This stunning cinnamon star bread is your favourite cinnamon rolls turned festive. Fluffy pull-apart bread perfect for a holiday breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
- 57 g unsalted butter (¼ cup / 2oz)
- 1 cup cold milk (250ml)
- 455 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (3 ½ cups / 1lb)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant or active dry yeast (1 sachet / 7g) (notes)
- ⅓ cup white granulated sugar (66g / 2.3oz)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs one for the dough, one for egg wash
- icing sugar (powdered sugar) for dusting
FILLING
- 85 g unsalted butter (3oz)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- stand mixer helpful but not essential
- Rolling Pin
- Pizza tray
- Ramekin
Instructions
- MAKE THE DOUGH:In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the half melt the butter, then add half the milk and continue heating and stirring until it’s all melted together. Take it off the heat and add the remaining cold milk. Test with your finger - it should be warm but not hot to the touch.
- Pour the milk and butter mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer (or see notes), and add one tablespoon of the sugar and all of the yeast. Whisk it together and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to make sure it starts to puff up.
- To the yeast mixture, add the flour, remaining sugar, salt and egg and use the dough hook with your hand just to mix it all to a shaggy dough.
- Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and mix the dough on low speed for 6-7 minutes until smooth and elastic looking. See notes for kneading by hand.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- ASSEMBLING THE STAR BREAD:Lay a sheet of baking paper on a 12 inch pizza tray so that it overhangs a little.
- Cut the dough into 4 even pieces. Roll one out to about 30cm / 12in. Place the rolling pin in the centre of the rolled out dough and fold the far side over the top. Transfer it to the prepared tray.
- Spread over ⅓ of the softened butter, then sprinkle over ⅓ of both the cinnamon and brown sugar.
- Roll out the second piece, place it on top of the first and add another coating of butter, cinnamon and brown sugar (half of what is left of each.
- Repeat again with a third layer of dough and the remaining filling ingredients.
- Roll out the last piece of dough and place it on top.
- Use the corner of the paper to drag it off the baking tray and give it a light roll if needed to make it slightly wider than than the tray. Sit the tray on top and trim off the overhanging dough to make it a neat circle.
- Place a small ramekin (3-4 inches wide) in the centre of the dough.
- Make 4 evenly spaced cuts from the ramekin to the edge of the dough (so it looks like 4 quarter slices connected in the middle. Cut each of the four slices in half, then repeat 1 more time, so you have 16 strands/strips in total.
- Take the ends of two of the strips, one in each hand, and twist them away from each other twice. Twist a third time only until the flat sides meet, then press the ends into a point. Make sure to press the ends together well so they don't break apart when they bake.
- Repeat with the remaining strips of dough, then remove the ramekin. Use the corner of the paper again, to drag it back onto the tray. Cover lightly with a sheet of plastic wrap and let it sit for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan forced) / 350F.
- Beat the second egg and brush the exposed dough all over. Bake for 22 minutes, turning after 11, or until golden all over.
- Let it cool a few minutes before dusting with icing sugar. Best served warm.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
- All ovens vary – always test for doneness 3-5 minutes before the recipe suggests
- For best results, you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
- Yeast: You can use instant or active dry yeast. If you use rapid rise, your dough may double in size quicker.
- By hand: You can make the dough without a stand mixer, just make sure to knead until it is smooth and elastic – about 10-12 minutes.
- Star bread is best eaten fresh but will keep in an airtight container 2-3 days. Warm the individual pieces for 10-15 seconds in the microwave to fluff the bread up again.
- Nutrition details are approximate only - scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
Love this recipe?Add Sugar Salt Magic as a preferred Google source.
Nutrition information is approximate only and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use and any changes you make may cause variations.
