Apple Cinnamon Babka is made with a cinnamon sugar filling with chopped apples that have been sauteed in butter. This delicious Jewish cake is browned to perfection and is drizzled with a sweet cinnamon glaze.

This homemade sweet bread is made using a brioche bread recipe that is proofed and rolled around a cinnamon sugar filling, braided, and baked to beautiful golden perfection.

Ingredients in Apple Cinnamon Babka

It may seem like there are a lot of ingredients in making this Apple Cinnamon Babka (Apple Cinnamon Sweet Bread) but it’s really a lot of the same ingredients used in different steps.

• Dry instant yeast
• Warm milk
• Egg
• Unsalted butter
• Salt
• Granulated sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Jonagold apples – Honey Crisp and Pink Lady are great options for this babka as they hold their shape well during baking
• Ground nutmeg
• Allspice
• Dark brown sugar
• Confectioner’s sugar
• Vanilla extract

Make the Brioche dough- Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment or a hand mixer with a large mixing bowl. Combine the warm milk and the dry yeast together. Allow it to sit for five minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
Combine the egg, the three tablespoons of butter, all-purpose flour, and the salt.

Sprinkle in the sugar and sugar and mix.
Allow the mixture to rest for a few minutes to soak up all of the moisture.

*If using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, beat on medium until a dough forms. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for an additional 5 to 6 minutes.

If using a hand mixer, for this step, you will want to knead by hand to get the dough to be the right texture.

Turn the dough over onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough into a ball. Grease a bowl and place the brioche dough into it.

Cover and allow it proof (double in size) for at least 45-50 minutes.

TIP: For quicker proofing, use an Instant Pot on the “Yogurt” setting and place a glass lid on top of the pot. Set the timer to 30 minutes and allow the dough to proof without lifting the lid.

You can also place it in a warm area of your home, or use the “Proof” setting on your oven.

Make the cinnamon sugar filling – While the dough is proofing, make the cinnamon sugar filling while the dough is proofing.

To do this, blend together the room temperature butter together with the dark brown sugar and cinnamon until the ingredients are well blended and it’s thick and gritty. Set aside and saute the apples.

Saute the apples- Add the tablespoon of butter to a skillet and heat it over medium-high.

Add in the diced apples and sprinkle with the ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice, and ground cardamom. Stir to cover the apples well and cook the apples until they turn tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Prepare the pan for the babka- Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease and flour it. Turn the proofed dough over onto a lightly floured workspace, punch it down, and then roll into an 11×15 inch rectangle.

Spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture – Spread the mixture with a spoon or pastry brush, spreading all of the way to the sides.

Spread the apple filling- Carefully place the apple filling evenly on top of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Press down gently to push the apples into the dough to prevent them from moving.

Roll up the brioche dough – Starting with the shorter end, roll the dough tightly into a log. Then, cut the log in half lengthwise.

Braid the apple cinnamon babka dough – Cross cross the dough turning it slightly so that the filling is facing upwards. Press the ends together to create a seal on both ends.

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Proof the dough again – Gently and carefully move the braided babka to the prepared pan. If needed, gently squish the dough to make it fit in the pan. Cover the pan and allow it to rise for another 45 minutes. It should be puffy – if needed, allow it rise longer.

Prepare the oven- Preheat the oven to 350° and once the time for proofing the babka is over, place the pan in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The dough should be a dark golden brown.

Prepare the cinnamon glaze- While the apple cinnamon babka is baking, prepare the cinnamon glaze by combining the confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon and milk together in a small bowl. Mix until smooth.

Drizzle the cinnamon icing on the babka – Allow the babka to cool down until slightly warm and drizzle the cinnamon icing on the babka. Store in an airtight container.