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This festive Chocolate Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Wreath is light, soft, extra sweet, cinnamony, and SO delicious. It even has a bit of melted chocolate. Serve this right out of the oven while the bread is still sticky and warm. This bread is melt in your mouth good…and oh so impressive. It’s also simpler than you’d think to make. Plus, it’s always a crowd pleaser during the holidays.
I had a perfectly good and very delicious recipe all set and ready to go for today, but…it just didn’t feel like the right recipe for the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.
So I changed things around and here we are with this pretty and oh so festive cinnamon sugar wreath. What’s the right recipe for the Tuesday before Thanksgiving? Who know, but this feels good to me!
It’s sweet, cinnamony, and extra delicious. It makes a yummy breakfast or dessert. It will of course be great for Thanksgiving morning (maybe while enjoying the Macy’s Day Parade?). But it’s equally awesome for the entire month of December.
What is a bread wreath?
I know this bread might look like it takes hours to make, but trust me, it’s really pretty simple. I used my favorite base brioche dough, so it’s really light and soft. You’ll roll the dough out with cinnamon sugar, cut it into squares, and arrange it in a tube pan.
What’s great about this pull apart bread is that while it’s a nice addition to your holiday brunch or dessert table, it also works as an afternoon snack that people can enjoy after coming in from the cold. It’s always nice to have something for people to graze on while chatting away.
The details
The dough is the simplest to make. Simply mix the yeast with warm milk and a small touch of honey. It’s important to let that mix sit for a few minutes to allow the yeast to “activate”.
Next, add the butter, eggs, flour, and salt. Mix until smooth and let the dough rest until doubled in size. Then it’s time to assemble.
While the dough rests, mix the filling
It’s super simple. I love to use a mix of brown sugar and cinnamon. The brown sugar adds a nice depth of flavor. And the cinnamon adds a nice cozy festive touch.
And of course, there’s the chocolate. You can leave it out, of course, but I think the mini chocolate chips add a little something special.
Once the bread has risen, simply roll the dough out, then spread with butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and chocolate. Cut the dough into squares, then layer the squares, and arrange in a tube pan. If you don’t own a tube pan, I’d recommend dividing the dough between two traditional bread pans. That works great too!
Let the bread rise until it’s puffy on top, then bake. Wonderful smells will waft from your oven…nothing really beats cinnamon sugar baking away.
Here’s the thing, you can’t stress if your unbaked bread dough looks a little crazy. Know that the layers of dough do not need to be perfect…just bake the bread. As soon as you pull this out of the oven you’ll be impressed. And no matter what, it’s going to be delicious.
The most important thing you must do? Serve the bread while it’s still warm and sticky and the chocolate is melty.
Very few things are more delicious. I’m already excited to bake this again…and I’ve made it five times in a three day span. Sooo, I will wait until the family shows up later in December for Christmas. But I really am excited to share it with the fam!
Looking for other cinnamon recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Cinnamon Knots with Coffee Icing
Easy Fluffy Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Latte Cupcakes with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Frosting
Lastly, if you make this Chocolate Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Wreath be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Chocolate Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Wreath
Servings: 10
Calories Per Serving: 518 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 3 1/2-4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups light or dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the milk, yeast, and honey. Let sit 5-10 minutes, until bubbly on top. Add 4 tablespoons butter, eggs, 3 1/2 cups flour, and salt. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. If the dough is still sticky, add the additional 1/2 cup flour, adding more as needed until the dough is smooth to touch.2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size.3. Meanwhile, mix the filling. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Butter a tube pan. 4. Transfer the dough to a work surface and cut into 4 equal pieces. Working with 1 dough piece at a time, on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle (roughly 14×10 inches). Spread 2tablespoons butter over the dough, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar and 2-4 tablespoons chocolate chips. Gently press the chips into the dough. Cut the dough lengthwise into 3 strips. Cut the strips crosswise into 4 strips each, making 12 squares (see above photo). Stack all 12 dough squares, 1 on top of the other. Repeat with the remaining 3 dough pieces and remaining butter. 5. Arrange stacks in the buttered tube pan, standing up like little books, allowing gaps between dough pieces (see above photo).6. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until the dough almost reaches the top, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake until the bread is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand in the pan 5 minutes, then carefully remove. Serve warm.
Does this freeze well? If not, how many days will it be soft for? Can I reheat?
Hi Hope,
Sure you could freeze this or keep in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Is there a bread machine recipe I could use for making the dough? This looks amazing!
Is there a way to assemble the night before and then just bake on Christmas morning?
Hi Elizabeth,
Yes, just assemble through 5 and then pop in the fridge covered to bake in the morning. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I’d love an answer to this too! Thanks!!
Hi Carolyn,
Sorry, I have never made this in a bread machine, I would just follow the recipe as is:) Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi,
Can you clarify how this can be made ahead of time? If you prep through to step 5, do you let it rise in the refrigerator overnight? While it is “easy” it is not really an easy breakfast item if you have to start it 2.5 hours ahead of time!
Thanks
Hi Taryn,
Yes, allow it to rise and then bring back to room temp in the morning before baking. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
As soonas I saw this, I knew we had to try it! The whole family loves it!
Hey Allison,
Thanks so very much for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
This looks as yummy as most of your recipes. I’ll make it today, after the turkey is in the brine.
Totally off topic: Is Red going to China for the Olympics? I so enjoyed watching him, and Asher was just amazing!
Hi Jan,
Thanks so very much! Yes, Red is going to China, we are so excited! xTieghan
I am confused with instructions in the printed recipe and instructions on line.
One says divide dough into 4 pieces and roll each out to 14×10 and spread sugar mixture and cut into squares to equal 12 squares, and do the same fit the other 3 parts of dough. The recipe on line just says to spread all of dough one time into 14×10 and spread sugar mixture on top and cut into 12 squares. So do you end up with just 12 squares into the tube pan or more when you divide dough into 3 parts which would give more layers
Hi Gayle,
You may have printed the recipe before I noticed a typo in the recipe, please follow the instructions as is:) I hope you love the recipe. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Could I use goats milk in this recipe?
Hey Ellen,
Totally, that will work well here. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
I am also curious about using instant yeast….? Thanks!
Hi Jan,
Yes, instant yeast is great to use as well, just mix with the flour, no need to proof the yeast. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Could you cut this recipe in 1/2 and make in a bread loaf pan?
P.S. Your recipes are amazing?
Hey Jan,
Yes, that should work well for you. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This looks delicious! Can you make it in a Bundt pan if you don’t have a tube pan?
Hey Sona,
Yes, that will work well for you! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Can this be made using instant yeast? Thanks.
Hey Heidi,
Yes, that will work, just add it with the flour. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Can this be made with gluten free flour? Any special tips?
Hey Beth,
I would follow the recipe as is and use an equal amount of GF flour. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Looks awesome!! Can I make this in a binder cake pan?
Hey there,
So sorry, I am not sure what a binder cake pan is? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Sorry. My typo. I was asking if a Bundt cake pan would work
Ohh sorry about that lol, I should have known! Yes, a bundt pan will work, you could also do 2 loaf pans! I hope you love the recipe:)
This looks amazing – can it be made the day before and then baked the next morning?
Im curious about this also!
curious about this too!
I’d love to know that too!
Came here just for this question! This would be PERFECT for a family brunch we’re hosting this Saturday but no way am I waking up at 4 am to bake! Lol. Looks delicious!
Hey Sarah,
Yes, assemble through step 5, cover and pop in the fridge, then bake as direct the next morning. I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
I was just typing this question out! I’m
not a morning person and don’t trust myself to measure anything before coffee.
Hi Salley,
Yes, totally fine to make this ahead, pop in the fridge, and then bake in the morning. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Hey Deborah,
You bet, just make through step 5 and then bake as directed. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Yum! What sauce would you serve with this? The cinnamon knots with coffee icing were amazing, but the icing really made them! Any ideas? Thanks xx
Hey Orella,
You could use that same icing if you like:) I hope you love the recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan