HOW TO MAKE BABKA | The Best Cinnamon Babka Recipe

Link to my Chocolate Nutella Babka Recipe:    • Delicious Chocolate Nutella Babka | E...  

Have you been watching The Great British Baking Show and decide to try your hand at making babka? Or are you just a babka afficionado wanting to know how to make your favorite bread? Either way, this is the recipe for you! This cinnamon babka will blow your mind with deliciousness, that cinnamon filling swirled throughout this brioche-like bread is like the ultimate cinnamon roll...I promise you won't regret making it!

If you're wanting chocolate babka, click up top for that recipe too!

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Cinnamon Sugar Babka
Makes 2 loaves

Bread:
3/4 cup warm milk (NOT hot)
2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
4 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
2 ¾ c all purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
2 large eggs, room temp
5 T melted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp nutmeg
1 t vegetable oil

Streusel topping:
½ c powdered sugar
¼ c flour
4 T butter
Pinch of salt

Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
8 T (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1.5 c brown sugar
1.5 T cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
2 T flour
Big pinch of salt

Syrup:
⅔ c sugar
⅓ c water


In the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm milk, yeast and 2 T sugar. Whisk it together and let sit 5-7 minutes until foamy. Add in ½ c flour and whisk to incorporate. Let sit another 15-20 minutes until mixture looks fluffy and domed.

Add remaining 2 T sugar, eggs, butter, salt, vanilla, and nutmeg and attach to stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment. Turn on mixer and mix to incorporate. Start adding flour in about ½ c additions, waiting until previous addition is incorporated before adding in another. Make sure to scrape down sides of bowl and make sure dough is mixing evenly. Once all the flour is incorporated, leave the stand mixer on a medium-low speed and let it knead the dough for 5 minutes. Then turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.

Knead the dough by hand for a few minutes until a nice, smooth ball has been formed thats no longer sticky. Lightly oil the dough with vegetable oil and put it back into a bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.

While dough is rising, prepare the filling and the streusel topping.

For the streusel, add all the ingredients into a medium bowl. Using a fork or your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until clumps start to form. Set streusel to the side.

For the cinnamon sugar filling, add all the ingredients into a medium bowl and again, using a fork or your fingers, mix until combined.

Once dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 2 pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a large rectangle, approximately 18” x 12”. Thinly and evenly spread ½ of the cinnamon sugar filling over the surface of the dough, all the way to the top and to the left and right edges. Leave the ½ inch of dough on the edge closest to you free of filling.

Starting at the edge nearest you, very tightly roll up the dough. The more tightly it’s rolled, the more stripes you’ll have in your bread and the better it will look! Once rolled, pinch the free edge of the roll closed onto the dough.

Once the dough has chilled, use a serrated knife to cut the roll down the middle lengthwise, revealing all the layers of filling. Make an “X” with the dough (filling side up) and then twist together one half of the “X”, then the other, pinching the ends and keeping the filling side up while twisting. (If you’re confused about this, watch the video!)

Transfer into a parchment-lined loaf pan and top with streusel. Repeat with second roll.

Cover the babka with plastic wrap and let rise 30-45 minutes or until risen but not completely doubled in size.

While dough is rising, preheat over to 350.

Once dough has risen, transfer it to a baking tray and bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until dark golden brown on top

While babka is baking, make the sugar syrup by adding sugar and water to a pan over medium heat. Mix together until sugar is completely dissolved, then set to the side.

When babkas come out of the oven, immediately brush with sugar syrup. The syrup provides a beautiful shine and will help keep your babkas fresher for longer. Let breads cool completely before digging in (i know, it’s hard!).

Breads will keep at room temperature for 48 hours if tightly wrapped or can be frozen for up to 3 months. Serve warm or at room temp.