Description
If you’ve ever visited Dollywood, you probably know that the smell of freshly baked cinnamon bread is almost impossible to resist. Warm, soft bread coated with buttery cinnamon sugar and finished with a sweet vanilla glaze makes this one of those treats that people remember long after their vacation is over.
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 1 loaf soft white bread dough or homemade sweet bread dough
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Vanilla Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
If using frozen bread dough, allow it to thaw according to the package directions.
If using homemade dough, prepare it and allow it to complete its first rise.
The dough should be soft, smooth, and easy to work with.
In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
Mix until you have a thick, spreadable cinnamon butter.
The combination of butter and cinnamon sugar is what gives this bread its signature sweet, buttery flavor.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.
Using a sharp knife, make several deep diagonal cuts across the loaf.
Don’t slice completely through the bread. You want the loaf to remain connected at the bottom while creating sections that can easily pull apart after baking.
Generously spread the cinnamon butter into each cut.
Make sure you get plenty of the mixture down into the openings.
This is where all those delicious cinnamon-sugar pockets develop.
Don’t be afraid to be generous.
Combine the remaining cinnamon and sugar.
Brush the outside of the dough lightly with melted butter, then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture generously over the loaf.
The butter helps the sugar stick while also creating a beautiful caramelized crust.
Place the prepared loaf into a lightly greased baking dish.
Cover loosely and let it rest for about 20–30 minutes.
The dough should become slightly puffy.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake the bread for approximately 25–35 minutes, depending on the size of the loaf and the dough you’re using.
The bread should be golden brown on top and cooked through in the center.
If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt.
Start with 2 tablespoons of milk and add more if necessary.
You want a smooth glaze that’s thick enough to drizzle but thin enough to flow over the warm bread.
Remove the cinnamon bread from the oven and let it cool for approximately 5–10 minutes.
Drizzle the vanilla glaze generously over the warm loaf.
Let some of the glaze fall into the cinnamon-filled cuts.
This creates that irresistible combination of warm cinnamon bread and sweet creamy icing.
Notes
Use softened butter rather than melted butter when making the cinnamon filling. Soft butter stays in place better and creates thicker cinnamon pockets.
Don’t cut all the way through the loaf. Leaving the bottom connected allows the bread to bake as one loaf while still creating easy pull-apart sections.
Keep an eye on the bread during the final 10 minutes of baking. Sugar can caramelize quickly, so if the top becomes too dark, cover it loosely with foil.
For the best experience, serve the bread while it’s still warm.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Resting Time:: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25–35 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8–10
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 31g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Protein: 6g