Sweet Sticky Pull-Apart Bread (Printer-friendly)

Tender dough balls coated in cinnamon sugar and butter, baked golden in a bundt pan for a sweet pull-apart treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk
06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 2 large eggs

→ Coating

08 - 1 cup granulated sugar
09 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Optional Glaze

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
13 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add warm milk, melted butter, and eggs. Mix until a soft dough forms. Knead by hand or with a mixer for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
02 - Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
03 - In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Place melted butter in a separate bowl.
04 - Punch down the dough and divide into 40 small pieces, approximately 3/4 ounce each. Roll each piece into a smooth ball.
05 - Dip each dough ball first into the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Arrange the coated balls evenly in a greased bundt pan.
06 - Cover the bundt pan and allow the dough balls to rise for 20 to 30 minutes until slightly puffed.
07 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
08 - Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a serving plate.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over warm bread before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Every piece pulls away golden and gooey, so there's no cutting involved—just tearing and eating straight from the pan.
  • The dough is forgiving and doesn't demand a baker's precision, making it perfect for a relaxed weekend morning.
  • Watching people's faces light up when they see it come out of the oven never gets old.
02 -
  • The dough rises best in actual warmth—a cold kitchen means waiting much longer, so don't rush this step.
  • If you let it cool too long before unmolding, the caramelized sugar on the bottom hardens and won't release cleanly; timing matters here.
  • Serve it warm while the butter is still melting into the bread, because once it cools completely, the magic fades.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is cold, set the dough in a proofing box, on top of a heating pad, or even in a cooler with warm water underneath—slow and steady rising beats rushing with high heat.
  • Brown the butter in a small pan before coating if you want deeper flavor and a more sophisticated finish.
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