Think of this as a cinnamon roll transformed into the cutest mini pull-apart loaf. Soft, tender and not overly sweet, these slices are perfect with a cup of coffee and are incredibly fun and easy to make. Let’s bake some bread!
This recipe is a sweeter take on a garlic pull-apart bread and, with just a few tweaks, becomes a delightful cinnamon-sugar version. It’s not intended as a heavy dessert—if you like sweeter bread, simply increase the sugar in the filling to suit your taste.
The dough is quick to make and requires no mixer because the quantity is small and manageable. After an initial rise you roll the dough out, spread the filling, cut and fold each piece into little rectangles, arrange them in a loaf tin, let them rise again until slightly puffed, then bake. As the loaf bakes the slices fuse into a cohesive loaf that you pull apart warm—delicious.
If you’d like, drizzle a simple icing sugar glaze over the cooled loaf for an extra touch of sweetness—totally optional and very tasty. I hope you make this soon!
Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 tbsps caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tbsps melted butter, not hot
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for sprinkling
- Pinch of salt, if using unsalted butter
For the filling
- 2 tbsps room temperature butter, salted or unsalted
- 4 tsps caster sugar (the filling is not super sweet which is how I prefer it, but you can use more sugar)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
Instructions
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Heat the milk and sugar together in a microwave-safe bowl until warm but not hot—you should be able to comfortably dip a finger. Stir in the yeast, cover the bowl, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes until frothy.
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Add the melted butter, then the flour and salt. Stir until the dough begins to come together. Because this is a small batch, a mixer isn’t necessary.
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Use a silicone spatula to form a shaggy mass, then knead once or twice by hand. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 3–4 minutes until smooth and soft. The dough should slowly spring back when poked—then it’s ready to rise.
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Lightly oil the mixing bowl, place the dough inside and turn to coat. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1–2 hours until doubled. To speed up rising, briefly warm your oven to 100°C, turn it off, and place the covered bowl inside.
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While the dough rises, mix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Line a 6×4 inch loaf tin with non-stick baking paper (or grease well). Note: for a 9×5 loaf, double the recipe; rise time may be slightly longer.
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Turn the risen dough onto a silicone mat or lightly floured counter, press down to release air, and flatten into a roughly 6 x 8 inch rectangle.
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Spread the 2 tablespoons of room-temperature butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top, pressing lightly so it adheres to the butter.
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Cut the dough into eight equal rectangles. Fold each piece in half and place them folded-side down in the prepared tin, packing them closely together with the filling side up. Cover the tin and let the dough rise for another hour; it should become a bit puffier but not fully double.
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Preheat the oven to 190°C. Remove the cover and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Let the loaf cool in the tin for 15 minutes before removing. Pull the loaf apart while warm and enjoy. Store leftovers wrapped in foil at room temperature if it’s cool where you are, or in the fridge for 2–3 days. Toasted slices with cream cheese are especially good. Happy baking!
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