Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

I love cinnamon. It has a spicy, delicious scent and flavor that are enhanced when it's heated.

When cinnamon is paired with sugar, the greatest invention (after butter), magical things happen. Babies laugh. Fireworks explode. Angels sing.

All of my favorite things come together in this cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread. It's buttery, cinnamony, and sugary. It pairs perfectly with cream cheese glaze. 

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

Yields: 1 9x5 loaf

Dough:

2 3/4 cups flour (I used half bread flour and half AP flour)
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp butter
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla extract


Filling:
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 tbsp butter, melted

***I just put all the dough ingredients in the bread machine and let it mix and rise***

1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. 

2. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and milk together. Once the butter is all melted together with the milk, remove from heat and add the water, vanilla, and eggs. Let it cool until it is pretty warm to the touch. Add this to the flour mixture and mix. 

3. Place in a greased bowl, covered and in a warm place, for 40-45 minutes. 

4. Mix the cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg in a small bowl. 

5. Once the dough is done rising, roll out on a lightly floured surface to be about 25x20. Spread the melted butter across the dough and then spread the cinnamon sugar mixture across. Cut into six strips then each of those into six squares. 

6. Put these squares in a greased 9x5 pan in small bunches to make it easier. Preheat oven to 350. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. 

7. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Eat it hot out of the oven! Enjoy with some cream cheese drizzle glaze. 

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

These have Andes Mints in them

Confession: I have never made a really good chocolate chip cookie. I've found recipes that make perfectly acceptable warm cookies, although admittedly when they would cool down they were usually a little crunchier than I wanted. I've always made cookies that were good with milk and all that... but they just weren't perfect.

But don't worry, because I have made the perfect chocolate chip cookie.

These cookies are unbelievably chewy and they stay that way for days! The only reason they lasted that long is I'm the only person left in my apartment.

The secret to keeping them chewy for days?

Cornstarch!

Whooda thunk it?

Also, for those of you who have asked, the secret to preventing cookies from sticking is using a silicone baking liner. You can get them just about anywhere. I always leave it in my cookie sheet, because it makes the bottom of everything perfectly golden and never burn!! It's magic. 




This recipe is seriously foolproof. It was so simple. I'm eating one right now and I'll probably eat about 3 more in the process of writing this post. Foodie probs. This recipe is from Sally's Baking Addiction. 

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yields: 3 dozen scrumptious cookies

• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, (I put Andes Mints in mine, and I've also done crushed up Oreos)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until it's light and fluffy. Taste a little. That's the best stuff in the whole world. Mix in the egg and the vanilla and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. 

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (don't add the chocolate chips yet). Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients slowly until it's incorporated. Add the chocolate chips, or whatever you want, really! 

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (It's worth it-- they come out in better shape and texture). 

Drop in 1 tablespoon scoops on a cookie sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes and DO NOT BAKE THEM FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUTES or you will regret it and be sad forever. They may look like they're not done, but they are! I promise!

Eat all you can, and if there are any left, store them in an airtight container for up to 10 days. I doubt they'll last that long!

I made a new post about Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies!