These twisted loaves of chocolate orange babka Recipe are everything a bakery style bread should be: soft, deeply flavored, and impressively layered with dark chocolate swirled through tender, citrus-scented dough. The first time I made babka, I was shocked at how forgiving the dough was, and how a few simple twists created something that looked like it came from a fancy bakery window.
If you love easy recipes that feel special, you'll want to bookmark this one alongside my Easy Avocado Toast Recipe | Ready in 5 Minutes and 10-Minute Olive Tapenade Recipe | Bold & Easy Appetizer for your next brunch spread. The orange zest and glossy citrus syrup make this babka recipe stand out, and the soft crumb stays moist for days.
Why You Will love this Babka Recipe
This chocolate orange Babka Recipe is easier than it looks and delivers bakery-quality results at home. The dough comes together without a stand mixer, and the orange zest adds a subtle brightness that makes the chocolate filling taste even richer. Here's why this enriched dough bread is worth the time:
Rich, tender crumb. The combination of eggs, oil, and a bit of honey creates a soft, pillowy texture that stays moist for days.
Bold chocolate flavor. Melted dark chocolate, butter, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar make a filling that's smooth, glossy, and deeply chocolatey.
Beautiful presentation. The twisted layers look impressive, but the shaping process is actually pretty forgiving. Even if your dough isn't perfect, it bakes into something stunning.
Make-ahead friendly. You can chill the dough overnight after the first rise, or freeze the shaped loaves before the second rise. This makes it perfect for holidays or brunch gatherings.
Citrus syrup finish. Brushing the warm loaves with orange syrup adds moisture and a glossy shine that makes this Babka Recipe look like it came from a professional bakery.
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Babka Recipe Ingredients
This Babka Recipe is made with simple pantry staples, but the combination creates something truly special.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
Dough
All-purpose or bread flour: Forms the structure of the dough. Bread flour gives a slightly chewier texture, but all-purpose works beautifully too.
Instant yeast: Helps the dough rise without needing to bloom in water first. It's mixed directly into the flour.
Lukewarm water: Activates the yeast and brings the dough together. Make sure it's warm, not hot, so it doesn't kill the yeast.
Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor of the sweet yeast bread.
Honey or sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness and helps the dough stay soft. Honey also gives a subtle floral note.
Neutral oil: Safflower, canola, or grapeseed oil keeps the dough tender without adding any strong flavor.
Eggs: Bind the dough and add richness. They also help create that soft, bakery-style babka texture.
Orange zest: Brings a bright, citrusy aroma that complements the chocolate filling perfectly.
Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth to the dough.
Filling
Dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate: The star of the filling. Use good-quality chocolate for the best flavor.
Unsalted butter: Melts with the chocolate to create a smooth, spreadable filling.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens the filling and helps it hold together without being grainy.
Cocoa powder: Deepens the chocolate flavor and gives the filling a rich, dark color.
Syrup
Fresh-squeezed orange juice: Adds moisture and a glossy finish. You can use the juice of one orange plus a little water to reach the right amount.
Sugar: Dissolves into the juice to create a sweet, sticky glaze.
how to make Babka Recipe
This chocolate babka recipe takes time, but most of it is hands-off rising. The shaping process is easier than it looks.
Make the starter: Whisk 1 cup (128 g) flour with the yeast in a large mixing bowl. Stir in lukewarm water until combined. Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes, until puffy and bubbly.
Mix the dough: Add salt, honey (or sugar), oil, eggs, orange zest, and vanilla directly into the bowl. Stir until well combined. Add remaining 4 cups (486 g) flour and stir until a sticky dough forms.
Knead: Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky.
First rise: Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours or longer depending on kitchen temperature. This is where the dough develops flavor.
Prepare filling: Melt butter and chocolate together until smooth, either in the microwave in 30-second intervals or in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in powdered sugar and cocoa until fully smooth. The filling should be thick but spreadable.
Shape dough: Punch down dough and divide into two equal portions, about 600 g each. Roll one portion into a rectangle approximately 10 to 11 inches wide by 14 to 16 inches long on a lightly floured surface.
Fill and roll: Spread half of the filling over dough, leaving a ½-inch border. Roll tightly from the short end into a coil. Wrap in parchment paper and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Chill: If not refrigerating overnight, place rolls in freezer for 15 minutes to firm up. This makes slicing easier.
Prepare pans: Butter two 9×4-inch loaf pans and one mini loaf pan. Line with parchment paper for easy removal.
Cut and twist: Remove parchment from logs. Trim off about 1 inch from each end. Slice logs lengthwise down the middle. Twist halves together, cut sides up, and transfer into loaf pans. Place trimmed ends into mini pan. The exposed layers are what make braided bread loaf so beautiful.
Second rise: Cover pans with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 to 1½ hours, until dough fills the pans. The dough should look puffy and almost double in size.
Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place pans on a sheet pan and bake on middle rack for 25 to 30 minutes. Check mini loaf at 20 minutes. Tent with foil if browning too quickly. The loaves are done when golden and firm to the touch.
Make syrup: While baking, simmer orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside.
Finish: Brush syrup over mini loaf, then pour remaining syrup evenly over the two larger loaves while they're still warm. Let cool completely in pans if possible, or at least 15 minutes before slicing. The syrup soaks in and keeps the soft Babka Recipe moist.
Substitutions and Swaps
This traditional Jewish babka recipe is flexible, and you can adjust a few ingredients to suit your pantry or preferences.
Flour: Swap all-purpose for bread flour if you want a slightly chewier texture. The dough will still be soft and tender.
Sweetener: Use sugar instead of honey if that's what you have. The flavor will be a bit less complex, but the dough will still turn out great.
Oil: Any neutral oil works here. Vegetable, sunflower, or even melted coconut oil (cooled to lukewarm) are all fine.
Chocolate: Use milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate if you prefer a sweeter filling. You can also add a handful of mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the filling for extra texture.
Citrus: Swap orange zest for lemon zest, or use half of each for a mixed citrus flavor. The syrup can be made with lemon juice too.
Dairy-free: Use a plant-based butter in the filling and brush the pans with oil instead of butter.
Expert Tips
These little tricks make a big difference when you're baking Polish babka recipe or any enriched dough bread.
Use lukewarm water. If the water is too hot, it'll kill the yeast. If it's too cold, the dough will take forever to rise. Aim for about 100°F.
Let the dough rise fully. Don't rush the first or second rise. The dough should double in size and feel puffy. This is what gives babka its soft, airy texture.
Chill before slicing. Putting the rolled logs in the freezer for 15 minutes makes them much easier to cut cleanly. You'll get sharper layers.
Keep the cut sides up. When you twist the dough, make sure the chocolate layers are facing up. This is what creates the beautiful swirled look.
Equipment for Babka Recipe
This yeast bread recipe doesn't require any fancy tools. Here's what you'll use:
Large mixing bowl for making the dough and letting it rise.
Whisk and spatula for mixing the starter and combining ingredients.
Rolling pin to roll out the dough into rectangles.
Parchment paper for lining the baking sheet and loaf pans.
Loaf pans (two 9×4-inch and one mini) for baking the Babka Recipe. If you don't have a mini pan, use a small baking dish or make all the dough into two larger loaves.
Sharp knife for slicing the logs lengthwise before twisting.
Pastry brush for brushing the syrup over the warm loaves.
Sheet pan to catch any drips while baking.
How to Store Babka
This chocolate filled bread keeps well and actually tastes even better the next day once the flavors have settled.
Room temperature: Wrap the cooled loaves tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. They'll stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: If your kitchen is warm, store the babka in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before serving, or warm slices in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Freezer: Wrap individual slices or whole loaves in plastic wrap, then in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
Make-ahead tip: You can refrigerate the dough after the first rise for up to 24 hours, or freeze the shaped, unrisen loaves. Let them thaw and rise before baking.
Serving Suggestions
This Babka Recipe is delicious on its own, but here are a few ways to serve it that make it feel even more special.
With coffee or tea: A thick slice of babka pairs perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or black tea. The citrus notes brighten up your morning.
Toasted with butter: Warm a slice in the toaster and spread with a little salted butter. The edges get crispy, and the chocolate gets melty again.
As a dessert: Serve babka with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for an easy, impressive dessert.
For brunch: Slice the babka and arrange it on a platter with fresh fruit, yogurt, and something savory like my Easy Sweet Potato Hash Recipe | 5 Simple Ingredients.
FAQ
What is the secret to a moist Babka Recipe?
The secret is using enough fat in the dough (eggs, oil, and butter in the filling) and brushing the warm loaves with syrup right after baking. The syrup soaks into the bread and keeps it moist for days. Also, don't overbake the loaves. They should be golden on top but still soft in the center when you take them out.
What ethnicity is babka bread?
Babka Recipe has Eastern European roots and is traditionally associated with Jewish communities in Poland, Ukraine, and Russia. It became especially popular in Jewish bakeries in New York. Different cultures have their own versions, but the traditional Jewish babka with chocolate or cinnamon filling is the most well-known in the U.S.
Is babka a cake or a Babka Recipe?
Babka Recipe is technically a bread because it's made with yeast and has a dough-like texture, but it's much sweeter and richer than regular bread. It sits somewhere between a sweet yeast bread and a cake, with a soft, tender crumb and a dessert-like filling. Most people serve it as a treat or dessert, not as sandwich bread.
What does babka bread taste like?
Babka Recipe tastes rich, soft, and slightly sweet, with layers of buttery dough swirled with chocolate or cinnamon. This orange zest babka has a bright citrus note that complements the deep chocolate flavor. The texture is tender and almost cake-like, and the glossy syrup adds moisture and a hint of sweetness. It's comforting, indulgent, and just a little bit fancy
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Babka Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Combine one cup of the flour with the yeast in a large bowl, stir in the warm water until blended, then cover and let rest until bubbly and expanded.
- Add salt, honey, oil, eggs, orange zest, and vanilla directly into the bowl and mix thoroughly until smooth.
- Stir in the remaining flour until a sticky dough forms, then turn it out and knead briefly until soft and elastic.
- Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
- Melt the butter and chocolate together until smooth, then mix in powdered sugar and cocoa until glossy and spreadable.
- Deflate the dough and divide into two equal portions, then roll one portion into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
- Spread half of the chocolate filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border, then roll tightly into a log.
- Repeat rolling and filling with the second portion, then chill the logs briefly to firm them up for shaping.
- Slice each log lengthwise, twist the halves together with cut sides facing up, and transfer into prepared loaf pans along with any extra pieces.
- Cover loosely and let the shaped loaves rise until puffy and nearly filling the pans.
- Bake in a preheated oven until deeply golden and cooked through, shielding with foil if browning too quickly.
- Simmer orange juice and sugar until dissolved, then brush and pour syrup generously over the hot babkas before cooling.
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