This apple cinnamon babka features sweet apples and a thick cinnamon filling twisted inside a rich and buttery yeasted dough. Finish the indulgent loaf with a buttery brown sugar cinnamon crumble topping and bake until golden brown. This is a must-try recipe and it’s impossible not to love!
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Red Star Yeast.
What Is Babka?
Babka has a rich history. When I read more about the treat as I worked on today’s recipe, I learned that it originated in the early 1800s with the Polish Jewish community. Leftover challah dough was filled with jam or cinnamon, rolled up, and baked. The babka we see all over the place today, I read, is much richer and sweeter than its ancestor. You can find it filled with chocolate or almond pasteโthis is my favorite chocolate versionโor the newer babka variations with pizza fillings, Nutella, pesto, and more. Food52 has an in-depth article all about babka if you want to read more about its history and popularity today.
I first tried my hand at homemade babka a couple years ago. Who’s made the Nutella babka recipe before? If you loved it, you’re in for a treat today. If you’re not a fan of Nutella, you’re also in for a treat today. I revamped the dough so it’s (1) even richer (2) even flakier and (3) only yields 1 loaf instead of 2. In terms of taste and texture, it’s more like a brioche loaf than croissant bread. We’re filling it with a thick layer of sweet cinnamon and you can use your favorite variety of apples. If I’m being honest, this apple cinnamon babka has to be one of the best things I’ve ever made with apples. Between all the recipe testing, today’s photos, the video, and making it for a few friends, I’ve baked about 12 loaves by now. And there’s NEVER a crumb leftover.
Update: I now have a lemon blueberry babka recipe, too!
In case you’re wondering, our self control is stuck inside one of those apple cinnamon swirls. I’m positive you’re going to obsess over it too.
One reader, Meagan, commented: “AMAZING! I have baked a lot of Sally recipes, but this one is MY FAVORITE. It was honestly super easy and the taste, consistency, etc. was INCREDIBLE. LOVED and will make it again (and again and again). โ โ โ โ โ ”
Another reader, Yudith, commented: “Thanks so much for this amazing recipe, Sally! I had never made Babka before, but your instructions were so clear that it was not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. Another delicious recipe from your blog, as always! โ โ โ โ โ ”
Detailed Overview: How to Make Apple Cinnamon Babka
The full written recipe is below, but let me walk you through the steps so you can understand the process before starting.
- The dough. You need milk, yeast, sugar, butter, egg yolks, salt, and flour. Why only egg yolks? They make the richest tasting dough. We’re not wasting the egg whites, thoughโwe’ll use one in the filling and one to brush on the dough before adding the topping. The dough is very soft, supple, and almost creamy-feeling. After the dough is prepared, it’s time to knead it. You can knead the dough with your mixer or by hand. You can watch me knead the dough in the video tutorial above, or in my separate How to Knead Dough post. Add additional flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to your work surface.
- Extended rise time. Allow the prepared dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 3โ4 hours or until nearly double in size. This dough is rich with fat, so it takes longer than other doughs to rise. Don’t be nervous if it’s closer to 4โ5 hoursโit’s a heavy dough and needs extra time to rise.
- The apple cinnamon filling. First, soften the apples on the stove with a little butter. (Step 5 in the recipe below.) Second, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract until crumbly and combined. Stir in one of the leftover egg whites. The egg white helps solidify the cinnamon filling, so it’s extra thick and crumbly inside. Like cinnamon crunch bread and cinnamon swirl quick bread, this babka is heavy on the cinnamon. We really want it to stand out!
- Shape the babka dough: As noted in the written recipe below, punch down the dough then roll it out into a 12×16-inch rectangle. Gently spread the brown sugar cinnamon filling all over the dough, then top with the apples. We’re shaping today’s babka a little differently than the Nutella babka. In that recipe, you slice the rolled dough down the center to expose the Nutella inside. That proved to be very difficult here, as all the apples spilled out. Instead, tightly roll up the dough to form a 16-inch log. Fold in half, then twist it to form a figure 8. Use the video tutorial above for a visual and detailed directions below as your guide.
- 2nd rise: Let the shaped babka rise in a greased loaf pan for about 1โ1.5 hours.
- Crumble topping: The crumble topping is totally optional. But it uses some of the same ingredients you need for the dough and filling, so why not? Mix a little brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Add cold butter and using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut it into the brown sugar mixture until crumbles form.
- Finish it off before baking: Remember that other egg white? We’ll use it here. Carefully brush the surface of the babka with the last remaining egg white. Using a toothpick, poke 10โ12 holes all over the top of the loaf. Why are you doing this? It actually allows steam to escape from inside the loaf so the layers don’t separate. I learned this trick from Food52. Finally, sprinkle the crumble topping on top.
- Time to bake: The bread takes about 1 hour, give or take. If you notice the top browning too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil.
Serving/Slicing Tip: For neat slices, I recommend cooling the babka completely before slicing. The bread has so much filling that it will fall apart if sliced warm.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here is the dough after you mix the dough ingredients together:
Here is the dough after it rises and then after you punch it down:
Soften the apples on the stove and make the cinnamon filling:
Spread cinnamon filling on rolled out dough and top with apples:
Roll it up into a log:
Left photo below (before 2nd rise): Fold log in half, then twist into a figure 8. Place into your greased loaf pan, then let it rise until puffy, about 1 hour.
Right photo below (after 2nd rise): Dough is nice and puffy. Brush with egg white, poke holes in the loaf to prevent separation, then top with crumble topping.
Bake until golden brown. The brown sugar cinnamon topping melts down, some apple cinnamon filling may seep out creating jammy-like edges and crevices, and the entire kitchen smells like fall. This is SO GOOD:
In Short, This Apple Cinnamon Babka Is:
- Extra flaky
- Buttery, moist, and overflowing with apple cinnamon filling
- Mesmerizing with all those delicious swirls
- Topped with buttery brown sugar cinnamon crumbles
- Irresistible & addictive (we COULDN’T STOP EATING THIS)
- Satisfying, especially on a cool rainy day
- Worth all the effort, trust me!
For an easier apple cinnamon recipe without yeast, you’ll enjoy this apple cinnamon bread. And don’t forget to try my classic apple pie & apple cobbler, fresh and easy apple cake, or apple cider French toast if you find yourself with a plethora of apples!
Print
Apple Cinnamon Babka
- Prep Time: 5 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 6 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Jewish
Description
This apple cinnamon babka features sweet apples and a thick cinnamon filling twisted inside a rich and buttery yeasted dough. See recipe notes for freezing and overnight instructions.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110ยฐF (43ยฐC)
- 2ย and 1/4 teaspoons (7g)ย Platinum Yeast from Red Starย (1 standard packet)*
- 1/3 cup (62g) granulated sugar, divided
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, sliced into 1 Tbsp-size pieces and softened to room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks (reserve 2 egg whites for filling and topping)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 and 2/3 cups (334g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed and extra for work surface and hands
Filling
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, divided
- 2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced into bite-size pieces (2โ2.5 cups, or 250โ313g)*
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar (or a mix of both)
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg white (reserved from dough)
Crumble Topping (Optional)
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (15g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoonย ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Brush on Assembled Loaf
- 1 egg white (reserved from dough)
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and 1 Tablespoon of sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. *If you don’t have a stand mixer, use a handheld mixer or mix the dough by hand using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon.*
- Add the remaining sugar, the butter, egg yolks, salt, and 1 cup (125g) flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add another 1 cup of flour. Beat on medium speed until relatively incorporated (there may still be chunks of butter). Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Add 1/2 cup of flour and beat on medium speed until the dough begins to come together. As the mixer runs, add another 2โ4 Tablespoons of flour depending on how wet the dough looks. (I usually add another 2 Tbsp, which makes it about 2 and 2/3 cups of flour total.) This should be a very soft and almost creamy-feeling dough. Do not add more flour than you need.
- Knead the dough:ย Keep the dough in the mixer (and switch to the dough hook if using the paddle) and beat for an additional 6-8 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 6-8 full minutes. (If youโre new to bread-baking, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial can help here.) If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your fingerโif it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise.
- 1st Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 3โ4 hours or until nearly double in size. This dough is rich with fat, so it takes longer than other doughs to rise. (If desired, use my warm oven trick for rising. See my answer to Where Should Dough Rise?ย in myย Baking with Yeast Guide.)
- Towards the end of rise time, you can prepare the filling: Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter in a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the apples. Stir and cook until the apples are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice to help prevent browning. Set aside. For the rest of the filling in this step, make sure you don’t prepare it too far in advance because the butter will solidify and spreading onto the dough will be difficult. Melt remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter in a medium heatproof bowl in the microwave (or use the stove). Stir in brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract until crumbly and combined. Stir in the egg white. Set aside.
- Grease a 9ร5-inch loaf pan.
- Shape the dough: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Flour a work surface, your hands, and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a 12×16-inch rectangle. Carefully and slowly spread the cinnamon filling mixture on top. (The dough is quite soft underneath and you don’t want to tear it.) Add the apples in a single layer. Using floured hands, tightly roll up the dough to form a 16-inch long log. If any parts of the dough feel soft as you roll it up, add a sprinkle of flour as I do in the video above. Place the log on its seam. Fold in half, then twist it to form a figure 8. Pinch the ends together. Use the video tutorial and photos above as a visual. Place in prepared loaf pan.
- 2nd Rise:ย Cover shaped babka with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise until it’s puffy and nearly reaches the top of the loaf pan, about 1โ1.5 hours.
- Towards the end of rise time, you can prepare the crumble topping:ย Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Add the cold butter and using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut butter into the brown sugar mixture until pea-size crumbles form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Place a baking sheet on a lower oven rack to catch any juices or crumbles that may drip/drop down. (Has only happened to me once!)
- Carefully brush the surface of the babka with last remaining egg white. Using a toothpick, poke 10โ12 holes all over the top of the loaf. This allows steam to escape from inside the loaf so the layers don’t separate. Sprinkle with crumble topping.
- Bake: Bake for 60โ65 minutes or until golden brown on top. If you gently tap on the loaf, it should sound hollow. If you notice the top browning too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil. (I usually add aluminum foil over the loaf around the 25-minute mark.) Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. For neat slices as pictured above, I recommend cooling completely before slicing. A serrated knife is best for slicing.
- Cover leftover babka tightly and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Baked babka freezes wonderfully. Wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw wrapped loaf overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then warm to your liking. You can also freeze the dough. After punching down the dough in step 7, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then punch the dough down again to release any air bubbles. Continue with the rest of step 7.
- Overnight Instructions: Prepare the dough through step 3. Place into a greased bowl (use nonstick spray to grease). Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and allow the dough to come to room temperature, then let it rise until doubled in size, about 3 hours. Continue with step 5. I donโt recommend shaping the bread the night before as it will puff up too much overnight.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer or Large Glass Mixing Bowl | Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon | 9ร5-inch Loaf Pan | Rolling Pin | Pastry Cutter | Pastry Brush
- Yeast: Platinum Yeast from Red Star is an instant yeast. Any instant yeast works. You can use a 1:1 substitution of active dry yeast instead with no changes to the recipe. Rise times will be slightly longer if using active dry yeast. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
- Apples: Use your favorite variety of apple. I typically use Granny Smith, Fuji, or Honeycrisp.
Reader Comments and Reviews
OMG! So good! In September I froze the shaped loaf just before the second rise. Last night I put the pan on my nightstand to keep an eye on the rise, and baked it this morning after adding the egg white wash & crumble topping. This recipe is now in my husbandโs Top 5 faves of anything Iโve baked.
Incredibly delicious. It was an all-day project, on and off, but the results most certainly justified the time and effort. I will probably add raisins or currants when I make it again. Thanks for this great recipe!
Have you ever tried to make these into large apple babka rolls? When you make the roll, cutting it into large rolls and bake in a 6 count muffin pan?
Hi Mitzi, we haven’t, but can’t see why it wouldn’t work. Let us know if you try!
It worked out great as a roll. Iโd love to send you pictures of them before they go in the oven and after.
Hi Sally, Excited to try this recipe. Would you know the adjustments that would have to be made to use a sourdough starter instead of or in partnership with the yeast? Thank you in advance!
Hi Vera! We wish we could help but aren’t experts in sourdough. Let us know what you try!
Tasty but not the texture I was hoping for. There seemed to be kind of a cinnamon-apple “sludge” on the bottom of the glass loaf pan and the interior was not as flaky as other babkas I have made.
Hi Wendy, we’re so sorry to hear you were disappointed in the babka. If the filling seemed to end up at the bottom of the pan, it could be that the dough was not rolled tight enough. If the dough seemed too dense and didn’t produce many layers, it could be that it was over-kneaded. Thank you for the feedback and for giving this recipe a try!
I never had good results baking in a glass loaf pan. The USA aluminum steel bakeware is so awesome – and the loaf pan turns out perfect quick breads and yeast breads so beautifully!!
This is the most fabulous babka EVER!! Delicious beyond belief and looks beautiful. I twisted the log into a swirl shape and baked it in a deep dish pie plate in the round. Magnificent!
Thanks Sally.
PS I took a picture if you want it.
Iโve never made this or any babka before. I bake and cook practically everything and this is by far, my proudest accomplishment:) simply gorgeous and decadent!
I have to follow a diet no dairy,no sugar, no gluten. Do you have any recipes or suggestions for recipes, I been following your recipes and love love them but my health changed.
Hi Cindy, while we do focus on mainly traditional baking recipes, we do have a collection of dairy free and gluten free recipes that may fit your needs. Hope this helps!
Do you think that this dough would work with a savory filling?
Hi Marci! A savory version would be delicious! Let us know if you try it.
Hi
Can I use almond milk and dairy free butter to make it dairy free?
Hi Randi, A non dairy milk like almond milk should work. We do not recommend margarine as it has very different baking properties, but you could try a non dairy butter such as the Earth Balance brand. We have not tested this combination though, so let us know if you give it a try!
Baked this today, my first time making babka! The flavour was really good but it did not have flaky layers, more like two visible swirls. Part of the reason I may have had this separation was because I forgot to poke holes in the top before baking. It might have over-proofed but it only rose for 3.5h. Still tasted great, just did not look like the picture and did not have a flaky texture.
My family adored this recipe! In addition to the filling I added some toasted chopped walnuts, which gave it a nice texture. Definitely, will add the aluminum foil next time, as it was a bit too crispy on the top. Im guessing the egg yolk makes it an enriched dough, which is probably why its so decadent:) 10/10
Perfect in every way! Perfect rise, perfect bake and perfect taste! Iโm impressed with myself for pulling this off! But with your directions it made it easy. Iโm curious about what purpose the egg white in the filling serves? Iโve never seen that in a filling before. Thanks again for your never ending wonderful recipes!
Hi Belinda! The egg white helps solidify the cinnamon filling, so itโs extra thick and crumbly inside. So glad you love this recipe!
I loved this recipe so much! SO EASY AND DELICIOUS!
Can I just make this Dough, shape a loaf and bake it in a Loaf Pan? Thanks!
I know I overbaked so I added a star in case that’s what made it less favorable, but I think it’s the level of sweetness and potentially more cinnamon filling than I’d like that make these not necessarily my favorite. I can see how it’s such a hit though
Does this bread ship well?
What is I don’t have whole milk. Can I use half and half or 2%
Hi Kathleen, half-and-half on its own would be too heavy here, but you could do half that and half 2% milk.
It all went well … excellent feeling dough, the rollup executed, though pretyy good amount of leakage in the pan as I prepared to bake (I may not have sealed ends sufficiently). But it baked up nicely, coming out of the oven it looked great … but … when slicing into it it was mostly bready with the layers only visible to very limited extent (can see only a couple of folds). And the apples barely in evidence visually. Sally any clues what would cause this? Didn’t roll tightly enough? Let it rise too much? At every step it seemed to be going great and final product was tasty but more like a cinnamon bread than a babka.
Hi BB, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. It sounds like your dough may have been overworked and/or left to rise for too long. This likely caused the dough to bake over the apples and caused a denser bread texture than the light, flaky texture signature of babka. An easy fix for next time! Thank you so much for giving this one a try.
I love your recipes! This is one of your best. The dough was easy to handle and filling was amazing!
Planning to make this over the weekend,do yu use Active dry yeast or quick instant yeast?
Hi Liza, we use an instant yeast. You can also use a 1:1 substitution of active dry yeast instead with no changes to the recipe. Rise times will be slightly longer if using active dry yeast. Hope you enjoy the babka!