These chocolate hazelnut babka buns are destined to become your favourite weekend bake. Soft, airy dough layered with rich dark chocolate and crunchy nuts makes a comforting treat for the whole family.
Happy Monday! If the weekend slipped away too quickly, baking something delicious can stretch the good feelings into the week. These babka buns are the perfect project: satisfying to make and irresistible to eat.
I’ve been making this recipe repeatedly because the dough is beautifully soft and light, and the chocolate-hazelnut filling gives every bite a wonderful balance of deep chocolate flavour and crunchy texture. They take a bit of time because of rising, but the method is straightforward and the results are worth it.
Chocolate hazelnut babka buns
As someone born and raised in Poland, babka has always been a beloved bake. Traditional in many Eastern European countries, babka dough yields a rich, buttery crumb that pairs beautifully with chocolate or nut fillings. These smaller, knotted babka buns are easier to share and make a lovely centerpiece for brunch or afternoon tea.
What ingredients do I need to make chocolate hazelnut babka buns?
The dough is a classic enriched, yeast-risen dough. You will need: strong white bread flour, caster sugar, dried yeast, salt, lemon zest, eggs, butter (or vegan spread) and milk (or plant milk). These ingredients give the dough structure, flavour and that tender, buttery texture.
For the filling: dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), softened butter (or vegan spread), icing sugar, cocoa powder and roughly chopped hazelnuts. Nuts are optional — pistachios, pecans, walnuts or almonds also work well. If you prefer, you can use a good-quality shop-bought chocolate spread instead of making the filling from scratch.
Butter and milk can easily be swapped for dairy-free alternatives such as vegan spread and oat, soy or nut milk without compromising the overall result.
How to make chocolate hazelnut babka buns
You can knead the dough by hand or use a stand mixer with a hook attachment. By hand it will take about 10–15 minutes; in a mixer about 6–8 minutes. Start by combining the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, yeast, salt and lemon zest.
Gently heat milk and butter together until the butter melts, then set aside to cool until lukewarm. Add one egg to the flour mixture and gradually pour in the milk mixture while mixing on low speed (or combine by hand). Knead until the dough is smooth, elastic and no longer sticky to the bowl or your hands.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and allow it to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size. While the dough rests, prepare the filling so it thickens to a spreadable consistency.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about 60 x 40 cm. Spread the chocolate filling over half of the dough and sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts if using. Fold the uncovered half over the filling and gently press to seal. Cut the roll into 12–15 strips, roughly 2.5–3 cm wide, twist each strip a few times, then coil into a bun or knot shape. Place buns on baking sheets lined with parchment, leaving space between each, cover loosely and let them rise again for 45–60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan (190°C conventional). Brush each bun with egg wash or milk and bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. Your kitchen will smell incredible while they bake.
For a glossy finish, you can brush the warm buns with a simple sugar syrup (75 g caster sugar boiled with 75 ml water for a few minutes). Brush while still warm. I often enjoy them plain so the chocolate and nuts shine, but the syrup adds extra shine and sweetness.
Things to remember when making chocolate hazelnut babka buns
A few tips will help ensure success. Use a good quality strong white bread flour for better gluten development. Check that your yeast is fresh; expired yeast can prevent the dough from rising properly. The kneaded dough should be smooth and elastic and should not stick to your hands or the bowl. If your buns turn out a little uneven, don’t worry — they will still taste wonderful.
Babka buns are best enjoyed warm and fresh from the oven, but they can be stored in a sealed container for up to three days. Reheat gently before serving to refresh the texture.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate hazelnut babka buns
Soft, fluffy, buttery babka dough filled with dark chocolate and chopped hazelnuts, twisted into little knots. Makes about 15 buns.
Prep & cook time
- Prep time: 2 hrs 30 mins (includes rising)
- Cook time: 20 mins
- Total time: about 2 hrs 50 mins
- Servings: 15 buns
- Course: Snack · Cuisine: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 g strong white bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 40 g caster sugar
- 7 g dried yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- Zest of 1 medium lemon
- 275 ml milk of choice (oat milk works well)
- 75 g unsalted butter or vegan spread
- 2 medium eggs (1 beaten for glaze)
For the filling
- 75 g unsalted butter or vegan spread
- 75 g dark chocolate (min 70% solids)
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 75 g roughly chopped hazelnuts (or other nuts of choice)
Instructions
To make the dough
- Combine the flour, caster sugar, yeast, salt and lemon zest in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment.
- Warm the milk and butter together until the butter melts; allow to cool to lukewarm.
- Add one egg to the flour mixture, then pour in the milk mixture and mix on low speed for 6–8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. By hand, knead for 10–15 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
To make the filling and shape the buns
- Melt the butter and chocolate together in a heatproof bowl set over gently simmering water. Remove from heat and stir in the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Let the mixture thicken until spreadable.
- Roll the risen dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle roughly 40 x 60 cm. Spread the filling over half the dough and sprinkle with chopped nuts.
- Fold the uncovered half over the filling, press lightly to seal, and cut into 12–15 strips about 2.5–3 cm wide.
- Twist each strip a few times and coil into a bun or knot shape, tucking the end underneath to finish.
- Place buns on baking sheets lined with parchment, leaving about 5 cm between each. Cover loosely and let rise for 45–60 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 170°C fan (190°C conventional). Brush buns with the beaten egg or milk and bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.
Optional glaze: boil 75 g caster sugar with 75 ml water for a few minutes. Brush the warm buns with this syrup for extra shine and sweetness.
Note: recipes here are developed and tested using metric measurements. Using digital kitchen scales will give the most accurate and consistent results.
Thanks for reading — I hope you enjoy baking these buns. If you make them, take a photo and share your results; I love seeing variations and adaptations. Enjoy!
