Dollywood cinnamon bread is the whole reason people happily wait in the Grist Mill line, where the park sells around 350 loaves an hour and mills the flour right there on site. This easy copycat leans on a loaf of frozen bread dough, so you can pull that same buttery, cinnamon sugar loaf out of your own oven without the drive to Pigeon Forge.
If you have ever stood in that line, you know it is not really about the bread. It is about the smell: cinnamon and butter and hot sugar. I grew up on my mother’s country baking in southeast Texas, so I have a soft spot for a loaf that does not try to be fancy, and this one delivers. Here is exactly how I make it, step by step, with the recipe card waiting at the bottom.
What you’ll need
Six simple things, most of them already in your kitchen: a one pound loaf of frozen bread dough, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, salted butter, powdered sugar, and a splash of milk for the glaze. That is the whole list, and the frozen dough is what makes this copycat so easy.
How to make Dollywood cinnamon bread
Step 1: Mix the cinnamon sugar
Start by stirring the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon together until it is evenly blended. Having the cinnamon sugar mixed and waiting makes the buttery, messy part go fast, and you want to move quickly once the butter is on.
Step 2: Thaw and slit the dough
Set the thawed loaf on your work surface and cut several deep slits across the top, stopping before you go all the way through. Those slits are what let the butter and cinnamon sugar get down into the loaf, which is the whole secret to that pull-apart texture.
Step 3: Butter, coat, and layer it into the pan
Brush the loaf generously with melted butter, working it right into every slit, then press cinnamon sugar over the whole thing. Nestle it into a parchment lined loaf pan, sprinkle on any leftover cinnamon sugar, and let it rise for about 30 minutes while the oven heats to 300 degrees. Do not be shy with the butter. It is what carries the cinnamon sugar into the bread and gives you those gooey edges.
Step 4: Bake, then mix and drizzle the glaze
Bake for about 40 minutes at 300 degrees, turning the pan halfway, with a sheet pan on the rack below to catch any buttery drips. While it is still warm, whisk the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth and pour it all over the top. Let it cool just a little before you pull it apart, if you can manage to wait that long.
Dollywood Cinnamon Bread
A super easy copycat of the Grist Mill favorite: frozen bread dough, cinnamon sugar, butter, and a quick glaze. Makes 1 loaf, about 6 servings.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pound frozen bread dough, thawed
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk (or water or fresh lemon juice)
Instructions
- Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with baking spray. Stir the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.
- Set the thawed dough in a shallow dish and make 5 deep slits across the top, without cutting all the way through.
- Brush generously with melted butter, then press about a third of the cinnamon sugar over it and into the slits.
- Turn it over, butter that side, and press in another third. Flip once more, drizzle with butter, and add most of what is left.
- Set the loaf cut side up in the pan, sprinkle on any remaining cinnamon sugar, and moisten the top with the last of the butter.
- Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Bake 40 minutes, turning halfway, with a sheet pan below to catch drips. Cool 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.
- Whisk the powdered sugar and milk smooth and pour over the warm bread. Cool slightly before serving.
Prep 15 min · cook 40 min · cool 10 min · total about 1 hr 5 min · 6 servings · roughly 470 cal per serving (estimated).
How to serve it
Serve it warm, with the glaze still glossy. This Dollywood cinnamon bread works as both breakfast and dessert, so I put it out with coffee in the morning or a scoop of vanilla ice cream after dinner. It fits right in with the rest of our bread and roll recipes and our breakfast recipes. If you love a pull-apart, try our cinnamon roll monkey bread next.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep leftover slices wrapped at room temperature for up to five days, or freeze the loaf for up to three months. Reheat a slice about 15 seconds in the microwave and it comes right back to that fresh, soft texture. For another sweet bake, our dulce de leche cinnamon rolls are a good next stop.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make Dollywood cinnamon bread without frozen bread dough?
Yes. Any basic homemade bread dough works. The frozen loaf is just the shortcut, and the more buttery the dough, the better the result.
What can I use instead of the glaze?
A cream cheese glaze is lovely here, or you can skip it entirely. The bread is plenty sweet on its own from the cinnamon sugar.
Is this a breakfast or a dessert?
Both. Coffee in the morning, ice cream at night. Here is Dollywood’s official site if you are planning a trip to the Grist Mill.
