All I want for Christmas this year is this Cinnamon Star Bread to come out of the oven and eat it straight away. Did I say that I have no patience waiting for baked goods to cool down? Well, for this recipe is not that bad if you eat it warm!
Don’t get fooled by the looks of this twisted bread, it’s easier to make than you think. So if you can use a knife to cut down the strips of dough, you’ll have this recipe ready in no time!
Star Bread Fillings
The thing I love most about this recipe is the variety of options you have for the filling. The most important thing to remember is to top each layer lightly. It will spill out everywhere if you go to heavy on the filling.
- My favorite one is cinnamon sugar and butter.
- A close second is the Nutella or jam filling – 1 tbsp on every layer. You can warm Nutella in the microwave a little bit to be easier to spread.
- However, you can also make a savory version by reducing the sugar in the composition to 1 tbsp. For example, fill the star bread on every circle with 1 tbsp of pesto, tomato sauce or your favorite shredded cheese.
Make Ahead Instructions:
You can make the dough ahead of time by chilling it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer after punching down the air in step 4. You should skip step 3 until you’re ready to shape the star bread.
When ready, thaw the bread overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Then remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for 20 minutes. After that, punch down the dough once more and continue with step 5.
How to make Christmas Cinnamon Star Bread
- Make a simple dough with 7 ingredients and let it rise for 90 minutes. Then punch it down to release the air bubbles.
- Divide the dough in 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into circles. Layer them on top of each other with filling between each.
- Shape the star bread. Cut any scraps to make an even circle. Make an indent with a 8 cm round bowl. Cut 16 even strips and twist 2 at a time away from each other. Gently press the ends together.
- Let it rest 20 minutes, brush with egg wash and then bake.
- After baking, dust some powdered sugar on top to bring out those winter vibes – it will make it look like a genuine snowflake.
The texture of the dough is so soft, buttery and fluffy you’ll want to keep it all to yourself. But this time of year is all about sharing, so enjoy it with all your friends and family. You can check out my other delicious dessert recipes – Maple Syrup Cut-Out Cookies, Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Easy Chocolate Nutella Babka with Sugar Syrup.
Christmas Cinnamon Star Bread
Ingredients
For the dough
- 7 g instant dry yeast
- 3 tbsp granulated white sugar
- 180 ml milk plus 15 ml for egg wash
- 60 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 290 g flour all-purpose
- 1 tsp salt
For the filling
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 50 g granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp powdered sugar to serve
Instructions
- In a large bowl add yeast and sugar. Heat milk until warm to touch and add it in the bowl. Whisk to combine. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it proof for 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy (that's how you know your yeast is still active).
- Add butter, 1 egg, flour and salt. Mix the dough for 5 minutes. Add 1-2 tbsp flour if it's too sticky to handle. Form into a ball, place it in a bowl greased with butter and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a slightly warm environment to rise for about 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Mix the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon to make the filling. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air.
- Divide into 4 equal pieces and place on a floured work surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a 25 cm circle. Place the bottom circle on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Top with the filling – 1 tbsp very soft butter, then sprinkle ⅓ of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Layer the remaining circles and filling on top. The last one doesn't have filling on it. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut any scraps around the edges to make an even circle. Place an 8 cm round bowl in the center and make an indent. Then, cut 16 strips from the edge to the edge of the bowl – first, cut quarters, then divide each quarter in 4 strips. Using both hands, grab two strips and twist them away from each other twice, then press the two ends together to make a point.
- Cover the shaped bread with plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes. To make the egg wash – beat 1 egg with 1 tbsp milk. Brush the star bread with egg wash. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.
- Dust powdered sugar on top and enjoy warm.
