babka

noun

bab·​ka ˈbäb-kə 

ˈbab-

plural babkas

: a sweet bread made with yeast and butter:

a

: a sweet bread that contains various fillings (as of chocolate, cinnamon, or poppy seeds), is typically rolled and twisted before baking in a loaf pan, and is often topped with streusel

Tender yeast bread that begs to be pulled apart and ribbons of chunky bittersweet chocolate make this charming babka a coffee date to remember.

—Ian Knauer et al.

b

: a sweet bread that contains dried fruit (such as raisins), is baked in a round cake pan with scalloped sides, and is often topped with syrup, icing, or confectioners' sugar

Invert the babkas onto racks, let them cool, and sprinkle them with the confectioners' sugar …

—John G. Zawadzinski

Examples of babka in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Pastries like passion-fruit malasadas and chocolate-babka pistachio swirls benefit from her sourdough starter, still alive and bubbling after a decade-plus of traveling. —Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026

Locals have been lining up at this kosher-style spot for bagels, babka, and pastrami on rye since 1953. —Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026

Both men are themselves Israeli, and Breads’ menu features items from across the Jewish diaspora that are popular in Israel, such as rugelach, challah, bourekas and its award-winning babka. —Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2026

Our choice today is chocolate babka. —Ed Silverman, STAT, 7 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Yiddish & Polish; Yiddish babke (in sense a), borrowed from Polish babka (in sense b), literally, "old woman, grandmother," diminutive of baba "grandmother, midwife, old woman"

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above