Cinnamon Braid Bread

Layers of soft and tender bread stuffed with cinnamon and sugar.

Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

You need this in your life, trust me.

I saw a picture of this bread sometime ago, over one of my many pinterest-surfing sessions. Had it bookmarked and recently decided to search up ‘cinnamon braid bread’ on the amazing Google machine. It came up with this recipe along with beautiful pictures of the bread itself. Seriously, doesn’t the bread look picture perfect on this site? I didn’t even intend on making it, but it just looked so good on the site that I had to try … and boy was it good! Took a couple hours from start to finish but was completely worth it. I was actually surprised that it was slightly quicker than some other breads because this recipe didn’t require a second rising session. I also tweaked the recipe a little – made it half whole wheat….  just so that I could feel like it was kind of healthy to chow down on a giant beautiful cinnamon-roll looking thing.

Bread

• 1 C AP flour (add more flour if too sticky)
• 1 C WW flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 C lukewarm milk
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 egg yolk

Filling

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 3 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. In a liquid measure, microwave the milk for about 30-45 secs until it is lukewarm. Add in the sugar and yeast and allow it to sit for about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours and salt.
3. Add the egg yolk and melted butter into the milk mixture and stir. Pour the milk mixture over the dry ingredients.
4. Knead dough until it pulls away from the edges of the bowl, approx 8 mins. Shape the dough into a ball.
5. Lightly oil a clean bowl and evenly coat the dough with oil then cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place and let it rest for about 1 hour at room temperature until doubled in size (I usually pop the bowl in the microwave)
6. Filling: cream together the softened butter, cinnamon, and sugar. Set aside.
7. Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet.
8. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle (~ 18×12 inches)
9. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over top and reserve about 1 tbsp of filling for the end. Leave a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
10. Roll the dough into a log and using a sharp knife, cut the log in half length-wise leaving one edge uncut for about 1/2 inch.
11. Twist the two pieces, with the open layers facing outwards then pinch the ends together and form a wreath.
12. Transfer it to the prepared baking sheet and brush/ spread the remaining cinnamon filling over top.
13. Bake for 10 mins at 400F, then reduce the heat to 350 F for the last 12 mins or until golden brown
14. Let it cool for about 10-15 mins and dig in!

Cut and twist.

 Hmm, maybe even add a drizzle of icing over-top with some sliced almonds or pecans? Yum yum sugar overload.

I’m not sure what else to tell you about this bread, other than how amazingly soft, cinnamony and yummy it was… especially hot out of the oven… mmmm. The perfect treat for a brunch or afternoon coffee… or any other time of the day! Be sure to share and enjoy warm accompanied by your favorite beverage =)

PS  – If you haven’t heard, Angie from The Novice Gardener is hosting weekly ‘Fiesta Friday’ blog parties and I just added this dish to the party! Check out her page (here) for more info on joining the party. It’s also a great resource for viewing other amazing food creations and connecting with other bloggers!