Cinnamon Twist Bread

Over the weekend, I spoiled myself. Not only did my childhood friend come to visit–with her beautiful 8-month pregnant belly–but I drank two frothy cappachinos.

Normally, I take my coffee black. Or with the most meager splash of almond milk.  But after a hard week, whole milk with two shots of espresso sounded very very good.

And they were good. Exactly what I needed. As was this cinnamon twist bread–a twisty, yeasty experiment that turned out beautiful and delicious.

I also bought flowers. Because who doesn’t like filling blank spaces with the gentle opening of pink buds? For four dollars, I filled two vases with roses, and all weekend, I marveled at their delicate and glorious deaths.

Espresso and flowers. Cinnamon and sleeping cats. These were the things that make up the quiet moments of my busy life. This week, I’m baking 200 cookies for a UT event and madly finishing two novels for my Tuesday and Wednesday classes.

No doubt, I’ll be drinking more cappacinos and treating myself with buttery and flakey pastries. I’m going to need a lot of both this semester.

This dough should be made the night before you’re ready to bake your twists. While it might seem a bit taxing, preparing the dough ahead of time makes for a much easier morning. I rolled out of bed at 6 am on Saturday and placed the dough on the counter while I returned to sleep for an additional hour. By 9:30, I had two beautiful cinnamon twists ready to share with my husband and friends.

This cinnamon twist bread is a special and different expression of the morning classics–cinnamon, sugar, butter, and yeast. It made everyone ooh and ahh (always good, right?) and left everyone eager for one more piece. In the recipe below, I’ve linked to a great pictorial tutorial that can help sort the following words into reality.

Cinnamon Twist Bread

6 1/4 cups (28 oz) all-purpose flour

1 Tbs kosher salt

6 Tbs granulated sugar

5 tsp instant yeast

2 cups + 2 Tbs lukewarm milk

1/2 cup melted butter (unsalted)

zest of 1/2 lemon

3 Tbs ground cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

up to 4 Tbs melted butter, for brushing

1. To make the dough, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of stand mixer. Whisk the yeast into the milk until dissolved, then pour the mixture into the dry ingredients, along with the butter and lemon zest. Use the paddle attachment to mix the ingredients on the lowest speed for about 1 minutes, or until the dough starts to form a soft, shaggy ball.

2. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium-low speed for about 4 minutes, adding more flour or milk as needed to create a smooth, soft, slightly sticky ball of dough. Increase the speed to medium and mix for an additional 2 minutes, or until the dough is very soft, supple, and tacky, but not sticky.

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 1 minute, then form it into a ball. Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days.

4. On baking day, remove the dough from the refrigerator about 3 hours before you plan to bake. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap or a lint-free kitchen towel, and allow to rest for about 20 minutes.

5. On a well floured counter, roll each ball of dough into a 12 x 15 inch rectangle. To form a rectangle, roll from the center to the corners, then out to the sides. If the dough starts to resist or is shrinking back, let it rest for 1 minute then continue rolling. The dough should be between 1/4 and 1/2-inch thick.

6. Make the cinnamon-sugar mixture by whisking the cinnamon and nutmeg into the sugar. Brush the surface of the dough with the melted butter over the dough, and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over the surface, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Roll up the dough like a rug, rolling from the long-side of the rectangle to form a tight log.

7. Using a sharp knife, cut  down the length of the log so that it splays open, showing the many layers within. Place halves side by side, with cut surfaces facing up. Moisten one end of each portion with wet fingers. Push the ends together to join the two pieces of dough. Braid pieces together. Shape into a ring and fit into a greased 8 or 9-inch pan. Brush with additional melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

8. Bake Cinnamon Twist Bread  in a preheated 350 F oven for 25-35 minutes. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

44 thoughts on “Cinnamon Twist Bread”

  4. Eileen

    Delicious coffee is absolutely necessary for the crazy first few weeks of school! (And, er, the rest of school…) This cinnamon bread sounds like the perfect accompaniment!

  10. Wendy Irene

    The way you twisted the bread looks so pretty. I love how the creases catch the cinnamon. I adore flowers. They immediately lift my spirits and make the home come alive. Wishing you a beautiful day, Monet!

  11. Brian @ A Thought For Food

    I’ve had this post up all day… I have been trying to find the time to read it and have just found the moment to sit down and take a look.

    I’m so glad that you had such a lovely weekend. It sounds like it was full of good company and food. And we need to spoil ourselves every once in a while. In fact, I’m going to buy some flowers tomorrow… something I never do. Thank you for the inspiration.

  13. rita cooks italian

    I love your cinamon twist bread Monet! Perfect with an Italian Cappuccino (eh, eh!). I’ve tried several times to bake a similar bread but I ended up producing a bread with sugar (similar to a bread loaf rather than a teatreat!). Well Done Monet.

  16. Mary

    That bread looks insanely delicious. I love everything about this post. Spoil yourself every chance you get! You will never regret doing any of those things. Have a blessed day.

  21. Terra

    I love splurge weekends!!! It sounds like your weekend was perfect:-) Your cinnamon twist bread looks gorgeous! I have been wanting to make a fun challenging bread. I love homemade bread, it makes me so happy, and the house always smells fantastic when making bread:-) I love your bread recipe! Hugs, Terra

  22. baker street

    I don’t bake very often with yeast but this does happen to be a recipe I’ve tried. I love the buttery cinnamon-y filling here. A warm chunk is just the perfect beginning to any morning. Love your pictures, M. 🙂

  25. Baking Serendipity

    Your weekend sounds fantastic, and I love your treats to self. Little things make me so much happier about the regular routines of the week. And this bread would be a definite treat. I love it!

  27. Jessie

    Sometimes, you absolutely need cinnamon twist bread and coffee with fun additions — especially if it’s your cinnamon twist bread! I like baking scones when I’m feeling blah. The amount of chocolate in them is an accurate gauge of how blah I feel at the moment 🙂

    Good luck with your work, Monet!

  29. Gina

    Ooh and aah is right, I love a yeasty cinnamon bread in the morning. I’m glad you were able to treat yourself. Your kitty is so sweet. Enjoy the rest of your week.
    -Gina-

  32. Jeanette

    Oh, wonderful. A company used to make something like this and called it Swedish Tea Roll (recipes I’ve seen for it looked nothing like it) But THIS does! I’m so hoping it is, because the company is gone, and I still crave that braided ring of yeasty cinnamon.

  38. Tammy

    Oh my goodness, everything on your blog looks soooo good.
    Do you have your recipe for snickerdoodle cake posted anywhere? And also what kind of pastry dough did you use for your Strawberry swirl tarts? Thanks so much Monet keep those recipes coming they are fabulous!

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