This beautiful cinnamon and sugar pull-apart bread is surprisingly simple to make and perfect for breakfast or brunch on a cozy day indoors.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Resting Time2 hourshrs
Total Time2 hourshrs40 minutesmins
Course: bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: star bread
Servings: 10people
Ingredients
For the dough
3 ½cupsall purpose flour
1teaspoonsalt
5teaspoonactive dry yeast2 packages
1cup warm water
2tablespoongranulated sugar
5tablespoonunsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
1teaspoonvanilla extract
For the filling
1eggbeaten
¾cupbrown sugar
1tablespoonground cinnamon
pinch salt
2tablespoonunsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
Instructions
Sift flour into medium bowl and add salt. Set aside.
In bowl of stand mixer, combine yeast, warm water, and sugar. Gently stir together, then leave to rest for 10 minutes or until foamy.
Once yeast mixture is foamy, add butter and vanilla, then slowly stir in the flour mixture in thirds, mixing on medium speed with a dough hook attachment. Beat dough at medium-high for 2-3 minutes, or until we’ll combined. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes.
Transfer to large bowl sprayed with oil or butter. Cover bowl with clean towel and set in a warm area. Let rise for one hour, or until dough has doubled in size.
Once dough has doubled in size, place onto lightly floured surface. Use a large knife or pastry cutter to cut dough into four four equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, cover the balls with a thin towel, and allow them to rest for 15 minutes.
While dough is resting, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl, melted butter in another bowl, and beaten egg in a third.
Take one dough ball and roll out into as close of a circle as possible (about 10" in diameter).
Transfer the first circle onto a parchment paper lined baking tray. Brush a thin layer of egg, leaving a ¼" rim. Then sprinkle a thin coating of the brown sugar mixture across the circle except for the rim.
Continue rolling out the second ball of dough, placing it on top of the first, then brushing the egg on top and sprinkling the brown sugar mixture across the circle. Repeat three times total.
Place the fourth dough circle on top. Using a sharp knife, trim all of the layers so they look more like a circle. Brush a small amount of melted butter across the top layer without adding the brown sugar mixture.
Place a 2 ½"-3" round cutter or juice glass in the center of the dough circle. Press down just enough to leave a little circular imprint.Take a sharp knife and cut the dough into 16 equal strips. Use the round imprint as a guide for a stopping point to keep from cutting into the center of your eventual star. (I cut the dough in quadrants and then cut those quadrants into quadrants.)
Using two hands, pick up two dough strips that are next to each other and twist them away from each other two or three times. Then pinch the ends together to firm the points of each of your stars. Repeat with the remaining strips of dough so that you end up with eight pairs of strips.
Cover star with towel and let sit for 45 more minutes. This is also the point where you can cover tightly with plastic wrap and stick in the refrigerator to bake the next morning.
Before baking: Preheat oven to 375. Brush star with a thin coating of butter. Bake bread for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer star to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.