Cinnamon Babka

Name: Cinnamon Babka
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: European, Eastern European
Ingredients: 3 cups (360g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour; 2 tablespoons (14g) King Arthur Baker's Special Dry Milk; 2 teaspoons instant yeast, SAF Gold instant yeast preferred; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar; 1 1/4 teaspoons (8g) table salt; 2/3 cup (149g) water, lukewarm; 1 large egg; 5 tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1 1/2 teaspoons King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract; 3/4 cup (160g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed; 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (17g) ground cinnamon; 1 1/2 tablespoons (11g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour; 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, melted; 2 teaspoons water; 1/2 cup (57g) diced pecans or walnuts, toasted; optional; 2 tablespoons (14g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour; 1 tablespoon light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; pinch of table salt; 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, cold; 1 large egg, beaten with a pinch of salt (egg wash)

Instructions

Prep:30minCook:50min

Few breads are as rewarding to slice into as a babka, and this one is packed with everything you want: a soft, buttery crumb; dramatic swirls of cinnamon-sugar filling; and a crisp cinnamon crumb topping. Rich, tender, and just a little gooey, this Cinnamon Babka feels special enough for a celebration but is equally welcome alongside a weekday cup of coffee.Editor's note: In May 2026, we increased the amount of filling and removed the raisins, resulting in a gooier, more cinnamon-forward babka.

Updated at: Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:20:46 GMT