Active Time:

1 hr 15 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 55 mins

Servings:

Crisp, deeply browned shredded potatoes and caramelized onions deliver the full latke experience while staying light enough for the enriched dough to rise into tender, well-defined swirls.
Rolling the dough thin and tight, squeezing moisture from the potatoes, and adding breadcrumbs ensure clean layers that bake through evenly without gumminess.
A plush, enriched crumb and golden crust make this savory babka a festive Hanukkah centerpiece that also works beautifully for brunch, with soup, or as an impressive appetizer.

Babka may be best known for its glossy chocolate swirls, but this savory version takes its cues from a beloved Hanukkah staple, latkes. Recipe developer Caroline Schiff takes the essential elements of potato pancakes — crispy shredded potatoes, caramelized onions, and a tangy hit of sour cream — and makes a filling worthy of an enriched, bakery-style babka dough. The result is a centerpiece loaf that feels celebratory but completely doable at home, thanks to a manageable dough and thoughtful shaping steps.

Developing the perfect savory babka required balancing moisture, texture, and structure. Potatoes hold a surprising amount of liquid, and too much moisture can cause the interior of a babka to bake up dense or gummy. Squeezing the shredded potatoes dry, crisping them thoroughly in the skillet, and adding breadcrumbs keeps the filling light enough for the dough to rise fully while still delivering that unmistakable latke flavor. Rolling the dough thin and tight ensures clean, visible swirls, while the long bake creates a deep golden crust and plush interior.

Once baked, this babka is irresistible warm, its layers tender and fragrant with onion and potato. It’s an impressive savory bake for Hanukkah, but equally welcome at brunch, paired with a bowl of soup, or served as an appetizer.

What is enriched dough?

Enriched dough is a yeast dough boosted with butter, eggs, milk, and/or sugar, creating a tender, pliable texture and a richer flavor than lean doughs. These added fats and sugars slow gluten development but produce a soft, luxurious crumb — exactly what you want in babka. Because babka is twisted, filled, and baked into tight swirls, enriched dough’s elasticity and softness are essential. It stretches without tearing, holds fillings beautifully, and bakes into the signature pillowy, golden loaf.

Taking the dough’s temperature

Cooked dough is typically temped at 195°F to confirm it’s fully baked without drying out. At this point, starches have gelatinized and the crumb is set, ensuring the interior is cooked through. Going much higher risks a tough or crumbly texture, so 195°F strikes the ideal balance for tender, reliable results.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Squeezing the shredded potatoes dry and crisping them thoroughly is essential for well-defined layers.
A thinner, tightly rolled log produces the most attractive swirl and prevents gaps.
Bake until the internal temperature reaches 195°F to ensure the center is fully cooked.

This recipe was developed by Caroline Schiff; the text was written by Breana Killeen.

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Ingredients

Dough

6 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (from 1 [1/4-ounce] envelope)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (about 10 ounces), plus more as needed and for surface
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
Cooking spray
1 large egg white, beaten
Flaky sea salt, to garnish

Filling

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
1 yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 large russet potato, scrubbed
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions

Make the dough: Whisk together milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment. Let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 3 minutes (it will not be foamy).
Add egg and egg yolk, flour, butter, sour cream, sugar, and salt. Beat on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium, beat until dough pulls away from sides of bowl and is smooth, soft, and very elastic, 12 to 15 minutes. If dough is very sticky and has not pulled from sides of bowl after 10 minutes, add up to 2 tablespoons additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing it to incorporate fully before adding more, just until the dough comes together. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 hour to 1 hour, 30 minutes.
While dough proofs, make the filling: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onions; cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer onions to a medium heatproof bowl and remove skillet from heat. Using largest holes of a box grater, shred potato. Squeeze shredded potato dry using a clean kitchen towel.
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium-high until oil begins to shimmer, about 3 minutes. Add shredded potatoes and stir to coat evenly with oil, about 1 minute. Spread potatoes in an even layer in bottom of skillet; cook, undisturbed, until potatoes begin to brown and become crisp on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a spatula, stir potatoes and spread in an even layer; repeat browning and stirring process, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until potatoes are golden brown and crispy all over, adding additional oil as needed if skillet seems to be getting dry, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer browned potatoes to bowl with onions. Stir, breaking up any large clusters of potatoes, until evenly distributed. Set aside to cool to room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes. Once cool, stir in sour cream, breadcrumbs, and salt. Taste, add pepper and additional salt, as desired.
Lightly coat a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line bottom and long sides with parchment paper, leaving at least a 1-inch overhang on long sides; set aside.
When dough has doubled in size, gently deflate with hand, and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll dough into a 9- x 20-inch rectangle. Spread cooled potato filling in an even layer over dough, spreading out to edges; press filling firmly into dough. Beginning with one of the short sides, tightly roll dough to form a 9-inch-long log.
Using a sharp knife, cut log in half lengthwise to expose the filling, making two 9-inch strands. Cross dough strands to make a large X shape, then twist strands together to make a 9-inch spiral, keeping cut sides facing up. Transfer twisted dough to prepared pan, tucking edges under as needed. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place (75°F) until puffy and dough reaches top edge of pan, 30 to 45 minutes. While dough proofs, preheat oven to 350°F.
Gently brush top of the dough with beaten egg white and sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired. Bake the babka until deep golden brown and a thermometer inserted into center registers 195°F, 50 to 60 minutes. If necessary, loosely tent top with aluminum foil during last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning.
Let cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Using excess parchment as handles, remove babka from pan; discard parchment. Let cool slightly, about 45 minutes, before slicing.

Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors-Hall / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood

Make ahead

Store baked babka tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to three days. The filling can be prepared up to one day ahead and brought to room temperature before using; the dough may also bulk-proof overnight in the refrigerator.

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Savory Latke Babka