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This vegan cinnamon babka recipe makes the complex marbling that you adore about your fave sweet Jewish bread super-straightforward to master. It uses ingredients you probably already have on hand, and delivers a buttery, tender cinnamon loaf that's stupidly good with coffee—or served warm with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream on top as a dessert.
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Growing up around the kosher restaurants and even the Streit’s matzo factory that used to be in the Lower East Side before it moved to NJ, babka was everywhere and everything. I knew there were two primary kinds I wanted to veganize perfectly so that people could enjoy the style of sweet braided bread I grew up with: this cinnamon babka, and my classic vegan babka recipe that has a rich chocolate filling.
Babka was brought to the USA by Jewish families like mine who emigrated from Poland (I’m kinda a mutt from all around Eastern Europe, really). For me, it plays a special role in the culinary heritage I try to honor with my recipes.
You are about to achieve a perfectly tender and flavorful babka on your first try. So, preheat your oven, gather your ingredients, and let's rock this bad boy out!
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🥰 Why You’ll Adore This Vegan Cinnamon Babka Recipe
🌟 Rich, Cinnamon-Forward Flavor: No one wants vegan cinnamon rolls that don’t taste like cinnamon, and babka’s no different! Adding a tiny hint of ground cloves to the otherwise cinnamon-heavy filling, this recipe packs a deep, warming spice profile that’s heavenly aromatic without being overpowering.
✊ Vegan AF: Like all of my vegan Jewish recipes, this cinnamon babka is made without a single animal product—because fluffy, tender bread tastes even better when no critters, eggs, or cholesterol are involved!
⏰ Accessible and Straightforward: With simple steps and easy-to-find ingredients, you won’t need a specialty store or advanced baking skills to nail this recipe. Even if you’re a beginner, this babka is totally within reach.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of my vegan bread recipes, this cinnamon babka was perfected with feedback from a dedicated group of hundreds of recipe testers from all around the world.
🍞 Vegan Cinnamon Babka Ingredients
Bread Flour
Bread flour brings extra structure and a slight chewiness to the babka, making it ideal if you want a bakery-quality finish. All-purpose flour works just fine too, but if you go with bread flour, the higher protein content ensures a dough that’s strong enough to hold all those delicious swirls of filling without collapsing.
Vegan Butter
Used both in the dough and filling, vegan butter provides richness and a tender crumb. If you want something less processed, you can swap it out for refined coconut oil or a neutral-tasting oil like canola oil or vegetable oil. But I really like the buttery flavor for babka.
Instant Yeast
Instant yeast works its magic quickly, ensuring a soft and airy dough. You can use active dry yeast instead, as I do when I make zeppole or Punjabi kulcha naan. You’ll need to proof it first and keep a watchful eye on the rise to avoid over-fermenting, which will end up giving you less rise if it happens.
Vanilla
Vanilla extract works just fine in this recipe, but I prefer vanilla powder for those gorgeous little specks of bean that make their way into my vegan panna cotta and bombolini too. If vanilla’s not your jam, just skip it.
The Spices
Cinnamon is the heart and soul of this babka, bringing bold, warming spice to every swirl. My fave to use is Vietnamese cinnamon, which I always have on hand to make banh flan, vegan apple cider donuts, and vegan apple pie with. But any ol’ cinnamon will work, as long as it’s not 500 years old, stale, and sad.
This recipe also has a tiny bit of nutmeg and cloves, which bring out some nice nuances in the cinnamon flavor and aroma. If you don’t have either of those, some worthy swaps you could make are cardamom and allspice.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Matcha Black Sesame Babka
Are you a freak for my vegan matcha cookies and matcha donuts? Well, add 2 teaspoons of ceremonial-grade matcha to the dough of this recipe, and add ¼ cup of black sesame paste to the filling, and you will have yourself a gorgeous green and black babka that goes amazing with tea!
Vegan Apple Cinnamon Babka
Add a layer of finely chopped or grated apples to the cinnamon filling. This is the same vibe I rock for my vegan apple muffins too.
📖 How to Make Vegan Babka
Nail this sweet marbled bread on your first shot by following these step-by-step photos with helpful tips. Or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the easy-to-print recipe card.
Step One
Warm Me Up, Scotty:
Heat the dairy-free milk in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 60-90 seconds until it reaches 100°F-110°F (40°C-45°C). Then mix in the instant yeast. Let it rest for 5-8 minutes until it’s foamy and active-looking.
✅ This initial blooming stage is important for efficient fermentation, but it’s also a way to check and make sure your yeast isn’t dead before you waste time and ingredients on a bread that will never rise.
Step Two
Dough-Ra the Explorer:
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, and nutmeg. Add the yeast mixture and plant-based yogurt, stirring until a somewhat-insanely-dry and shaggy dough takes shape.
✅ Trust in the process. The dough will look a lot more normal and reasonable once you mix in the fat in the next step.
Step Three
Babka the Builder:
Add the room-temperature vegan butter and salt to the dough. Knead on a floured surface or with a stand mixer using a dough hook at medium speed for 8-10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.
Step Four
Vegan Cinnamon Babka Fosse:
Form the dough into a smooth ball, place it into a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
✅ Don’t be a butthead and destroy our planet just to make this bread! Use a plate or damp tea towel to cover your bowl, not plastic wrap, ya big goof!
Step Five
Babka Marley:
In a small bowl, cream the vegan butter and plant-based yogurt together. Stir in the brown sugar (or coconut sugar), cinnamon, and cloves until the mixture is smooth.
Step Six
Sponge Babka Squarepants:
Punch down the dough and roll it out on a floured surface into an 18 x 12-inch (45 x 30 cm) rectangle. Spread the filling evenly, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) border.
Step Seven
Spready Krueger:
Spread the filling evenly, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) border.
Step Eight
Roll It Up:
Starting from a long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam to seal, then slice the log lengthwise into 2 equal halves with a sharp knife.
✅ To make it easier to cut very clean halves, you can optionally chill the log of dough for 5 minutes in your freezer on a baking sheet, and use a clean, very sharp knife to make the cut.
Step Nine
Slice to Meet You:
Carefully slice the log lengthwise into 2 equal halves with a sharp knife. Position the halves of vegan babka dough with the cut sides facing up, so that the filling doesn’t leak out too much.
Step Ten
Twisted Sister:
Twist them together to form a braid, keeping the filling exposed.
Step Eleven
Nice Try, Puff Daddy:
Gently transfer to a greased 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf tin.
Cover the pan loosely and let the dough rise again for 30-40 minutes until it puffs up and fills the pan.
Step Twelve
Baked to the Future:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the babka for 40-45 minutes until golden brown on top and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step Thirteen
Sip Sipping on Some Sizzurp:
While the babka bakes, heat the water and brown sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the vanilla powder if you’re using it.
Step Fourteen
Glazed and Confused:
Brush the warm syrup generously over the babka as soon as it comes out of the oven. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. Or serve warm slices topped with vanilla ice cream or vegan whipped cream.
👉Top tips
- Mind the Dough Temperature: Ensure your plant-based milk is warmed to 100°F-110°F (40°C-45°C) before mixing with yeast; temperatures outside this range can hinder yeast activity, affecting the rise.
- Chill Before Shaping: After rolling the dough, freeze the dough log for 5 minutes. This firms it up, making cutting and twisting more manageable and reducing filling leakage.
- Proper Twist Technique: When slicing and twisting the dough, keep the cut sides facing up to showcase the filling and to prevent it from leaking out into the bottom of the loaf pan. This is even more important to do if you make my vegan chocolate babka, which can get messy if the folds aren't facing up.
- Syrup Application Timing: Brush the sugar syrup over the babka immediately after baking to lock in moisture and give the loaf a glistening, glossy exterior.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Yes, but substituting whole wheat flour may result in a denser texture and drier crumb. I’d recommend using a 50/50 mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flours to maintain lightness, as I do in my kuboos bread recipe.
My personal fave is soy milk, as it slightly curdles from the acidity in the yogurt, which gives the bread better keeping quality. Unsweetened almond milk or oat milk work well too.
I didn’t write this babka recipe to be made with gluten-free flour. I just find that in a case like this, it just will not rise and get fluffy, and I would hate for you to bake something dry and crumbly that will make a gaggle of 1,000 clowns cry at your bat mitzvah.
Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. For longer storage, freeze it, keeping it wrapped in parchment paper and foil inside of a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat before serving.
It's done when the top is golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with minimal crumbs.
✌️You'll love these vegan desserts too:
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Vegan Cinnamon Babka Recipe
Ingredients
Babka Dough
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- ¾ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened plant-based yogurt
- ½ cup vegan butter room temperature
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
Cinnamon Filling
- ½ cup vegan butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened plant-based yogurt
- ⅔ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ¼ cup cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Brown Sugar Syrup
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla powder optional
Instructions
- Warm the plant-based milk until it reaches 100°F to 110°F (40°C to 45°C). Combine the warmed milk with the instant yeast and set aside for 5 minute until the yeast becomes active and foamy.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, granulated sugar, and nutmeg. Add the plant-based yogurt and the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix until a a very-insanely dry and shaggy dough forms.
- Add the room-temperature vegan butter, and salt to the dough. Knead the dough using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or by hand on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, prepare the filling by creaming the vegan butter and plant-based yogurt together in a bowl. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves until smooth. Set aside.
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle approximately 18 x 12 inches (45 x 30 cm).
- Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) border on all sides. Starting with the longer edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam to seal.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the log lengthwise into 2 equal halves. Position the halves with the cut sides facing up. Twist them together, keeping the cut sides exposed, to form a braid. Transfer the twisted dough into a greased 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan.
- Cover the pan loosely and let the dough rise for 30-40 minutes, or until it has puffed up and fills the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the babka for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the babka bakes, prepare the syrup by heating the water and brown sugar over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla powder, if using.
- As soon as the babka comes out of the oven, brush the syrup generously over the surface. Allow the babka to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
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KRB says
This babka came out super delicious. Mine looked nowhere near as beautiful as the pictures here. And totally overflowed buttery cinnamon juices over the top of the loaf and out of the pan while it was baking. I think I didn't twist mine enough and ended up having all the cinnamon filling towards the top, in a loaf pan that was maybe a little on the short side. Will be making this again, with more braiding and definitely with a baking tray under the pan to catch all the juices! But it was delicious, my family gobbled it up as dessert one night and breakfast the next morning. Way more moist and cinnamon-y than other babkas I've tasted!
Joe Silberlicht says
This was incredibly delicious....and pretty easy to make. If you are comfortable with making cinnamon rolls this is a breeze! (And even if you've never made cinnamon rolls...start here!)