Cream Cheese Blueberry Babka Bread

Looking to try something new for dessert, breakfast or snack? Check out this recipe for making the best homemade cream cheese blueberry babka? It makes an authentic babka bread that includes a mouthwatering homemade blueberry filling. If you love blueberry bread, you’ll also want to learn how to make the best blueberry bread with lemon glaze.

Other great alternatives if you’re looking for a different flavor profile is our glazed strawberry bread or our cream cheese garlic bread recipe (if you’re looking for something savory).

How to Make Cream Cheese Blueberry Babka

This recipe will help you to make the best homemade cream cheese blueberry babka from scratch:

1. Prepare Dough: In a stand mixer, combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast; let sit for 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt. Add eggs and vanilla to the mixer, then slowly add the flour mixture while mixing. Beat on low for 5 minutes, then gradually add softened butter and mix for another 4 minutes.
   
2. Let Dough Rise: Grease a bowl and transfer dough into it. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
3. Make Blueberry Babka Filling: For the blueberry filling, simmer blueberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a pot for 15 minutes until thickened, then set aside. For the cream cheese filling, blend softened cream cheese and sugar together.
   
4. Shape Babka: Punch down dough, divide into 2 portions, and roll each into a 12×16-inch rectangle. Spread half of the cream cheese and blueberry fillings on each, then roll up and cut each log in half lengthwise. Twist the halves into a braid and place each loaf into prepared loaf pans.
   
5. Bake: Cover loaf with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350℉, then bake for 40 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

(Also try: Glazed Blueberry Rolls)

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What is a Babka?

Babka is either a sweet bread or cake that’s traditionally served as a dessert. It originated in Jewish communities in Eastern Europe in the early 19th century.

Babka is typically made by spreading a yeast-leavened dough with ingredients like fruit filling, chocolate, cheese or cinnamon and sugar. The babka is then rolled up, braided and baked.

If you really want to ramp up the blueberry, spread some of this homemade blueberry butter on top: https://nurturedhomes.com/blueberry-butter

Can I Make Babka Without a Stand Mixer?

It’s definitely possible to make this babka without using a stand mixer. With that being said though, it’s definitely a lot easier to make this recipe with one so it’s recommended to do so if you’ve got one.

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Otherwise, you can simply follow the recipe as normally and mix together the ingredients for the dough. Then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands until it reaches your desired consistency.

(Also try: Blueberry White Chocolate Cookies)

5 from 2 votes

Blueberry Babka Bread

The best cream cheese blueberry babka! Easy blueberry bread loaf recipe that’s soft, fluffy and airy, with a tart blueberry filling.

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 24

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Ingredients 

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For the dough:

• ▢ 4 cups flour
• ▢ 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 1/3 cup sugar
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1 cup warm milk
• ▢ 10 tbsp butter, softened
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla

For the blueberry filling:

• ▢ 3 cups blueberry filling
• ▢ ¾ cup sugar
• ▢ 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the cream cheese filling:  

• ▢ 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• ▢ ½ cup sugar

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Instructions 

• To make the dough, in a bowl of stand mixer fitted with a dough hook combine the milk, 1 teaspoon of sugar and yeast.
• Let stand for 5 minutes. 
• In another bowl combine the flour, sugar and salt. 
• Add the eggs and vanilla to the bowl of stand mixer.
• While the mixer is running, add the flour mixture slowly. 
• Beat on low speed for 5 minutes.
• Gradually add the butter and mix for another 4 minutes. 
• Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. 
• Transfer the dough into the bowl. 
• Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. 
• In the meantime, make the blueberry filling. 
• Add the blueberries, lemon juice and sugar to a large pot and stir to combine. 
• Bring to a boil over medium high heat. 
• Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened
• Set aside. 
• To make the cream cheese filling, in a bowl cream the cheese and sugar. 
•  Line two 9×5 inch loaf pans with parchment paper. Set aside. 
• Punch the dough and divide into 2 portions.
• Roll each portion of dough into a 12×16 inch rectangle. 
• Spread with half the cream cheese mixture onto dough rectangle.
• Spread half of blueberry filing in the same manner. 
• Roll up the dough into a long log. 
• Cut the log in half lengthwise.
• Twist 2 halves around each other to form braided loaf. 
• Carefully transfer the loaf to the prepared pan. 
• Repeat last 6 steps with other dough rectangle. 
• Cover the pans with plastic wrap and let rise for an hour. 
• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. 
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 214kcalCarbohydrates: 30.4gProtein: 3.8gFat: 8.7gFiber: 0.7gSugar: 14.2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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