Description
A warm, cinnamon-swirled Christmas Bread that’s soft, festive, and perfect for holiday breakfasts, gifting, or seasonal celebrations. This easy recipe delivers bakery-quality results in under 2 hours.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 1/2 cups (420g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup (240ml) warm milk
- 1/4 cup (60ml) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (for filling)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (for glaze)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (for glaze)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–4 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl.
- Combine warm milk, melted butter, and beaten eggs. Add to dry ingredients and mix until dough forms.
- Knead 6–8 minutes on a floured surface (or 5 minutes in a mixer) until smooth.
- Place in a greased bowl, cover, and rise 1–1.5 hours until doubled.
- Mix softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and optional nuts or fruit for the filling.
- Punch down dough, then roll into a 12×18 inch rectangle.
- Spread filling evenly, roll into a log, and seal seam.
- Cut into 12–15 slices and place in a greased 9×13 inch pan.
- Cover and rise 30–45 minutes until puffy. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake 25–30 minutes until golden. Cool 10–15 minutes.
- Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Spread glaze over warm bread.
Notes
Warm milk ensures proper rising. Use floss to slice rolls cleanly. Freeze slices for up to 3 months for easy holiday breakfasts.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 65mg