Bake this super delicious Nutella Babka made from the fluffiest, most buttery brioche dough twisted around a decadent Nutella filling. It's probably one of the most delicious recipes on my blog and always warms my heart!
This recipe was one of the first I shared on the blog back in 2021. Since then, I've updated it with new photos, added helpful baking tips, and included several flavor and ingredient substitution options. It is the best-rated recipe on Google; you simply have to try it!
Read what others said about this recipe
"LOVE this recipe. It’s so well explained, even I could make it without too much experience 🙂 Thank you!!" Laura
Best Nutella babka recipe
I hope you will love this recipe as much as I do! I grew up eating traditional babka recipes in Hungary. Still, babka became increasingly popular across the United States, especially in New York, when Israeli bakery Breads Bakery began selling its famous chocolate babka. Whenever I'm in New York, I stop by Breads Bakery, but honestly, you don't need to. You can easily re-create Nutella babka at home with this recipe!
Imagine a delicious buttery chocolate hazelnut swirl in soft, pillowy brioche dough. This Nutella babka loaf is totally addictive! I make it over and over again; it is perhaps my favorite sweet bread recipe of all time.
It is super easy. You won't need any fancy ingredients, and the recipe will come together really easily. It's even suitable for beginner bakers! It uses a yeasted dough, so you must factor in some time for it to rise. But your time in the kitchen is actually minimal!
Katalin's key take on why using bread flour (high protein flour) makes the best babka
Babka is a sweet bread similar to brioche. The key element with any bread recipe is the use of high-protein flour, which contains more gluten. The gluten develops during the kneading process, and then yeast allows the dough to rise. Both of these elements help to achieve that lovely, airy texture.
It might not be called bread flour in your local grocery stores, so check the label for the protein content and choose one that is highest. If you want to be a pro when it comes to deciding what type of flour to use in your baking, read my flour guide.
Start with making the brioche dough
Mix half of the granulated sugar into lukewarm milk, then sprinkle yeast on top. Wait for 10 minutes until the yeast starts to foam. If the yeast does not start bubbling in the whole milk after 10 minutes, I recommend starting the recipe over again with new, fresher yeast.
Once the yeast is foamy, place the mixture and the room-temperature eggs (the wet ingredients) into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
Mix for a minute to combine, and then add the dry ingredients (bread flour, remaining sugar, and salt) and continue kneading. First, it will look messy, but the dough will come together after a few minutes.
Begin adding the softened butter (but not melted) in small pieces while the mixer is running. It might not incorporate immediately; keep kneading/mixing and then add a little more once it does.
Once all the butter has been added, knead at medium-high speed until the dough is super shiny and elastic and achieves the gluten window! This normally takes around 10 minutes. At this point, the dough should not stick to the bowl's sides.
Move the dough into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge overnight or for 12 hours to rest and rise.
You can also let the dough rise for 1-2 hours at room temperature in a warm place. However, I always recommend a slow ferment in the fridge overnight for the best taste and texture, and the dough will be easier to handle when it is cold.
Then, roll and twist
Prepare a loaf tin by lining it with parchment paper. Gently melt the Nutella in the microwave to make it easier to spread, but do not use it when it is hot, or it can melt the dough.
Take the babka dough out of the fridge and punch it out, then turn it out onto a silicone baking mat or lightly floured surface.
Roll out the dough into a rectangle measuring 30x42 cm / 12x16 inches. Spread the Nutella filling onto the dough in a smooth and even layer.
Roll the dough up tightly and neatly from the longer end. Press to seal the edge onto the roulade. It needs to be rolled as tightly as possible.
The rolled babka dough is easier to work with when cold, so if it feels too warm at this point, place it into the freezer to chill for 5 minutes before continuing.
Use a sharp knife to cut the babka in half lengthwise, being as precise as possible. If it is still nice and cold, continue to the next step. Otherwise, place it in the freezer for a few minutes before we twist the babka into shape.
Lay one babka log over the other with the filling facing upwards, and twist the dough around each other with your hands. Gently squeeze together the ends and carefully lift the babka into your prepared loaf pan.
Cover the loaf pan with a damp kitchen towel so it does not dry out, and let the Nutella babka proof at room temperature in a warm place for 1-2 hours.
Bake it
During the end of the second rise, preheat your oven to 180C/355F. Proofing might take 1-2 hours, depending on your kitchen temperature, but the dough needs to double in size before baking.
Once the Babka dough is nicely risen, place it into the oven and bake for about 40 minutes.
Check it after 30 minutes. If the babka is browning too much on top, place aluminum foil over it for the final 10 minutes of baking time.
The Nutella Babka is ready when golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Optional: Sugar syrup for the perfect shine
Pouring syrup over babka after baking gives it a lovely shine. If you don´t want to add more sugar to the dessert, gently brush it with the sugar syrup instead of pouring it on top.
Toward the end of baking, boil the water, sugar, and freshly squeezed lemon juice until the mixture becomes syrup.
Pour the hot syrup over the baked babka immediately when it comes out of the oven. Let it sink in and allow the babka to cool slightly before removing it to a wire cooling rack from the tin. Don't move it too soon, or it can break.
Storing and freezing
Serve the Nutella babka fresh. Any leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. The babka does not require a fridge; store it like you would store bread.
To freeze babka, double wrap it in plastic food wrap and then aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Consume within one month.
Try some other babka flavors
You can also make this Nutella Babka bread recipe with different spices. Add ground cinnamon, cardamom, or even orange zest to the dough for a delicious and fragrant twist. Chopped pecans can add some crunch, or try my cinnamon babka, walnut babka and apple cinnamon babka recipes, too!
You can use my homemade Nutella or store-bought Nutella for the babka filling. Why not change things up and use homemade Biscoff spread instead?
Or, try my strawberry compote for a fruity alternative to chocolate hazelnut babka? Lastly, this decadent chocolate ganache and some extra chocolate chips could double up on the goodness.
Ingredient substitutions for when you need to bake with dietary restrictions
Baking is a science, so making ingredient swaps can significantly alter the texture and flavor. Sadly, I cannot provide substitutes for all allergies and diets.
You can substitute the butter with vegan butter to make the babka dairy-free. Some egg substitutes might work to make this an entirely plant-based or vegan babka, but you will need to experiment to achieve the right results.
Use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour if this is all you have available, but as babka is bread, high-protein flour will give you the best results.
For more information on common baking ingredients and how to make substitutions in baking, read my baking guides section.
Katalin´s expert tips to make Nutella babka
- The milk needs to be lukewarm only. Do not let the milk get too hot, as this can kill the yeast. If it is steaming, it is too hot.
- I use fresh yeast in this Nutella babka recipe, but you can use dry yeast instead. Check out my ultimate yeast guide to convert fresh yeast to dried yeast and more information on handling yeast.
- There is an exact science of adding leavening agents to baking products. Use it as soon as it starts to foam, as leaving it on the counter for too long might result in yeast overflowing and eventually breaking.
- Always use unsalted butter, and make sure it is soft. This can take around an hour out of the fridge, and it is soft enough when you press your finger into it, leaving an indent. It helps if your kitchen is not too cold (above 20C / 68F).
- Try to work quickly when shaping the babka. Prepare your equipment first, so ensure you have the rolling pin, measuring tape, Nutella filling, and a loaf pan with parchment paper ready.
- If the babka dough starts to feel sticky at any point, place it in the freezer for a few minutes before continuing.
- Do not skip the second rise! This is essential for the best fluffy, pillowy texture. But make sure it is not resting anywhere too hot or the filling can melt.
What equipment to use
Baking is a science, so weigh the ingredients by the gram using a digital scale for best results.
For kneading, a stand mixer is super handy with the dough hook on, however, if you are strong like my Mom, you can attempt doing it by hand, good luck!
Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out and an offset spatula to spread over the filling.
I prefer rolling out on a silicone baking mat to avoid using too much dusting flour. This can affect the texture of the babka dough and make it dry.
For baking, you will need a loaf pan, the quantity stated in the recipe makes a standard size 1 pound loaf tin that is 12x22cm / 5x8 inches.
Invest in an inexpensive digital oven thermometer to ensure you are baking at the correct temperature. Many baking problems arise from an oven that is too hot or cold!
Try some of my other sweet bread recipes
- Cinnamon babka
- Pumpkin streusel bread
- Chocolate chip brioche bread
- Banana bread
- Apple cinnamon rolls
- Rum baba
If you love this easy Nutella babka and similar recipes, check out my round-up of the best sweet bread recipes to try next!
Have you tried this recipe?
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Soft & Fluffy Nutella Babka
Equipment
- Digital scale
Ingredients
Babka dough
- 120 g (½ cups) Whole milk lukewarm
- 30 g (2 tablespoon) Granulated sugar
- 12,5 g Fresh yeast check my yeast guide to convert it to dry yeast
- 1 Egg yolk at room temperature
- 1 Egg at room temperature
- 250 g (2 cups) Bread flour high protein content flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 80 g (⅓ cups) Unsalted butter room temperature, 82% fat content
Syrup
- 60 g (¼ cups) Water
- 20 g (1 tablespoon) Lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 80 g Granulated sugar
US customary cup measurement is an indicative figure only. Measure the ingredients with a digital scale by weight (gram). Baking is art but also science which requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
First day - first proofing
- Start with mixing half of the sugar with the lukewarm milk then sprinkle yeast on top. Make sure that the kitchen is nice and warm, and in 10 minutes, the yeast should start to foam.
- Pour in dry ingredients: bread flour, rest of the sugar, and salt, and start kneading it until the dough comes together. This will take about a minute or two.
- Then, slowly add the room-temperature (soft) butter chunks by piece to the dough. Once all the butter is in, knead the dough for another 10 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elastic and shiny and not too sticky.
- Move the dough into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest and rise in the fridge overnight for 12 hours.
- Alternatively, rise the dough for 1-2 hours at room temperature in a warm but not hot (avoid direct heat) spot in your kitchen. However, I do not recommend skipping the overnight rise, as the dough is much easier to handle while cold.
Next day
- Try to work quickly, and have everything you need - rolling pin, measuring tape, Nutella filling, a loaf pan with parchment paper prepared upfront. If the dough is warming up, pop it in and out of the freezer for a few minutes to chill between the steps, making sure the dough is always cold enough to work with and does not tear or stick. Refrain from using an excessive amount of flour, as that would make the babka hard.
- Gently melt the Nutella in the microwave, making it easier to spread. However, do not use it while hot, as that would melt the dough.
- Spread the Nutella on top, and roll the dough up evenly and tightly from the shorter end, and then press to seal the end onto the roll. You will end up with a 30cm / 12 inches long roll.
- If the dough is still nice and cold, continue with shaping. Otherwise, chill it first for about 5 minutes in the freezer. Cut the babka into half lengthwise, then place the logs over each other with the filling facing up and twist the logs with your hands on both sides.
- Cover the loaf pan with a kitchen towel and proof the Nutella babka now the second time now at room-temperature. Proofing might take 1-2 hours, depending on your kitchen temperature. Wait until the dough doubles in size.
- Preheat your oven to 180C / 355F (no fan) towards the end of the proofing time. Once the babka is doubled in size, bake it at 180C / 355F for about 40 minutes. Bake until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the babka is golden brown. If it was browning too much, place aluminum foil on top towards the end of the baking time.
Syrupy glaze - optional
- During the end of the baking time, make the syrup: boil water, sugar, and freshly squeezed lemon juice together until the mixture reaches a syrup consistency. Pour hot syrup over baked babka immediately. Let the syrup sink in and the babka slightly cool before removing it from the tin to a cooling rack.
- Serve the Nutella babka fresh. Any leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Notes
- Use always unsalted butter in baking; in this Babka recipe, the butter needs to be at room temperature so soft enough to be able to knead into the dough.
- Fresh or Dried yeast can be used. My instant dried yeast pack says that 25g fresh yeast equals 7 g dried. I use 12,5 g fresh yeast to make this recipe, which is equal to 3,5 g dried yeast (approx. 1 teaspoon). Please check your local brand and calculate your yeast needs accordingly.
- Use milk and egg at room temperature so the ingredients can properly emulsify.
- Since babka is effectively a sweet bread, use high protein content bread flour.
- To activate the yeast (whether it is dried or fresh), make sure that the milk is lukewarm and your kitchen is nice and warm.
- You will knead the dough for about 10 minutes in a stand mixer. The dough is ready when it is shiny, elastic and does not stick to your fingers any longer. Do not add more flour to the dough. If it sticks too much, continue kneading. Having said that, each flour is different, and I cannot guarantee the quality of your flour, so if the dough is still very sticky after 10-15 minutes of kneading, you might need to add a tiny bit more flour.
- Overnight proofing is recommended for the best results. It is much easier to handle (roll, shape) a dough that is risen in a chilled environment.
- During the rolling, filling, and shaping process, try to work with a chilled dough that does not stick or tear. Any moment if the dough gets too warm and uncomfortable to deal with, pop it into the freezer for a few minutes, then continue.
- Second, proofing is necessary for the perfect rise = fluffy texture.
- Do not skip the syrup at the end. It will make your babka super shiny and moist.
Judy
I have never let a dough rise in the refrigerator so I was curious about this step. As I expected after more than 12 hours it didn't rise. I was interested to see if it would rise a different way so I put it in a warm environment for an hour and it doubled in size. I put it back in the refrigerator to continue with the recipe and will see how it comes out. Maybe it is the type of yeast that does not rise in a cold environment (I used dried yeast)?
Katalin Nagy
Not sure why your dough did not rise, mine always did rise whether using fresh or dried yeast. You can ofc proceed with room temp rise if that works better for you. Good luck!
Jenica Distor
Could I double the dough ingredients to make two loaves instead on one? I just want to use a whole packet of dried instant yeast instead of having to split it.
Katalin Nagy
yes absolutely!
Don McQuaig
In your "Ingredients Notes", you referred to your "Instant Dry Yeast pack" saying that 25g fresh yeast equals 7 g dried. I use 12,5 g fresh yeast to make this recipe which is equal to 3,5 g dried yeast (approx. 1 teaspoon).
Did you mean "Instant Fresh Yeast pack"?
Katalin Nagy
Not sure I understand the question. The point is to either use 12.5g fresh yeast OR 3.5g dried yeast that is about 1 teaspoon of dried yeast.
Irene Dimitropoulou
I’ve tried several recipes from this site. All of them are amazing, tasteful and easy to make if you follow the steps. You have to try this recipe too, totally worth it! ❤️
Sára
What should I replace the egg to make it vegan please?
Kata
I have this answered in my Recipe FAQs
Can I make this recipe gluten-free, eggless etc.?
Most probably yes, you can, however, you can´t just leave out / change one ingredient without reformulating the entire recipe. When one ingredient changes, some other ingredients need to be changed too in order to keep the balance in the texture and flavor. Sadly, I am not able to provide substitutes for all sorts of allergies and diets.
Tom
I just love love love this recipe! It’s so moist and delicious, I have to make 2 next time :! Tried it with chocolate too and works well!
Laura
LOVE this recipe, it’s so well explained, even I could make it without too much experience 🙂 Thank you!
Alexandra
It was a really step by step process it turn out pretty well.