Babka Bread Machine Recipe: Easy and Delicious

There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked chocolate babka bread filling the kitchen, especially when it’s made easy with a babka bread machine recipe. This babka bread recipe takes classic babka bread flavors and turns them into a stress-free favorite, perfect for a cozy brunch or a sweet afternoon treat. With rich chocolate swirls, soft layers, and simple chocolate babka bread preparation, this easy chocolate babka recipe is ideal for anyone who loves yeast bread recipes, swirled bread, and irresistible bread recipes sweet enough to feel bakery-worthy at home.

What is Babka Bread

Babka bread is a braided yeast bread that was first made in Eastern European Jewish communities. Most of the time it is made as a sweet bread, but there are some savory variations. Its cake-like texture makes it a special treat for holidays. I was introduced to babka bread by my dad. Now I’m addicted, and I love to make variations like babka knots and babka cake as well.

Why I Love this Babka Bread Recipe for the Bread Machine

My dad has been a huge fan of babka bread for years. He used to be able to buy it from a local grocery store bakery, but it was discontinued. The only place he could find it was the famous Zabar’s bakery in New York. It was delicious, but not cheap to ship to our Pacific Northwest region. I was inspired to check out some library books and try to make some babka bread on my own.
My first babka bread experiment was made with a recipe from Modern Jewish Baker by Shannon Sarna. It turned out well, but took me all day. To save time, I adapted the basic sweet babka bread recipe for my bread machine, and have been pleased with the results. I love to use my bread machine for making dough for dinner rolls and pizza crust. Now I have a fun and easy babka bread dough recipe for the bread machine, and I’m thrilled to share it with you.

Equipment for Babka Bread in the Bread Machine

To make this bread machine babka bread, you will need a bread machine.

You will also need:
3 bread pans

1 rolling pin

1 breadboard, pastry mat, or other surface for rolling out the dough

1 dough cutter or large, sharp knife for cutting the dough
1 small microwavable bowl for making the chocolate filling
1 spatula for spreading the filling
1 small saucepan for making the glazing syrup
Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients for Bread Machine Babka

The ingredients for babka bread are simple, basic pantry ingredients. Make sure your yeast is fresh and not expired. Here are the ingredients for the babka bread dough in the bread machine. It’s important that you add the ingredients in the order listed.
1/2 cup warm milk (whole milk is best)
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cups butter, chopped (unsalted is best)
4 and 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 and 1/2 teaspoons yeast
This will make enough dough for three loaves of babka bread.
For the simple sugar syrup you will need:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
This will make enough glaze for all three loaves.
For the chocolate filling (if you are making chocolate babka bread) you will need:
1 cup dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Instructions for the Babka Bread Machine Recipe

Watching the video will definitely help you understand the assembly of the babka bread. It’s easier than you might think to create the braided, filled bread loaf. Note: In the video, I used Nutella for the filling instead of the chocolate ganache filling listed in this recipe. The rolling and shaping techniques are the same for any filling you choose.

Warm 1/2 cup of milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add it to the bread machine.
Add all of the other babka bread dough ingredients to the bread machine in the order listed.
Run the bread machine on the dough cycle. My machine takes 90 minutes to complete a dough cycle.
While the bread machine is making the dough, make the simple sugar syrup. Mix the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a low boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool.
If you are making chocolate babka bread filling, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, heating at 30-second intervals. Stir in between each heating interval until the chocolate chips are completely melted. Allow to cool for two minutes. Next, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth (you can use a stand mixer or mix by hand). Add in the melted chocolate chips, the cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt. This makes enough filling for three loaves of chocolate babka bread.
Prepare three 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans by greasing (grease thoroughly, as the dough is sticky) or lining the pans with foil.
When the dough cycle has completed, remove the dough from the bread machine pan and divide it into three equal pieces. You may choose to make all three sections into babka bread, or you may choose to make a section into something else, like babka muffins.
Roll out each section of dough into a rectangle, approximately 18 inches by 12 inches. Spread the filling evenly over the rectangle. Starting at the top, roll the dough down to encase the filling inside. Trim 1/2 inch off of each end so that the ends are even. (I like to place the rolled up scraps into a muffin tin and bake separately for about 15 minutes to have as a little snack.)
Slice the roll in half lengthwise. Lay each half so that the filled layers are facing up. Cross the two pieces of dough over, then gently braid each side. If you haven’t watched the video yet, now would be a good time. The video shows the technique, and you can pause it as often as you need.

Gently gather the braided dough and place it in each loaf pan. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
While the loaves are rising, turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Bake the loaves for 20 minutes, then brush each loaf with two coats of simple syrup.
Return the loaves to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes. When the loaves are removed from the oven, brush each one immediately with another 3 light layers of syrup. Allow the loaves to cool for 5 minutes, then gently go around the edge of each loaf with a spatula or butter knife.
To remove the loaf from the pan, place a wire rack on top and flip both the rack and the loaf pan over together and place on top of another wire cooling rack. Gently shake the loaf pan until the babka bread releases. Turn each loaf over and allow it to cool.

Bread Machine Babka Variations

There are many variations of babka bread fillings, both sweet and savory. Here are a couple I have tried, with good results.

Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Babka Bread

As previously noted, for the bread machine babka video I made, I used Nutella for the filling. It will take about two cups of Nutella to fill three loaves of babka bread. It’s definitely a great shortcut if you don’t have time to make the chocolate ganache filling from scratch.

Raspberry Babka Bread

I had some homemade seedless raspberry jam that had turned out to be very thick. It was an excellent filling for one of the bread machine babka loaves I made. Jam of regular consistency would be very messy to work with, but if you have a thick berry spread of any flavor, that would be a delicious option.
Bread Machine Questions

Does dough rise in a bread machine?

Yes, the bread machines are designed to take the dough through the mixing and rising processes. You can even bake the bread in the machine if you like. I prefer to use the bread machine for dough and do my baking in regular pans in the oven.

Can you knead dough in a bread maker? 

Just as the bread machine is designed to take the dough through the mixing and rising processes, the machine will also do the kneading. That’s one reason why bread machines are so convenient. They do it all, and I especially like the way bread machine rolls dough turns out.

How long does a bread machine knead the dough? 

I haven’t ever timed the actual kneading process. The entire dough-making process, from mixing, kneading and rising, takes my bread machine an hour and a half. 

What order do you add ingredients to a bread machine? 

In bread machine recipes, the ingredients are usually listed in the order in which you need to add them. The general idea is to keep most of the liquid ingredients separate from the yeast until the mixing takes place in the machine. That way, the yeast will be activated at the right time.

Is it cheaper to make your own bread with a bread maker? 

If you do a Google search and ask that question, nearly all of the web results will answer “Yes”, with a few qualifiers. It depends upon the type of bread you are trying to make and the cost of the ingredients. Also, if you place a value on your time, that affects the true cost of the bread. Generally, when comparing a store-bought bread to a similar homemade bread, it’s cheaper to make your own. With a bread machine, the time factor is nearly nonexistent if you are baking the bread in the machine.

What to Serve with Babka Bread

Babka bread pairs beautifully with both simple and elegant accompaniments, making it perfect for brunch, breakfast, or afternoon tea. Serve thick slices alongside fresh fruit, berries, or citrus segments to balance the rich chocolate swirls. Soft scrambled eggs, a vegetable frittata, or a lightly salted omelet add a savory contrast for brunch. For tea, offer babka with clotted cream, whipped butter, or lightly sweetened mascarpone, plus a pot of black tea or coffee. A drizzle of honey or a dusting of powdered sugar makes it feel extra special without overpowering the bread.

Babka Bread Machine Recipe: Easy and Delicious

Make a babka bread machine recipe for a cozy brunch. This easy chocolate babka bread recipe delivers freshly baked, swirled yeast bread with rich chocolate.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3 hours hrs

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Eastern European

Servings 30

Calories 210 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Bread machine
• 3 9 by 5-inch bread loaf pans
• 1 Breadboard, pastry mat, or other surface for rolling out the dough
• 1 Dough cutter or large, sharp knife
• 1 Small microwavable bowl
• 1 Spatula
• 1 small saucepan
• Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup warm milk whole milk is best
• ½ cup lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ¾ cup butter, chopped unsalted is best
• 4½ cups flour
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2½ teaspoons yeast

Simple Sugar Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate Filling

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

 

• Warm 1/2 cup of milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add it to the bread machine.
• Add all of the other babka bread dough ingredients to the bread machine in the order listed.
• Run the bread machine on the dough cycle. My machine takes 90 minutes to complete a dough cycle.
• While the bread machine is making the dough, make the simple sugar syrup. Mix the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a low boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool.
• If you are making chocolate babka bread filling, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, heating at 30-second intervals. Stir in between each heating interval until the chocolate chips are completely melted. Allow to cool for two minutes.
• Next, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth (you can use a stand mixer or mix by hand). Add in the melted chocolate chips, the cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt. This makes enough filling for three loaves of chocolate babka bread.
• Prepare three 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans by greasing (grease thoroughly, as the dough is sticky) or lining the pans with foil.
• When the dough cycle has completed, remove the dough from the bread machine pan and divide it into three equal pieces. You may choose to make all three sections into babka bread, or you may choose to make a section into something else, like babka muffins.
• Roll out each section of dough into a rectangle, approximately 18 inches by 12 inches. Spread the filling evenly over the rectangle. Starting at the top, roll the dough down to encase the filling inside. Trim 1/2 inch off of each end so that the ends are even. (I like to place the rolled up scraps into a greased muffin tin and bake separately for about 15 minutes to have as a little snack.)
• Slice the roll in half lengthwise. Lay each half so that the filled layers are facing up. Cross the two pieces of dough over, then gently braid each side. If you haven't watched the video yet, now would be a good time. The video shows the technique, and you can pause it as often as you need.
• Gently gather the braided dough and place it in each loaf pan. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
• While the loaves are rising, turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Bake the loaves for 20 minutes, then brush each loaf with two coats of simple syrup.
• Return the loaves to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes. When the loaves are removed from the oven, brush each one immediately with another 3 light layers of syrup. Allow the loaves to cool for 5 minutes, then gently go around the edge of each loaf with a spatula or butter knife.
• To remove the loaf from the pan, place a wire rack on top and flip both the rack and the loaf pan over together and place on top of another wire cooling rack. Gently shake the loaf pan until the babka bread releases. Turn each loaf over and allow it to cool.
• Each loaf makes about 10 thick slices and may be served with butter and jam, if desired.

Video

Notes

The amount of calories is based upon the chocolate babka bread variation. The Nutella variation shown in the video would have approximately 300 calories per slice.

Keyword bread, bread machine, breakfast, chocolate

In the Mood to Bake? Here Are Some More Easy Recipes

I love the way these old fashioned gingersnaps fill the kitchen with their delightful fragrance when they are baking. Easy oatmeal apple crisp and blueberry rhubarb crisp are great ways to use fresh or frozen fruit in baked desserts. If you are hosting a tea party, easy white chocolate raspberry scones are a nice treat. Whatever the occasion, freshly baked goods make it even more special. Now that you know how to make babka bread using bread machine dough, I hope you get inspired to give this bread machine babka recipe a try.

More Meal Inspiration

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Lisa Mitchell is a wife, mom, and school librarian who likes to create and share recipes, often using fresh ingredients from her family’s small Pacific Northwest farm. For more delicious, easy recipes, click on over to the Food page.
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