Food and Recipes Bread Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread This Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread is as much fun to eat as it is to bake. Each rich, buttery layer has a cap of crunchy, caramelized cinnamon sugar. When layering the dough rectangles, don't worry if they're not all exactly the same size or if you don't get them into the pan perfectly straight. This pull-apart bread is very forgiving and will still turn out great, whether you're serving it for breakfast, brunch, or afternoon tea. By Paige Grandjean Paige Grandjean Instagram Website Paige Grandjean is a food editor and recipe developer with over seven years of experience in food media. Her recipes and writing have appeared in over 15 nationally distributed print publications, as well as on various digital platforms. Paige's recipes have been showcased on the covers of magazines such as Food & Wine, Southern Living, and Cooking Light, with her 2020 Food & Wine Lamination cover story earning a spot as a Folio: Eddie and Ozzie Award Finalist. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on January 9, 2020 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 30 mins Stand Time: 1 hrs 45 mins Total Time: 3 hrs Yield: 1 (8- x 4 ½-inch) loaf Ingredients 2 tablespoons warm water (100°F to 110°F) 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (from 1 [1/4-oz.] envelope) 1 1/3 cups plus 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar, divided 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed 1 large egg, beaten 1 teaspoon kosher salt 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided 2 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for work surface 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Directions Stir together warm water, yeast, and 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Beat milk, egg, salt, yeast mixture, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and 4 tablespoons of the melted butter in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment on medium-low speed until well combined, about 10 seconds. Gradually add flour, beating until all flour is incorporated. Increase speed to medium; continue beating until dough is smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. (It will be tacky.) Transfer to a medium bowl lightly coated with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 cup sugar. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and roll into a 20- x 12-inch rectangle. Brush with remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (reserve 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar). Cut dough into 5 (12- x 4-inch) strips. Cut each strip into 5 (4- x 2 1/2-inch) rectangles. Lightly coat an 8- x 4 1/2-inch cast-iron loaf pan with cooking spray. Stack dough rectangles on top of each other. Carefully transfer stack to prepared pan with rectangles standing upright (like dominoes). Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove and discard plastic wrap. Sprinkle loaf with reserved 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar. Place pan on a sheet of aluminum foil in oven. Bake until golden brown and a thermometer inserted in center of loaf registers 195°F, 38 to 42 minutes, tenting with aluminum foil after 25 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if needed. Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Run an offset spatula around edges of pan to loosen loaf; remove from pan. Serve warm, or cool completely on a wire rack, 1 hour. Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Print