Cinnamon Snowflake Bread
This cinnamon snowflake bread is reminiscent of cinnamon rolls – fragrant and soft, but with a caramelized exterior. It’s the perfect recipe for a winter morning and a really fun thing to make on snow days.
The holiday season makes me think a lot about traditions. I didn’t really have them growing up, so I get to create them for (and with) my little ones. Our Christmas morning always starts off with eggnog waffles, and now we start the new year with this bread. It was the most delicious way to start 2019, and I’m eager to start 2020 the same way.
My daughter kept calling this (cinnamon star bread) snowflake bread, and the name stuck. It’s fitting, really, with the generous dusting of powdered sugar and the frigid time of year in which we make it. Earlier this year, I made a couple loaves of this for some of my favorite legislators. I meant it tongue in cheek, and I also wanted to make something other than chocolate muffins. I’ll be back at the General Assembly next month to lobby Virginia’s new gun sense majority. I’m still deciding what to bake.
This is a pull-apart bread that’s reminiscent of cinnamon rolls. Unlike cinnamon rolls, which stay soft and fluffy throughout, this cinnamon sugar filling in this bread caramelizes on the outside, giving it a crunchy exterior. When you pull it apart, you get to the soft and fragrant interior. For me, making this with my kids is the perfect way to spend a snow day or holiday morning, and despite how it looks, it really isn’t hard to make.
Sending warm wishes to all of you for a joyful holiday season.
- PREP TIME: 20 minutes
- COOK TIME:
- YIELD: 1 loaf, 8-12 servings
For the dough:
2 cups (241g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (46g) dried potato flakes or ¼ cup (46g) potato flour
¼ cup (35g) nonfat dry milk
¾ cup + 2-4 tablespoons (198g to 227g) lukewarm water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
1 large egg
½ cup (99g) sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
A few things to note here: There are weight measurements listed (thank you, King Arthur Flour), and I much prefer weighing when I’m making this. You can sub ¾ cup plus 2-4 tablespoons of fresh milk for the dry milk powder and water. I don’t recommend forming the snowflake and then refrigerating before baking because the sugar seeps out and makes the dough soggy (trust me, I tried).
To reheat the bread, cover it with foil and bake at 350ºF for about 15 minutes.
- 1
If using potato flour, make sure to sift before beginning.
Start by making the dough. Combine the flour, potato flakes, dry milk, ¾ cup of water, butter, vanilla, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. (You can also do this by hand or using a bread machine.) Mix on low until combined, about 3 minutes. If the dough looks dry, add remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead until a soft, smooth dough ball forms, another 3 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 60 minutes, until it’s nearly doubled in bulk.
- 2
Divide the dough into four equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
While the dough is resting, beat the egg in a small bowl. Use a fork to mix together the cinnamon and sugar in another small bowl.
- 3
On a lightly floured surface, roll one ball into a 10″ circle. It doesn’t need to be exact. Place the circle onto a piece of parchment, brush a thin coat of beaten egg on the surface, and then sprinkle with a third of the cinnamon sugar. Leave a ¼” of bare dough around the edge.
Roll out a second circle the same size. Place it on top of the first and repeat the layering process. Repeat for the third piece of dough, then leave the fourth circle bare. Don’t worry if the circles don’t line up exactly because the dough is quite forgiving.
- 4
Place a 3″ round cutter or drinking glass in the center of the dough to use as a guide. Press gently to create an imprint, then remove the guide. Using a bench knife, sharp knife, or kitchen shears, cut the circle into 16 equal strips, from the start of the line you created all the way to the edge, making sure to cut through all the layers.
- 5
Using two hands, pick up two adjacent strips and twist them away from each other twice so that the top side is facing up again. Repeat with the remaining strips of dough so that you end up with eight pairs of strips. Pinch the pairs of strips together to create a snowflake/star-like shape with eight points.
- 6
Transfer the dough on the parchment to a baking sheet. Cover and let it rise until it becomes noticeably puffy, about 45 minutes.
- 7
While the dough is rising, heat the oven to 400°F.
When ready to bake, brush the dough with a thin coat of the beaten egg. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until it’s nicely golden with dark brown cinnamon streaks; the center should register 200°F on a digital thermometer.
- 8
Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
Store any leftover bread, well wrapped in plastic, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.
