Save to Pinterest There's something about the way cinnamon and warm yeast dough fill a kitchen on a cold morning that makes everything feel like a celebration. I stumbled onto this snowflake idea by accident—I'd rolled out three circles of dough and my hands were already sticky, so instead of stopping to start over, I just stacked them and started cutting. What emerged looked nothing like the traditional pinwheel, and somehow that made it better. Now this pull-apart beauty is what I reach for when I want to impress people without spending all day in the kitchen.
Last December, I brought this to a holiday open house and watched people's faces light up when they realized the whole thing came apart piece by piece. My neighbor said it tasted like Christmas morning, which sounds like the kind of thing people say to be nice, but she had icing on her chin and was already reaching for a third piece. I've never had a recipe get more phone calls asking for instructions.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: The foundation here—don't sift it unless you like your dough tough, just spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off.
- Active dry yeast: Check the expiration date before you start, because old yeast means no rise, and that's heartbreaking.
- Warm milk: Think bathwater temperature, not hot chocolate, or you'll kill the yeast before it even wakes up.
- Unsalted butter: Use it softened for the filling so it spreads without tearing the dough, and melted for the dough itself.
- Brown sugar and cinnamon: Pack the brown sugar actually tight in the measuring cup—loose measurements turn into gaps in your filling.
- Powdered sugar and vanilla: The icing is where the elegance lives, so don't skimp on the vanilla extract.
Instructions
- Wake up the yeast:
- Pour warm milk, sugar, and yeast into a bowl and let it sit. You're looking for a gentle foam on top, which tells you everything is alive and ready to work. If nothing happens, your yeast is done and you'll need to start over.
- Build the dough:
- Stir in butter, egg, and salt, then gradually add flour. Stop when you have a shaggy, slightly sticky dough—don't over-mix or you'll end up with something dense instead of pillowy.
- Knead with intention:
- Work the dough on a lightly floured surface for about five minutes. You want it smooth and elastic, with a slight spring when you poke it.
- Let it rise:
- Grease a bowl, nestle the dough inside, cover it, and find a warm spot. In about an hour, it'll double—that's your signal to move forward.
- Prepare the base:
- Punch down the dough to release the gas. Divide it into three equal pieces and roll each one into a twelve-inch circle on a clean surface.
- Layer the filling:
- Place the first circle on your baking sheet. Spread half the softened butter across it, then sprinkle half the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Top with the second circle and repeat with the remaining butter and filling. Crown it all with the third circle.
- Create the snowflake shape:
- Set a small glass in the very center of your dough stack—this acts as a guide and keeps you from cutting into the middle. With a sharp knife, cut straight outward from the glass toward the edge, creating sixteen strips radiating like snowflake points.
- Twist into magic:
- Take two strips next to each other and twist them away from each other twice. Pinch the ends together to form a point. Repeat this with every pair of strips until you have eight points, each one unique in its slight imperfection.
- Final rise and bake:
- Remove the glass, cover loosely with a towel, and let the snowflake rest for fifteen minutes. Bake at 350°F until the edges turn golden brown, about twenty-five minutes.
- Finish with elegance:
- Cool for ten minutes, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until you have a drizzle consistency, and pour it generously over the warm snowflake. Let people tear into it piece by piece.
Save to Pinterest The real magic happens when someone picks up their first piece and realizes the whole thing is designed for their hands. There's something generous about a dessert that asks people to touch it, twist it in their fingers, feel the warmth of the icing still melting on the dough. It stops being breakfast and becomes a moment.
Why This Shape Works
A regular cinnamon roll is wonderful, but it's solitary—you get one person one roll. The snowflake flips that idea on its head. By layering three thin circles instead of rolling one thick one, you get more surface area, which means more cinnamon-sugar throughout, and the twisting motion creates these pockets of filling in every piece. It's also naturally forgiving; if your snowflake looks a little wonky, that just means it's a real snowflake and not a machine-made one.
Timing and Temperature Tricks
Yeast wants consistency—a warm kitchen, warm milk, room-temperature eggs. I learned this the hard way one winter when my kitchen was cold and my dough barely budged in the hour. Now I turn on the oven for two minutes, turn it off, and let the residual warmth be my proofing box. The second rise is shorter because the dough is already strong from the first rise; it just needs enough time to puff slightly before it hits the oven.
Customizing the Filling
The cinnamon-sugar filling is perfect as written, but I've experimented with variations depending on what I have on hand. Chopped toasted pecans add a crack and richness. Raisins soften during baking and turn jammy. A pinch of cardamom instead of some of the cinnamon tastes like a Scandinavian morning. Even a sprinkle of fleur de sel over the icing before it sets is stunning—the salt against the sweetness is a revelation.
- Always use softened butter for the filling so it spreads without dragging the delicate dough.
- If you add extra ingredients like nuts or raisins, stay balanced—more than a quarter cup total and your layers get unwieldy.
- The icing tastes better with whole milk or a splash of cream mixed with water, but it's flexible like most good things.
Save to Pinterest This snowflake is proof that the simplest ideas sometimes create the most memorable moments. Make it once for yourself, and then make it for someone else—they'll understand what you mean.
Recipe FAQs
- → How do I shape the snowflake pull-apart?
Stack three rolled dough circles separated by cinnamon butter, cut into strips radiating from the center, then twist adjacent strips twice and pinch ends to form points.
- → Can I add nuts or fruit to the filling?
Yes, chopped toasted pecans or raisins can be mixed into the cinnamon sugar filling for extra texture and flavor.
- → What is the best temperature for proofing the dough?
Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free area around 75–80°F (24–27°C) until doubled, about one hour.
- → How do you achieve the soft, pillowy dough texture?
Proper kneading until smooth and elastic and allowing adequate rising time create a tender, airy dough.
- → Can I substitute heavy cream for milk in the dough?
Replacing half the milk with heavy cream enriches the dough, adding softness and flavor.