Chocolate Babka

Name: Chocolate Babka
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup warm milk; 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast; 1/3 cup sugar; 2 eggs; 1/2 cup softened butter; 3 1/2 cups bread flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 cup chocolate chips, melted; 1/4 cup cocoa powder; 3 tbsp sugar (for filling)

12 servings50 min prep40 min cookMedium

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Chocolate Babka

Story updated September 18, 2026

Babka originated among Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Eastern Europe (Poland and Ukraine), likely as a way to use leftover challah dough. The chocolate variation is often credited to Jewish bakeries in Israel and later gained wider fame partly through American pop culture, including a well-known Seinfeld episode.

Ingredients

Scale:· 12 servings

1/2 cup warm milk
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup softened butter
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips, melted
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 tbsp sugar (for filling)

Instructions

1Stir yeast and sugar into warm milk; let sit until foamy.
2Whisk in eggs, then stir in flour and salt to form a dough.
3Knead in softened butter a bit at a time until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
4Let rise 1.5 hours, until doubled.
5Roll into a rectangle, spread with melted chocolate mixed with cocoa and sugar, roll up, and twist in half lengthwise.
6Place in a loaf pan, let rise 45 minutes, and bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes.

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