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Gluten-Free Chocolate Sourdough Babka

Name: Gluten-Free Chocolate Sourdough Babka
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 6 h 5 min
Yield: 1 loaf (12 slices)
Cuisine: Jewish bakery
Ingredients: 15g whole psyllium husk gel; 200g whole milk, warmed to 100F gel; 120g sorghum flour dough; 80g tapioca starch dough; 50g brown rice flour dough; 30g potato starch dough; 30g granulated sugar dough; 8g fine sea salt dough; 140g active gluten-free sourdough starter (100% hydration) dough; 1 large (50g) egg dough; 1 (18g) egg yolk dough; 5g vanilla extract dough; 50g unsalted butter, softened dough; 90g bittersweet chocolate (60–70%), chopped filling; 40g unsalted butter filling; 20g unsweetened cocoa powder filling; 40g packed light brown sugar filling; 20g heavy cream filling; 1g fine salt filling; 2g instant espresso powder filling, optional; 40g water syrup; 40g granulated sugar syrup; 5g vanilla extract syrup

Key takeaway

Gluten-free chocolate babka is psyllium-enriched sourdough, rolled, chilled, split, and twisted. Proof until puffy, then syrup the hot loaf.

Chocolate-swirl gluten-free sourdough babka from psyllium-enriched dough. Twist, pan-proof until puffy, bake.

By Andrew KittridgeJune 11, 2026Egg-rich sorghum dough with psyllium so you can roll, split, and twist. Starches keep the crumb fine enough for a bakery slice.

babka chocolate sweets sourdough enriched gluten free vegetarian

Prep

50m

Pan proof

75–120m

Bake

45m

Servings

Difficulty

advanced

The short answer

Babka is enriched dough rolled around a dark chocolate filling, split, and twisted so the swirl shows. Gluten-free dough can do this if psyllium is in the gel and you chill the log before the cut. Proof in the loaf pan until the twist looks swollen, not doubled. A warm sugar syrup brushed on the hot loaf keeps the crust tender and makes the chocolate look lacquered.

For the method behind gluten-free structure, read the gluten-free sourdough guide and keep a lively culture with the starter guide.

Why it works

Psyllium-enriched dough can be rolled and split if you chill it, which wheat bakers often skip.
A cooled chocolate paste stays in layers instead of leaking into the pan.
Pan proofing to puffy keeps the twist defined.
Syrup replaces some of the moisture gluten-free crusts lose as they cool.
Starter acidity keeps a sweet chocolate loaf from tasting flat.

Ingredients

15gwhole psyllium huskgel
200gwhole milk, warmed to 100Fgel
120gsorghum flourdough
80gtapioca starchdough
50gbrown rice flourdough
30gpotato starchdough
30ggranulated sugardough
8gfine sea saltdough
140gactive gluten-free sourdough starter (100% hydration)dough
1 large (50g)eggdough
1 (18g)egg yolkdough
5gvanilla extractdough
50gunsalted butter, softeneddough
90gbittersweet chocolate (60–70%), choppedfilling
40gunsalted butterfilling
20gunsweetened cocoa powderfilling
40gpacked light brown sugarfilling
20gheavy creamfilling
1gfine saltfilling
2ginstant espresso powderfilling, optional
40gwatersyrup
40ggranulated sugarsyrup
5gvanilla extractsyrup

Equipment

9x5-inch loaf pan
Parchment sling
Stand mixer with paddle
Digital scale
Sharp wet knife
Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1
Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with a parchment sling. Whisk psyllium into warm milk. Rest 6–8 minutes until gelled.
8 minutes
2
Mix gel with starter, egg, yolk, sugar, and vanilla. Add flours, starches, and salt. Beat 2 minutes. Beat in 50g butter until the dough is thick, shiny, and scoopable. Cover, rest 20 minutes, then bulk ferment 75–90 minutes at 76–78F until slightly puffy.
2 hours
3
Melt chocolate and 40g butter over low heat or in short microwave bursts. Stir in cocoa, brown sugar, cream, salt, and espresso until you have a spreadable paste. Cool until thick, not runny. A hot filling will tear gluten-free dough.
10 minutes
4
Roll the dough between parchment into a 10-by-13-inch rectangle. Spread the chocolate, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll into a tight log from the long side. Wrap and chill 15–20 minutes so the cut is clean.
25 minutes
5
With a wet knife, cut the log lengthwise to expose the swirl. Twist the two halves together, cut sides up, and lay the twist in the pan. Tuck the ends. It will look rustic. That is babka.
8 minutes
6
Cover and pan-proof 75–120 minutes until the twist is puffy and has filled most of the pan. Do not wait for it to double. Overproofed babka melts into a chocolate puddle.
90 minutes
7
Bake at 350F (175C) for 42–48 minutes until the top is well browned and the center reads 200–205F. Tent with foil if the chocolate edges darken before the loaf is done.
45 minutes
8
Simmer water and 40g sugar until dissolved. Stir in vanilla. Brush the hot loaf with syrup. Cool in the pan 20 minutes, then lift out and cool at least 1 hour before slicing so the swirl sets.
1 hour 20 minutes

Nutrition

Approximate values per serving. Always verify labels if you bake for celiac safety.

Nutrition facts per serving
Nutrient	Amount
Calories	312 kcal
Protein	5 g
Carbs	42 g
Fat	14 g
Fiber	4 g
Sodium	280 mg

Substitutions

Bittersweet chocolate: Semi-sweet chips, 90g, plus a pinch more salt.
Whole milk: Oat milk, 200g.
Espresso powder: Omit, or use 2g unsweetened cocoa extra.
Sugar syrup: A light brush of warm honey thinned with water.
9x5 pan: An 8x4 pan makes a taller loaf. Add 5–8 minutes bake time.

Storage

Wrap cooled babka and keep at room temperature 2 days or refrigerate 5 days. Freeze slices up to 2 months. Rewarm briefly so the chocolate softens.

Notes

Chill the filled log. A warm log smears instead of showing a cut swirl.
Espresso powder does not make the babka taste like coffee. It deepens chocolate.
Day-two slices toast beautifully in a skillet with a little butter.

FAQ

Can I use a cinnamon filling instead of chocolate?

Yes, but then you are close to the cinnamon-swirl loaf in this collection. For babka character, keep the chocolate. If you want both, do a half-and-half filling down the rectangle.

The twist fell apart. What did I do wrong?

The dough was too warm or too wet, or you skipped the chill. Dust the parchment with tapioca, chill the log, and use a wet knife. A messy twist still bakes into a good loaf.

Do I have to use the sugar syrup?

You can skip it. The syrup keeps gluten-free crust from going dry and makes the swirl look bakery-shiny. A light brush is enough.

Can I freeze babka?

Yes. Cool completely, wrap well, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw wrapped at room temperature. A 300F warm-up for 10 minutes brings the chocolate back.

Is this dairy-free adaptable?

Use oat milk, a firm plant butter, and dairy-free dark chocolate. Skip the cream in the filling or use coconut cream. The crumb will be a little less tender and still worth it.

Technique

Keep the method close

Psyllium, fermentation temperature, and a celiac-safe starter matter as much as the formula.

Sourdough guide Starter guide

About Andrew Kittridge

Home baker in Indianapolis documenting gluten-free sourdough: psyllium structure, whole-grain blends, and loaves that actually taste like bread.

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