60-second sweets video: Christmas morning cinnamon bread

Christmas Morning Cinnamon Bread Recipe

Mix up a batch of this yummy breakfast bread, and its spicy-sweet cinnamon scent is sure to entice your family out of bed (as if they need another reason on Christmas morning)! Watch our fun video below, print out the cinnamon bread recipe and get ready to bake up a very merry Christmas breakfast.

Yield: 12 servings

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60-second sweets video: How to make Christmas morning cinnamon bread

Ingredients

For the bread and filling

1 cup whole milk
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. salt
2¼ tsp. instant, rapid-rise yeast
Butter to grease bowl
¾ cup sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
4 to 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash

For the icing

2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 to 3 Tbsp. milk
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions

For the bread and filling

  1. Combine milk and 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and gently heat the mixture until the butter is just melted.
  2. Place 1 cup of flour, ½ cup sugar, 1 large egg and 1 tsp. salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix at low speed.
  3. Add the warm milk and butter mixture very slowly to the bowl to ensure that you do not cook the egg. Continue to mix on low for 3 minutes, occasionally stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  4. After 3 minutes, sprinkle the yeast over the top of the mixture and stir. Add remaining 2½ cups of flour to the mixing bowl. Continue to mix on low until flour is completely incorporated and dough becomes smooth and elastic-about 8 minutes.
  5. The dough will be quite sticky at this point. Grease a large bowl with butter and transfer the dough to the bowl, turning to coat.
  6. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm area until it doubles in volume-about 2 hours.
  7. After the 2 hours, combine ¾ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Punch down the dough and divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a large rectangle about ½ inch thick. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter onto each half, and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture to cover.
  8. Starting with the short side and from the back, begin to roll 1 rectangle of dough toward you. Roll tightly. Place the log seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Then do the same with the other rectangle. Make deep cuts every 1½ inches, keeping the bottom layer of the log intact.
  9. Next, pull each section outward. Let the dough rise for 45 minutes until slightly puffy.
  10. Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush each loaf with the beaten egg. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
  11. Remove loaves and allow to cool.

For the icing

  1. If making icing, combine icing ingredients, and then drizzle over the cooled loaves.

Tip: Instead of icing, you can sprinkle the bread with powdered sugar, and garnish with berries before serving.