Best Vegan Chocolate Babka Recipe (Soft, Fluffy & Perfectly Swirled)

28 Jun Best Vegan Chocolate Babka Recipe (Soft, Fluffy & Perfectly Swirled)

Last Updated on June 28, 2026 by blessmyfoodbypayal

Best Vegan Chocolate Babka Recipe (Soft, Fluffy & Perfectly Swirled) with step wise pictorial and video method.

WHAT IS BABKA ?

There’s a word ‘Slavic’ which refers to the languages, cultures, and ethnic groups of the Slavs – the largest ethnolinguistic group in Europe, which includes Russians, Poles, Ukrainians, Czechs, and Serbs.

The NAME “BABKA” has come from a Slavic word, which means “grandmother” or “little old woman.”

As per some of the historians, this bread was named because its tall, pleated shape resembled the folds of a grandmother’s skirt.

But to put it into simple terms, Babka is a kind of sweet yeasted bread which is baked in a braided pattern.

When this soft and fluffy vegan babka was originated in the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe, there was no concept of using the chocolate filling running through it. Whereas dough was spread with cinnamon or fruit preserves, rolled, twisted, and baked.

It is much later when the Jewish immigrants settled in North America where chocolate became affordable-y available and as a result, chocolate became part and parcel of vegan chocolate babka recipe. 

And yes, please do not confuse this dairy free chocolate babka bread with cake. It is just a sweet version of bread with chocolate filling.

Now if we are calling it bread, don’t just think of normal sweet bread. This eggless chocolate babka recipe is so rich that you may love it more than any chocolate cake. 

In nutshell, this easy homemade vegan chocolate babka is a perfect balance between bread and pastry.

This braided vegan chocolate bread recipe is so so delicious in itself that you don’t require anything else to pair it with. It is complete in itself. But yes, if tea or coffee is there, you can enjoy this babka more happily.

It is a great recipe which is traditionally served as breakfast, dessert, with evening tea or as a coffee companion.

Not just on regular days, but this dairy free chocolate babka can be made part of festival celebrations like Christmas or holiday celebrations or even for gifting purposes.

So come here and see how to make vegan chocolate babka, whose every loaf is unique full of chocolate’s madness.

Whether enjoyed warm or at room temperature, Vegan chocolate babka by Bless my food by Payal is a comforting loaf that’s perfect for any occasion.

Step wise pictorial recipe of Best Vegan Chocolate Babka Recipe (Soft, Fluffy & Perfectly Swirled)

FOR MAKING DOUGH 

Take all purpose flour, sugar, instant yeast and salt.

Mix well.

Add milk, little at a time, and start kneading the dough.

Once dough has come together, add vegan butter.

Start kneading the dough.

The dough needs to be kneaded so good for atleast 8-10 minutes.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and tightly cover the bowl.

Keep the bowl at some warm place in the kitchen for 1 hour or until dough rises to double.

MAKING OF CHOCOLATE SPREAD 

Take a bowl and add dark chocolate, cocoa powder, butter and sugar.

Place this bowl on a pan carrying hot water which is boiling on low heat.

Let all the ingredients melt together.

Take the bowl off the pan and let the chocolate spread cool down completely.

SHAPING THE BREAD

After an hour or when dough rises, pinch it to release the air.

Knead the dough again for a minute.

Now place the dough on a wider surface.

Roll it preferably in the rectangular shape.

Spread the chocolate all over the rolled dough leaving the longer edge empty.

Sprinkle some chocolate chips.

Start rolling the dough from one side tightly into a log, seal the seam at the end.

Cut the dough lengthwise into two long strips.

Place strips open-side-up and cross one over the other to make an “x”, then twist both ends around each other, to form a twisted rope.

Place into a greased loaf pan. As our twisted rope was bit long, we turned it into U shape in the loaf pan.

Cover and let it rise for 30-45 minutes. If the weather is too hot, prefer to keep it in air conditioned room to avoid the chocolate turning into a mess.

Once the dough has risen, brush the dough portion with milk.

Bake in preheated oven @180°C for 30-35 minutes.

MAKING OF SUGAR SYRUP 

Till the time babka is baking, take sugar and water in a pan.

Boil until slightly thick syrup is formed.

LAST STEP

When the babka is done, apply sugar syrup all over it.

Let it cool down for 20-30 minutes in the loaf pan.

Thereafter take the bread out of loaf pan and allow to cool down completely on cooling rack.

Cut into slices.

Enjoy.

NOTES

1. If you want to make babka without chocolate, some of the best options are cinnamon sugar + vegan butter, Biscoff spread, peanut butter or almond butter mixed with maple syrup or brown sugar, pistachio cream, tahini + brown sugar + cinnamon, apple butter, any of your favourite fruit jam, dates paste paired with cinnamon and chopped walnuts, sweetened coconut mixed with vegan butter or pumpkin butter associated with cinnamon and nutmeg. Choices are endless.
2. For extra crunchy texture, sprinkle chopped walnuts, pecans, pistachios, almonds, raisins or dried cranberries or roasted coconut flakes with any filling.
3. If you are making chocolate babka in extreme summers and finding difficulty in shaping, you can rest the dough in refrigerator for couple of minutes to set it firm.

Best Vegan Chocolate Babka Recipe (Soft, Fluffy & Perfectly Swirled) – Recipe Card

Best Vegan Chocolate Babka Recipe (Soft, Fluffy & Perfectly Swirled)

blessmyfoodbypayal

Best Vegan Chocolate Babka Recipe creates soft, fluffy swirls with rich chocolate flavor, perfect for breakfast, dessert, or special celebrations.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Resting time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Bread, Dessert

Cuisine Jewish

Servings 8 Slices

Ingredients

  

1 cup = 250 ml

FOR THE DOUGH

• 310 gram - 2.5 cup All-purpose flour
• 25 gram - 2 tbsp Sugar
• 4 gram - 1.25 tsp Instant yeast
• Pinch of Salt
• Plant-based milk as required
• 28 gram - 2 tbsp vegan butter (softened)

FOR THE CHOCOLATE FILLING

• 80 gram - 1/2 cup dark chocolate (chopped)
• 10 gram - 2 tbsp Cocoa powder
• 28 gram - 2 tbsp vegan butter
• 25 gram - 2 tbsp powdered Sugar

FOR SUGAR SYRUP

• 38 gram - 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp water

Instructions

 

FOR MAKING DOUGH

• Take all purpose flour, sugar, instant yeast and salt.
• Mix well.
• Add milk, little at a time, and start kneading the dough.
• Once dough has come together, add vegan butter.
• Start kneading the dough.
• The dough needs to be kneaded so good for atleast 8-10 minutes.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl and tightly cover the bowl.
• Keep the bowl at some warm place in the kitchen for 1 hour or until dough rises to double.

MAKING OF CHOCOLATE SPREAD

• Take a bowl and add dark chocolate, cocoa powder, butter and sugar.
• Place this bowl on a pan carrying hot water which is boiling on low heat.
• Let all the ingredients melt together.
• Take the bowl off the pan and let the chocolate spread cool down completely.

SHAPING THE BREAD

• After an hour or when dough rises, pinch it to release the air.
• Knead the dough again for a minute.
• Now place the dough on a wider surface.
• Roll it preferably in the rectangular shape.
• Spread the chocolate all over the rolled dough leaving the longer edge empty.
• Sprinkle some chocolate chips.
• Start rolling the dough from one side tightly into a log, seal the seam at the end.
• Cut the dough lengthwise into two long strips.
• Place strips open-side-up and cross one over the other to make an “x”, then twist both ends around each other, to form a twisted rope.
• Place into a greased loaf pan. As our twisted rope was bit long, we turned it into U shape in the loaf pan.
• Cover and let it rise for 30-45 minutes. If the weather is too hot, prefer to keep it in air conditioned room to avoid the chocolate turning into a mess.
• Once the dough has risen, brush the dough portion with milk.
• Bake in preheated oven @180°C for 30-35 minutes.

MAKING OF SUGAR SYRUP

• Till the time babka is baking, take sugar and water in a pan.
• Boil until slightly thick syrup is formed.

LAST STEP

• When the babka is done, apply sugar syrup all over it.
• Let it cool down for 20-30 minutes in the loaf pan.
• Thereafter take the bread out of loaf pan and allow to cool down completely on cooling rack.
• Cut into slices.
• Enjoy.

Video

Notes

1. If you want to make babka without chocolate, some of the best options are cinnamon sugar + vegan butter, Biscoff spread, peanut butter or almond butter mixed with maple syrup or brown sugar, pistachio cream, tahini + brown sugar + cinnamon, apple butter, any of your favourite fruit jam, dates paste paired with cinnamon and chopped walnuts, sweetened coconut mixed with vegan butter or pumpkin butter associated with cinnamon and nutmeg. Choices are endless.
2. For extra crunchy texture, sprinkle chopped walnuts, pecans, pistachios, almonds, raisins or dried cranberries or roasted coconut flakes with any filling.
3. If you are making chocolate babka in extreme summers and finding difficulty in shaping, you can rest the dough in refrigerator for couple of minutes to set it firm.

Keyword babka recipe, chocolate babka, Vegan chocolate Babka recipe