Sourdough Chocolate Babka
Sourdough Chocolate Babka is made with soft, buttery sourdough brioche dough rolled around a schmear of cinnamon-spiked chocolate, then twisted into a beautiful swirled loaf. The result is light and silky with a rich, gooey chocolate ribbon.
Table of contents
Why I Love This Recipe
When you’re ready for a splurge, this is the one you want as breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat. The dough is tender, the chocolate melts into every fold, and the cinnamon keeps the sweetness in check.
Using sourdough adds another layer of character. The long, slow rise builds gentle acidity and chew, balancing the richness of the chocolate swirl and giving the loaf a depth you don’t get from a straight-yeasted dough.
Because sourdough doughs benefit from a long, cool rest, this recipe works beautifully as an overnight bake. Mix the dough one day, let it chill and strengthen overnight, then shape and bake in the morning.
If you’re just starting your sourdough journey, start with my guides for making a sourdough starter and feeding a starter. Or, try my yeasted Chocolate Babka with while your starter gets going.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Bread Flour – High-protein flour builds the strong gluten network this enriched dough needs. The elasticity helps the twisted loaf keep its shape.
- Active Sourdough Starter (100% hydration) – Use a lively starter that’s been fed 6–8 hours before mixing. If your starter has a different hydration, adjust the liquid or flour accordingly.
- Milk, Eggs – These enrich the dough and create a soft, pillowy crumb.
- Butter – European-style butter incorporates easily because of the higher fat content. If using American butter, let it soften fully so it blends smoothly.
- Semi Sweet Chocolate/Cocoa Powder – Use a good-quality semi-sweet chocolate. Dutch-process cocoa gives a deeper, smoother chocolate flavor.
- Cinnamon – The cinnamon balances sweetness and enhances the chocolate. If you prefer a pure chocolate profile, simply leave it out.
Process Photos
Here’s a visual look at each stage so you can see how the dough develops and how to form the twisted loaf. See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Combine the starter, milk and a portion of the flour. After 30 minutes add the eggs, sugar, salt and more flour to form a thick batter.
- Mix until combined and switch to the dough hook.
- Add the remaining flour to form a shaggy dough.
- Knead until the dough clears the sides of the bowl.
- Add the butter gradually with the mixer running.
- The dough will break apart; scrape the bowl if butter sticks to the sides.
- Continue kneading until the dough comes back together and clears the sides of the bowl again.
- The dough will be soft but strong and elastic.
- Set the dough aside at room temperature for 3-5 hours of bulk fermentation. Every hour fold and flip the dough.
- Refrigerate the dough overnight.
- Make the filling and set aside to cool.
- The next day, divide the chilled dough in half.
- Roll the dough. If the dough starts springing back let it rest a few minutes and continue.
- Fill, and shape the logs. Freeze briefly to make splitting easier.
- Split the logs lengthwise and twist into a coil.
- Place in pans, allow the final rise, and bake.
- Turn out and brush with syrup. Cool before slicing.
Did You Know?
Sourdough is not just about flavor. The long, cool fermentation gives the dough time to fully hydrate and develop structure. The natural acids and enzymes in the starter contribute to the dough’s flavor and texture and can help the loaf stay fresher a bit longer. In a rich dough like babka, this slow schedule also helps balance the butter, milk and sugar so you get a tender, sliceable crumb with lots of character.
Baking Schedule
Feed the Starter
Feed your starter the night before or early the morning you plan to mix. Adjust timing depending on temperature and starter activity. You want it at peak ripeness when mixing the dough.
Mix the Dough
Once the starter is ready, mix the dough and ferment at room temperature for 3–5 hours. Timing depends on ambient temperature and how vigorous your starter is. Because this is an enriched dough, expect it to rise more slowly.
Cold Fermentation
After bulk fermentation, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight—or up to 48 hours.
This improves flavor and makes the dough easier to shape.
Shape in the Morning
Shape the dough while it’s still cold and firm. At this stage, the filled log can be wrapped and frozen (before final proof) for future baking.
Final Proof
At room temperature, the final rise usually takes 2–3 hours, depending on the environment.
Storage
Sourdough Babka is best the day it’s baked, but it keeps 2–3 days at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze individual slices or an entire loaf. Rewarm gently in a low oven.
More Sourdough Breakfast Pastries to Try
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Sourdough Chocolate Babka
Ingredients
Dough
- 8 oz active sourdough starter (1 cup)
- 4 oz whole milk (½ cup, scalded and cooled)
- 17 ½ oz bread flour (3 ½ cups, see note)
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 3 oz granulated sugar (⅓ cup)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 8 oz unsalted European butter (at cool room temperature)
Chocolate Filling
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate (finely chopped)
- 4 oz unsalted butter
- 2 oz confectioner sugar (½ cup)
- 1 oz dutch process cocoa powder (¼ cup)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Syrup
- 4 oz water (½ cup)
- 4 oz granulated sugar (½ cup)
- ½ Cinnamon stick
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine 8 oz active sourdough starter, 4 oz whole milk, and 1 cup (5 oz) bread flour. Mix to form a thick batter. Cover the bowl and set aside for 30-60 minutes.
- Uncover the bowl. With the mixer running, add 4 large eggs, 3 oz granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and another cup of the flour. Mix until combined. Switch to the dough hook. With the mixer running on low, add the remaining flour.
- Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for 7-10 minutes until it gathers on the hook, becomes smooth and silky and slaps the sides of the bowl. You can add a little more flour if the dough is still too sticky after 7-8 minutes of kneading.
- If you're using a European butter you might not need to work the butter if it's already pliable. While the dough is kneading, turn 8 oz unsalted European butter out onto the work surface and knead it with a bench scraper or pound it with a rolling pin until it's soft and pliable and has a similar texture to the dough. You want it pliable but not melted and greasy.
- Turn off the mixer and scrape any dough that is sticking to sides of the bowl. At this point the dough will be very stretchy and quite sticky. Turn the mixer on to low and add the butter, a tablespoon at a time. The dough will break apart, keep adding the rest of the butter. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides if the butter builds up on the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough comes back together, gathers on the hook and again slaps the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. The dough should be quite soft and a little sticky at this point. Form the dough into a large ball and transfer to a lightly buttered bowl.
- Cover the bowl and set it aside at room temperature for 3 hours. Every hour or so check on the progress of the dough by folding the four sides over into the center of the (keep the dough in the bowl). This will help redistribute the yeast and aerate the dough. After about 3 hours the dough should be lively, elastic and airy. If the dough is still sluggish give it another hour or two at room temperature.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough overnight. At this point the dough can be held in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Make the Filling
- Place 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate and 4 oz unsalted butter in a microwave proof bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in 2 oz confectioner sugar, 1 oz dutch process cocoa powder and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Set the filling aside to cool. The filling can be made the day before when you make the dough and held at room temperature overnight.
Assembly & Baking
- Butter two 9"x5" loaf pans then line the pans across the short side with a parchment sling (see process photos). Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it in half. Roll one piece of the dough to a 12"x16" rectangle. Spread half the chocolate filling over the dough, leaving a 1/2" border along the short sides. From the short side roll the dough to form a 12" log. Pinch the seam tightly. Transfer the log, seam side down, to the parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat those steps with the remaining dough and filling.
- Slide the pan with the dough logs into the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up the logs. This makes forming the loaves much easer.
- Remove the pan from the freezer. Use a sharp knife to slice one of the logs in half, lengthwise. With the filling sides up, criss-cross the two pieces of dough to form a large "X". Continue twisting the dough at least 3x on either end, keeping the cut sides up as best you can until you have one tight rope. Pinch each end of the rope together. Twist the two ends of the dough to tighten up the rope. Transfer the loaf, still with the cut side up, to one of the prepared loaf pans. Repeat with the other dough. At this point one or both of the loaves can be wrapped tightly and frozen to bake at a later date.
- Cover the pans and set them aside at room temperature to rise until the dough mostly fills the pan, about 2-3 hours. The rising time will vary based on the ambient temperature and the activity of your starter.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 °F. Bake the loaves until golden brown and the interior is 200 °F, about 40 minutes.
- While the bread is baking, combine 4 oz water, 4 oz granulated sugar, ½ Cinnamon stick and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until the sugar is melted and the syrup just begins to boil. Turn off the heat and set the syrup aside.
- When the bread is done baking, set the pans onto a cooling rack. Remove the cinnamon stick from the syrup and immediately brush each loaf generously using about half the syrup. 5 minutes later brush the loaves again with the remaining syrup.
- Allow the loaves to cool for at least 30 minutes before turning out of the pan. Cool completely before slicing.
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