Go Back
–+ servings

Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Bread

This Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Bread takes everything you love about warm, gooey, cinnamon rolls and turns it into an easy to share loaf. Buttery layers of soft dough are folded with cinnamon sugar and baked until golden, creating tender, pull-apart layers in every bite. Drizzled with a silky cream cheese glaze that melts into every nook and cranny.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 10

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with dough hook (or strong hands!) - for mixing dough.
  • Mixing bowls - for brown sugar filling and cream cheese icing.
  • Saucepan or small pot - for mixing tangzhong.
  • Whisk - for stirring tangzhong.
  • Long ruler or measuring tape (optional) - - to measure the dough.
  • Rolling Pin - to roll dough out.
  • Pizza wheel or pastry wheel - - to cut dough into sections.
  • Kitchen scale (optional) - for accurate measuring, especially helpful with sourdough baking linked here.
  • Measuring cups and spoons - if not using a scale and for smaller ingredients.
  • Spatula - to spread the cinnamon sugar.
  • 9x5-inch loaf pan - to bake your loaf. This USA pan linked here is my favorite for baking.
  • Parchment paper - to line your pan to avoid burning and easily remove the bread.
  • Small metal clips (optional) - to clip the parchment to the pan linked here.
  • hand beaters - to beat cream cheese icing.

Ingredients
  

Tangzhong:

  • 2½ (20g) Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ (75g) cup whole milk

Dough:

  • All of the tangzhong
  • ⅓ (90g) cup sourdough discard (100% hydration)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ⅓ (75g) cup whole milk
  • ¼ (50g) cup granulated white sugar
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2¾ (340g) cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ (8g) tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 (7g) tsp instant yeast see FAQ's for how to use active dry yeast
  • 6 (85g) Tbsp unsalted butter softened

Sourdough Discard Swap:

  • 3 (45g) Tbsp whole milk
  • 6 (45g) Tbsp all-purpose flour

Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

  • 6 (85g) Tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • ⅔ (130g) cup brown sugar
  • 1½ Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 (8g) Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 tsp fine sea salt

Cream Bath:

  • 3 (45g) Tbsp heavy cream

Cream Cheese Glaze:

  • 2 (56g) oz full-fat cream cheese softened
  • 2 (28g) Tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 1 (120g) cup powdered sugar
  • 6-8 Tbsp whole milk or half and half
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • ⅛ tsp fine sea salt

Instructions
 

Step 1: Mix the Tangzhong

  • Before you get started on mixing your dough, you'll make your tangzhong. Whisk milk and flour together in a small saucepan.
    2½ (20g) Tbsp all-purpose flour, ⅓ (75g) cup whole milk
  • Cook the tangzhong over medium/low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a paste that is similar to pudding (about 2–3 minutes). For precision, use your digital thermometer and heat to 148-155 F. Do not overheat, or your mixture will be too thick.
  • Scrape into a bowl immediately to prevent further cooking, cover, and let cool to room temperature before adding to your dough.

Step 2: Mix the Dough

  • In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, add the tangzhong, sourdough discard, egg, egg yolk, whole milk, white sugar, instant dry yeast, and vanilla. Whisk all the wet ingredients until smooth.
    All of the tangzhong, ⅓ (90g) cup sourdough discard (100% hydration), 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, ⅓ (75g) cup whole milk, ¼ (50g) cup granulated white sugar, 2 (7g) tsp instant yeast, 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • Sourdough Discard Swap: If you're using extra milk and flour to substitute the discard, add the milk with the wet ingredients above and the flour with the dry ingredients below.
    3 (45g) Tbsp whole milk, 6 (45g) Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients, and transfer to the stand mixer and knead on Speed 1 or knead by hand for about 3-4 minutes until the dough comes together.
    2¾ (340g) cups all-purpose flour, 1½ (8g) tsp fine sea salt
  • Once the dough has come together, add the softened butter slowly by the Tablespoon. Once you've mixed in a Tablespoon, add another until all of the butter has been worked into the dough.
    6 (85g) Tbsp unsalted butter
  • Mix the butter into the dough with the stand mixer set to Speed 1, or you can do this by kneading the butter in slowly by hand. The dough should me smooth and slightly sticky.

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation

  • Spray a clean mixing bowl large enough for the dough to double in size with cooking spray, and transfer the dough to the bowl covering it with a lint-free kitchen towel or lid. Allow the dough to rest 20 minutes.
  • After the 20 minute rest, knead the dough by hand for a minute or two to get the dough even softer and to work the gluten. Once you've finished this kneading step, cover the bowl again.
  • Allow the dough to rest about 1 1/2 hours at room temperature and the dough is ~75–90% risen. You don't want this dough to proof double fully at this rising point.
  • If the dough proofs sooner than the time I mentioned, shape it. You want to watch the dough to make sure it doesn't overproof at this stage!

Step 4: Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling

  • Make sure your butter is completely softened before mixing the cinnamon sugar filling.
    6 (85g) Tbsp unsalted butter
  • Add the butter to a mixing bowl, then add the brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and salt.
    ⅔ (130g) cup brown sugar, 1½ Tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 (8g) Tbsp all-purpose flour, 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
  • Using a spatula, combine all of the ingredients until you have a smooth spreadable paste. If the butter is really hard to mix, pop it in the microwave for about 10 seconds (not longer) to soften it to make the filling easier to mix.

Step 5: Shape the Bread

  • Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan, and fit it with parchment paper (leave some overhang so you can pull the bread out of the pan). This will keep the loaf from sticking to the pan.
  • On a lightly floured surface, turn your dough out and roll the dough into a 12×16-inch rectangle. This doesn't need to be perfect!
  • Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border around the edges.
  • Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough lengthwise into four 3-inch-wide strips.
  • Next, cut each strip crosswise every 4 inches to create four rectangles per strip. You will have 16 rectangles, each measuring approximately 3×4 inches.
  • Fold each rectangle in half like a taco with the cinnamon filling tucked inside, creating a 3×2-inch folded piece.
  • Layer each section filling upright into the pan until all the sections are snuggly fitted into the pan.
  • Cover the pan loosely with plastic and let rise for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the dough is noticeably puffy and the highest layers rise just above the rim of the pan.
  • This rise is key to a light loaf so don't rush it!

Step 6: Bake the Bread

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Right before you bake your bread, pour the heavy cream over the top to give the loaf extra moisture.
    3 (45g) Tbsp heavy cream
  • Make sure you put a baking sheet on the rack below your loaf to catch any drips or spillage from the cinnamon sugar bubbling.
  • Transfer the bread to the preheated oven, and bake for roughly 45-50 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil during the last 10–15 minutes.
  • The bread is done with the bread portion feels firm to touch and the center should register 190–195°F.
  • Allow the bread to cool while you whip up your cream cheese icing.

Step 7: Make the Cream Cheese Glaze

  • Place the cream cheese and softened butter in a bowl, and beat on high with hand mixers until smooth.
    2 (56g) oz full-fat cream cheese, 2 (28g) Tbsp unsalted butter
  • Add the vanilla, powdered sugar, and salt to the bowl, and beat into the icing.
    1 (120g) cup powdered sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
  • Beat milk 1 Tablespoon at at time in to the glaze, until the consistency is runny and can easily drizzle on top of the bread. If the icing is really thick and you need a more thin consistency, you can also warm in the microwave for 15 seconds and beat again for a thinner texture.
    6-8 Tbsp whole milk or half and half
  • Remove the bread from the pan, and drizzle the icing over the top of the warm bread. Serve and enjoy!
  • Yields 1 loaf

Notes

How to Store:
Room Temperature: Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Warm individual pieces in the microwave for 15–20 seconds before serving.
Refrigerator:  Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Warm individual pieces in the microwave for 15–20 seconds before serving.
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?
Yes! Swap it 1:1 (2 1/4 tsp or 7g). Bloom the active dry yeast first by mixing it with the milk from the recipe and a pinch of the sugar. Make sure you warm the milk first in the microwave until warm to touch. Add the yeast and whisk, then let it sit 5–10 minutes until foamy, then add it in with the wet ingredients and continue as written. The dough may take slightly longer to rise (about 15–30 minutes more), but the texture will still be soft and fluffy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 472kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 6gFat: 22g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!