Last updated on February 11th, 2026.
Cinnamon babka is a soft, buttery yeasted dough swirled with comforting cinnamon sugar filling. A soft, fluffy crumb and caramelized edges. Perfect with coffee, brunch spreads, or toasted with a swipe of butter, its is cozy, nostalgic, and irresistibly fragrant.
Cinnamon Babka is where it all started, and it might just be superior to chocolate babka (yes it’s a Seinfeld reference). Poor Jewish bakers used leftover fluffy challah dough, filled it with leftover cinnamon filling, twisted it into a swirled loaf, called it babka to give it a familiar cake identity, and changed history.
Fortunately for us, sugar, eggs, and butter are abundantly available to us, and what started as a stale indulgence is now a rich, buttery celebration of swirled cinnamon and sweet comfort.
Forget about stale, dry and chewy babka, in this post, I am sharing all my secrets, lessons I learned while testing, and tips for a tender, fluffy, and moist babka every time.
Making This Recipe
Every homemade babka is a three steps process: making the dough, filling and shaping, then baking. Each step is as important as the other, and it’s the small, easy to pay attention to details that makes a babka into the greatest one.
Step one: Make the Dough
This is my Babka Dough recipe I developed specifically for making babkas in different fillings and flavors. It is enriched with butter and eggs, but straight forward and does not call for a long proof times. When making the dough pay attention to:
- The temperature of the ingredients: the eggs and butter should be at room temperature for a cohesive smooth incorporation otherwise the dough might be too tight, chewy and not proof properly.
- The milk should be lukewarm (about 90-100°F), the warm cozy temperature wakes up the yeast and speeds up the proofing process.
- Do not over mix. Pay attention to the dough and not the timer, depending on your environment, the strength of your mixer and even the wether, the time changes. The dough is ready when it is soft, elastic and slightly sticky.
- Place the dough at a warm spot in your kitchen and avoid over proofing. The yeast expel alcohol along with the gas that expands the dough, if proofed for too long, the dough might get a sour, unpleasant flavor. For overnight proofing, see notes in recipe card.
Filling and Shaping
- The recipe is smooth, and spiced with ground cinnamon. I found that during baking the as the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, the filling oozes out. To prevent that, I replaced some of the brown sugar with powdered sugar. It contains cornstarch which thickens and minimizes the spilling.
- Refrigerate the dough for 45-60 minutes before shaping, chilled dough is much easier to mold without it bouncing back.
- You can make 2–3 babkas using this recipe, baked in 8- or 9-inch loaf pans. To ensure the dough fits the length of the pan, roll it to a 12-inch width (or 15 inches for more swirls) and to double the length of the pan. For example, if using an 8-inch loaf pan, roll each portion into a 12×16-inch rectangle and roll the dough starting from the longer side.
Baking
Baking is a crucial step, and it is important to not under bake, or over bake. The babka is ready when the center reaches 190°F. If you do not have a thermometer, use a large wooden skewer at the center, if raw, you will be resistance as you insert the skewer, and some raw dough will stick to it.
Under baked. It raw at the center, and most time collapses as it cools.
Over baked. The babka is dry and taste stale.
- Soaking the babka with simple syrup is optional but highly recommend. it adds another layer of sweetness and texture that truly elevates the experience.
- Make the syrup ahead of time and refrigerate it, then pour it over the loaves as soon as they come out of the oven. This is the best way to ensure optimal absorption.
Yields and Pan Options
This is the rule I like to follow: if you want thin layers and less dough: divide the dough to 3 parts. For a babka heavy of the carbs: divide the dough to 2.
Store, Make Ahead, and Freeze
- Store: Cover the babka at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Make Ahead: To prepare the dough the night before, reduce the yeast amount to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Let it rise for one hour at room temperature, then place it in the fridge overnight.
- Freeze: To freeze, wrap the baked babka tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a plastic wrap. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Cinnamon Babka | Better than Seinfeld’s!
Ingredients
For The Babka Dough
- 1 Recipe Babka dough preferably chilled
- 1 Large Egg for egg wash
For The Cinnamon Filling
- 3/4 Cup (180g) Unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 Cup (200g) Dark brown sugar
- 1/4 Cup (30g) Powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
Optional: Toppings (over the filling)
- 1 Cup Chopped nuts: walnuts, or pecans, raisins or chocolate chips.
For The Syrup
- 1 Cup (240ml) Water
- 1 Cup (200g) Sugar
Instructions
Make The Dough
- The dough's first rise is 90-120 at room temperature. I recommend to chill the dough after the first rise for 30-60 minutes.To make the dough the night before, reduce the yeast amount to 1 1/2 teaspoons, set aside at room temperature for one hour, and refrigerate overnight. When ready to shape simply remove the dough from the refrigerator then roll and shape.
Make The Filling
- Place the butter (180g), brown sugar (200g), powered sugar (30g) and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- Using a hand mixer, a wooden spoon, or a whisk mix the ingredients until smooth.
Shape The Babka
- Grease and line with parchment paper two 8, or 9-inch loaf pans.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts (each about 480g). Refrigerate one part while you shape the other.
- Dust your work surface with a light dust of flour, including your rolling pin. Roll the dough into a 12×16-inch rectangle, make sure to turn the dough by 90 degrees every few stokes. Sprinkle with flour as needed.
- Spread half of the cinnamon filling over the rolled dough. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts, or chocolate chips if desired.
- Roll the rectangle into a spiral log, starting with the long end. If the dough is very soft, gently place it over a pan lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. Cold dough is easier to slice.
- With the seam facing down, use a sharp knife or a bench scraper to vertically cut the log at the center. Now you have two long logs.
- Twist the two logs around each other into a twisted loaf.
- Gently lift the loaf and place it in the prepared pan.
- Repeat with the second piece of dough.
- Brush the log with the egg wash and place them at a warm spot for the second rise for 90-120 minutes.
- Bake at 350F (180C) for 35 minutes, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature is 190-200F (88-98C).
Make The Simple Syrup
- Cook the sugar and water over medium heat for 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
- Refrigerate the syrup until use.
- As soon as you remove the babkas from the oven, brush them with the simple syrup. Allow them to cool in the pans for 30 minutes before inverting and serving.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the babkas. Store at room temperature for up to five days, covered. Heat at a 300°F for 10-15 minutes for a fresh texture.
Notes
- Ensure your eggs and butter are at room temperature for smooth dough consistency.
- Rotate the dough as you roll it to prevent it from sticking to the work surface and rolling pin, and if you need, sprinkle flour as you go.
- Place a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper under the pans. Sometimes, the filling drips down, causing the oven to smoke (I speak from experience).
- Use a serrated knife to slice the babka without squishing it.
- To freeze, wrap the babka in plastic wrap, place it in a plastic bag, and freeze for up to two months. When ready, unwrap and defrost at room temperature.
