This cinnamon pull-apart bread is soft, buttery, and layered with cinnamon sugar. Each piece pulls apart easily, making it great for sharing at breakfast, brunch, or whenever you want something warm and sweet.

Golden Brown cinnamon pull-apart bread in a loaf pan.

This cinnamon pull-apart bread has become one of my favorite weekend bakes. I first found the recipe on Joy the Baker and made a few changes to suit my taste. I reduced the butter and sugar and used skimmed milk instead of whole.

The bread comes out soft and fluffy inside, with a golden brown top and a light cinnamon-sugar coating. It’s perfect for festive occasions, easy breakfasts, or relaxed weekend brunches, just like my no-knead cinnamon rolls and baked cinnamon sugar donuts.

Recipe Highlights

  • Easy to make: No rolling, twisting, or complicated shaping.
  • Versatile: Bake a full loaf or make individual pull-apart muffins.
  • Make-ahead friendly: Prepare the dough in advance and freeze after the first rise or once shaped.
  • Crowd-pleasing: Soft, warm, and perfect for sharing.

Key Ingredients & Easy Swaps

  • Flour: All-purpose flour works well. I haven’t tested the recipe with other flours.
  • Sugar: I use granulated sugar in both the dough and the filling. You can swap it with raw or brown sugar for the filling.
  • Yeast: Instant or active dry yeast. If using active dry, activate it first by mixing with lukewarm milk and a tablespoon of sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy, then add to the dry ingredients with the rest of the wet ingredients.
  • Milk: I usually go for 2%, but whole milk will make the bread richer.
  • Eggs: Large, at room temperature for best results.

See the recipe card below for a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions.

How to Make Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

You can use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or knead the dough by hand.

  1. Prepare the dough: Combine about two-thirds of the flour with sugar, yeast, and salt. Warm the milk and butter just until the butter melts, then add in the vanilla. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir briefly. Add the eggs one at a time, then fold in the remaining flour. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
  2. First rise: Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.
  3. Make the filling: Stir the cinnamon and sugar together. Melt the butter for brushing.
  4. Assemble the bread: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently. Roll it out into a large rectangle, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar. Cut the rectangle into long strips, stack them, then slice into squares. Place the squares upright in a greased loaf pan. They don’t need to be perfectly even, the rustic look is part of the charm.
  5. Second rise: Cover and let the shaped dough rise until puffy. If your kitchen is cold, place a cup of boiling water inside the oven turned off to create a warm, humid environment.
  6. Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) until the loaf is golden. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil. Let the cinnamon bread cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Recipe Variations

  • Add-ins: You can add chopped pecans, walnuts, small apple pieces, fresh blueberries, dried cranberries, or chocolate chips between the layers.
  • Spices: Mix a little pumpkin spice or nutmeg into the cinnamon sugar.
  • Citrus sugar: Combine the sugar with lemon or orange zest for a fresh, bright twist.
  • Glaze: Drizzle the cooled loaf with a quick icing made from powdered sugar and milk.
  • Mini pull-apart muffins: Shape the dough into smaller stacks and bake them in a muffin tin for individual portions.

How to Make Ahead & Store

Storage: This bread is best on the day it’s baked, but leftovers keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Warm slices in the oven or microwave before serving.

Freezing: Once baked and cooled, freeze the loaf in an airtight bag for up to 2 months.

Make-ahead options:

  1. After the first rise, refrigerate the dough overnight. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling out.
  2. You can also assemble the loaf and refrigerate it before the second rise. Let it come to room temperature for 40-45 minutes before baking.
Two slices of soft cinnamon pull-apart bread on a white plate.

More Breakfast Recipes

If you’ve made this cinnamon pull-apart bread, leave a comment and rating below. I’d love to know how it turned out for you.

Close-up of cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread in a loaf pan.
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How To Make It: Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Resting Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Servings: 8
(5 stars) 12 ratings
This cinnamon pull-apart bread is soft, buttery, and layered with cinnamon sugar. It pulls apart easily and makes a great addition to any breakfast or brunch spread.

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 3 cups + 2 tablespoons (375 g) all-purpose flour divided
  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast
  • ½ cup + 1½ tablespoons (140 ml) milk
  • 3 tablespoons (40 g) unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling

  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter

Instructions

Make the dough

  1. You can use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (like I did) or knead by hand.
  2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together 2 cups + 2 tablespoons (255 grams) of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
  3. Heat the milk and butter in the microwave until the butter has just melted. If it gets too warm, let it cool slightly. Stir in the vanilla.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix for about 2 minutes.
  5. Add the eggs, one at a time, then fold in the remaining 1 cup (120 grams) of flour and mix until the dough is smooth. The dough will be very sticky, don't add more flour.

First rise

  1. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Prepare the filling

  1. In a small bowl, stir the sugar and cinnamon together. Melt the butter.

Assemble the bread

  1. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch (23x13x8 cm) loaf pan.
  2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth and no longer sticky, about 1 minute. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 5 minutes.
  3. Roll it out into a large rectangle, about 12×20 inches (30×50 cm). Brush with melted butter and sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar.
  4. Cut the rectangle into long strips, stack them, then slice into squares.
  5. Place the squares upright in the loaf pan. They don’t need to be perfectly even, the rustic look is part of the charm.

Second rise

  1. Cover the pan and let the dough rise in a warm place until it's almost doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.

Bake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Bake the cinnamon bread for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. If it browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.
  3. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes, then run a knife along the edges and lift it out.

Notes

  • Makes one 23x13x8 cm (9x5x3-inch) loaf. 
  • Yeast: You can use instant or active dry yeast. If using active dry, activate it first by mixing with lukewarm milk and a tablespoon of sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy, then add to the dry ingredients with the rest of the wet ingredients.
  • Milk: I usually use 2%, but whole milk will give a richer result.
  • Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days. Rewarm in the oven or microwave.
  • Freezing: Once cooled, freeze in an airtight bag for up to 2 months.
  • Make Ahead: Refrigerate the dough after the first rise, then bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping. Or assemble the loaf, refrigerate before the second rise, and let sit 30–45 minutes before baking.

Nutrition

Serving: 70 g, Calories: 217 kcal, Carbohydrates: 37.1 g, Protein: 4.4 g, Fat: 5.8 g, Saturated Fat: 3.3 g, Cholesterol: 40 mg, Sodium: 144 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 13 g
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #aseasyasapplepie. We’d love to see what you come up with!
Author: Elena Tomasi
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American