honey cinnamon babka
Honey Cinnamon Babka! This homemade cinnamon bread is made with einkorn flour and honey, creating a soft, tender, buttery crumb texture. It’s then marbled with a maple and spiced cinnamon filling that makes the most perfect sticky, crispy edges. Serve warm and enjoy!
What is Babka?
Babka is a sweet braided bread originating in Eastern Europe, Poland, and Ukraine’s Jewish communities. It is made with a sweet, yeast-risen, eggy brioche-style dough. This bread is usually swirled with chocolate or cinnamon filling.
Nostalgic Recipe Series Part 5
I saved the best for last with this homemade bread. Part 5 of my nostalgic recipe series is honey cinnamon babka, but I made my way with einkorn flour and honey, which creates the most tender, silky, buttery crumb. The inspiration came from my all-time favorite childhood food, cinnamon swirl bread. My mom used to buy this from the local Great Harvest Bakery as a weekend treat. Cinnamon, brown sugar, gooey goodness. It was like cinnamon bread and cinnamon rolls combined. The bread was great or toasted with some butter but was even better as French toast. This recipe brought all the bakery smells into my house and instantly made everything smell like Christmas. As my brother and I would peel away the layers of the swirl, there would always be a fight over the centerpieces with the most cinnamon filling.
Give einkorn flour a try
If you’re curious about Einkorn flour, check out my Einkorn biscuit recipe, where I explain why it’s my new favorite flour and give you more helpful resources. Jovial foods einkorn flour is the brand I use.
Marbled Cinnamon Bread
As I was creating the recipe, I realized the only way to get the best filling coverage and avoid having weird chunks of dough lacking cinnamon flavor was to braid the dough like a babka. Twisting the dough also makes the most delicious sticky, gooey edges around the loaf. The dough is also more similar to a brioche dough than a sandwich bread dough, which the original cinnamon swirl bread was made of. It is so much more tender and soft and slightly sweet from the honey. This einkorn babka is best served warm. It would be perfect for breakfast, a sweet treat on Christmas morning, or any holiday party you have these last few weeks of the year. Also, a bonus: it makes your home smell like a bakery.
Honey Cinnamon Babka Ingredients
First, make the dough.
Then, the spiced cinnamon filling.
Finally fill, roll & twist.
Keep it rustic, imperfectly perfect and enjoy!
BREAD
Honey Cinnamon Babka
Total Time: 3 1/2 hours Yield: 1 loaf
EQUIPMENT
9x5 in loaf pan
Stand Mixer
Rolling Pin
INGREDIENTS
½ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 ½ cups einkorn flour
3 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½ inch pieces
1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk
Spiced Cinnamon Filling
½ cup pure maple syrup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon white miso paste
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes:
Dough made with einkorn flour doesn’t need excessive kneading because the gluten is very weak.
To reheat, either place in the toaster or microwave for 15 seconds until soft again. Enjoy!
INSTRUCTIONS
Brush the bottom of a 9x5 loaf pan with butter and line it with parchment paper, leaving a few inches hanging over the sides for easy release later.
Bloom the Yeast: In a glass measuring cup, measure the whole milk and warm gently in the microwave for 15-20 seconds until lukewarm. Pour about half of the milk into a small bowl. Sprinkle over the yeast and whisk until combined. Set aside to bloom for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, whisk the honey into the yeast and milk until incorporated. Set aside.
Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment, add the flour, salt, and butter. Toss together with your hands so all the butter chunks are coated in flour. Add the yeast and honey mixture to the bowl along with the whole milk, egg, and egg yolk. Mix on low at first to combine and then increase to medium. Mix until all the flour is incorporated into the dough. The dough should be tacky but not sticky. Pour the dough onto a floured work surface and use the palms of your hands to lightly knead it into a smooth ball. Pressing the dough with your fingertip should bounce back slightly and leave a slight indentation. Place the dough into a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Transfer to a warm spot in your kitchen and allow it to rise for about 1 1/2 hours or until it almost doubles in size. Once that happens, place the dough in the fridge for another 30 minutes. This dough is easier to work with when cold.
Make the Spiced Cinnamon Filling: In a medium saucepan, add maple syrup, butter, spices, miso, and vanilla. Place over medium heat and whisk until combined, the butter is melted, and the mixture is smooth. Simmer until bubbly for 2 minutes, then take off the heat and pour into a small glass bowl. Place it in the fridge to firm up until the dough is ready. The filling is easiest to spread when very cold and prevents a mess when rolling up the dough.
Roll, Fill, & Shape: Take the dough out of the fridge and place the dough on a floured work surface. I like using a silicone baking mat with a ruler on one side to make measuring the dough easier. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into an 8 x 13 rectangle. Next, take the filling and spread evenly over the dough using a spoon. Leave about 1⁄2 inch border around the dough. Then begin rolling the dough short side, away from you, until you have a log.
Twist the loaf: Using a sharp knife, sliced the log in half gently. Having all the ingredients cold helps this braiding process go much easier. Twist the two pieces together a few times to form a tight corkscrew and pinch the ends together at the top and bottom of the roll. The twist doesn't have to be perfect; do your best before the dough and the filling gets too soft. Carefully transfer the dough to the prepared loaf pan and press down gently to fill out the pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for the last time in a warm spot in your kitchen. Let the dough sit covered until it is very puffy and almost doubled in size, 30-60 minutes, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Once the roll is risen, brush with an egg wash. (whisk one egg in a bowl) Bake the babka for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and firm to the touch. It’s better to slightly underbake this bread as it will continue carryover cooking slightly. You can also carefully insert a knife or toothpick in the center of the loaf; if it comes out clean, then it’s done.
Remove from the oven and let the babka cool in its pan for about 20 minutes. Use the parchment to lift the babka from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Serve warm by itself or with a smear of butter and enjoy!