Apple Cinnamon Babka

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Apple Cinnamon Babka is a swirled bread filled with apples and cinnamon! This impressive looking bread looks impossible to make, but is simply a rolled and filled dough that's formed into a figure eight and then placed in a loaf pan.

A loaf of Apple Cinnamon Babka cut in half and sitting on a wooden board.

Apple filled babka

Babka is a sweet, brioche style bread that is filled with a sweet filling. The dough is rolled, filled and then shaped into a loaf and baked. Babkas vary in filling and in how they are shaped. This babka is filled with fresh apples, and cinnamon, and sugar.

It's shaped into a figure 8 which creates the swirls. This bread is perfect eaten plain, with a bit of butter or used in French toast!

I've experimented with different shapes for this bread and the figure 8 is the easiest and also produces a beautiful loaf. This loaf is filled with grated apples which is perfect for the filling.

Ingredients for cinnamon babka with apples

Small bowls filled with ingredients for making bread with an apple filling.

Flour - Use regular all-purpose flour.
Yeast - This recipe uses active dry yeast.
Milk - I use whole milk in this bread but 2% also works well.
Egg - An egg gives this bread a rich taste and a fluffy texture.
Butter - Salted butter, melted and cooled.
Sugar - Granulated sugar is used in the dough and in the filling.
Apples - You'll need about 2 medium-sized apples. Use a crisp apple that works well for baking. I use granny smith, galas, or Fugi apples.

Making an apple babka

Place milk, yeast and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes until mixture is bubbly.
Add egg, butter, salt, and one cup of flour. Mix together. Gradually add remaining flour until dough forms a ball. You might not need the full 2 cups of flour.
Knead dough in mixer for 5 minutes with the dough hook.
Remove dough and form into a ball. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let sit until doubled in size, approximately one hour.

When doubled, remove dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Pat dough down and form into a rectangle. Roll dough out into a large rectangle approximately 12 x 18 inches.
Grate apples and place on a clean cloth and squeeze all the juice from the apples.

Sprinkle sugar, cinnamon and grated apples over the surface of the dough.
Roll dough together forming a long log. Gently pinch seam together.

Rolled dough topped with cinnamon, sugar and grated apples.

A rolled log of dough on a wooden board.

Form dough into a figure 8 and place in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Cover and let rise for approximately 45 minutes.
Combine egg white and water. Brush on the surface of the loaf.
Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 40-45 minutes. Check at 30 minutes and if the loaf is getting too dark, tent lightly with a piece of foil.
Remove from oven. Let cool for 5 minutes and then remove bread from pan. Continue cooling on a baking rack.

Dough shaped into a figure 8 in a loaf pan.

Tips for making an apple cinnamon babka

Roll out dough as thin as possible. You may need to stretch it a bit by hand too. You will want your dough to be about 12x18 inches.
If you get a tear in your dough, just pinch it back together.
Grate apple using a cheese grater. Place grated apple on a clean towel and then squeeze grated apple together to remove all excess liquid.
Spread filling as evenly as possible.
Roll up, cinnamon roll style and pinch seam together.
After baking remove from pan and place on a baking rack to cool.
Allow bread to fully cool before slicing.

Apple Babka FAQs

How do I prevent my apple babka from becoming soggy?

The key to using fresh apples is grating the apples and then squeezing out as much liquid as possible. Apples have a high content of water and if you don't remove most of it, your bread will turn out soggy in the middle.

Can I freeze apple cinnamon babka?

Yes, this loaf can be frozen. All the loaf to fully cool, then place in a freezer-safe bag. The loaf is best used within 1-2 months.

More recipes with apples and cinnamon

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Check out all my bread recipes!

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