These Mini Babka Buns are like little pockets of happiness. Filled with a creamy Nutella and cocoa mixture, they offer a rich, chocolatey treat that's perfect for any time of day.

If you’re up for a baking challenge that’s well worth the effort, these Mini Babka Buns with Nutella Cocoa Filling are a great choice. This recipe brings together soft, buttery dough and a rich, chocolatey filling, creating buns that are as beautiful as they are delicious.

To start, you'll prepare a buttery, slightly sweet dough that needs time to rise, developing a light and airy texture. Once the dough has rested, you'll roll it out and spread a generous layer of Nutella mixed with cocoa powder over the surface. The next step involves carefully rolling the dough and cutting it into strips, which you then braid into mini buns. After shaping, the buns need another rise before baking, which ensures they come out light and fluffy with that desirable soft crumb.

When I first made these, I wanted a way to enjoy babka without making a whole loaf. That’s when I thought of braiding the dough into small buns and baking them in a muffin tin. It turned out even better than I expected.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use store bought dough? – You can, but homemade dough gives the best flavor and texture.

2. How do I keep the babka buns soft for longer? – Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also keep them in the fridge for up to a week, but let them come to room temperature or warm them slightly before eating.

3. Can I make these without a muffin tin? – Yes! You can bake them on a lined baking sheet, but they may spread more and lose some of their shape. Using a muffin tin helps keep them tall and structured.

4. Why did my babka buns turn out dry? – Overbaking can cause them to dry out.

5. How long should I let the dough rise? – The first rise should be about 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size. The second rise, after shaping, should be about 45 to 60 minutes before baking.

6. Can I make these into full-sized babkas instead of mini buns? – Yes! You can bake the dough in a loaf pan instead of muffin tins, but the baking time will be longer

Ingredients you will need for this recipe

For the dough:

All-purpose flour: This forms the structure of the dough.
Instant yeast: Helps the dough rise and gives it a light, fluffy texture. Instant yeast is great because it doesn’t need to be activated separately, just mix it into the flour. If using active dry yeast, you’ll need to dissolve it in warm milk with a little sugar first.
Sugar: Adds sweetness to the dough.
Milk: Provides moisture and a rich flavor. Whole milk works best.
Unsalted softened butter: Adds richness and makes the dough soft and slightly flaky. Using unsalted butter gives you control over the salt content. Make sure it’s softened so it blends easily into the dough.
Egg: Improves the dough’s structure and gives it a soft, rich texture.

For the filling:

Sugar: Sweetens the filling and balances the bitterness of cocoa powder.
Cocoa powder: Provides a deep chocolate flavor without making the filling too heavy.
Unsalted softened butter: Makes the filling creamy and spreadable. It also helps bind the sugar and cocoa together.
Nutella: It adds extra richness and a smooth, chocolate-hazelnut flavor.

Extras:

Egg (for egg wash): Brushed on top of the buns before baking to give them a golden brown, slightly glossy finish. You can mix the egg with a little milk or water for a smoother application.
Simple Syrup: Brushed on after baking to keep the buns moist and add a subtle shine. It also enhances the flavor and gives that classic babka look. Simple syrup is just sugar and water boiled together.

Step by step instructions with photos

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar; then the egg, warm milk and knead until smooth and elastic. Add the softened butter and keep kneading properly until fully incorporated. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

2. For the filling mix together the softened butter, sugar, and cocoa powder until well combined.

3. Once the dough has doubled in size punch it down, divide in half and place it on a well floured surface. Work with one half at a time.

4. Roll it out (40x25 cm) and add a layer of the cocoa filling to half of the rolled out dough, leaving a border. Starting from the sides, fold the dough in half and press down the edges to seal. Gently roll it out again to 30x20cm but be careful not to tear the dough. Now add the Nutella on half of the rolled out dough again, then fold it up. Roll it out to 36x18cm (repeat this with the other half of the dough)

5. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough in 6 equal pieces. (6cm each) Then cut each piece in 3, braid it and roll it up into a ball.

6. Place each one into the muffin tin, cover and let it rise again for about 60 minutes.

7. Brush with an egg wash and bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes.

8. While the Babkas are baking, make the symple sirup, which is 50g of sugar and 50g of water boiled until the sugar dissolves.

9. One ready, brush the Babkas with the simple syrup and let them cool. Enjoy :)

Yield: 12

Author: Angie