Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

Cinnamon pull apart bread is soft, pillowy bread torn into pieces at the table, each one coated with cinnamon and sugar. It comes together from a simple dough that rises once, gets rolled, sliced, and baked in a bundt pan so the pieces stay connected at the base. The result is tender, pull-apart pieces with crispy-edged cinnamon layers.

Ingredients for Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

Whole milk and water warm the dough to the right temperature for yeast. Active dry yeast makes the bread rise and gives it structure. All-purpose flour builds the dough’s backbone. Granulated sugar feeds the yeast and sweetens the crumb. Butter makes the dough tender and rich, and melted butter brushes between the layers. Salt controls fermentation and deepens flavor. Ground cinnamon and brown sugar fill the spiral, creating the signature sweet, spiced layers.

Why This Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread Works

The dough rises just once before shaping, so you have it ready to bake in under an hour. Warm milk and water activate the yeast without overheating it, and the dough becomes smooth and elastic as you knead it. You will know it is ready when a piece of dough stretches thin without tearing (the windowpane test).

Rolling the dough flat, brushing it with butter, and sprinkling cinnamon and brown sugar creates distinct layers that stay separate as the bread bakes. Slicing the roll and standing the pieces upright in a bundt pan means they bake close together, staying connected at the base but pulling apart easily at the table. The pieces brown on their cut edges while staying soft inside.

Baking at 375°F (190°C) for 30 to 35 minutes lets the outside turn golden and set while the inside stays tender. The bread is done when the top is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer reads 190°F (88°C) at the center. Cooling for 10 minutes makes it sturdy enough to invert onto a plate without falling apart.

Mistakes To Avoid

Liquid that is too hot kills the yeast before it can work. If the milk and water mixture feels hot to your wrist, it is too hot. The result is a dense, flat bread that does not rise.

Under-kneading leaves the dough sticky and weak, so it will not hold its shape as it rises. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic and passes the windowpane test. If you skip this, the crumb will be gummy and the bread will collapse.

Not letting the dough rise fully means the bread stays tight and dense with a thick crust. Poke the dough and if the indent springs back quickly, it needs more time. The finished bread will be heavy and hard to tear apart.

Slicing the bread before it cools enough causes it to tear and fall apart in your hands. Wait at least 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven so the structure sets. If you cut too early, the pieces will crumble.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (280 grams)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for filling
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Heat milk and water in a small saucepan to 110°F (43°C). Pour into a large bowl and add yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Add flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 4 tablespoons melted butter, and salt. Mix on low speed with a dough hook for 2 minutes until combined.
3. Increase speed to medium and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Stretch a small piece. It should not tear (windowpane test).
4. Butter a 10-inch bundt pan. Let the dough rest in the bowl for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a floured counter.
5. Roll the dough into a 12 by 8 inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, and brown sugar evenly over the surface.
6. Starting from a long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Slice into 8 equal pieces and stand them upright in the buttered bundt pan, spacing them evenly around the ring.
7. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 45 minutes until the dough doubles in size and pokes with your finger leave an indent that stays.
8. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted at the center reads 190°F (88°C).
9. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges and the center tube, then invert onto a serving plate.