Easy Healthy Savory Babka Recipe

These Savory Twist for a super Easy Healthy Babka Recipe will have you making babka way more than you currently are. 

Not only am I going to share with you a cinnamon rolls twist (no pun intended) for your babka recipes, but I will also be sharing two savory versions. Pepperoni and Mozzarella, and the delicious Cheddar Ranch version.

This makes beautiful loaves and our kids really enjoy this for lunches. 

Lunches can sometimes be boring however, as I have made more whole grains from scratch over the years, I have tried to be more intentional about making sure to have a variety of super easy lunch recipes… And these Babka recipes have definitely made the cut.

Not only is this such an easy recipe, but it will also look like you spent hours on it.

First, you will need my basic bread recipe. I use this as a base for all of these Babka recipes…

You can find the FREE printable for the Best Easy Whole Wheat Bread here.

Best Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

3 c. warm water

1 Tbs. active dry yeast

2 Tbs honey (if you want it sweeter do add 1/4 cup, of honey)

3 Tbs Olive Oil

1 Tbs. salt 

4-6 cups whole wheat flour

Directions:

Your oven temperature should be set to 400Fº I usually start preheating the oven on the last rise.

• In a large mixing bowl add warm water, instant yeast, and honey, or your sweetener of choice.
• Set in a warm place and let that rest for 10 minutes covered.
• Now that the first rest is over, you will want to add in your olive oil, and salt, to your yeast mixture. Enough whole-grain flour to make a pancake batter texture.
• Cover and let rest for another 10 minutes.
• Now, this is where your dough reading skills will come into play. You are going to add a half cup of flour at a time until your dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl.
• Next, you will turn the dough out onto your lightly floured work surface…
• You continue to knead, please understand working with whole wheat is going to be a more sticky dough so add as much flour as you need to, but don’t overdo it at all. 
• If you reach the point where your dough has enough flour but still needs to be kneaded, switch to lightly oiling your hands and continue kneading that way.
• When you think the dough is done, do the window pane test.
• Once the dough is ready, it is time for the first dough rise, you will shape the dough into a ball, and set it in a greased bowl
• Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes, the first rise will be the longest 
• Now, it is time to push your fist into the center of the dough and knead quickly into another ball.
• Cut in half and shape into two loaves or 24 dinner rolls: When you shape the loaf of bread, drop it on the table four to five times to make sure air pockets are out.
• Place the loaf of bread into your well-oiled bread pan, cover it with a towel 
• Now it is time for the second rise, this one will only need 15 minutes
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until fully cooked, browned, and smells amazing.
• After 5 minutes, place on a wire rack for 20 minutes to cool.

This recipe makes two loaves of bread.

Filling Options For Savory and Cinnamon Roll Twisted Babka

Pepperoni Pizza Babka Filling Recipe

1 stick or 8 Tbs. butter at room temperature, you will need 4 Tbs. per loaf 

1 pkg. turkey pepperoni 

1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese or enough to fully cover and this is per loaf

Fresh basil and any other fresh herbs that sound good to put on your pizza.

Warm pizza sauce for dipping after it’s baked.

Ranch Cheddar Cheese Babka Recipe 

1 stick or 8 Tbs. butter at room temperature, you will need 4 Tbs. per loaf 

1 1/2 cups of Cheddar Cheese enough to fully cover

Parsly to sprinkle 

Ranch dressing for dipping after it’s baked

Cinnamon Roll Babka Recipe

1 stick or 8 Tbs. butter at room temperature, you will need 4 Tbs. per loaf 

1/2 c. coconut sugar or regular sugar per loaf

1 tsp cinnamon per loaf

In two separate bowls mix 4Tbs. softened butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 tsp. cinnamon to each bowl and set aside.

Instructions: 

Bake at 400ºF for 30-35 minutes

1. Bake at 400ºF for 30-35 minutes
2. Once you get your basic bread recipe ready to put into loaves
3. On a lightly floured surface, you will, as normal cut it into two sections.
4. Take the sections of dough and with a rolling pin roll cut each one out like you would for cinnamon rolls, just the length longer than an 8×4 bread pan.
5. Pick one of your savory fillings or your favorite sweet fillings
6. *For cinnamon rolls, spread the cinnamon sugar butter mixture onto each rolled-out loaf
7. *For the the ranch cheddar babka, spread the 4 Tbs of softened butter top with fresh herbs of choice spread an even layer of cheddar cheese and roll.
8. *For pepperoni babka filling, spread the 4 Tbs of softened butter sprinkle your favorite pizza seasonings top with mozzarella cheese
9. (Make sure to have an even layer spread all the way across, it just tastes better, I promise especially to make sure it covers the long edge well all edges really.)
10. Now start rolling as tight as you could into a roll, pinch the seam together along the length to seal it
11. Cut the rolls in half long ways and be careful with this process, you are not going to try to move the strips around much at this point
12. Now it’s time to carefully cross each half-piece over the other until it creates a beautiful twist
13. Gently grab both ends of the loaf making sure it stays together and transfer it to your oiled bread pans
14. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes Bake until golden brown and completely done.
15. When it comes out of the oven, let it cool for at least 25 minutes on a cooling rack
16. For the ranch cheddar cheese, we dip it in ranch dressing.
17. For the pepperoni pizza babka, we dip it in warm marina pizza sauce.
18. For the cinnamon roll babka, you can either dip it in glaze however, we LOVE it with butter spread on it.

For the ranch cheddar cheese, we dip it in ranch dressing. 

For the pepperoni pizza babka, we dip it in warm marina pizza sauce.

For the cinnamon roll babka, you can either dip it in glaze however, we LOVE it with butter spread on it.

That’s it! Like I said the savory babka recipe makes great lunches! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it! 

If you enjoyed this recipe, you may enjoy checking these recipes below.

Best Healthy Cheese And Herb Savory Muffins

Best Healthy Bacon Cheddar Drop Biscuits