No Knead Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread. All the sticky deliciousness of cinnamon rolls but with none (and I really mean none) of the effort! It needs about 10 minutes of hands-on time and will totally fit around your schedule. It can be ready in a couple of hours or you can leave it to rest in the fridge overnight & bake it up in the morning. It makes THE perfect brunch!
This No Knead Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread is just incredible and what makes it even more incredible is that it takes literally zero effort.
You do not have to knead it at all. Not even once. It does all the hard work itself while you do quite literally nothing.
If you have made my No Knead Focaccia Bread you will know how easy and how good it is. Well, this No Knead Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread is adapted from that recipe and is even better because it involves lots of cinnamon and sugar. Perfect for those of you with a sweet tooth like me!
It's kind of a cinnamon roll x monkey bread hybrid and is absolutely perfect for brunch.
If you plan to be up early you can mix it up that morning. All it needs is 2 hours to do it's stuff but that time is all hands off. Or you can mix it up before you go to bed and leave it in the fridge all night for anything from 8 to 10 hours.
It's such a flexible recipe which is a major part of it's appeal.
How to make No-Knead Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread
This easy bread recipe is virtually no-fail. If you follow my instructions exactly you will get great results.
It is made in just a few easy steps (see my video).
Step 1 - First you mix the dough in a bowl with a spoon, or in a stand mixer if you want to, then cover and leave it to do its thing for anything from 2 - 10 hours. You can go put your feet up or sleep!
Step 2 - Then you pull off lumps of dough, dip them in melted vegan butter (or choose my oil-free option), roll them in cinnamon sugar and put them in an 8 x 8 or similar pan.
Step 3 - Leave it to rest for 30 minutes then bake and frost if you want to. It's great with or without frosting.
That's it.
While it bakes your house will smell wonderful, and when it emerges from the oven your mouth will be watering. It will be bubbling, sticky, sugary and delicious.
It is soft, crusty and chewy all at the same time and in all of the right places. Where the balls of dough conjoin it's super soft, the tops are slightly crusty and the underneath (my personal favourite part) is chewy and caramely.
If you choose to frost it then it gets over-the-top sticky and delicious. Like seriously irresistible.
This No Knead Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread is absolutely made for sharing and enjoying with family and friends.
Put it on the table in front of them and watch them tear it apart in seconds and fight over any remaining pieces. You have been warned. It will happen. It's that good.
I am loving this No Knead Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread because:
- It's really easy to make!
- You can fit it around you schedule
- It can easily be made ahead
- For a no knead bread it can be ready pretty quickly
- There's an oil-free option (although I do highly recommend the full-on buttery option! )
- It can easily be doubled to feed a crowd
- It's soooo sticky and delicious!
- Everybody loves freshly baked bread!
Be prepared to wow your family and friends with this easy and incredibly delicious no-fail No Knead Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread!
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No Knead Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
Author:
Ingredients
- 500g / 3 ¾ cups + 4½ teaspoons all purpose flour or bread flour , cups measured by spooning the flour into the cups and levelling off with the back of a knife - do not scoop and do not compact the flour down by pressing on it as you fill the cup (in the UK use strong bread flour)
- 1 tablepsoon instant yeast or quick rise yeast , NOT regular active yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 240mls / 1 cup unsweetened milk of choice , it must be unsweetened as any change in the sugar content will affect how the recipe works.
- 120mls / ½ cup cold water , straight from the tap is fine
- 60 mls / ¼ cup maple syrup , real natural maple syrup and not a processed flavoured syrup as it will affect how the recipe works
- 70g / ½ packed cup dairy-free butter , melted (measured before melting). See recipe notes for an oil-free option)
- 100g / ½ cup sugar , cane sugar or turbinado sugar is best
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
For the frosting (optional)
- 150g / 1½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 - 6 teaspoons milk of choice
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large bowl or in a stand mixer add the flour, yeast and salt. Mix them together so they are distributed evenly, then add the milk, water and maple syrup. Mix until all the flour is combined and you have a sticky dough, making sure you get right into the bottom of the bowl. Then cover with cling wrap.If you wish to leave the dough overnight or all day before baking, put it in the fridge and leave it there for anything between 8 - 10 hours.If you want to make the speedier version, you can put the bowl on the stove top or next to it and set the oven on low so that the residual heat kicks the yeast into action (make sure it isn't in direct contact with the heat though. There should just be gentle warmth. Anything more could kill the yeast). If you do this it will need to be left for 2 hours (although up to 3 will be fine). If you just leave it on the kitchen counter with no warmth from the oven you should leave it for anything between 3½-4½ hours.
- Once the resting time has passed, line an 8 x 8 pan (or similar, it doesn't have to be exact) with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Melt the butter gently until liquid. Be sure it is at room temperature before you dip the dough in it or you could kill the yeast and affect how the bread turns out.
- Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl.
- Peel back the cling wrap and dust the dough with a sprinkle of flour and dust your hands too. Pull the dough away from around the edges of the bowl, then pull off chunks of dough about the size of golf balls. Roll them in your hands to neaten them up a bit although you don't have to worry about being too tidy.
- Dip each one into the butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar before placing in the pan. Repeat until all the dough is gone. Make sure all the balls touch each other in the pan. They should be nestled in there snugly.
- If you have any leftover butter, pour it over the dough in the pan, and spoon any leftover sugar mixture over too. It will be a little sludgy because of the butter getting mixed into it but that's fine.
- Cover the pan loosely with cling wrap, place it on the stove top or next to it, so that the warmth from the oven preheating can reach it and leave for 30 mins. If your dough was refrigerated, leave for 50 mins. Make sure it isn't in direct contact with the heat from the oven. There should just be gentle warmth. Anything more could kill the yeast.
- Once it's rested place in the oven and bake for 26 minutes. It should be puffy and if you used butter, it should be bubbling around the edges.
- Using the edges of the parchment paper, lift the bread out of the tin and onto a cooling rack. Be careful because any drips will be very hot. Leave for 10 minutes before frosting or serving.
For the frosting
- In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar and the vanilla. Gradually add the milk, stirring as you go to work out any lumps. 6 teaspoons should be plenty. You need much less than you imagine you will. One minute it will look like there is no-where near enough milk, the next it will be ok. You need it to be thick but pourable so you can drizzle it easily.
- While the bread is still warm and just before serving, drizzle over the frosting.
NOTES
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
R says
Can I use baking soda and ACV in stead of yeast?
Melanie McDonald says
This recipe has only been tested with yeast. You might be able to adapt it but it would need some major changes. You'd be much better off finding a similar yeast-free recipe that meets your needs than risking this one not working out.
Myra says
350f/175c fan assisted or regular? Making them now!
A Virtual Vegan says
Not fan assisted. Just regular.
Samantha says
Any suggestions on how to do this recipe with sourdough starter instead of dry yeast?
A Virtual Vegan says
Without testing it it's very hard to say. I'd probably start off with 100 grams of starter and 450 g of flour which would mean you'd need to use 190 mls of milk. Directions the same but timings, without having done it it's impossible to say. It will depend on the strength of your starter. I'd do it on a day when you're home and able to keep an eye on it. Once you've done it once you will know whether the amount of starter needs reducing to slow things down a bit. Because of the sugar in the dough you might need as little as 50 grams of starter. It will be a bit of an experiment.
Nina says
Loved this dessert! I decided to try 50% earth balance and 50% aquafaba. It tasted amazing. Im going to try all aquafaba next time to see the difference. Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm glad you enjoyed it Nina!
Kristen says
Oh my goodness, these were amazing! I’m normally terrified of anything involving yeast and rising, but these were so easy. I will definitely make again! Now that I’ve made two successful recipes in the last two days, I look forward to exploring other recipes on the site.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you so much Kristen! I'm really pleased you it. You should give my No Knead Focaccia Bread recipe a try too. It's even easier! Here it is: https://avirtualvegan.com/miracle-no-knead-focaccia-with-rosemary-sea-salt/
Sandra says
I only have easy bake yeast..... Will this be OK?
A Virtual Vegan says
Easy bake yeast is the same as instant or quick yeast so yes it will be fine!
Anne says
I'd love to make this recipe, since pretty much everyone is in lockdown right now. But is there anything else I can substitute the maple syrup with? Or can I skip it? How badly would it affect the product if maple syrup is missing? Hope you could answer this, thank you Mel!
A Virtual Vegan says
You can omit it but you will need to make up for the lost liquid. As maple syrup is quite thick I think 2 tablespoons of either water or more milk will do to replace it.
Peggie says
This recipe looks delish! Can it be made gluten free?? If so, how?
A Virtual Vegan says
No it can't be made gluten-free. It relies heavily on the gluten in the flour to work. You might be able to find a good GF no knead white bread recipe elsewhere and use it to make something similar to this recipe.
Shawna says
This cinnamon bread recipe is amazing. I would have never thought about using aquafaba instead of butter/oil to dip the bread in before rolling in cinnamon and sugar. Thank you for creating a wonderful recipe that’s vegan and oil free. It was a big hit with my friends and I will make it again for Christmas.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you all enjoyed it Shawna!
Beverly says
anyone tried butter, brown sugar & nuts in the bottom of the pan to make these caramelly? Do you think it would work?
A Virtual Vegan says
I haven't tried it but I'm sure it would work.
Cathy says
Hi! LOVE your recipes. This cinnamon bread sounds sooo good and easy! I want to make for office gifts this year - do you think I could put the "golf balls" (maybe 4-5?) into mini aluminum loaf pans, bake (for the same amount of time?), cool, frost, wrap up, refrigerate until I gift them? Or freeze? The recipients would have to take a roll out of the pan and microwave to eat, but they would still be delicious, right? Thanks so much for any suggestions.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Cathy!
That's a lovely idea.
Bread and bread-like things like this don't generally do too well in the fridge. They get dry and stale quickly.
I think they would freeze really well though and once defrosted they could be warmed in the pan in the oven at about 350 f for about 10-15 minutes, or in the microwave out of the pan.
As you are making them in smaller pans, baking time might be a bit less. Not much though because the balls will be the same size. I'd check them at 20 minutes.
Have fun and I hope your colleagues enjoy their gifts!
Cathy says
Well, I made the little loaves and they taste delicious! I froze and handed out to coworkers- they are all too nice to let me know if the bread didn't come out well when reheated lol. I froze and reheated for myself and my boyfriend just to try it, and we loved it! I might be a little biased, haha. I wish I could upload pictures to show you how they turned out. :) Thanks again for receipe and have a great holiday!
Patricia Giannelia says
I made these this week using the aqua faba option and they were AMAZING- even the next day. Also, there was more dough than the 8x8 pan so I put the rest in silicon muffin cups- two balls each, and they also were very good. Finally a healthier version of much missed pull aparts!
Melanie McDonald says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Patricia. Thanks so much for stopping by to leave feedback!
Randy Johnston says
Hove you tried using your vegan brandy butter instead of the frosting for this recipe . . . or maybe instead of the vegan butter??
Melanie McDonald says
I have not but that could be pretty amazing! I think I would use it instead of the butter when dipping the balls of dough before baking. I wouldn't use it as the frosting. But keep an eye on it when baking because the extra sugar in it might cause it to darken up a bit too much. You might need to tent it in foil towards the end to stop it getting too dark.
Then, when you make the frosting, you could then use brandy instead of the milk (you might need a bit less as it's thinner). I'm thinking some raisins or sultanas mixed into the dough would work really well with the brandy and cinnamon flavours too. If using, add them when you initially mix up the dough.
I might need to try this myself. It's a great idea!
Angeline says
Hi there, this sounds insanely amazing! Question though, is there an upper time limit to the slow rise in the fridge? Will it overrise if I make in the afternoon with my kids and let rise for tomorrow's breakfast? Or can I punch down before I go to bed and let rise in fridge overnight again? Many thanks :)
Melanie McDonald says
Hi Angeline, I haven't personally left this recipe for any longer than 10 hours, but I think it should still work ok. I've left other similar doughs when things have come up and they have been fine. As long as it stays in the fridge for the whole duration I doubt if it would over-rise. It really slows the yeast down. I wouldn't punch it down before bed unless it's looking huge. I doubt it will be. Just have a quick peek before you go. It's a pretty forgiving recipe and a great one for kids to make. They'll have fun rolling up the balls and dipping/coating them!
Kal says
These look great!
If I wanted to add in chopped/grated apple, which step would I do that? just after they're dipped in butter?
Thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
That's a good idea! I'd roll it into balls, dip and coat etc, put the balls in your pan then tuck the apple pieces between them, or you could push a piece of apple into the centre of each ball while you are forming them. Oooo I want to try this now!