Christmas morning in my home is very relaxed — pajamas, movies and cozy music. A few years ago, my mom and I decided to try making this pull-apart cinnamon roll snowflake, and it’s been part of our Christmas morning ever since. Now it’s the kind of thing we look forward to every year.
This pull-apart cinnamon roll snowflake is my idea of the perfect holiday breakfast: beautiful enough to sit at the center of the table, but easy enough that everyone can just tear off a piece and go back for seconds. It looks intricate, but it’s surprisingly simple, which makes it such a joy to bake ❄️🎄
Ingredients
Dough
1 ½ cups warm whole milk (heated to 110°F)
4 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs + 2 egg yolks, room temperature
½ cup melted salted butter
6 cups bread flour (all-purpose works if that’s what you have)
1 ½ teaspoons salt (I use fine Celtic salt)
Filling
1 ⅓ cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
½ cup softened butter
Frosting
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Optional: powdered sugar for dusting
Directions
Stand Mixer Instructions
Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Add the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and melted butter. Mix until combined.
Gradually add the flour and salt until a dough forms.
Attach the dough hook and knead on medium speed for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky but no longer sticking to the bowl.
Cover tightly and let rise in a warm place for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Bread Machine Instructions
Add all dough ingredients to the bread machine and select the “dough” setting.
Let the machine knead and rise the dough until doubled (about 1½ hours, depending on your machine).
Shape the Snowflake
Once risen, divide the dough into three balls: small, medium, and large.
On a very lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a circle.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the largest dough circle on the sheet.
Spread half of the softened butter evenly over the dough and sprinkle with half of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Place the medium dough circle on top and repeat with the remaining butter and cinnamon sugar.
Top with the smallest dough circle.
Cut & Twist
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place a round object about 2 inches in diameter in the center of the dough to use as a guide (a cookie cutter works well).
Starting from the center and cutting outward, slice the dough at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. Cut each section in half, then cut again to create 16 even sections.
Working with two sections at a time, twist the left piece counterclockwise and the right piece clockwise (twisting away from each other). Pinch the ends together.
Repeat all the way around to form the snowflake.
Bake
Bake on the center rack for 20 minutes.
Rotate the baking sheet and bake for another 5–10 minutes, or until golden brown and baked through. If needed, tent the edges with foil to prevent over-browning.
While baking, prepare the frosting by mixing all ingredients until smooth.
Let the snowflake cool for 5–10 minutes before frosting. Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve warm.
Optional: Classic Cinnamon Rolls
You can also use this same dough to make traditional cinnamon rolls.
Roll the risen dough into a large rectangle, about ¼ inch thick (roughly 12×18 inches).
Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough and sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Starting from the long edge, roll tightly into a log.
Cut into 12 even rolls using unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife.
Place rolls into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, leaving a little space between each.
Cover and let rise for 30–45 minutes, until puffy.
Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Cover loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
Let cool slightly, then frost and enjoy.
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