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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
This recipe looks absolutely amazing! As a family tradition, I have (bakery-bought) cinnamon bread every Christmas morning. I also give it to family and friends. Problem is, the bakery is 45 minutes away and I have to order it weeks in advance, etc., etc. It comes wrapped tightly in a bread bag with pretty ribbons, etc. and costs me about $50 for 7 loaves. I’ve done this for 20 years. Time for a change. I saw your recipe and thought to myself: THIS IS IT!!! My question to you: How long will this log last sitting on someone’s kitchen counter wrapped in plastic? Can I freeze the dough and thaw it out and bake it as I need it?
I’m so excited to try this recipe! Thank you for your answers when you get the time!
HI! You can leave this in the fridge for 1-2 days or in the freezer for 3 months, just thaw overnight and then bake as directed. The dough should always be kept in the fridge if letting is rise longer than 2 hours. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
It’s not clear at all that you only need 6 tablespoons of butter in the dough – which you mentioned in a comment. I put 12 tablespoons of butter in the dough, per the instructions listed here, and this is not a bread at all, more like a biscuit. I hope you will update your instructions to reflect the correct amount of butter to use so people will not end up in my situation. I feel like I wasted so much time and ingredients.
Hi Katherine! I am so sorry about that! I will update the recipe. I hope you try this again and enjoy it! Thank you! xTieghan
amazing recipe! would totally recommend!! 10 out of 5!!
Wow that is so amazing! I am so glad you loved this recipe, Charlotte! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Hey Tieghan!
I love your website and your recipes! I’ve been making this recipe for Christmas morning the last several years. This year I happen to be near you in Breckenridge! I’ve never had any issues with the baking time, but this year the bread was turning dark brown and drying out on the outside, but it was still undercooked and raw on the inside.
Any tips? I was guessing it had something to do with the altitude. I live in San Francisco, so it’s usually not a concern.
Happy Holidays!
– Ashley
Hey Ashley! I would cover the bread with foil once it starts to take on color and then finish the bread that way. The dryness in our air can cause different baking times and I often have to cover baked goods with foil to finish cooking. Please let me know if you have any other questions. So glad you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Holidays!! xTieghan ?
Made this. Amazing!! I and so beautiful.
Thank you so much Kelley!
My regular yeast did not proof and I was unsure about how long to mix and then knead the dough so, quite frankly, I panicked haha. I substituted instant yeast 1-for-1 for regular and threw everything in my breadmaker on Dough setting to see what would happen. It came out BEAUTIFULLY. Just FYI for anyone wondering if a bread machine would work to make the dough.
Hi Kimberley! I am so glad you loved this recipe and it turned out amazing for you! Thank you!
Hi, making the dough right now and letting it rise. Love the texture! but I was wondering if it was that necessary to let it rise overnight? Because I’m making it pretty early in the morning.
HI! You can let the rolls rise overnight or 1-2 hours before baking. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan ?
Wondering which size loaf pan you used for one brioche cinnamon roll?
Thank you…
When baking in a loaf pan I use two 9x5x3 bread pans pans. This bakes up more evenly if you divide the dough be 2 pans. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Do you think this would be ok to make 2 nights ahead and bake in the morning? Or maybe just bake and reheat?
Hi! You can make 2 nights ahead, then bake. That works really well! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
This looks amazing. How long do you recommend kneading it for??
Hi Nicole! Anywhere from 2-4 minutes works great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Jdks,md
I have my go-to Christmas dishes that my son is totally bummed if I change up. Giada’s pancetta and chestnut stuffing, Bon Appetite’s sweet potatoes with maple syrup, and Barefoot Contessa’s gruyere mac and cheese. And this from you Tieghan. It’ll be my third year making this for Christmas and it will never lose out to anything else. I’ve made so many of your recipes and told many people about your blog and cookbook and all are always grateful. I am going to try your Mac and cheese this year too! I’m thinking we might end up with an all Tieghan Christmas. And I wouldn’t mind at all 🙂
I am so glad you made this recipe part of your Christmas dinner tradition! I love that! I hope you love the mac and cheese, Dawn! Let me know how it turns out for you!
Wow! I just made this today and it by far the easiest brioche/cinnamon roll recipe in the world! I didn’t screw anything up! I followed directions exactly as written and the end result was spectacular! I will now be scouring your site and planning to tackle more of your great recipes. Thank you so very much!
I am so glad it turned out amazing for you! Thank you so much Katie!
HI, I know this is an old post and all, but I was wondering would it be like normal bread if you let it rise normally instead of in the fridge?
HI! I am not sure i understand your question. You can let the bread rise normally on the counter for a few hours That will be great! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Made this for New Years Day, and it was the perfect start to the year. Took longer to cook than recommended, by about 10 minutes, but of course every elevation / range is different.
Thanks for your recipe!
I am so glad you enjoyed this Elizabeth! Thank you!! Happy New Year!