Cinnamon Roll Pull Apart Bread

If you love homemade cinnamon rolls, this Cinnamon Roll Pull Apart Bread is going to be right up your alley. Soft, fluffy layers of homemade dough get a generous coating of butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon before baking in a loaf pan. Finish it with a thick cream cheese glaze, then pull apart those warm cinnamon-covered pieces without needing to slice a thing.

• Soft, fluffy layers: Homemade yeast dough bakes into tender pieces that pull apart easily.
• Plenty of cinnamon sugar: Every layer gets coated with melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
• Cream cheese glaze: A rich, sweet topping gives this bread its classic cinnamon roll flavor.
• Made from scratch: Simple baking ingredients come together into one beautiful loaf.
• Great for sharing: Perfect for weekend breakfasts, holiday mornings, or serving with coffee.

Dough

• Instant yeast: Helps the dough rise and gives the bread its soft, airy texture.
• Sugar: Adds a little sweetness to the dough.
• Unsalted butter: Gives the bread a rich, tender texture.
• Milk: Adds moisture and helps bring the dough together.
• Egg: Adds richness and structure.
• All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the bread.
• Sea salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the other flavors.
• Vanilla extract: Adds flavor to the dough.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• Butter: Melted and cooled so it spreads easily over the rolled dough.
• Ground cinnamon: Gives the bread its classic warm cinnamon flavor.
• Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness and creates a buttery cinnamon filling between the layers.

Cream Cheese Glaze

• Unsalted butter: Creates a smooth, rich glaze.
• Cream cheese: Adds a little tanginess to balance the sweetness.
• Vanilla extract: Gives the glaze extra flavor.
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the glaze.
• Milk: Helps create a smooth consistency for drizzling.

• Make the dough: Mix the warm milk, egg, sugar, vanilla, and butter. Add the yeast, followed by the flour and salt. Knead with a dough hook for 5 to 8 minutes until a ball forms.
• Let it rise: Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Add the cinnamon sugar: Roll the dough into a 12-by-18-inch rectangle. Spread with melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture.
• Cut and stack: Cut the dough into strips, then smaller pieces. Stack the pieces and arrange them snugly in a buttered, parchment-lined loaf pan.
• Rise and bake: Cover and let rise for another hour. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and baked through. Cool for 20 minutes.
• Add the glaze: Beat the cream cheese glaze ingredients together until smooth, then spread or drizzle over the bread before serving.

• Watch the milk temperature: Keep the milk around 110°F. If it’s too hot, it can damage the yeast and prevent the dough from rising.
• Melt and cool the butter: Let the melted butter cool slightly before adding it to the dough so it doesn’t get too hot for the yeast.
• Give the dough time to rise: Let it double in size during the first rise. A warm, draft-free spot works best.
• Don’t worry about perfect squares: The pieces don’t need to be identical. Just stack them and arrange them snugly in the loaf pan.
• Use a baking sheet: Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet to catch any butter or cinnamon sugar that bubbles over while baking.
• Check the top while baking: If the bread starts getting too dark before the center is finished, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
• Let it cool before glazing: Give the bread about 20 minutes to cool so the glaze doesn’t completely melt into the loaf.

• Room Temperature: Because of the cream cheese glaze, store the finished bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator rather than leaving it at room temperature for extended periods.
• Refrigerator: Keep leftover bread covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The bread will firm up when chilled, but warming it slightly will help soften the layers.
• Freezer: For longer storage, freeze the bread without the glaze. Wrap individual portions tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds, or until heated through. You can also warm unglazed pieces in a 300°F oven, loosely covered with foil, until soft and heated through. Add the cream cheese glaze after warming for the best texture.