There’s almost no dessert bread in the world that’s as addictive as a well-made chocolate babka. Arguably so, perhaps, but you’d be hard put to it to find another bread with that rich, flaky, buttery crumb and swirls of complimentary flavors. Have a slice, and you’re hooked. For good. My vegan chocolate babka recipe doesn’t miss any of that wonderfulness, but it is dairy-free and eggless. This is a recipe I shared with you many, many years ago, and so many of you have loved making it. With this update I’ve not only made the recipe even better, I’ve made it quite foolproof. Making a babka is a multi-step process, beginning with creating the buttery dough, which is much like the dough for a vegan brioche or even a vegan challah (you can, in fact, use my olive oil brioche recipe for the babka bread dough if you’d rather not use vegan butter). You will make the vegan chocolate filling and sugar syrup and the optional streusel separately, before putting everything together. The bread also needs three rises. It might seem like a lot of work but it really isn’t because each of these steps is quite short and requires just two or three ingredients. I’ll show you how break down the process so it all becomes easy and very doable. When I make a babka, I always make two loaves–one to eat and one to share. Besides, if you are going to go to the trouble of making one, why not make two and make someone else very, very happy?
Why choose this recipe
The best vegan chocolate babka. This recipe will yield the most tender, flakiest, scrummiest babka out there, vegan or not. The fudgy chocolate filling and sugar syrup thread through the feathery layers of bread, infusing them with moisture and deliciousness. Foolproof recipe. Making a babka is a multi-step process, but if you follow the instructions and pay attention to the details, there is absolutely no reason why you can’t turn out the perfect loaf. Makes a delicious breakfast or dessert. This is a versatile bread and the fact that it’s not cloyingly sweet makes it perfect for breakfast as well. Make-ahead friendly. This vegan chocolate babka can easily be made ahead of time and you can freeze both the babka loaf, unbaked, or the baked loaf for several weeks. See storage instructions below for more detail. Soy-free and nut-free recipe.
Ingredients
Unbleached all-purpose flour. This type of flour yields the flakiest babka. Cornstarch. A small amount of cornstarch helps cut through the gluten to make the bread more tender and acts as an egg replacer. Instant dry yeast or active dry yeast. You can use either. Non-dairy milk. Almond milk, soy milk, oat milk and cashew milk are all good options. Applesauce. Use unsweetened applesauce. This works well as an egg replacer and also makes the babka utterly tender. Sugar. Use any granulated sugar of your choice. I used turbinado sugar, which adds a richer color to the babka. Lemon zest or lime zest. This adds a wonderful freshness. You can leave it out, but I recommend adding it. Pure vanilla extract. For a richer flavor to the babka. Vegan butter (at room temperature) Vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips. Cocoa powder. Adding a dash of cocoa powder makes the optional chocolate streusel even more chocolate-y.
How to make vegan chocolate babka
Make babka dough
Make chocolate filling
Make the optional streusel
Shape the babka
Top tips
Making the dough: Make sure the butter is at room temperature. The butter will take time to absorb into the dough when you knead it in, at least 4-5 minutes, so be patient. The dough will look a little weird before the butter is absorbed in, but don’t worry, it will come together. If it flops around at the bottom, give it a bit of help by turning off the mixer, wrapping the dough around the dough hook with your fingers, and then turning it on again. Chocolate filling: The chocolate filling will be quite runny when you make it and it will need to cool down quite a bit before it is spreadable. A runny filling will make it very difficult to roll the babka dough. Refrigerate the filling for 30-45 minutes until it is thick, like nutella, but don’t leave it in for too long or it could get too thick. If it does thicken up too much, heat the filling in the microwave in 5-second intervals, mixing it with a spatula after each interval, until it is of spreadable consistency again. Chocolate streusel: If you use the chocolate streusel, you can either sprinkle it on top of the loaves, like I do, or you can sprinkle it on top of the chocolate filling, before you roll the babka dough. I prefer sprinkling it on top because sprinkling it over the filling can make the layers separate easily when you cut the roll of dough. Sugar syrup: Using a darker sugar, like I did, will give the babka a darker, chocolate hue on the outside, which I love. You can use cane sugar with equally tasty results, although the loaf will be lighter in color. Shaping the babka: Braiding the babka is quite simple and I’ve tried to clarify with the photos above. But if you need more help, watch this tutorial from Melissa Clark of the New York Times.
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: The babka can be refrigerated for up to a week. Store in an airtight container. Freeze: Freeze the babka in a freezer-safe container or freezer-safe bags for up to four months. You can freeze the babka after filling and shaping but before the final rise for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let it rise in the loaf pan until doubled at room temperature before baking.
More delicious vegan chocolate desserts
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