Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Snowflake (Printer-Friendly)

Soft cinnamon swirl dough baked golden with vanilla icing in a festive snowflake shape.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 1 large egg, room temperature

→ Filling

08 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
09 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Icing

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2 to 3 tbsp milk
13 - 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

# Method:

01 - In a large bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast; let stand 5 to 10 minutes until frothy.
02 - Add melted butter, egg, and salt; gradually mix in flour until a soft dough forms.
03 - Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic; place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
04 - Preheat oven to 350°F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
05 - Punch down dough and divide into three equal portions; roll each into a 12-inch circle.
06 - Place one circle on the baking sheet; spread half the softened butter over it and sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly.
07 - Top with second circle; repeat spreading butter and cinnamon sugar; add the third circle on top.
08 - Place a small glass in the center; cut dough into sixteen equal strips radiating from the glass without cutting through it.
09 - Take two adjacent strips, twist them away from each other twice, then pinch ends together to form a point; repeat all pairs.
10 - Remove glass; cover shaped dough with a towel and let rise 15 minutes.
11 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
12 - Cool for 10 minutes; whisk icing ingredients until smooth and drizzle over warm bread; serve pull-apart style.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks like an edible work of art but tastes even better than it looks, which always gets comments at the table.
  • The soft, pillowy dough and gooey cinnamon sugar center make it the kind of breakfast that feels like a celebration.
  • Because it's meant to be pulled apart piece by piece, everyone at the table gets their own moment with it.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rise times—yeast dough needs that rest period to develop flavor and texture, and rushing it results in dense, gummy rolls.
  • The glass in the center isn't just decorative; it helps you cut even strips and keeps the center from deflating when you cut, which I learned the hard way the first time I made this.
  • Drizzle the icing while the snowflake is still warm so it seeps into all the crevices and sets beautifully instead of sitting on top.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is cold, proof the dough in a warm oven with just the light on, or place the bowl in a warm water bath to keep everything moving at the right pace.
  • Use a bench scraper or dough cutter when dividing the dough into three pieces; it's cleaner than a knife and doesn't deflate your carefully risen dough.
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