Pull Apart Cinnamon Bread

It's weeks like this week that make me very thankful that I have quite a few recipes waiting to be blogged about.  We are leaving for vacation on Friday, and have some something going nearly every night this week, leaving me with very little time to pack and even less time to bake!  I'll still be posting next week, but my posts will be pre-scheduled since I won't have access to a computer.  I have a fun series planned, plus a recipe that hints about where we're going on vacation.  Be sure to check back next week, and I'll be sure to have lots of pictures of our vacation when we get home.

Today's recipe is one that I've had on my to-make list for over a year, and on my to-blog list for over a month!  When I first saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it.  Honestly, I'm still not sure what took me so long to make it.  I'm glad I finally did, and I'm sure glad I have the chance to share it with you!

At first glance, this delicious bread might look super complicated.  While it does require slightly more work than a regular loaf of bread, it's totally worth it, and really not complicated!  The inside of this bread is so soft and gooey, it's like eating a cinnamon roll.  The top gets a nice crunchy crust, and a simple icing sweetens it up perfectly.  Mike and I devoured this bread the same day I made it--it's so easy to pull off just one more piece!

Pull Apart Cinnamon Bread
Makes 1 loaf

For the dough:
2-3/4 cups flour, plus more if needed
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs

For the filling:
4 Tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1-1/2 Tablespoons milk (more if needed for your desired consistency)

1. In the bowl of your mixer, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

2.  In a small saucepan, combine the butter and milk and heat until the butter melts.  Set aside and cool until it reaches 115-120 degrees.

3.  Add the milk mixture, water, vanilla, and eggs to the flour mixture.  Mix on low speed with the dough hook until a dough forms.

4.   Add additional flour 1 Tablespoon at a time, as needed, until the dough pulls away from the edge of the bowl.  Continue kneading bread until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes.

5.  Cover the dough and set it aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

6.  While the dough is rising, add butter to a small saucepan and melt until browned.  Set aside.

7.  Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Set aside.

8.  When dough has risen, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and gently deflate.

9.  Roll dough into a ball, cover with a clean towel, and let it rest for 5 minutes.

10.  Roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 12" by 20".

11.  Brush the dough with the melted butter.  Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture, be sure to use all of it. 

12.  Cut the dough length-wise into 4 long strips. 

13.  Stack those strips on top of each other and cut into 6 equal slices. 

14.  Stack all the slices on top of each other and place in a greased bread pan.

15.  Cover with a clean towel and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.

16.  Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown. 

17.  Remove from oven and let the bread rest in the pan for 20 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of the bread to loosen it from the pan and turn it onto a serving plate.

18.  While the bread is resting (step 17), combine powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl to make a thin icing.  Drizzle on top of bread after it has been turned onto the plate.

Source:  Annie's Eats  (Visit the original recipe for step-by-step instructions!)