Chocolate Orange Babka

Every year around the holidays, there’s one small thing I still do without fail: I buy a chocolate orange.

Growing up, those chocolate oranges were my dad’s thing. I can still picture him standing in the kitchen, tapping it on the counter and cracking it open, the segments breaking apart with that familiar snap. It never mattered how old I got — it always felt special. It was one of those quiet traditions that didn’t need explaining.

Now, the holidays look different. I live nearly 2,000 miles away from where I grew up, and I don’t get to be in that same kitchen anymore. But every year, even from afar, I still buy a chocolate orange. Sometimes it’s slipped into my grocery cart without much thought, and other times it feels very intentional — like a small way of holding onto something that mattered.

That’s what this chocolate orange babka is really about for me.

January can feel strange. The holidays are over, everyone has gone home, and the energy that carried us through December fades quickly. It’s quieter — sometimes peaceful, sometimes a little lonely. Baking this babka is my reminder that food and recipes have a way of keeping people close, even when distance and time separate us.

Chocolate and orange together will always bring me back to those moments with my dad. Turning that flavor into a babka feels like honoring a memory while creating something new — a way to carry tradition forward, even when life looks different than it once did.

If you’re feeling that post-holiday quiet too, I hope this recipe brings a little warmth into your kitchen. And maybe it reminds you of a flavor, a person, or a tradition that still shows up for you every year, no matter how far away you are.

Dough

½ Cup milk, warmed

2 ½ Teaspoons instant yeast

1 Egg

1 Egg yolk

¼ Cup sugar

½ Teaspoon kosher salt

2 Cups all purpose flour

1 Tablespoon grated orange zest

7 Tablespoons butter at room temperature

Filling

6 Tablespoons butter, melted

¼ Cup cocoa powder

2 Teaspoons cinnamon

1 Teaspoon almond extract

1/3 Cup brown sugar

1/3 Cup granulated sugar

Zest of one Orange

1 egg white

Whisk egg, egg yolk, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until smooth and slightly pale in color. Whisk in warmed milk and yeast until combined.

Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix in the flour and orange zest until almost fully mixed. Add butter about 1 tablespoon at a time (make sure it’s at room temperature!) and mix until incorporated. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky.

Turn out the dough and knead for just a few minutes until very smooth. Transfer to a greased bowl and let rise for 1 ½ - 2 hours until doubled.

Prepare the filling by whisking all ingredients together.

Once the dough is done proofing, place on a floured surface and roll into a large rectangle. The dough should be as thin as you can get it. This ensures the most swirls inside the bread.

Using an offset spatula spread the filling over the dough in a thin layer. Starting on the edge closest to you begin to tightly roll the dough away from you until you run out of dough and are left with a log of dough. Pinch the ends together to ensure no filling leaks out while baking.

Using a serrated knife, slice down fully through the log, down the middle. Twist together to form a rope. Then, fold in half again and twist together to form a log.

Place the twisted babka in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Allow to rise for another half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake for 45-55 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing.