Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Snowflake (Printable)

Soft dough shaped into a snowflake, swirled with cinnamon sugar, baked golden and topped with sweet vanilla drizzle.

# 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 (about 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until frothy.
02 - Add melted butter, egg, and salt to the yeast mixture. Gradually incorporate flour until a soft dough forms.
03 - Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in 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 dough and divide it into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch circle.
06 - Place one dough circle on the prepared sheet. Spread half of the softened butter over it, then sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly.
07 - Place the second dough circle on top. Spread remaining butter and sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
08 - Top with the third dough circle.
09 - Place a small glass in the center of the stacked dough circles to serve as a guide, then cut the dough into sixteen equal strips radiating outward from the glass.
10 - Take two adjacent strips and twist them away from each other twice, then pinch the ends together to form a pointed tip. Continue this with all pairs to create the snowflake pattern.
11 - Remove the glass. Cover the snowflake loosely with a towel and let it rise for 15 minutes.
12 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until the dough is golden brown.
13 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Whisk together icing ingredients and drizzle generously over the warm snowflake before serving pull-apart style.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like edible art but tastes even better than it looks.
  • The whole thing pulls apart, which makes sharing it feel like an event.
  • Soft, pillowy dough that bakes golden and tender every single time.
02 -
  • Room temperature matters: cold egg and butter will create lumps in your dough and throw off the texture completely.
  • The twisting technique looks fussy but prevents the pieces from fusing together during baking, so you actually get that satisfying pull-apart quality.
  • Don't skip the short second rise after shaping; those 15 minutes let the twisted dough puff and separate so it bakes through instead of staying dense in the center.
03 -
  • If you're short on time, shape the snowflake, cover it tightly, and refrigerate overnight; it'll rise slowly in the cold and bake beautifully the next morning.
  • The icing should go on while the snowflake is still warm enough that it melts slightly and seeps into the crevices between the twisted pieces.
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