Cinnamon Roll Bread with Yeast
This homemade cinnamon roll bread is made by baking mini cinnamon rolls in a loaf pan for soft layers of buttery brown sugar in each bite. And a quick glaze drizzled on top makes it the perfect sweet breakfast or afternoon treat.
Equipment
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 1 cup milk
- 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (one packet)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
FILLING
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
GLAZE
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
Mix & Rise the Dough
- In a microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk in the microwave for about 45 seconds, until it's between 98°F to 105°F.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the warm milk with the active dry yeast and granulated sugar. Set aside at room temperature for 10 minutes, until it's frothy on top.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add the frothy yeast mixture along with the eggs and softened butter. Mix with a large spoon (or your hands) until it forms a cohesive dough, and there's no dry flour visible.
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour, and knead the dough by hand for about 5 minutes (or about 3 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment), until the dough is smooth and springs back to its original shape when you indent it with your finger.
- Shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough ball back in the mixing bowl, and cover the top of the bowl with a large plate. Let it rest and rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, until it doubles in size.
Shape & Proof the Dough
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter for the filling. Set aside.
- Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper hanging over the edges. Set aside.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a 1 cm-thick rectangle (roughly 30 cm by 45 cm).
- Use the back of a spoon to gently spread the filling in an even layer over the dough, leaving a half-inch gap along the edges.
- Roll the dough into a log, starting at a long edge. Trim off any excess dough on either end of the log. Slice the dough log into 1-inch pieces with a sharp kitchen knife or dental floss (see note below).
- Arrange the rolls standing on their side in the loaf pan. Cover the loaf pan with a kitchen towel, and allow it to rise for 30 to 60 minutes, until it has puffed up.
Bake the Loaf
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of at least 180°F. Add a large piece of aluminum foil folded in half over the bread after 20 minutes, to prevent the top from getting too brown.
- Allow the loaf to cool for 10 minutes, then remove it from the loaf pan and allow it to cool for another 20 minutes on a cooling rack.
- In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, salt, and one tablespoon of milk. If it's too thick to drizzle, add another teaspoon of milk at a time. Drizzle the glaze on top of the loaf, allowing it to drip down the sides. Slice & enjoy!!
Notes
- Enriched Dough: This dough does take a while to rise & proof since it has a good amount of fat from the butter & eggs. Don’t rush these steps!
- Shaping: Slicing cinnamon rolls with a knife can squish them so you lose that spiral, which is why I usually use dental floss instead - watch my video here to see how!
- Glaze: For a silky-smooth glaze, I sift my powdered sugar into a mixing bowl before adding the salt and milk.
- Leftovers: I usually reheat leftover slices in the microwave for about 20 seconds to warm & soften.
- Make-Ahead: I’ve brought this bread to family brunch by arranging the cinnamon rolls in a loaf pan before wrapping it in plastic wrap & refrigerating it overnight. In the morning, I let it warm up & proof for 2-3 hours before baking it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 235mgPotassium: 78mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 233IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg
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