Soft, buttery, pull-apart cinnamon bread inspired by the famous Dollywood treat — ridiculously easy and unbelievably delicious.
Introduction
Dollywood’s iconic Cinnamon Bread is one of the most loved theme-park desserts in America — warm, soft, buttery bread coated in cinnamon sugar and served with a sweet icing or apple butter.
This homemade version gives you the same gooey, pull-apart texture with minimal effort. No complicated dough, no fancy shaping — just simple ingredients and a foolproof technique that produces the most tender, aromatic cinnamon bread ever.
Perfect for breakfast, brunch, holidays, or anytime your kitchen needs to smell like pure comfort.
Ingredients 🧂
For the bread
- 1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
(Rhodes is traditional, but any brand works) - ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Timing ⏱️
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Rise time: 1 hour (if dough needs it)
- Bake: 25–28 minutes
- Total: ~40 minutes active, ~1h 30m with rise
Step-by-Step Instructions 👩🍳
1 — Prepare the dough
If using frozen dough, let it thaw until soft and pliable.
Lightly flour your surface and roll the dough into a rectangle about 8×12 inches.
2 — Coat with butter
Brush the entire dough surface generously with melted butter.
Make deep cuts (slits) across the dough, being careful not to cut all the way through — this creates the signature pull-apart look.
3 — Mix cinnamon sugar
In a bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
Coat the entire dough — top, sides, and in the slits — pressing gently so it sticks.
4 — Let rise (optional)
If your dough requires rising, let it sit 30–60 minutes until slightly puffy.
5 — Bake
Place the loaf in a greased loaf pan or on a lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–28 minutes, until golden and fragrant.
6 — Make the glaze
Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
7 — Serve warm
Drizzle glaze generously over the top.
Pull apart pieces and enjoy warm — just like at Dollywood!
Nutritional Information (per serving) 🧾
- Calories: ~285
- Carbs: 40 g
- Fat: 10 g
- Protein: 4 g
Variations 🌟
- Apple Cinnamon Bread: add apple pie filling between the slits.
- Cream Cheese Glaze: mix 2 oz cream cheese into the glaze.
- Extra Gooey: double the butter + sugar mixture.
- Chocolate Twist: sprinkle mini chocolate chips inside the cuts.
Tips for Perfect Cinnamon Bread 🔥
- Coat every slit with cinnamon sugar for maximum flavor.
- If dough shrinks while rolling, let it rest 5 minutes and roll again.
- Drizzle glaze while bread is warm so it melts into all the cracks.
Storing Tips 🧊
- Store at room temperature up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate up to 5 days.
- Reheat in microwave or oven for best softness.
- Freeze baked bread (without glaze) up to 2 months.
Conclusion 💛
This Easy Dollywood-Style Cinnamon Bread brings the iconic theme-park flavor right to your kitchen — buttery, warm, sweet, and unbelievably soft. A simple recipe with big, nostalgic flavor that everyone will love.
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