This festive, pull-apart cookie butter cinnamon star bread is a true showstopper for the holidays. It combines a soft, fluffy enriched dough with a creamy cinnamon cookie butter filling and a light dusting of powdered sugar. The result is an impressive, easy-to-make centerpiece for holiday brunch or an afternoon treat. Serve slices warm with coffee or tea for a memorable seasonal bite.
The recipe is approachable for home bakers: the dough is enriched but not fussy, and the shaping method creates a dramatic star without complicated equipment. It’s a great option when you want something that looks special but can be completed in a single day with a single rise. The cookie butter filling gives the bread a rich, spiced flavor that pairs beautifully with the sweet dough.
This version is adapted from a sweet roll dough technique commonly taught in pastry classes, simplified for home kitchens. Instead of a traditional cinnamon-sugar filling, cookie butter is combined with cinnamon for a spreadable, intensely flavorful layer between the dough rounds. The filling is easy to warm and spread, and the whole loaf bakes up golden and tender.
Sweet bread ingredients
The ingredients are straightforward pantry staples with one specialty item: cookie butter. You’ll need whole milk, active dry yeast, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, eggs, kosher salt, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, powdered sugar for serving, and cookie butter for the filling. Most of these items are likely already in your kitchen or easily found at any grocery store.
Sweet dough
Although the finished bread looks elaborate, the dough is simple to make and forgiving. It’s actually less fiddly than many filled dough recipes because it requires only one rise and no refrigeration between steps. Follow these basic steps:
- Warm the milk and combine it with a little sugar and the yeast. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy to ensure the yeast is active.
- Mix in softened butter, vanilla, one egg, and salt. Add flour gradually until the dough starts to form.
- Knead the dough for 5–7 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, about 45–60 minutes.
How to shape the bread
Poke test
To check if your dough has been kneaded enough, use the poke test: press your finger lightly into the dough. If the indentation fills in slowly, the gluten has developed properly. If the indent remains, knead a bit longer and test again.
Storing & freezing
Store any leftover bread tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days. To freeze, wrap the cooled bread well in plastic wrap or parchment and place it in a freezer bag or container for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature and warm gently before serving if desired.
Overnight option
If you’d prefer to prepare ahead, make the dough the evening before and let it rise slowly in the refrigerator. Cover it tightly and refrigerate overnight; in the morning, let the dough come to room temperature and complete the shaping and baking steps. This approach works well on busy mornings when you want fresh-baked bread with less hands-on time.
If you try this recipe, leave a rating and review — feedback is always appreciated and helps others decide whether to bake this star bread.
Cookie Butter Star Bread
Ingredients
Sweet Roll Dough
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed to 110°F
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature, divided
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + more for dusting
- Powdered sugar, for serving
Cookie Butter Filling
- 6 Tablespoons cookie butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Sweet dough
- Whisk warm milk, sugar, and yeast together and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy. Add softened butter, vanilla, one egg, and salt. Mix in three cups of flour until the dough begins to form.
- Knead using a dough hook or by hand for 5–7 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky. Add more flour 2 tablespoons at a time if the dough is too sticky, up to about 3 1/2 cups total.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 45–60 minutes.
Cookie butter filling
- Stir cookie butter and cinnamon together until smooth. Warm briefly in 20-second intervals until spreadable, stirring between intervals as needed.
Assemble & bake
- Punch down the risen dough and divide it into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Use a plate or bowl to trace a uniform circle if needed, and trim the edges cleanly.
- Place one dough circle on parchment and spread 2 tablespoons of the cookie butter mixture over it. Top with a second dough circle and repeat two more times, finishing with the plain fourth circle on top.
- Place a 2-inch round object in the center and cut 16 even strips from the edge of the center to the outer edge, leaving the center intact. Work by cutting the dough into quarters and then dividing each quarter into four strips for even pieces.
- Take two adjacent strips, hold one in each hand, and twist them twice in opposite directions. Press the ends together to seal and form a point. Repeat around the circle to create eight star points.
- Transfer the assembled star on the parchment to a baking sheet. Cover and let it rest in a warm spot for about 20 minutes until slightly puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water for an egg wash and brush the surface of the star. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and an instant thermometer reads about 190°F in the center.
- Cool briefly on the counter, dust with powdered sugar, slice, and serve warm with coffee or tea.
Notes
Be sure the yeast is active by proofing it in warm milk with a little sugar; it should foam in 5–10 minutes. If it does not foam, replace the yeast. Warm milk to about 105–110°F for best results.
Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free space. If your kitchen is cool, place the dough in the oven with the oven briefly warmed and then turned off to create a cozy rising environment.
To prevent excessive browning on the bottom, bake the bread on a parchment-lined sheet pan on the middle rack. If the bottom browns too quickly, place a second pan underneath to diffuse heat.
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Calories: 365 kcal
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