Don’t be intimidated by yeast doughs. This chocolate or cinnamon babka comes together quickly, is moist and gooey, and uses very little margarine.
The first time I made babka I cried happy tears. For years I avoided recipes with yeast — bread, challah, cinnamon rolls — opting for store-bought versions or treats from friends. Once I finally tried making babka myself, I realized how approachable yeast baking can be. Since then, I’ve made many versions and learned to adapt recipes to suit my tastes.
My earliest successful babka was enormous and relied heavily on margarine. While I was thrilled to succeed, I didn’t want to bake such large quantities or use so much margarine every time. Over time I gained confidence with yeast and developed a smaller, nearly margarine-free version that makes a single or double batch easily. It’s become my go-to because it’s simple, reliable, and delicious.
Now that I’ve mastered a straightforward method, making babka takes only minutes of hands-on time. It’s a frequent request among friends and family and always gets rave reviews.
There’s something wonderful about a fresh babka on the counter: the crispy top, the gooey chocolate or fragrant cinnamon filling, and the sticky, irresistible crumbs of that first warm slice.
One year I made babkas for mishloach manos. It was a lot of work but surprisingly economical, and after that people started calling me the “babka lady.” Now I make them every Purim — some years many dozens — because people love them and I enjoy sharing them. My friends even ask me to bring them early so they can enjoy a slice with their morning coffee.
Time-saving tip: if you’re short on time you can use challah dough instead of making a separate babka dough — it’s sweet enough and works well with a generous chocolate filling.
Use good-quality cocoa for the best chocolate flavor. Some ingredients can be generic, but cocoa makes a notable difference. I prefer a rich unsweetened cocoa for depth of flavor.
Adding a bit of confectioners’ sugar to the filling is a relatively new trick I love. It gives a silkier texture and a balanced sweetness that granulated sugar alone doesn’t provide. If you prefer an extra-gooey, chocolate-forward babka, you can double the filling; bake a little longer to compensate. For a drier loaf, use less filling. There’s flexibility to adapt the loaf to your taste.
This dough also makes an excellent cinnamon babka. In my family there’s a lively debate between cinnamon and chocolate — I lean toward cinnamon, though chocolate always disappears fastest.
Shaping the classic babka look is easy with a little practice and these photos — don’t worry if your twist isn’t perfect, the crumb topping helps hide imperfections.
The Best and Easiest Chocolate (or Cinnamon) Babka
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 Tbsp dry yeast
- ½ cup warm water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp margarine, melted
- 1 egg
- 2 cups flour
Chocolate Filling:
- 2 Tbsp oil, for drizzling
- ¼ cup cocoa
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
Cinnamon Filling:
- 2 Tbsp oil, for drizzling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1-2 tsp cinnamon
Crumb Topping:
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Mini chocolate chips (optional, for chocolate babka)
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine the yeast and warm water. Add the sugar, melted margarine and egg and mix well. Stir in the flour until a smooth dough forms.
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Knead briefly — about 2–3 minutes — being careful not to overwork the dough or it will become tough.
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Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise for about 30 minutes.
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Prepare the filling: in a small bowl, combine the ingredients for either the chocolate or the cinnamon filling (reserve the oil and mini chocolate chips to drizzle/sprinkle later).
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Make the crumb: in another bowl, mix the crumb topping ingredients until they form coarse crumbs.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Divide the dough into two balls. On a floured surface, roll one ball into a large rectangle.
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Drizzle half the oil over the dough and sprinkle half the filling mixture evenly across the rectangle.
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Roll the rectangle up lengthwise, jelly-roll style.
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Shape the log into a “U,” twist as shown in the photos, and place it into a small loaf or oval pan.
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Sprinkle the top with crumb topping and mini chocolate chips if making the chocolate version. Repeat the process with the second dough ball.
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Bake 25–30 minutes, adjusting the time to your preferred level of doneness. Cool slightly before slicing.
Notes
Freezes well.
If you prefer, substitute cinnamon for a homemade spice blend.
Recipe by Faigy Murray