Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread

Every Monday I walk into work with a treat for my co-workers, and since they shouldn’t have sweets too early in the morning, I usually have to stock the items at my desk until lunch time. But man…the anticipation… IT BUILDS!

So I decided that this Monday, I would bake something I could share ASAP…a breakfast delight 🙂 But then what do I make? Who else would I go to for answers than Joy the Baker? And oh did she deliver with this recipe for cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread!!

So I decided to give it a go, and throw away my fear of yeast! And let me tell you, this batch delivered! It delivered so well, that it unfortunately didn’t make it to work…sorry guys 😦

Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread

Yields about 1 9 inch loaf

Ingredients:

Dough

• 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup milk (whole or 2%)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 tablespoon butter

Directions

Dough

1. In a bowl for your stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook, mix together the active dry yeast, sugar, salt, and flour

• The active dry yeast should activate when you add the milk/butter mixture to the dry ingredients. However, this isn’t always the case since the temperature of the milk can drop quickly. I usually like to activate the yeast before hand because I don’t always trust myself. You can do this by mixing 3 tablespoons of hot water to the yeast, dissolving it and then letting it sit for about 10 minutes before continuing

2.  Place the milk and butter in a medium sized saucepan and  heating it over medium low heat until the butter is melted

3. Add  the milk mixture, water, vanilla and eggs to the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.

4.Once combined remove bowl from mixer and start to knead the dough, it should be somewhat sticky

• Continue to knead and adding more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time to the dough, until the dough is not sticky

5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough

• Cover and let stand in a warm place to rise for 1 hour

6. Now to make the filling while you wait. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg for the filling in a medium sized bowl

• In a heavy bottomed saucepan,  heat the butter until browned

7. Roll dough into a ball and cover for 5 minutes

8. Roll dough out into a rectangular shape that is 12″x 20″

• Brush with butter
• Sprinkle all of the sugar mixture over the dough
• Cut the dough into 6 even strips lengthwise and stack them on top of each other
• Cut the stacked dough once again 6 times width wise
• Layer the dough into a greased and floured 9″ x 5″ loaf pan
• Cover the Loaf plan and allow to rise for 30-45 minutes

9. Preheat oven to 350°F

10. Bake the dough in the oven for 30-35 minutes and allow to stand fro 20 minutes after removed.

11. Once cooled, run a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and place on a plate and enjoy!