Dollywood’s Famous Cinnamon Bread
This recipe for Dollywood’s Famous Cinnamon Bread was released by the iconic singer herself. It’s made at the Grist Mill and loved by all visitors to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge Tennessee. Now you can make this cinnamon bread treat anytime you like at home!
Easy Dollywood’s Famous Cinnamon Bread Recipe
This pull apart bread is served at the Grist Mill inside Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s beloved theme park located in Pigeon Forge Tennessee. It’s a dense yeast bread by design and visitors look forward to buying a freshly baked loaf and enjoy pulling it apart in chunks to eat while walking around in the park. It’s sweet, sticky and worth every calorie!
How to Make Dollywood’s Famous Cinnamon Bread
- Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Dollywood’s Cinnamon Bread: Bread flour, active dry yeast, granulated sugar, salt, melted butter and lukewarm water.
- You’ll also need ground cinnamon and granulated sugar to make the coating plus melted butter mixed with light corn syrup.
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: A stand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, large bowl, small bowl, whisk, parchment paper, cooking spray, cooling rack and two 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.
- You can make this bread by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer with a dough hook. It will take some elbow grease but the rule of thumb is to knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic.
- Check the date on the yeast and make sure it’s fresh before you begin the bread making.
- If the yeast mixture doesn’t foam up and proof throw it out and start again.
- The coating for this bread is sugary and sticky. Due to this don’t skip lining the loaf pans with parchment paper, it’s imperative for getting it out of the pans once baked.
- This recipe makes two smaller loaves. Feel free to double the recipe for more servings!
- Can I use frozen bread to make Dolly’s cinnamon bread? You could! You’ll need one 1 pound loaf of frozen bread dough, if time doesn’t allow making the bread dough from scratch.
- Please note: This bread doesn’t puff up like a typical loaf of yeast bread. In fact, it’s a rather flatter type of bread. If yours doesn’t puff up, it doesn’t mean anything is wrong, it’s the nature of this recipe.
- This is a more dense type of homemade cinnamon bread and not a fluffy, light and airy bread.
- Dolly’s recipe doesn’t call for rise time just before baking. Once dipped in the butter-corn syrup mixture and coating with cinnamon and sugar, you put it into the loaf pans and bake it immediately. It’s at this point that you can cover and let rise for 45-60 minutes, if desired.
- When cutting the slashes into the top of the bread, use a super sharp knife and cut deep but not all the way through to the bottom. Try not to use a sawing motion instead make quick slashes. The bread will deflate.
- Dollywood’s Famous Cinnamon Bread is best made and eaten while warm. Should you have any left over (you won’t!) wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave in single servings.
More Easy Bread Recipes to Make
- This Cheesy Garlic and Herb Bread doesn’t require any bread making at all.
- Serve this Dutch Oven Artisan Bread with soups and stews or for sandwiches.
- Easy Irish Soda Bread is a must make for St. Patrick’s Day.
- Cinnamon Roll Bread drizzled with a vanilla cream glaze.
- Ooey gooey Praline Pecan Monkey Bread is a party favorite.
- No yeast is required to make my easy Beer Bread Recipe.
- Sweet Praline Apple Bread is simply delicious.
- Cloud Bread from Wonky Wonderful.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Dollywood’s Famous Cinnamon Bread
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 177kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water (110-115°F)
- 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar plus a pinch divided use
- 1 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled
- cooking spray
- Cinnamon Sugar:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter (6 Tbsp) melted
- 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
- Glaze:
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 3 Tbsp milk or heavy cream (or lemon juice) plus additional as needed to thin
Instructions
- To Make the Bread: In a small bowl or measuring cup combine warm water, yeast and pinch of granulated sugar. Allow the mixture to sit until foamy, about 5-8 minutes. (If it doesn't get foamy throw it out and start again.)
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, sift together bread flour, remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, salt and melted butter. Once the yeast mixture is foamy, add it to the ingredients in the bowl. Switch to the dough hook, knead on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
- Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Transfer the dough ball to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 90 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch it down, then transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times. Cut it in half and gently shape into two 3×6-inch loaves, don't overwork the dough. (The shape will be rectangular)
- Place the loaves on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm environment until puffy, about 45-60 minutes.
- To Make the Cinnamon Sugar: In a shallow bowl or plate, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk melted butter and corn syrup until blended.
- Line two 8×4-inch loaf pans with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides to lift bread from pan. Uncover bread dough and use a sharp knife to cut four deep slashes across the top of each loaf without cutting all the way through. (The loaves will deflate).
- Dip each loaf in the butter-corn syrup mixture, coating it completely. Next, coat evenly with the cinnamon-sugar mixture making sure all crevices are completely saturated. Pour any leftover butter and cinnamon sugar on top.
- To Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
- Lift the bread out of the loaf pans using the parchment paper overhang and let cool until just warm, about 15-20 minutes.
- To Make the Glaze: While the bread cools, in a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar, salt, melted butter and 3 tablespoons milk until smooth. (Whisk in up to 2 more tablespoons of milk if needed to thin out the glaze.)
- Drizzle the glaze on the warm loaves or serving any extra on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Although the original recipe doesn’t suggest this, after coating the bread in butter and cinnamon-sugar and placing into the loaf pans (at Step #7) you can cover the pans with a damp towel and let them rest and rise again for 45-60 minutes before baking.
- To make Dollywood’s Cinnamon Bread with Frozen Bread Dough:
- Thaw one pound of frozen bread dough and let rise until doubled in size, per the package directions.
- Divide in half, shape into rectangles and begin recipe at Step #4.
- Please note: When using frozen bread dough, you may want to allow time for the bread to rise again prior to baking. (Step #7)
- Frozen bread dough will result in a fluffier loaf.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 212IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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Can you sub all purpose flour for bread flour?
If you prefer.
Would this recipe work with gluten free flour?
I haven’t tested it but let us know if you try it!