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Finished cinnamon-apple babka sliced is ready to serve

Cinnamon-Apple Babka Recipe

This apple cinnamon babka is made with sweet apples and a thick cinnamon filling, all twisted into a rich, buttery dough. Check the recipe notes for tips on freezing or making it overnight.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
Calories: 2947kcal
Author: Anne Carter
Servings: 1

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup 160ml whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
  • 2 and 1/4 teaspoons 7g Platinum Yeast from Red Star (1 standard packet)*
  • 1/3 cup 62g granulated sugar, divided
  • 5 Tablespoons 71g unsalted butter, sliced into 1 Tbsp-size pieces and softened to room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks reserve 2 egg whites for filling and topping
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 and 2/3 cups 334g all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed and extra for work surface and hands

Filling

  • 3 Tablespoons 43g unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 large apples peeled and thinly sliced into bite-size pieces (2–2.5 cups, or 250–313g)*
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup 200g packed light or dark brown sugar (or a mix of both)
  • 1/4 cup 31g all-purpose flour
  • 2 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg white reserved from dough

Crumble Topping

  • 2 Tablespoons 25g packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons 15g all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 Tablespoons 28g unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Brush on Assembled Loaf

  • 1 egg white reserved from dough

Instructions

  • Make the dough: Whisk warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add butter, egg yolks, salt, and flour, then mix.
    Whisking yeast mixture for cinnamon-apple babka dough preparation
  • Knead the dough: Knead with a mixer or by hand for 6-8 minutes until soft and slightly tacky. If sticky, add small amounts of flour.
    Kneading cinnamon-apple babka dough by hand on a floured surface
  • First rise: Let the dough rise in a greased bowl for 3-4 hours, until it doubles in size.
    Cinnamon-apple babka dough doubling in size during first rise
  • Prepare filling: Cook apples in butter for 3 minutes, then mix cinnamon filling ingredients separately.
    Preparing cinnamon filling and sautéed apples for babka
  • Shape the dough: Roll the dough, spread the filling, add apples, roll into a log, and twist into a figure 8.
    Shaping cinnamon-apple babka dough into twisted figure-eight loaf
  • Second rise: Let it rise in the loaf pan for 1-1.5 hours, until puffy.
  • Bake: Add crumble topping, poke holes, and bake at 350°F for 60-65 minutes.
    Cinnamon-apple babka baking in the oven with crumble topping

Nutrition

Calories: 2947kcal | Carbohydrates: 432g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 122g | Saturated Fat: 74g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 490mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 971mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 224g | Vitamin A: 396IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 443mg | Iron: 15mg