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Honestly, it’s all about the simple things in life. Like this Overnight Pull-Apart Brioche Cinnamon Roll Bread.
Full Video Below:
And today that means pull-apart brioche cinnamon roll bread.
It’s every kids dream breakfast and secretly every adult’s favorite too. Just admit it. You will never outgrow a good cinnamon roll. Or cinnamon roll bread in today’s case.
This happens to me every year at about this time, I crave cinnamon rolls. I think it comes with the cold weather, snow and talk of Christmas – I love it. I think I will always be able to find a semi-newish way to make cinnamon rolls, but still keep them simple because in my opinion, cinnamon rolls need to be kept simple (and extra soft and doughy). I’m not even big on adding things like caramel and chocolate because that’s just not a cinnamon roll in my mind. It’s not what I grew up loving.
Side note, how many times do you think I will say cinnamon rolls in this post? I’m thinking a lot. Way too many to count, that is for sure.
What I did grow up loving were the cinnamon rolls from my very favorite dough boy. Yup, the Pillsbury dough boy was always a family favorite come the holiday season. Those rolls were breakfast pretty much every morning at our cabin in Ripley, New York in the week following Christmas. Nothing like starting the day off with a sugar buzz. My cousins, my brothers and I loved those cinnamon rolls (although, they where never as good if they got overcooked). Those were some awesome times. That area of New York gets a ton of snow and it was great to all be together creating memories that will last our lifetime.
Sooo, I have had this idea to make a brioche style cinnamon roll bread for forever now. I knew the bread would be amazing because well, brioche itself is simply perfect. It’s the softest, doughiest and fluffiest bread around and it’s freaking easy to make. I am now thinking that from here on out, all my cinnamon rolls will be made using brioche dough. It’s the perfect combo.
The bread is a cinch to make, and if you don’t have a mixer, it can easily be mixed by hand. It does need to rise for about an hour before your roll it out, but other than that it’s super quick to throw together the night before a big breakfast (like Thanksgiving or Christmas!). Once the bread is all assembled you just cover it and leave it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. It couldn’t be easier or more perfect for holiday entertaining.
I kind of have little secret though. The dough is spiked with eggnog. I know some people either love or hate eggnog, but I am somewhere in the middle. I would never drink it straight up, but I have found that adding it to baked goods does magical things. No joke. You’d never know there was any eggnog in this bread, but you’d know there was something special about it. The nog just keeps the bread crazy moist while also adding a subtle holiday flavor. Trust me on this one, buy some eggnog and start swapping out the milk in your baked good recipes with nog. The results are so awesome.
And that’s my little, not so secret, secret about this bread.
I made this bread two ways, one in a loaf pan and one as more of a log on a baking sheet. Both turned out awesome, both are easy and both are pretty. It’s really just about what you personally prefer. The bread baked in the pan is a tad gooeyer because none of the filling leaks out while baking, but the bread baked on a baking sheet is probably a little more show stopping. Like I said, either one is so good.
AND you get to prep everything the night before and then just bake in the morning. Couldn’t be more perfect.
You don’t technically have to make this as a bread, I mean you could totally make regular cinnamon rolls, BUT the bread is so fun and the whole pull-apart thing means finger food, which means easy eatin’, easy serving.
And you can’t deny that the loaf is kind of pretty.
OH! And I made some sugared cranberries to serve alongside for a festive holiday look and some added sweetness. Loving the sugared cranberries.
Double OH! The frosting it’s just a simple cream cheese vanilla bean frosting, but I will not lie, it’s so good. And when generously drizzled all over the bread? ADDICTING.
Ok and lastly, I just have to say that this is one of those recipes that everyone loves. I had all the boys (including a few extras from the US Snowboard Team) in the kitchen for this recipe. Taking photos was kind of hard. They never get this excited about anything I make. My food is normally too colorful for the brothers, but not this – this they loved!
That says something.
Overnight Pull-Apart Brioche Cinnamon Roll Bread.
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 1036 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup warm eggnog or warm whole milk
- 3 eggs
- 3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 12 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
Filling
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of sea salt
Frosting
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream, using as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low speed until incorporated. Allow the mixture to sit about 5-10 minutes or until bubbly on top.
- Add the eggnog, eggs, flour, salt, and butter. Using the dough hook, knead until the dough comes together, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Kneed into a smooth ball. Grease a large bowl and add the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit 1-2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
- To make the filling. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl and mix well.
- Lightly dust a surface with flour. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch the dough dough and roll the dough into a rectangle (about 9x24 inches). Spread 6 tablespoons of the butter (softened almost to a melted stage) evenly over the dough. Spread the brown sugar + cinnamon evenly over the butter and lightly push the brown sugar into the butter. Starting with the long edge closest to you, pull the edge up and over the filling and carefully roll the dough into a log, keeping it fairly tight as you go. When you reach the edge, pinch along the edge to seal.
- Place the log seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. With a pair of sharp kitchen scissors cut diagonal slices almost to the bottom of the log. Arrange the cut sections so that they lean to alternating sides. Use your hand to gently push the dough together to help compress the log better. Alternately, you can bake the bread in two 9x5x3 bread pans to make two bread loafs. Cut and shape the dough as directed and then use your hands to push the dough together to almost the size of you bread pan. The dough will zigzag slightly. Using the parchment paper, lift the dough up and into the bread pan. Immediately cover the dough and place in the fridge overnight. Do not let the dough sit at room temperature long or it will start to get very big.
- The next morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the dough from the fridge while the oven preheats and brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Bake the bread log for 20-25 minutes (the bread in the loaf pan needs about 45-50 minutes) or until lightly browned on top, do not over bake.
- While the bread is baking, whisk the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla together until smooth. Add milk until your desired consistency is reached.
- Serve the bread hot with a drizzle of frosting.
So soft. So doughy, SO GOOEY. Gimme.
Below is how you want to cut the dough:
This post was originally published on November 25, 2014
Hi – I have made this three times and everyone always LOVES it! I’m having a big brunch the morning after my son’s bar mitzvah and would love to serve this but won’t have ANY TIME to bake right before the weekend. I saw in another post that it’s possible to freeze the assembled log, which could work great for me. If I do that, and defrost the morning of the brunch, can I bake it as soon as it’s defrosted or do I need to let it rise for a longer time? Thanks for your guidance and thanks for the beautiful site. (I also love your mushroom Havarti turnovers!)
Hey Jane!!I think you should be good to go ahead and bake the loaf. I would recommend thawing it the night before the brunch and allowing it to come to room temp before baking. Let me know if you have any other questions! THANKS!
I made this for Christmas morning and it turned out absolutely spectacular! I love to cook but I have not had a lot of experience making my own dough. I was a bit worried (given I was feeding a dozen people) but I should not have been. This was very easy to make and it came out great! The family loved it and it was so easy to prepare on Christmas morning. I baked it on a baking sheet for exactly 22 minutes and it was perfect. I will definitely be making more of your recipes!
Thank you! So happy this was a hit! Happy New Year!
Made this for Christmas this year and it was delicious! Split it into 2 loaf pans and made 1 on Christmas and 1 the day after. It kept really well. Didn’t have any issues with baking like others have had. Baked it for 40-45 mins in the loaf pans and it was soft but still cooked inside — so tasty.
So happy you loved it! Thanks! Hope you had a Great Christmas!
Hi! I’m baking this right now and so far my log (on a baking sheet not loaf pans) has been in the oven for 32+ minutes and is still not cooked on the inside 🙁 the top is golden brown but it’s still raw halfway through. Anyone else have this issue? I followed directions to a T!
HI! I am sorry for the trouble. I would just cover the loaf with foil and continue cooking until the center is cooked. Again so sorry and Merry Christmas!
Thanks !!!!! I made this for my family following your fabulous directions and it was fabulous ! I’m am now addicted to these.
Making this for the second Christmas in a row! Easy brioche base, nice and easy to knead (maybe 15 minutes til smooth), it’s a buttery dough so kneading doesn’t use a lot of flour. This year I refrigerated the rolled dough for 2 hours before shaping. I cut it in half and then did a braided/wreath/twist. Wrapped back up and in fridge overnight. Mine doesn’t seem to rise overnight in the fridge…at all…so before baking it’s 1-2 hrs in an ever-so-slightly warmed oven until second rise is doubled…then I bake.
It’s a really fine tasting dough! Thank you for this recipe, it’s a keeper!
Could the dough be frozen? If so before the overnight rise or before? Thanks.
Yes, the dough can be frozen. I would freeze once you assemble the roll. Don’t let it rise, just freeze, thaw and then finish the rising. Let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you love the bread!
love your recipes. could I switch out and use regular granulated sugar instead of brown? I prefer the white sugar. Thanks
HI, that will be fine. THANKS! 🙂
I made this a couple of days ago with Nutella instead of the cinnamon filling. Oh. My. Goodness. The dough is incredible and it came out great. I’m now trying it with the cinnamon filling. But I’m having a hard time waiting for the dough to chill because I want to bake it sooo baaad, lol.
Finally! A great cinnamon bread (brioche) recipe. The tipping point for me is allowing the brioche to rise overnight in the fridge. Thank you for all the great photos. Thank YOU! for the recipe!
THANK YOU!!
I love to bake cinnamon rolls and when I came across this recipe it was love at first sight. My question is, if I made homemade eggnog, would I need to add the alcohol and what kind. Some recipes call for Brandy, Sherry or Rum. Thank you and keep up the great work.
Hi!! Honestly, I am not sure. I have never made homemade eggnog, so I am a little unsure. I think you should do whatever you would like to do. Whatever your tastebuds like!! 🙂
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Tieghan!
Just wanted to say that I have made this twice now and it is AMAZING! I use a KitchenAid and I can get everything done within 2 1/2 hours (including letting the dough rise). The cooking timing for me was only about 3 minutes off but I didn’t cut the dough into so many slices. I am actually eating a piece at the moment and cannot get over how great it is. Thank you so much for this wonderful addition to my recipe box!
I made this with my sister yesterday and had it for breakfast this morning. It was DEVINE. The dough came out soft, light and fluffy and oh-so-very buttery. We made it as one loaf, which I think you suggested baking for 20-25 minutes, although I wasn’t sure whether ours was the f pan or not? However we found we had to cover it in silver foil and bake for an hour… This may be because our oven isn’t as hot as it should be perhaps…? Or has anyone else found this too? Any how, thank you for the A-Mazing recipe -your blog is awesome! x
Oh, i’m willing to die just to have a bite of this holy bread. It looked totally gorgeous even before it was baked. I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it so much! Thank you for sharing this fascinating recipe my dear!
I’ve never made bread before, so I’ve never used yeast, but do you use instant yeast or regular yeast?
Don’t worry, it is easy! I use regular active dry yeast, but if you only have instant that can be used too. Hope you love the bread and please let me know if you have any other questions!