Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

Soft, gooey cinnamon pull apart bread with buttery layers and a sweet powdered sugar glaze—perfect for brunches and holidays in a 9x5 loaf today!

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword cinnamon bread, pull apart bread

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 35

Rise Time 3

Total Time 4

Servings loaf (9×5), about 12 servings

Calories 2914kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Dough

1 large egg room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup 2% milk warmed to 90–100°F
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups bread flour
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature

Cinnamon Filling

1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Optional Flavor Boost (bakery-style):

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon espresso powder optional—won’t taste like coffee
pinch of nutmeg or cardamom

Optional Egg Wash

1 large egg
1 tablespoon water

Powdered Sugar Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk plus more as needed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bloom the yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the egg (1), sugar (1/4 cup), warm milk (2/3 cup), and yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons). Let it sit for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and looks foamy.
Mix + rest. Add the bread flour (2 1/2 cups) and salt (3/4 teaspoon). Using the dough hook, mix on low just until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let rest 20 minutes.
Add butter + knead. Add the 2 tablespoons butter. Mix until incorporated, then knead on medium speed for 5–8 minutes. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom.
First rise. Cover and let rise about 2 hours, or until doubled.
Make the filling. In a small bowl, stir together the filling butter (1/4 cup), salt (1/4 teaspoon), sugar (1/3 cup), and cinnamon (2 teaspoons) until smooth and well combined. If using the optional Flavor Boost, mix it in now.
Prep the pan. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan or line with parchment.
Roll + fill. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll to about ½-inch thick. Spread the filling evenly over the dough.
Cut into 12 squares. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half (4 rectangles). Cut each rectangle into thirds to make 12 squares.
Stack + arrange. Stack 3–4 squares at a time and stand them upright in the loaf pan. Repeat until filled. For the final stack, place the last square with the cinnamon side facing inward (plain side facing the pan).
Second rise. Cover and let rise 30–45 minutes, until puffy and the pan looks nicely filled.
Bake. Preheat oven to 375°F. If using egg wash, whisk egg (1) + water (1 tablespoon) and brush over the top. Bake 35–40 minutes until golden brown. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil. (For best accuracy, the center should read 190°F.)
Glaze + serve. Whisk powdered sugar (1 cup) and milk (2 tablespoons) until smooth (add more milk if needed). Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, remove, drizzle with glaze, and pull apart to serve.

Notes

Your dough is supposed to be sticky. This is a softer, wetter dough by design. If it’s pulling from the sides of the bowl but sticking to the bottom, you’re right on track—and that’s what bakes up pillowy.
Use bread flour for the best pull-apart layers. Your testing nailed it: all-purpose flour makes a denser loaf here. Bread flour gives better lift and keeps those stacked layers tender instead of heavy.
Check doneness with temperature. For the most reliable bake, check the center with a thermometer—this bread is done at 190°F in the middle.
Want a bakery-style filling without changing the vibe? Add the vanilla + pinch of nutmeg for warmth, and use espresso powder only if you want extra depth (it won’t taste like coffee).

Nutrition