Believe me when I say Dollywood cinnamon bread is the best-tasting cinnamon bread in the entire world.
The bread itself is ridiculously soft, moist, and buttery. It’s so fluffy and soft, it almost melts in your mouth.
Then, it’s coated with cinnamon sugar, making it wonderfully sweet, crunchy, and ooey-gooey.
It’s no surprise it’s the most coveted theme park food known to man.
Fortunately, there’s no longer a need to fall in line to get a loaf of this irresistible bread. Just head to the kitchen, and let’s get started.
Dollywood Copycat Cinnamon Bread
When it comes to theme park food, Dollywood goes above and beyond.
The theme park has a wide array of food offerings, but only one reigns supreme: the cinnamon bread.
Fortunately, the recipe is available for us to try!
Read on to learn how to make sinful cinnamon bread successfully at home.
Where to Find Cinnamon Bread at Dollywood
You can find this masterpiece of a loaf over at the Grist Mill.
You can’t miss it, as it is the park’s best-smelling area. It’s also always packed with people eagerly waiting for their orders.
The bakery also offers bread and cookies and jellies and jams, but everyone goes there for the cinnamon bread.
In fact, they serve a whopping 350 loaves of cinnamon bread every hour. That has to be a world record!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make Dollywood’s famous cinnamon bread:
For the Bread:
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the bread with a crisp, sugary crust.
- Cinnamon: Provides a warm, spicy flavor that’s essential to the bread.
- Frozen Bread Dough: The convenient base that makes preparation easy.
- Melted Butter: Helps the sugar and cinnamon stick, adding a rich flavor.
For the Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar: The key to a smooth, sweet topping.
- Water or Lemon Juice: Adjusts the glaze’s consistency and adds a tangy note.
How to Make Dollywood Cinnamon Bread
Let’s get started on this bread! Just like Dolly’s recipe, this one uses frozen dough for convenience.
But I take it up a notch by rolling the dough into swirls, creating layers of sweet cinnamon in every slice.
1. Prep two loaf pans and mix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
2. Roll and season the dough. Cut the thawed dough into four pieces and roll each into a rectangle. Brush each with melted butter, then evenly sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mix on top.
3. Roll and rest. Roll these sheets into logs and place two in each pan, side by side. Let the dough rest and proof for 30 minutes or until it doubles in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the loaves for 35 minutes.
5. Prepare glaze. While they bake, mix powdered sugar and liquid for the glaze.
6. Cool and glaze. Once baked and slightly cooled, drizzle loaves with the glaze. Then, serve and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Bread
Perfect your Dollywood cinnamon bread with these baking tips!
- Don’t over-proof the dough. Over-proofed dough will only collapse because its gluten structure has been weakened.
- Don’t underproof the dough, either. If you bake it too soon, chances are, the dough hasn’t produced enough carbon dioxide to expand yet.
- Bake at only 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Baking at a high temperature will burn the sugar.
- Turn the loaves around halfway through baking. Even if your oven is fairly new, don’t skip this step. This ensures that the bread will bake evenly.
- Cover the pans loosely with foil if the tops start to brown too soon.
- Test for doneness with a thermometer. It should have an internal temperature of between 195 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Have leftover bread? Turn it into French toast or blueberry French toast casserole the following morning!
How to Store Cinnamon Bread
With its delightful aroma and taste, cinnamon bread makes a wonderful gift for any occasion.
Learn how to store your leftover cinnamon bread to savor its freshness for days.
To Store: Wrap cinnamon bread in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. Or, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.
To Freeze: If you plan on freezing your cinnamon bread, don’t glaze it yet. Double-wrap it in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for 2-3 months.
More Bread Recipes You’ll Love
Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
Paula Deen’s Cinnamon Rolls
Condensed Milk Bread
Hawaiian Banana Bread
Honey Beer Bread
Dollywood Cinnamon Bread
8
servings15
minutes35
minutes301
kcalDollywood cinnamon bread is sweet, crunchy, and so amazing! Learn how to make it and get tips for the best cinnamon bread you’ve ever had.
Ingredients
- For the Bread
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 (1-pound) loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
- For the Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons water or fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Grease 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans with butter or vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Slice the thawed dough into 4 equal portions. Roll out each quarter into a rectangular sheet. Brush the sheets with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Roll the sheets into logs. Place two logs into one loaf pan side by side. Make a few slits across each loaf, careful not to slice all the way through.
- Brush the loaves generously with melted butter, coating all the nooks and crannies. Sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.
- Let the loaves rest for 30 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Top the loaves with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture, if any. Bake the bread for 18 minutes. Turn the pans around and bake for 17 more minutes, or until the tops are golden.
- While baking, prepare the glaze. Stir together the sifted powdered sugar and liquid until smooth and lump-free.
- Let the loaves cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Drizzle the glaze while the loaves are still warm.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Hey Kim, the picture shown with this recipe does not look like the instructions given. The picture looks like canned cinnamon rolls stacked vertically in a loaf pan in two columns.
Hi Dolores! I’ve clarified how to make this loaf in the post.
Essentially, you’ll make mini cinnamon roll logs, place them together in a loaf pan, then bake.
That way, when you slice them, you get the fun swirl!
Hope this helps!