Description
A budget-friendly, pull-apart cinnamon bread made with simple pantry staples. This soft, sweet loaf requires no fancy equipment or proofing box, delivering theme-park style comfort food at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm water
- 2 packets (about 4.5 tsp) active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar (divided)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 to 4.5 cups (500–570 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2–3 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and yeast. Stir gently and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- Add the remaining sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture. Whisk until smooth.
- Add flour one cup at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula. Start with 4 cups and continue until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is soft but slightly tacky.
- Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, mix softened butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl to form a thick paste.
- Punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12×16 inch rectangle.
- Spread the cinnamon-butter paste evenly over the dough. Roll tightly from the long edge like a jelly roll and pinch the seam to seal.
- Place the rolled dough into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan. Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes until it puffs up to the top of the pan.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Tent with foil if browning too quickly. Test with a toothpick.
- While the bread cools, whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla to make the glaze.
- Drizzle glaze over the warm bread. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Ensure water is warm (105-110°F) but not hot to avoid killing the yeast. Do not overmeasure flour to prevent a dense loaf. Roll the dough tightly to avoid gaps. Glaze while bread is warm, not hot. For dairy-free, swap butter for coconut oil and milk for plant-based milk. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 GF flour blend.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/1
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 6
Keywords: cinnamon bread, Dollywood recipe, budget baking, easy bread, pull-apart bread, pantry staples, homemade cinnamon bread