This is the kind of baking recipe that haunts me, in the best way possible. Everything about this braided cinnamon bread – the smell, the texture, the gooey pockets of cinnamon butter entangled throughout – is absolutely perfect. There’s even a chewy caramelized crust that forms on the bottom where some of the filling seeps out and down during baking.
When you make this recipe, you’re essentially making a cinnamon roll, except instead of slicing it into rounds, you split it down the middle and twist it up. My favorite way to eat it is to warm up a thick slice of it and spread it generously with soft salted butter.
As if eating it on its own isn’t delicious enough, it also makes a killer french toast!
What makes this cinnamon bread awesome
This braided cinnamon loaf has an incredible soft yet chewy texture. The filling is what makes it truly irresistible, with a full stick of salted butter and plenty of cinnamon.
Because we’re using instant yeast, it’s ready for the oven relatively quickly. I’ve made this bread a handful of times over the years, and I’ve simplified the directions along the way. This version is much less complicated than it used to be, a true selling point for a lazy baker like me.
How to make it
We’ll start by melting the butter and then adding the milk in to warm it up a bit, as yeast prefers a little warmth to get going. Then we’ll whisk in the egg and vanilla. We’ll add this to the dry ingredients and knead it for several minutes, either by hand, or you can let your stand mixer do the work.
See how easy that was? We’re done with the dough already! Give it an hour or so to rise and then roll it out into a rectangle.
Next, we’ll spread heaps of delicious cinnamon butter all over, leaving a little space around the edges. Roll it up into a log – tight tight tight – and then pinch the seams together to seal it.
Slice the cinnamon bread in half lengthwise, then twist it up, place it in a loaf pan, and let it sit and proof for a second time. The only thing left is to bake it!
My best tips for perfect cinnamon bread
Yeast can be intimidating to work with, but don’t fear! Instant yeast is very easy to work with, and this is a beginner-friendly yeast bread recipe. Make sure you’re using yeast that is fresh (check the expiration date).
The two most important steps in this recipe are proofing the dough and baking the bread.
Proofing the dough
Be patient as your bread rises. Proofing time can vary depending on your yeast, the exact temperature your milk was when you added it, and the temperature of your house.
If in doubt, use the “finder dent test”. Once your dough has rested the appropriate amount of time (about an hour for this recipe), gently press a floured fingertip into the dough. Properly proofed dough will spring back slightly but still maintain somewhat of a dent. Dough that isn’t ready yet will spring back immediately, and dough that is overproofed will never fill back in.
Baking the bread
It can be difficult to tell when a loaf of bread is done, which is why I LOVE to use a thermometer to test this. When your bread is close to the end of baking time, stick an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of the loaf. This bread will be absolutely perfect when the internal temperature is about 195° F, but anywhere between 190° – 200° will be fine.
Once your bread is perfectly baked and cooled, it’s up to you to decide how to dress it up. I like to simply dust it with a fine layer of powdered sugar over the top, but you could also make a simple glaze or cream cheese icing.
Ready for this? Let’s bake!
Braided Cinnamon Bread
Equipment
- 9×5 inch loaf pan
- Stand mixer with dough hook
Ingredients
Sweet Roll Dough
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast, (1 package)
Cinnamon Filling
- 4 ounces salted butter, very soft
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
For the dough:
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the milk and cook over low heat just until warm to the touch. Remove from heat. Whisk egg and vanilla into mixture.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, brown sugar, salt, and yeast.
- Add butter and milk mixture; stir well with wooden spoon to combine.
- Place dough hook on stand mixer and knead of medium speed for about 5-7 minutes, adding a little flour if needed (1 tablespoon at a time). Dough should be elastic and slightly sticky. When its ready, the dough should begin to release from sides of bowl but still stick a little bit to the bottom.
- Place dough in a well-greased bowl; turn over to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm area to rise until doubled – about 1 hour or so.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle, about 12 x 15 inches (it doesn't have to be perfect).
For the filling:
- Mix together butter, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until thoroughly mixed.
- Dot butter mixture evenly over dough. Use the back of a spoon or a small spatula to spread filling over dough evenly, leaving about a 1/2 inch around the edges.
To assemble:
- Roll up, beginning at long end of rectangle, as tightly as possible. Pinch seams together to adhere.
- Using a bench scraper or sharp chef's knife, slice roll lengthwise. Roll each half slightly so that the insides are facing up. Place one half on top of the other, creating an 'X'.
- Gently braid by twisting the two halves over each other repeatedly. At the end, pinch the pieces together and tuck up underneath the braid slightly to form a nice rounded end.
- Lift carefully and place braid into a greased 9-inch loaf pan (you can lay parchment on the bottom and sides of the pan for easier removal after baking). Cover again with plastic and let rise until doubled, about another hour.
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Bake until deeply golden brown and baked through, about 45-55 minutes. If the bread begins to brown deeply before it's finished baking, cover it with foil. If you're unsure if your bread is done, use a meat thermometer to take its internal temperature – the bread will be perfectly baked at around 190° F.
- Allow the cinnamon bread to cool at least 15 minutes before removing from pan. Let it sit for about an hour before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Did you try this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment below!
