Description
A soft, tender cinnamon roll babka with beautiful swirled layers of cinnamon sugar, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ½ cups (440g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (180ml) warm whole milk
- 10 tablespoons (140g) unsalted butter, softened (half for dough, half for filling)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ⅔ cup (135g) packed brown sugar
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar (for glaze, optional)
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or cream (for glaze)
- Optional: chopped walnuts or raisins for filling
Instructions
- Warm milk to about 110°F (43°C). Stir in yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let sit 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add yeast mixture, eggs, vanilla, and 5 tablespoons softened butter.
- Knead dough with dough hook on low then medium speed for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add flour if too sticky.
- Transfer dough to greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and remaining softened butter until creamy for filling.
- Punch down dough and roll out on floured surface into 12×18 inch rectangle.
- Brush cinnamon-sugar filling evenly over dough, leaving a small border.
- Roll dough tightly from long edge into a log. Pinch seam to seal.
- Slice log lengthwise into two strips. Twist strips together with cut sides up to reveal swirls. Pinch ends and tuck under.
- Place twisted dough into greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Cover and let rise 30-45 minutes until puffy. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake babka 35-40 minutes until golden and internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C). Cover with foil if browning too fast.
- Whisk powdered sugar with milk or cream to make glaze. Drizzle over warm babka. Let cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Use room temperature ingredients for best results. Don’t rush the rising times to develop flavor and tender crumb. Roll dough tight but not too tight to avoid dense babka. Glaze while babka is warm for best absorption. Store leftovers wrapped at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated up to 4 days. Reheat gently, avoid microwaving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of bab
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 210
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 6
Keywords: cinnamon roll babka, babka recipe, cinnamon swirl bread, breakfast babka, easy babka, cinnamon sugar babka