She Strengthens

Sweet Morning Delight: Cinnamon Sugar Bread Recipe

Are you ready to start your day with a sweet and satisfying treat? Look no further! This cinnamon sugar bread recipe is a game-changer for breakfast lovers. With its soft, fluffy texture and sweet, spicy flavor, it’s sure to become a family favorite.

The Perfect Breakfast Solution

One of the best things about this recipe is its flexibility. You can prepare the dough the night before and let it rise in the refrigerator, then assemble and bake it in the morning. This means you can enjoy a freshly baked breakfast without sacrificing precious morning time.

Special Equipment Needed

To make this recipe, you’ll need a 12-cup Bundt pan and an instant-read thermometer. Don’t worry if you’re hesitant about investing in a special pan – it’s a versatile tool that can be used for a variety of desserts and breads.

Game Plan

This recipe yields 12 servings and takes approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes to complete. It’s a medium-difficulty recipe, but the end result is well worth the effort.

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water (110°F to 115°F)
• 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 6 pieces and at room temperature
• Vegetable oil or cooking spray, for coating the bowl

To assemble:

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), melted and cooled
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until steam rises from the surface and small bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat, add 1/2 cup of the sugar, and stir until it’s dissolved. Set aside to cool until the milk feels warm to the touch and an instant-read thermometer registers 105°F to 115°F, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the warm water in a small bowl, add the yeast and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, and stir to combine. Let sit until very foamy and bubbly, about 10 minutes.

Step 2: Mix the Dough

Place 3 cups of the flour and the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low to combine. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, butter, cooled milk-sugar mixture, and yeast mixture and mix on low until a wet, cohesive dough forms, about 1 minute.

Step 3: Knead the Dough

Mix on medium-high speed until the dough is smooth and elastic and it forms a single mass on the paddle, about 5 minutes. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula, and remove the paddle.

Fit a dough hook on the mixer and add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour. Mix on low speed until the flour is just incorporated, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky to the touch, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 4: Let the Dough Rise

Coat a large bowl with vegetable oil or cooking spray and set it aside. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in the prepared bowl, and turn to coat it in the oil or spray. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until tripled in volume, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Step 5: Assemble and Bake

If the dough rose overnight in the refrigerator, let it sit in the bowl at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling it out. Place the dough on a work surface and pat it into an 8-inch square. Use a large knife to score the dough into 64 (1-inch) squares, then cut the dough along the scored lines into pieces.

Roll each piece between your palms into a rough ball and return it to the work surface. Place the melted butter in a shallow dish. Generously coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with some of the melted butter; set the pan aside. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a second shallow dish.

Working with 6 dough balls at a time, roll them in the butter to coat. Then drop them in the sugar mixture and roll to coat. Place the sugared dough balls into the prepared pan, layering them over any spaces as you go. Drizzle the remaining butter and sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture over the bread.

Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm area until the pan is about two-thirds full, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the bottom third. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan. Bake until the bread is browned and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it cool for 5 minutes (if you let the bread cool any longer, the sugar will solidify and stick to the pan). Place a large plate over the Bundt pan to completely cover it, then flip the pan over to release the bread. Carefully remove the pan and serve the bread warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!