Sourdough Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
Sourdough cinnamon pull apart bread is the dessert for breakfast we did not know we needed. With cinnamon sugar layers between every slice and a subtly sweet cream cheese glaze on top, this bread will be the centerpiece of every brunch we attend this season.
Equipment
- 1 Kitchenaid Mixer
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 Bench Scraper Pizza slicer may also be used
- 1 Baking Pan Glass baking pan, bundt ban, or loaf pan
Ingredients
Sourdough Brioche Dough
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour Unbleached, organic flour (Kirkland brand is great)
- 1/4 cup Honey Or sugar - See notes*
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter If using salted butter, do not add additional salt.
- 7 TBS Water
- 6 TBS Sourdough Discard Active starter and Sourdough discard work
- 1/4 TSP Salt Himalayan sea salt works great
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 TSP Baking Soda *Optional, see notes
- 1/2 TSP Baking Powder *Optional, see notes
- 1/3 cup Heavy Whipping Cream Option to use half and half or coconut cream
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 1/2 Stick Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 TBS Ground Cinnamon
- 1 TBS Flour If gluten free, use gluten free flour as this flour will not ferment.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 1/2 block Cream Cheese 4 ounces
- 3 TBS Unsalted Butter
- 1-3/4 Cups Powdered Sugar Start with 1-1/2 cup and add in 1/4 cup increments based on desired sweetness level
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract Can use 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Extract
- 1 Pinch Salt Leave out if using salted butter
- 1 TBS Milk To thin - add in 1 TBS increments for runny glaze
Instructions
Bulk Fermentation Period
- Start by preparing the dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, butter, honey (or sugar), water and sourdough discard together.Mix by hand until it forms a shaggy dough. Cover the dough with a lid or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to sit for 8-12 hours on the countertop.
Adding Final Ingredients / preparing the pull apart bread
- To the bowl of the stand mixer, add the sourdough dough and the remaining ingredients (baking soda*, baking powder*, salt and egg). Using the dough hook attachment, allow the brioche dough to knead for 10-15 minutes. The dough will be pillowy soft and will stretch like a windowpane. Make sure to knead the dough long enough so it is soft, not sticky!If mixing the dough by hand, the dough can take 20-30 minutes of kneading to achieve the desired windowpane consistency.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough on a flat work surface. Butter, oil or add a dusting of flour to the counter if the dough is sticking to your fingers as needed.
- Combine the filling, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and room temperature butter together in a small bowl. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture across the dough.
- Cut the dough into equal sized pieces using a bench scraper, pizza cutter or sharp knife. Place the pieces into a prepared baking dish like a buttered bread pan, loaf pan or bundt pan.
- Stack the pieces in a row from the front of the dish to the back. We folded our pieces up like a taco to seal in the cinnamon sugar mixture better.If you are baking later (or another day), cover and put in the fridge before the dough completes a secondary rise.
- When ready to bake, allow the dough to complete a second rise in a warm place. Rise times may differ and could take 2-4 hours depending on the temperature of your home and the size of your dough. The top of the dough should reach close to the top of the baking dish.
Baking the Sourdough Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
- Once the sourdough discard pull apart bread has completed a second proof, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream (or coconut milk) to the top of the cinnamon pull apart bread.
- Place the bread pan into the preheated oven. Cook for 25-30 minutes.
- The filling will bubble around the sides. The top will be firm to the touch and the top will be golden brown in color.When poked with a toothpick in the center, it will come out clean. If using a temperature gauge, the sourdough cinnamon pull apart bread will temp at or above 200 degrees.
- Use a knife to pull edges of bread from the baking pan. Remove from pan and place on a wire rack or baking sheet to cool.
- While the bread is cooling, make the cream cheese glaze. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to combine room temperature butter and room softened cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Next, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Finally, add in a pinch of salt and vanilla extract. Use water or milk to thin.
- Allow the cinnamon pull apart bread to cool 10-15 minutes before adding the cream cheese glaze to the top. This will allow the sourdough cinnamon pull apart bread to cool without completely melting the glaze.
Video
Notes
Notes about Active Discard and Leavening Agents (Baking Soda and Baking Powder):
- If using active sourdough discard, you will not need to add in baking soda and baking powder. If you do forgo baking soda and baking powder, ensure the dough has enough time to complete a secondary rise before baking in the oven.
- If using sugar to sweeten the dough, you will need more water to bring the dough together. This can take upwards of 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water. Without honey, the brioche dough relies on water for additional moisture.
- If you are making this dough in advance, follow the instructions up to the secondary rise. Cover and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake. When ready to bake, remove from fridge and allow to complete rise. Bake as outlined in instructions.
- Ensure butter is room temperature, not melted. Melted butter will sink into the dough as opposed to spread across it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 293kcalCarbohydrates: 36.4gProtein: 4.3gFat: 14.7gSaturated Fat: 9.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.6gMonounsaturated Fat: 4.2gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 132mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 0.8gSugar: 19.2gVitamin A: 466IUCalcium: 52mgIron: 1.3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!