This Mini Chocolate Babka (Small Buns) recipe yields a brioche-like dough with orange zest that is filled with sweet chocolate and topped with chocolate ganache nests and mini egg candy. These baby babkas are the perfect sweet Easter pastry!
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I was inspired by the Scran Line’s nutella babka buns and my local coffee shop’s glazed chocolate twists to make these mini chocolate babka! Babka buns’ shape lends perfectly to little bird’s nests, and they are made even cuter by a mini egg candy garnish.
I love incorporating chocolate and orange into breads and pastries. It's arguably my favorite flavor combination. If it's yours too, I highly recommend my chocolate orange cheesecake. Before these babka, my favorite chocolate loaf was my chocolate yeast bread. Another favorite with orange juice and zest are my orange rolls…and now this makes me think I need to develop a chocolate orange roll recipe.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- These bake up pillowy soft.
- The orange zest adds a bright flavor note to the rich chocolate filling.
- These are a unique take on the nest motif for spring and Easter.
- Babka are impressive looking, but not as hard as to make as they seem!
Ingredients
- This recipe uses bread flour instead of all-purpose flour to provide a chewier bite.
- I used large eggs for this recipe.
- Orange zest is used to give a bright note to the rich, chocolate filling and the babka dough, taking the overall flavor to the next level. Most babka recipes don't call for this, so if you want a traditional flavor you can leave this out.
- The leavener is instant yeast, which mixes right into the dry ingredients making the process faster and easier. If you opt for active dry yeast, I recommend blooming it in hot milk (110-115°F) butter mixture before adding it to the recipe.
- I used semi-sweet chocolate chips for the filling, but you can also use dark chocolate chips or a chopped chocolate baking bar.
- The glaze is made from watered down apricot jam, but any light colored jam will work.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here’s how to customize these Mini Chocolate Babka (Small Buns) to your liking:
- No orange — omit the orange zest if you don’t have it or don’t like orange.
- Store-bought frosting — use store-bought chocolate frosting instead of making your own for the nest.
- Peeps — instead of mini candy eggs, put peep chick marshmallows in the middle instead.
- One large babka — instead of dividing the dough make one large babka bun or loaf in a loaf pan.
- Spices — add cinnamon and/or ground cardamom to the filling to make a chocolate cinnamon babka or chocolate cardamom babka. Poppy seeds in the dough or the filling would also be really delicious.
- Different garnish — instead of the nest motif, you can brush the baked babka with butter and roll in cinnamon sugar.
- Another shape — to make a babka muffin try baking the buns in a large muffin tin.
- Smaller batch — This recipe yields 12 buns. Half the recipe to decrease quantity.
- No stand mixer — I love how quickly the recipe comes together in the bowl of a stand mixer, but you can also knead these by hand. Start by mixing in a large bowl, and then transfer to a clean, lightly floured work surface to knead until the bread passes the windowpane test.
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This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to shape mini chocolate babka (small buns)
Step 1: Roll out a piece of dough into a rectangle. Spread the filling on top, leaving a margin unfilled. Roll it up from the long side and pinch the ends and seam to seal it.
Step 2: Slice the log down the middle, leaving a 1 inch bit at the top uncut.
Step 3: Wrap/twist the “legs” around each other. Pinch the end to seal.
Step 4: Tie the log into a knot. Tuck any tails underneath and pinch to seal.
Hot tips
- The key to getting a pretty mini babka is keeping your hands and workspace clean so you don’t get the chocolate filling everywhere. You want to see distinct layers of filling and dough. Wipe down your surface regularly to avoid getting chocolate on the pieces of dough.
- The ganache can also be made in the microwave. Heat in 30-second bursts to avoid scorching the chocolate.
- I used my rolling pin to hold down the uncut end of the log while I was braiding to make it easier.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, swap for all-purpose flour without issue.
This is not recommended as the recipe has not been tested with white chocolate.
Babka should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
More recipes you'll love
Lastly, if you make these Mini Chocolate Babka (Small Buns) recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Mini Chocolate Babka (Small Buns)
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 ¼ cups milk (300g)
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter (80g)
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoon granulated sugar (138g) DIVIDED
- 1 orange zested
- 3 ⅓ cups bread flour (500g)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ teaspoon instant dry yeast (7g)
Filling
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (170g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (42g)
Garnish and glaze
- 1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate (150g)
- 5 tablespoon heavy cream (75g)
- 3 tablespoon apricot jam or any light colored jam
- 1 teaspoon water
- robin egg candy
Instructions
Make the dough
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk and butter. Microwave in 30-45 second increments or until the butter is completely melted. Let cool for 5 minutes, then add the egg and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl add all of the granulated sugar and the orange zest. Rub the zest into the sugar using your fingers to release the zest’s oils. Remove 2 tablespoons of the zesty sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Set aside the remaining zesty sugar to use in the filling.
- Add the bread flour, salt and yeast to the stand mixer bowl with the 2 tablespoons of zesty sugar. Mix on low for about 30 seconds to combine.
- Add the milk, butter and egg mixture to the dry ingredients in the mixer. Mix on medium low until the mixture forms a ball. Continue mixing for 10-15 minutes on medium. Perform the window pane test on your dough periodically if you think it is ready. Do this by grabbing a small bit of dough and stretching it between your fingers like this. If it stretches without tearing, it is ready. If it tears when stretched, keep kneading.
- Transfer the dough to a large, greased bowl. Cover and proof for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Make the filling
- To the rest of the zesty sugar, add the chocolate, butter and cocoa powder. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between with a rubber spatula. Continue until the butter and chocolate are completely melted, but do not overheat. The mixture will look grainy, but the sugar granules will dissolve in the oven.
Shape the babka
- Punch down the risen dough. Divide into 12 equal pieces. I weighed the dough with a kitchen scale and divided the weight by 12.
- On a lightly greased or lightly floured work bench, roll each piece into a ball, then roll out into a rectangle shape with a rolling pin. Add about 1 tablespoon on top and spread carefully with an offset spatula, leaving a ½-inch border unfilled around the outside.
- Roll up from the long side, pinching the ends and edge to seal the log. Use a sharp knife to cut the log in half lengthwise, leaving about 1 inch uncut at the top of the log (see step-by-step photos above).
- Twirl the two “leg” pieces around each other and pinch to seal the braid at the end. Now tie the braided log into a knot. This takes some practice, so don’t get discouraged after your first one. The key to getting a pretty mini babka is keeping your hands and workspace clean so you don’t get the chocolate filling everywhere. You want to see distinct layers of filling and dough.
- Place the mini babka on a parchment-lined baking tray 2 inches apart. Cover with towel or plastic wrap and let proof 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake the risen mini babka for 20-25 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Prepare the garnish and glaze
- In a heatproof bowl over a pot filled with 1-inch of water, combine the chocolate and cream over medium heat. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat and let the ganache cool until thickened. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl combine the apricot jam and water. Heat in 15 second increments until warmed. Stir to combine.
Assemble
- Brush each babka with the jam glaze.
- Pipe a squiggle of chocolate ganache in the center to hold the robin eggs. Place three eggs on top. Pipe many rings around the eggs to create a nest shape. Serve the same day.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published 04/06/2023. Updated 03/28/2025.
The nest motif is so cute for Easter and the rich chocolate filling is so delicious! Full disclosure, I am the author of this recipe.