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Dollywood Cinnamon Bread (The Real Recipe)

This famous Dollywood Cinnamon Bread is soft and fluffy on the inside with a buttery cinnamon-sugar crust and an irresistably gooey caramelized bottom. Serve it warm with the luscious icing for dipping for the ultimate pull-apart treat.
5 from 1 vote
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Servings 0

Ingredients
  

Bread

  • 1/2 c warm water
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 c bread flour
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp salted butter melted and cooled

Topping

  • 1/2 c granulated sugar
  • 1/4 c light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 6 tbsp salted butter melted
  • 2 tbsp light corn syrup

Icing

  • 1 1/4 c powdered sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 2 tbsp salted butter
  • 3-5 tbsp whole milk

Instructions
 

  • Combine bread flour, yeast, sugar and salt to a bowl and whisk until combined.
  • To the bowl add warm water and melted butter. Mix until it starts to come together then knead on medium with a dough hook attachment if using a mixer or by hand for 8 minutes. The dough will be smooth and elastic-like.
  • Transfer to a bowl that's been sprayed with cooking oil, cover tightly and put in warm place to rise for 90 minutes. I like to preheat my oven to 200 and turn it off and then put the bowl in there.
  • Remove the dough, punch it down, knead a few times by hand then form it into about a 7" log. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes while you make the topping.
  • For the topping, in a medium mixing bowl whisk together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar and cinnamon.
  • In a separate dish (I use a deep 9" pie plate) add melted butter and light corn syrup. Whisk together. You want this runny, so if the butter starts to harden just place in the microwave for 20 seconds so it warms up and is runny again.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and make sure the rack is in the middle of the oven.
  • Once the bread has risen and is nice and puffy, score the top. Make 5 deep slits evenly across the short side of the loaf, cutting almost- but not quite - all the way through. The loaf will look like a delfated mess at this point.
  • Dip the loaf in the butter/corn syrup mixture, turning to coat in all the crevices. Then coat with the cinnamon sugar, making sure to get also get the mixture in all the crevices.
  • Place the loaf in a parchment lined 9x5 pan and dump any leftover butter/corn syrup and cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the bread. Make sure the parchment drapes beyond the edge of the pan for easy removal.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until intermal temperature is 190 degrees.
  • While the bread bakes make the icing. To a small sauce pot over low medium heat melt the butter. Add salt and powdered sugar along with 3 tbsp of milk (to start) and stir until the lumps are gone. Add more milk if needed to loosen. You want it pourable.
  • Remove bread from the oven and remove from the pan let cool for 15 minutes before pulling apart and devouring with the icing!
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