Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Snowflake (Printable)

A festive snowflake-shaped cinnamon swirl with soft dough and sweet 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 tsp active dry yeast
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk (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 tsp ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Icing

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

# Steps:

01 - Combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes until frothy.
02 - Add melted butter, egg, and salt to the yeast mixture. Gradually stir in flour until soft dough forms.
03 - Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
04 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
05 - Punch down dough and divide into 3 equal portions. Roll each into a 12-inch circle.
06 - Place one dough circle on baking sheet. Spread half the softened butter over it, then sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar mixture.
07 - Top with second dough circle, spread remaining butter and cinnamon sugar.
08 - Place third dough circle on top.
09 - Place small glass in center of dough stack without cutting through it. Cut dough into 16 equal strips radiating from glass.
10 - Take two adjacent strips, twist away from each other twice, then pinch ends together. Repeat for all pairs to form snowflake.
11 - Remove glass. Cover snowflake with towel and let rise 15 minutes.
12 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
13 - Cool for 10 minutes. Whisk icing ingredients until smooth and drizzle over warm snowflake. Serve pull-apart style.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks absolutely showstopping but the technique is surprisingly forgiving once you get the hang of it.
  • Everyone at the table gets warm, gooey cinnamon-swirled pieces without fighting over who gets what part.
  • The whole thing comes together in under two hours, which means you can pull this off even on a busy morning.
02 -
  • If your dough rises too slowly, your kitchen might be cold—stick it in the oven with just the light on, or above a radiator, and it'll wake right up.
  • The glass in the center keeps the snowflake from collapsing while you cut and twist, so don't skip it or you'll have a mess instead of a masterpiece.
  • Cutting all the way through the layers without wobbling takes confidence—use a really sharp knife and let it do the work rather than sawing at it.
03 -
  • Your yeast needs to be recent and fresh—if it's been sitting in your cupboard for a year, spring for new stuff or your dough will be lazy.
  • The twisted points look more impressive if you keep your hands slightly damp while working; it prevents sticking and gives you better control when twisting.
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