaf of bread, this dough is rich with fat, so it takes longer than other doughs to rise.
  • For precise measuring, use a kitchen scale to ensure your dough is divided in half evenly.
  • Having trouble shaping your babka? Watch the video about the recipe or here on YouTube, where I show you exactly how to shape it.
  • Storage: Cover leftover babka tightly and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  • Freezer Directions: Allow your babka to come to room temperature. Then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Did you make this recipe?I love seeing your creations. Snap a quick photo and mention @TheGraciousWife or tag #thegraciouswife on Instagram! Leave a STAR rating below!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mindy says

    December 14, 2023 at 9:57 pm

    This was so delicious!! Babka came out soft and fluffyโ€ฆand the cinnamon swirls were the best part.

    Reply
  2. Dina and Bruce says

    December 14, 2023 at 11:07 pm

    We love cinnamon.This was so good! Buttery and light!!!

    Reply
  3. Jill says

    December 14, 2023 at 11:42 pm

    This was my first time making babka. Your recipe is easy to follow and delicious. Definitely will be making it again!

    Reply
  4. Ieva says

    December 15, 2023 at 2:57 am

    So so pretty and super delicious. We've agreed we will make another one to add to our family Christmas breakfast table too! Thanks a lot!

    Reply
  5. MacKenzie says

    December 15, 2023 at 7:13 am

    Have a brunch coming up with friends and I cannot wait to make this. It is so beautiful and I bet it tastes good too.

    Reply
  6. Beth says

    December 15, 2023 at 10:57 am

    I LOVE babka! I can't wait to start making it for myself. Your recipe sounds delicoius.

    Reply
  7. Holly says

    December 17, 2023 at 5:29 pm

    This was the perfect addition to the early Christmas brunch I hosted for some friends. Everyone was so impressed. It looks fancy, but it was surprisingly easy to make.

    Reply
  8. Gianne says

    December 17, 2023 at 5:54 pm

    The sweet cinnamon swirls dancing through the soft, fluffy bread are like a party in my mouth. It's the perfect treat to satisfy my sweet tooth cravings. Absolutely heavenly!

    Reply
  9. Sara Welch says

    December 17, 2023 at 5:58 pm

    This was such a quick and easy recipe that does not disappoint! Turned out light, fluffy and delicious; definitely, a new favorite recipe!

    Reply
  10. Alison Corey says

    December 17, 2023 at 7:10 pm

    The layers of cinnamon, sugar, and butter create a delightful dance of flavors, making each bite a pure indulgence. This babka is an absolute triumph in the world of delicious treats.

    Reply
  11. Ashley says

    December 17, 2023 at 7:55 pm

    I recently made a chocolate babka and now i'm looking for more recipes and flavors. I'm so glad to have found this cinnamon version!

    Reply
  12. Dannii says

    December 20, 2023 at 3:06 am

    I love anything with cinnamon, so I knew I was going to like this. It was perfect. So light and fluffy.

    Reply
  13. Michelle says

    December 20, 2023 at 5:11 am

    This turned out perfect, lovely and fluffy and the cinnamon was so good! A keeper, thanks for sharing the recipe.

    Reply

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