Cinnamon Roll Snowflake (Print View)

Golden cinnamon dough swirled with cinnamon sugar, twisted to snowflake shape and glazed with vanilla icing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk (approx. 110°F)
06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 1 large egg, room temperature

→ Filling

08 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
09 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Icing

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

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine warm milk, granulated sugar, and active dry yeast. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until frothy.
02 - Add melted butter, room temperature egg, and salt to the yeast mixture. Gradually incorporate the flour until a soft dough forms.
03 - Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
04 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
05 - Punch down the risen dough and divide into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch diameter circle.
06 - Place one dough circle on the lined baking sheet. Spread half of the softened butter evenly over it, then sprinkle half of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
07 - Top with the second dough circle and repeat the butter and cinnamon sugar layering. Place the third dough circle on top without any topping.
08 - Place a small glass in the center of the stacked dough circles. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 equal strips radiating outward from the glass without cutting through the center.
09 - Take two adjacent strips and twist them away from each other twice, then pinch their ends together to form a point. Repeat with all pairs to shape the snowflake.
10 - Remove the glass from the center. Cover the snowflake with a towel and allow it to rise for 15 minutes.
11 - Bake the snowflake for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
12 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth, then drizzle over the warm snowflake. Serve pull-apart style.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks stunning on the table but tastes even better than it looks, which is rare.
  • The pull-apart design means everyone gets to tear off their own piece, making it feel less like a dessert and more like an experience.
  • You can prep it the night before and just let it rise in the morning while your coffee brews.
02 -
  • The temperature of your milk matters more than you'd think; use an instant-read thermometer if you have one, and if it's too hot, let it cool for a minute.
  • Don't skip the second rise before baking, even though it's just 15 minutes, because it's what makes the final texture light and pillowy instead of dense.
03 -
  • Use a bench scraper or a thin, sharp knife to cut the strips, and make sure all 16 strips are roughly the same width so they rise and brown evenly.
  • Don't be afraid to let the dough get a little golden before you pull it out; the darker it gets, the more caramelized the cinnamon sugar becomes, which is not a bad thing at all.
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