It's almost Christmas and this Vegan Cinnamon Sugar Star Bread needs to make an appearance. This bread looks impressive and will quite literally be the star of your holiday gathering.
While it's appearance is visually beautiful, it's actually very simple to make. This star bread is filled with cinnamon sugar and melted butter and tastes sooo delicious. It's similar to a cinnamon roll but less sweet and slightly delicate.
The beauty of this recipe is that it is a blank canvas. I went with cinnamon sugar because cinnamon reminds of Christmas but the filling options are endless. See below for some more sweet ideas!
When I say this recipe is simple, I really mean it! Once you make the dough all you have to do is roll it out into four 10in circles and then brush butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on three of the layers and stack them up with the top layer remaining plain. Then, slice and twist!! It's so simple and such a wonderful Holiday treat.
If you love this version, try the savory version! My Vegan Garlic Parm & Herb Star Bread is perfect for pasta nights or any time you have guests to impress.
Kitchen Essentials:
A stand mixer makes bread making a breeze but it's not necessary. You can easily do this by hand, it might just be a bit messier since this is a soft dough.
Main Ingredients:
- All Purpose Flour
- Instant Yeast
- Cinnamon
- Brown Sugar
- Vegan Butter
Substitutions:
I don't recommend making any substitutions to the dough itself. This recipe was tested multiple times and this was the best outcome. But the filling is up to you!
Filling Ideas:
- Vegan Nutella (add hazelnuts or walnuts for a crunch!!)
- Raspberry Jam, Strawberry Jam or Apricot Jam
- Chai spiced (all spice, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon) yummm!
- cardamom & brown sugar with some orange zest
- cinnamon sugar & chocolate chips
How To Make The Best Star Bread Every Time
Don't add too much flour to your dough. It will be a soft dough but it shouldn't stick to your hands when they are very lightly floured. Remember to lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin but that's all the flour you should need.
Don't stress about having the most perfect twists or circles. It'll look beautiful regardless! Make sure the circles are 10 inches and use your hands to shape them back into a circle if it becomes a little wonky during the layering process.
I always use and recommend instant yeast because you can add it straight to the dry ingredients and skip the extra step of activating it. If you want to use active dry yeast, go ahead but don't forget to activate it. The most important part of yeast is the liquid temperature. I always go with 120F-125F and highly recommend using a thermometer.
More Holiday Dessert Recipes
Recipe
Vegan Cinnamon Sugar Star Bread
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 ¼ cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons Instant Yeast
- 2 tablespoons Organic Cane Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup Plant Milk
- 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ cup Vegan Butter
Filling:
- 2-3 tablespoons Melted Vegan Butter
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the dough: Combine the all purpose flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt in to the bowl of a stand mixer. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can do this by hand. Combine the plant milk, apple cider vinegar, and butter in to a small pot on low heat. Take the milk mixture off the heat when it reaches 120-125F.
- Turn the mixer on low and slowly add the milk mixture in to the dry mixture. Beat on low for 3-4 minutes until the dough is combined and has pulled away from the sides. The dough should be very soft but not too sticky.
- Flour your hands and transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Cover with a towel or cling wrap and place in a warm spot to rise. Let rise for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Prepare the filling: Mix together cinnamon and brown sugar in a small dish. Set aside. Melt vegan butter in a separate dish and set aside.
- Assembling the Bread: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide in to 4 equal pieces. Use a rolling pin and roll each out in to a thin 10-inch circle. Place one of the pieces on a parchment lined baking tray and use your hands to ensure the circle shape remains. Brush the first layer with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Place another piece of dough on top of the first circle and repeat with more butter and cinnamon sugar. Repeat those steps one more time so that 3 of the circles are topped with filling and the top layer is plain without any filling. Place a 2 ½in cookie cutter or small dish in the middle of the dough to mark the middle of the star. Use a sharp knife to cut 16 even strips from the cookie cutter to the edge of the dough. Using both hands, grab two strips and twist them away from each other then press the ends together to make a point. You should have 8 points at the end of this step.
- Cover with cling wrap and let rise for 20 more minutes while the oven preheats to 350F. Brush with the remaining butter and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Let cool for a few minutes and then sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. Enjoy!
Rachel says
Can I allow the dough to rise overnight?
Liv says
Yes, just remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes before shaping.