Sourdough Babka

Tender and delicious ribbons of brioche dough and sweet filling make sourdough babka a real treat. This babka dough is naturally leavened with sourdough starter and can be filled with any flavor spread, making it hard not to love.

Sourdough babka is a huge hit in our home! My kids like it almost as much as my No-Knead Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls, and that’s saying a lot. This bread makes a simple and delicious breakfast, pairing perfectly with a cup of coffee. It can also make an impressive holiday sourdough bread recipe. The best part, its extremely versatile. Use your favorite preserves as a filling, choose something seasonal like apple butter, fill it with a rich chocolate spread, or slap in some cinnamon and brown sugar. The possibilities are endless!

Ingredients

The Dough

• Sourdough Starter – 100% hydration sourdough starter
• Milk – We love raw milk in our home!
• Eggs – Room temperature.
• Sugar – I use raw unrefined sugar. Coconut sugar is a great substitute.
• All-Purpose Flour – I choose organic unbleached flour.
• Salt – Sea salt, Celtic salt, and pink salt all work well in this recipe.
• Butter – Use unsalted room temperature butter.

The Filling

• Fruit Preserves – Any fruit preserves or jam works wonderfully for babka filling. You could also use your favorite chocolate or hazelnut spread.

The Glaze

• Water – Use filtered water or spring water.
• Sugar – I use raw unrefined sugar to make the glaze.

How to Make Sourdough Babka

Step 1: Mix the Dough

In a large bowl whisk together the sourdough starter, milk, eggs, and sugar until everything is fully combined. Sift in your flour and salt and stir until mostly combined, then work in your room temperature butter.

Step 2: Stretch & Fold

Cover your bowl with a damp cloth and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes before preforming a set of stretch and folds. Cover the bowl again, and repeat the 30 minute rest and folds.

Step 3: Bulk Ferment

Allow the dough to bulk ferment at room temperature for another 3-4 hours. After the room temperature ferment, transfer the dough to the fridge to finish fermenting for 8-16 hours.

Step 4: Add the Filling

Gently turn your dough out onto a floured work surface, and roll into a 12″x12″ square. Evenly spread your choice of filling over the surface of the dough leaving a 1/2 margin all the way around. Roll the dough up tightly by starting along one edge and rolling inward while applying gentle pressure. Once rolled gently pat into an even shaped log.

Step 5: Braid the Dough

Place your log of babka dough into the freezer for 10-15 minutes. This will make cutting the dough easier. Using a non-serrated knife or bench scraper, cut the roll in half lengthwise. Lay each half cut side up. Starting at the top, twist the halves together. To do this, alternate lifting each half over the other. Once finished, pinch the ends together. Place your twisted loaf into a parchment lined bread pan.

Step 6: Proof

Cover the bread pan with a damp cloth and proof your dough at room temperature for 5-6 hours, or until it has risen about 50% of its original size.

Step 7: Bake & Glaze

Place your loaf on the lower third rack of a 350°F preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. While your loaf bakes make your glaze. Add the water and sugar to a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Stir continuously until the sugar has dissolved and the glaze begins to bubble. Brush the glaze over the top of your loaf while it is still hot and allow the loaf to cool for 30 minutes before serving.

More Sweet Sourdough Recipes

• No-Knead Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
• Cut-Out Sourdough Sugar Cookies
• The BEST Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies