This Chocolate Babka Bread is the perfect treat for holiday Brunch. This recipe makes 2 babka loaves and each is filled and glazed with 10 ounces of chocolate. Tell me you’re not hungry?!

Chocolate Babka Bread with text overlay for social media

Easter is a time of tradition for many families. Wouldn’t it be fun to add this chocolate babka bread into your Easter tradition? After learning about the history of the babka bread I knew I wanted to make this a family tradition with my kids. Ari Weinzweig’s history of babka teaches us that babka, which means “little grandmother,” was made on the Jewish Sabbath by grandmothers who would twist leftover pieces of challah with items such as seeds and nuts. It was later that chocolate was added to it creating sweet chocolate babka bread. 

A close-up of Chocolate Babka Bread

If you’re looking for other babka recipes, then you must check out this Polish Lemon Babka and Babka with Dates and Walnuts

This Chocolate Babka Bread would be the perfect addition to any brunch. The layers of chocolate swirled throughout the bread will leave you and your guests wanting more of this perfect blend of bread and chocolate spread twisted together. Serve a slice of the chocolate babka bread with a glass of milk, and it is sure to be the hit of the brunch! Whether you make the chocolate babka recipe for Easter Sunday, brunch, or any other occasion, your loved ones will be begging for more! 

It’s no wonder that I chose this Chocolate Babka recipe as the third recipe in my Brunch week series to share with you! #BrunchWeek

Brunch Recipes for Brunch Week on Food Folks and Fun

Other Brunch Week Recipes:

Common Babka Questions Answered:

What kind of bread is babka?

Babka bread is a sweet leavened bread made with a rich dough. The dough is typically filled with chocolate or cinnamon in layers. This chocolate babka bread has rich swirls of chocolate throughout the dough, making it simply irresistible! 

A slice of Chocolate Babka Bread

Is chocolate babka a dessert?

While you can make a potato babka which is made from potatoes, eggs, onions, bacon, and sausage. However, babka is a cake that looks like bread. The variety of babka that is the best know is the delicious chocolate babka followed by cinnamon babka. The chocolate babka often has a cinnamon streusel topping. Just thinking about this babka recipe is making my mouth water!  

Does babka bread freeze well?

Luckily, babka dough can be frozen so you can save it for later to have freshly baked chocolate babka bread anytime! Baked babka also freeze well, although I do not think you will have any leftover to freeze! But just in case you can hide it from your family and friends long enough to freeze it, be sure to wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil to protect it. Babka bread will freeze for up to one month. 

A slice of bread cut from the Chocolate Babka Bread

COOK’S NOTE:

Babka is truly a labor of love. With all of the rising, chilling, baking, and cooling, expect babka making to be an all-day affair. That’s why I suggest you make this Chocolate Babka Bread recipe the day before. 

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. 

COOK’S TOOLS:

  • 9-inch loaf pans
  • mixing bowls 
  • medium saucepan
  • large rolling pin 
  • baking sheet 
  • chef’s knife
  • small saucepan
  • thermometer 
  • skewer
  • wire rack

Chocolate Babka Bread with a slice cut from it and text overlay for Pinterest

A slice of bread cut from the Chocolate Babka Bread
5 from 3 votes

Chocolate Babka Bread with Chocolate Glaze

Author Jillian - a Food, Folks and Fun original!
Prep Time 4 hours
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
20 people
This Chocolate Babka Bread is the perfect treat for holiday Brunch. This recipe makes 2 babka loaves and each is filled and glazed with 10 ounces of chocolate. Tell me you’re not hungry?!

Ingredients
 
 

BABKA DOUGH:

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
  • ½ cup whole milk at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

CHOCOLATE FILLING:

  • 9 ounces milk chocolate finely chopped
  • 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
  • 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 24 cubes
  • 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 ½ cups finely ground chocolate wafer cookies

SUGAR SYRUP:

  • cups granulated sugar
  • cups water

CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
  • 2 ounces milk chocolate finely chopped
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
  • 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

Instructions

PREPARE THE PANS:

  • Lightly spray two 8 1/2 to 9-inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Line the pans with parchment paper, cutting the parchment to fit with an overhang on all sides of the pan. Lightly spray the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 1

MAKE THE DOUGH:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt, and then attach the dough hook.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 2
  • In a large measuring cup whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 3
  • Turn the mixer on low and slowly pour in the egg mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 4
  • With the mixer still running, add in a few cubes of the butter at a time and mix until combined. Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 5
  • Lightly spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray and place the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 80-100 minutes.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 6

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE FILLING:

  • While the dough rises, make the chocolate filling by setting a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan with 2 inches of swimming water. Add the chocolate and butter to the bowl and stir often until the chocolate is melted.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 7
  • Let the melted chocolate sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, and then stir in the corn syrup followed by the ground cookie wafers.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 8

SHAPE THE BABKA BREAD:

  • Working with half of the dough at a time, roll half of the dough out into a floured surface into a 10x14-inch rectangle.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 9
  • Evenly spread half of the chocolate filling over the dough. Starting with the 10-inch side, roll the dough tightly like you’re rolling cinnamon rolls. Place the roll seam side down onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Repeat with the remaining dough and chocolate filling. Freeze the rolls on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 10
  • Remove the rolls from the freezer. Working with 1 roll at a time, use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the roll in half lengthwise down the center. Twist each piece of roll, and then twist the two pieces together; over, under, over, under, all the ways down the roll. Pinch the ends of the roll in place and place it into one of the prepared loaf pans. Repeat with the second roll. Cover the pans with greased plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until nearly doubled, about 90-120 minutes. During the last 20 minutes of rising, move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 11

BAKE THE BABKA:

  • Once the babka is done rising, place the pans in the oven and bake until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F, about 40-50 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and place them on a wire rack.

MAKE THE SUGAR SYRUP:

  • While the babka bakes, make the sugar syrup by whisking together the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Let the sugar water boil for 2 minutes, and then remove it from the heat.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 12

POKE THE BAKED BABKA:

  • Poke each break 40 times with a wooden skewer. Pour half of the sugar syrup over one babka, and then pour the rest of the syrup over the other. Let the babka cool in the pan for 40 minutes, and then use the parchment overhang to lift the babka from the pans. Let the babka cool completely on the wire rack.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

  • Make the chocolate glaze by setting a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan with 2 inches of swimming water. Add the chocolate and butter to the bowl and stir often until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the corn syrup.
    Chocolate Babka Bread Step 7
  • Spread the glaze over the tops of the babka breads and let the chocolate set for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
    Chocolate Babka Bread on a table

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 560IU | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2.6mg

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13 Comments

  1. I’ve honestly never had babka bread…This looks like it is definitely up my alley! Looks so good!

  2. I would be in chocolate heaven if I was eating this! It would be perfect with a big glass of milk. Love that this recipe makes two loaves so it’s great for sharing.

  3. Oh that glaze looks amazing! I am not sure it would make it on to the bread as I would eat it all!

  4. Can’t tell you how much I love babka, chocolate is my favorite flavor, yours look so delicious I can’t wait to make it, thanks for sharing!

  5. Nathan Wyper says:

    This looks so delicious and chocolatey! I’ve never herd of this bread before but it is definitely one to try!

    1. I hope that you love it!

  6. Thank you so much for the recipe. Babka is my favourite bread! There used to be a chocolate cafe in Brisbane and they had babka. The cafe closed down but now I can bake my own!

  7. Christina says:

    What a delicious recipe! I’ll be making this again and again!

    1. So glad you liked it!

  8. This Babka Bread is one of my FAVE recipes!

  9. Dolores Mugno says:

    I’ve been buying chocolate and cinnamon babkas at WF for a number of years making French toast for breakfast. It’s always a “hit” with my family. I’m excited to make it from scratch and I was wondering if I could use Karo syrup instead of corn syrup. I’m sure there’s no comparison between home made and store bought.

    1. Yes, Karo syrup is corn syrup, so go for it! 🙂