This vegan cinnamon babka is a stunner! Super easy to make despite its intricate details. Can be served for dessert or breakfast!
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If you are looking to have a showstopping vegan breakfast idea that isn’t loaded with chocolate then this vegan cinnamon babka is just what you need.
If you’ve never had or heard of babka before, it is a braided sweet bread that is of Jewish decent.
Babka means grandmother and refers to grandmothers who made this recipe from leftover challah after Shabbat, from our research. They would twist the bread with seeds and nuts.
Traditionally, it was filled with cinnamon. However, when Jewish people arrived in New York city, chocolate was added.
Essentially, it is a made very similar to how you would make cinnamon rolls, but instead of slicing circular pieces and placing them in a cake pan, you slice the roll length wise and do a double braided twist and then place in a loaf pan.
The end result of vegan cinnamon babka is this stunning masterpiece of woven dough, like marbling, through the bread. Eat it in slices or you can even make french toast with it!
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do you eat Vegan Cinnamon Babka?
Honestly, just like any other bread, slice it and eat. Toast it if you want. Or if you are feeling fancy or have leftovers, let it get stale and make our vegan babka french toast with it.
Can you make this a Top 8 Allergen Free Babka Bread?
We do not currently have a gluten free dough recipe to recommend, although we are working to create one.
For the remaining ingredients, yes you can. We recommend oat milk which is allergen friendly.
And ensure that you are use a soy free, dairy free butter. We use Earth Balance Soy free that comes in a red tub.
And finally for the coconut cream, you can you
Nothing else included in the recipe contains a Top 8 allergen.
Can I prep vegan babka ahead of time?
This bread can be made and stored in an air tight container for 5-7 days.
Also — when making the dough, once you put cover the bowl to rise, Instead of leaving in a warm place, you can place the bowl in the fridge up to 2 days before you plan to use it.
Just make the recipe as written, cover and place in fridge until ready to use.
Can I freeze vegan babka?
Whether you are just one person or you are a family but want to only eat half the loaf, you can absolutely freeze it.
For easier time afterwards, we recommend letting it cool completely, slicing it, and then laying on a wax or parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze it for 20-30 minutes and then place it in an air tight freezer bag or container until you are ready to use.
Heat up for 15-20 seconds at a time until thawed out.
Can this dough be used to make other recipes?
For this vegan chocolate pumpkin babka, we are using a variation of our vegan everything dough recipe. The possibilities are really endless for this dough. Some recipes that we have created are:
- Vegan Raspberry Cinnamon Rolls (pictured above)
- Vegan Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread (some places call this Monkey Bread)
- Easy Vegan Soft Pretzel Bites
For a visual of how to braid, watch how we make our chocolate vegan babka:
Pin this vegan cinnamon babka for later:
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Vegan Cinnamon Babka
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour (we prefer bread, can use all-purpose or whole wheat – see post for details)
- ¼ cup vegan cane sugar (can sub for maple syrup, agave, or coconut sugar)
- 1 package instant yeast (1 package = 2 ¼ tsp)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup dairy free milk (we like oat – can use any non-strongly flavored dairy free milk)
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup vegan butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For filling
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ cup vegan butter, softened
- 2 teaspoon water optional
For Glaze
- ¼ cup canned coconut milk (sub any dairy free milk)
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter, melted
Simple Syrup
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup vegan cane sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and nutmeg.
- Then, add in the dairy free milk, applesauce, butter, and vanilla.
- In stand mixer, use dough hook and turn on low to combine all the ingredients well until a dough ball forms. If using a regular bowl, use a spatula, fold until mostly combined. *Sprinkle a little more flour if needed to not be sticky and form a ball.
- Once ball is formed, grease the same bowl mixed in and place the dough ball back into the bowl.
- Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 60-90 minutes in a warm, draft free place until doubled.
For the filling
- In a small bowl combine the sugar, cinnamon, salt, and flour. Add in the butter and water and combine to form a post.
- Once dough risen, lightly flour a surface and roll dough out until approximately 12×15 rectangle.
- Brush the filling mixture across the entire surface.
- Starting on one side, roll the dough into a log.
- Cut the log length wise carefully so there are two long pieces.
- Starting at one end, pinch the ends together and then braid the two pieces together and pinch together again at the end.
- Carefully place in a well greased loaf pan.
- Cover and let rise in a warm, draft free place until it is crowning 1 inch over the top of the pan. Depending on your pan this could take 30-90 minutes.
For the Glaze
- Once risen, Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the coconut milk and butter in a small bowl. Carefully brush over the dough.
- Place in oven for 40-50 minutes or until done. During the last 15-20 minutes tent with aluminum foil so it doesn't burn on top. *When done is should be deep-golden brown on top and a digital thermometer should read around 195 degrees F.
For Simple Syrup
- While baking, add sugar and water to a small pot and bring to a boil.
- Stir and let boil until all sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
- When the bread is done, brush the simple sugar syrup onto the bread. Let cool and serve.
I would like to have more of the cinnamon filling. Can I double that part of the recipe?
Sure
Oh my goodnight! This is amazingly easy but super impressive finished product; I used our homemade apple butter for a filling and it was a hit. Recipe is officially going in The Box. Thanks for the great recipe.
omg that filling sounds like the perfect addition!
This was the best dough I’ve ever made. I loved the flavor and the texture. My one question- 1/2 cup of liquid wasn’t enough to form a dough.with 3 cups of bread flour. It took double that. Have you ever had that happen? Maybe there’s a difference in types of flour?
So glad you enjoyed it. Between the dairy-free milk, butter, and applesauce should be enough liquid; however, even slight mismeasuring of the flour could result in needing more liquid. Glad you stuck with it!
This was so good. The only thing i changed was that i added some lightly cooked apples chunks after the filling. This is going to be a regular in our house!
Oh yum! Great idea, thank so much for leaving a review. We’re so glad you liked it.