This homemade gluten free chocolate babka is going to brighten your day! Every bite will taste incredible, light, and fluffy with lots of delicious chocolate swirls. I include simple directions so you can easily make this, too!
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We used to eat babka often before going gluten free. Mr. Fearless Dining’s grandmother used to make it with a sweet poppy seed filling. It was one of our favorite recipes; she always seemed to have it when we visited.
Going gluten free changed that, and it has been so many years since I have been able to enjoy babka. When my friend Beth at OMG Yummy published her new cookbook, The Essential Jewish Baking Cookbook, a chocolate babka recipe featured on the cover.
One look and I knew I needed to find a way to make a gluten free version. It took a couple of tries, but my gluten-free chocolate babka is so close to the real thing! If you love gluten free bread, you will want to check out all of my delicious gluten free bread recipes!
Why this gluten-free babka recipe is amazing:
- This sweet gluten free babka bread recipe is light and fluffy.
- You can make the chocolate filling or use a traditional sweet poppy seed paste from the Solo brand. It is available in most grocery stores.
- You can mix and rise the dough in a bread machine to make it super easy!
- It is perfect for Jewish holidays like Rosh Hashana!
This was great! I used the steve’s bread flour with great results. I also don’t have a bread maker, so I mixed it up following the method in your challah recipe and it worked great.”
vanessa C., blog comment
Allergen Information:
This homemade babka recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, and oat-free. Make it dairy-free using plant-based butter.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-free flour blend – I used Better Batter Artisinal Blend for this recipe, Cup4Cup, and Authentic Foods Steve’s GF Bread Blend will also work, but you may need to tweak moisture levels. (Steve’s blend can’t get mixed in a bread machine.) Other gluten free flour blends will work; I just haven’t tested them yet. Note: Steve’s was by far my favorite flour for this recipe. If you use Cup4Cup, you need a lot more flour. Note: Cup4Cup recently changed its flour blend formulation, and it doesn’t behave exactly like the old formulation. I haven’t had a chance to retest this recipe with the new flour blend formulation.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Bittersweet chocolate – I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips because I like how they melt.
- Cocoa powder – Most cocoa powder is gluten free. My favorites are Ghirardelli, Hershey, and Anthony’s.
- Yeast – most yeast brands are gluten-free, but do not use Red Star Platinum because that one variety has gluten. I used active dry yeast, but rapid yeast also works. If you use rapid yeast, just mix it into the dry ingredients.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: I made the dough in my bread machine using the dough setting for this recipe. You can mix this up by hand in a bowl, or use a stand mixer to make the dough. Cover it to let it rise on the counter. Add the wet ingredients to your bread machine. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients, then add the yeast on top.
HINT: If your house is colder, preheat your oven to 200º F. Turn it off and rise your dough in the oven. Crack the oven door open.
Step 2: Let the bread machine run. I turned it off after the second mix cycle because there isn’t a need to knead the dough. I kept the lid closed to keep the heat in after turning it off so that it stayed warm for the dough to rise.
Step 3: Rise your dough in the bread machine, or let it rise for one hour on the counter.
Step 4: Carefully move the dough to a flour-dusted piece of wax paper. This dough is wetter than a normal dough, so you want to dust gluten-free flour over the wax paper before putting it onto it.
Step 5: Add the chocolate-filling ingredients to a saucepan. Cook on low to melt the chocolate.
Step 6: Remove from the stove and allow to cool.
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Step 7: Press the dough flat to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Dust with gluten free flour blend as needed to prevent sticking.
Step 8: Spread the chocolate mixture around the dough. Avoid the edges. Do not worry if this tears up the dough slightly. Because gluten free dough needs to be softer, it can happen, so just keep gently spreading the chocolate.
Step 9: Roll the dough just like you would in making cinnamon rolls. Place the roll onto parchment paper.
Step 10: Use a serrated knife to cut the dough gently in half lengthwise.
Step 11: This is where it gets a little tricky. The dough is soft and not easy to move. You need to move one-half over so that the open-cut sides face outward. I used a spatula to help me lift one-half of the dough over gently. One fell apart slightly, and this is okay.
Step 12: Gently twist the dough. Again, this is tricky, and do not worry if it doesn’t look pretty as a regular Babka dough…gluten free dough just isn’t as pliable as its gluten counterpart. Just do your best and the next rise will help sort out some of the odd bulges.
Step 13: Gently lift the parchment paper with the twisted babka dough and set it with the parchment paper into a large loaf pan. Let it rise for 30-45 minutes.
Step 14: Bake at 350º F for 40-45 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on how tall the babka dough is.
Step 15: In a pan, melt the sugar and water together and then brush this glaze over the baked babka. You may also love this easy Gluten Free Czech Poppy Cake.
Fun flavor variations:
- Add in chopped pecans or walnuts and sprinkle over the chocolate mixture before rolling.
- Add in mini white or chocolate chips. Sprinkle them over the chocolate mixture.
If you love Jewish bread recipes, you will also want to try this yummy Gluten Free Challah recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions:
This cake was originally named Baba, meaning grandmother. There are many different versions from Babi to Babka, meaning little grandmother.
Babka is technically a bread, but sweeter thanks to a sugar glaze brushed over the loaf.
Babka is a Jewish bread with origins in Jewish communities in Poland and the Ukraine. It is popular in Israel and often served for Rosh Hashana and other Jewish holidays (except Passover.)
You can make this babka dairy-free with vegan butter and
This bread will keep fresh for up to 3 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
If you love this sweet bread, you will also want to try my Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread recipe.
If you love to bake, you will also love this easy Gluten Free Brioche recipe!
More Gluten Free Cake Recipes:
- The Best Gluten Free Honey Cake
- Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
- Easy Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
- Gluten Free Apple Bundt Cake
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
The Best Gluten Free Chocolate Babka
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend * see notes
- 2 teaspoons rapid yeast * see notes
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk or non-dairy milk warm (105-115º F)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
For the Chocolate Filling:
- ½ cup chocolate chips * I prefer semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup chopped nuts – optional
For the Glaze:
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup water
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Instructions
- For this recipe, I made the dough in my bread machine using the dough setting. I find dough rises best in my machine. You can totally mix this up in a mixing bowl and then cover the bowl to let it rise on the counter.
- Add 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup milk or non-dairy milk, and partially melted 5 tablespoons unsalted butter to your bread machine. Sprinkle the 2 cups gluten free flour blend, 1/4 cup cane sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon salt over the wet ingredients, then add the 2 teaspoons rapid yeast (packet) on top.
- HINT: If you are not using a bread machine to make your dough, you need a warm spot to rise the dough. I preheat your oven to 175º F. Turn it off and rise your dough in the oven. Crack the oven door open.
- Let the bread machine run. I turned it off after the second mix cycle because there isn't a need to knead the dough. I kept the lid closed to keep the heat in after turning it off so that it stayed warm for the dough to rise.
- Rise your dough in the bread machine, or let it rise one hour on the counter.
- Carefully move the dough to a flour-dusted piece of wax paper. This dough is wetter than a normal dough so you definitely want to dust gluten free flour over the wax paper before putting the dough onto it.
- In a saucepan, add the1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1/3 cup unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons cane sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook this mixture on low heat to melt the chocolate all together.
- Remove from the stove and allow to cool so it is warm, but not hot.
- Press the dough flat to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Dust with gluten free flour blend as needed to prevent sticking.
- Spread the chocolate mixture around the dough. Avoid the edges. Do not worry if this tears up the dough slightly. Because gluten free dough needs to be softer, it can happen so just keep gently spreading the chocolate.
- Roll the dough just like you would in making cinnamon rolls. Place the roll onto parchment paper.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the dough gently in half lengthwise.
- This is where it gets a little tricky. The dough is soft and not easy to move. You need to move one half over so that the open-cut sides face outward. I used a spatula to gently help me lift one-half of the dough over. One fell apart slightly and this is okay.
- Gently twist the dough. Again, this is tricky, and do not worry if it doesn't look pretty as a regular babka dough…gluten free dough just isn't as pliable as its gluten counterpart. Just do your best and the next rise will help sort out some of the odd bulges.
- Gently lift the parchment paper with the twisted babka dough and set it with the parchment paper into a large loaf pan. Let it rise 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350º F.
- Bake at 350º F for 40-45 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on how tall your babka dough is.
- In a pan, melt 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1/4 cup water together, and then brush this glaze over the baked babka.
Notes
- Gluten free flour blend – For this recipe, I used a combination of Better Batter Artisinal Blend and King Arthur Measure for Measure. I did this because King Arthur’s Measure for Measure isn’t great for yeat recipes. I love Better Batter flour, but it is gum free and my baking tends to turn out a dull beige color. I did the blend so this babka would turn out golden. Other gluten free flour blends will work, I just haven’t tested them yet. Note: Cup4Cup recently changed its flour blend formulation, and it doesn’t behave exactly like the old formulation. I haven’t had a chance to retest this recipe with the new flour blend formulation.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Bittersweet chocolate – I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips because I like how they melt.
- Cocoa powder – Most cocoa powder is gluten free. My favorites are Ghirardelli, Hershey, and Anthony’s.
- Yeast – most brands of yeast are gluten free but do not use Red Star Platinum because that one variety has gluten.
- This babka will keep fresh for up to 3 days.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I’ve been making GF desserts to be like our non GF desserts for my niece when we all get together ever since she’s needed to be GF . One tip for ease of cutting the roll in half is to freeze it for 15 minutes. Get a clean cut and able to criss cross better. I do have a question though: what is to be done when dough hook can’t get GF yeasted dough into a ball? Is it hydration due to addition of xanthan gum? Dough just goes around in big clump.
Hi Sha, thank you for the tip to slightly freeze the dough. As for the dough hook, I find for gluten free, I have better luck using a paddle attachment. What gluten free flour blend are you using? That will help me help you with what you are describing.
This was great! I used the steve’s bread flour with great results. I also don’t have a bread maker, so I mixed it up following the method in your challah recipe and it worked great.
You are making great use of the flour! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi Sandi! I am Gluten Free 20 years and all those years ago when I would go to a restaurant and ask if something was GF, they’d say what’s that? They were so clueless even after explaining…they’d lie and say yes! I was sick all the time!!!
I grew up in NY with all the Baked Breads Goodness you can imagine. My Great Grandmother had a bakery in Ukraine and with that knowledge I grew up with a love of baking all my life. So that Dx was absolutely a curse.
I have been cooking GF and baking GF breads with a mix (now having a Celiac kid as well) but there are still some things that pain me… No Challah… No Babka…No Pierogi … No decent Pizza! All I can say is if this is good…Gd Bless You!!!
I miss the good stuff in NY too! This babka is really good. I suspect which gluten free flour blend used will make a difference as starchier blends tend to need more liquid and can bake dry. Keep me posted when you make it.