Think cinnamon toast meets cinnamon roll. This cinnamon babka has a crunchy texture on the outside, is tender on the inside, and the cinnamon filling is similar to the gooeyness of a cinnamon roll. A perfectly delicious breakfast or dessert bread. Serve warm or toast and serve with butter or cream cheese.
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour: 3 cups
- instant yeast: 1 pack (.25 ounce pack)
- granulated sugar: 0.25 cup
- kosher salt: 1.25 tsp
- ground cinnamon: 0.25 tsp
- egg: 1 piece
- warm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F): 0.5 cup
- unsalted butter, at room temperature: 5 Tbsp
- vanilla extract: 1.5 tsp
- cooking spray: 0 piece
- firmly packed light brown sugar: 0.5 cup
- all-purpose flour: 0.25 cup
- ground cinnamon: 4 tsp
- unsalted butter, melted and cooled: 0.25 cup
- egg yolk: 1 piece
- tap water: 1 Tbsp
- all-purpose flour: 2 Tbsp
- firmly packed light brown sugar: 1 Tbsp
- ground cinnamon: 0.5 tsp
- kosher salt: 0.125 tsp
- unsalted butter: 2 Tbsp (cold)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Combine flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment; mix on low until combined. Add egg, warm water, butter, and vanilla; continue mixing on low until dough begins to come together, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and continue beating until dough is soft and smooth, about 5 minutes.
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Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and set dough inside. Cover and let stand in a warm place (75 degrees F (23 degrees C)) until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
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Punch down the dough, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 9x18-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Let rest, uncovered, at room temperature, about 10 minutes.
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Lightly spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
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While the dough is resting, stir together sugar, flour, and cinnamon for the filling in a small bowl until combined. Stir in melted butter until mixture is smooth. If dough shrank while resting, re-roll into a 9x 18-inch rectangle. Spread filling in an even layer over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
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Beginning with the long edge, roll dough gently into a log, pinching seam and ends to seal. Using a serrated knife, cut log in half lengthwise. With cut sides up, twist the two pieces together; tuck ends underneath and place into the prepared loaf pan. Whisk together egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water; gently brush egg wash over the dough.
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Stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the topping in a bowl until combined. Using your fingers, work in cold butter until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle topping evenly over the loaf. Loosely cover loaf and let rise in a warm place (75 degrees F (23 degrees C)) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
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Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until babka is a deep golden brown and a thermometer inserted in the center registers 190 degrees F (87 degrees C), about 45 minutes. After about 25 minutes, cover babka with aluminum foil so surface does not get too dark.
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Set the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool, 10 minutes. Remove from pan; let cool slightly, about 20 minutes more. Serve warm.
