How to Make Flaky Homemade Star Bread with Cinnamon Filling

Tender, buttery, and scented with warm cinnamon and rich brown sugar, this Star Bread is a stunning holiday treat. The milk bread is soft and sweet with a tender, pull-apart texture, and the filling blends creamy butter, fragrant cinnamon, and molasses-like brown sugar for a cozy seasonal flavor.

The holidays are my favorite time for themed baking, and this star bread is a particular favorite. It’s both a showpiece and a comfort food: rich vanilla-scented dough, a soft crumb, and a gooey cinnamon-sugar filling create a memorable breakfast or dessert. Serve it warm and watch guests pull apart the slices.

What is Star Bread?

Star bread is a layered, pull-apart milk bread filled with a butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar mixture. Similar in flavor to a cinnamon roll but shaped like a star, it makes an impressive centerpiece for holiday brunches, dessert tables, or cozy coffee breaks.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Festive and elegant. The star shape makes it perfect for Christmas, New Year’s, or any winter celebration.
• Simple to prepare. The steps are straightforward and use basic baking techniques—mix, rise, layer, shape, and bake.
• Budget-friendly. Made from pantry staples, it costs far less than a bakery version.
• Bakery-quality result. The final bread looks and tastes like something from a professional shop, with flaky layers and a tender interior.

Star Bread Ingredients

All ingredients are common pantry items. Here’s what you’ll need:

• For the bread: whole milk, granulated sugar, instant or active dry yeast, all-purpose flour, sea salt, pure vanilla extract or paste, vegetable oil, and an egg yolk.
• For the filling: unsalted butter at room temperature, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon.
• For assembly: one egg, a little milk for an egg wash, and powdered sugar for dusting.

How to Make Star Bread

• Bloom the yeast. Stir warm milk, sugar, and yeast together and let sit 5–10 minutes until frothy.
• Make the dough. Combine flour, salt, vanilla, oil, and egg yolk, then add the milk-yeast mixture. Mix by hand, with a stand mixer, or in a food processor until a dough forms.

• Knead the dough. On a floured surface, knead 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add flour sparingly if it feels sticky.
• First rise. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot about 1 hour or until doubled.
• Prepare the filling. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Divide the dough. Punch down the dough and split it into four equal portions.

• Roll each portion. Roll one piece into a 10–12 inch circle and place it on parchment-lined baking paper.
• Add filling and stack. Spread about 2 tablespoons of butter over the circle and sprinkle a third of the cinnamon-sugar. Repeat with the next two layers, then top with the final rolled circle.
• Create the center. Press a small glass or cutter into the middle to leave a circular center untouched.

• Cut into segments. Slice from the outer edge toward the center to create 16 equal segments, leaving the center circle intact.
• Twist to form the star. Take two adjacent segments, twist them away from each other, and pinch the ends together. Repeat around the circle until the star is formed.
• Final proof. Cover with a towel and let the shaped bread rest 20–30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven. Heat to 350°F (about 175°C).
• Egg wash and bake. Whisk one egg with 2 tablespoons milk, brush the top, and bake 20–25 minutes until golden.
• Finish and serve. Cool 10 minutes on a rack, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm.

Tips for Success

• Rotate while baking. Turn the baking sheet halfway through if your oven bakes unevenly so the star browns uniformly.
• Milk temperature matters. Heat milk to about 110°F to activate yeast without killing it—an instant-read thermometer helps.
• Use real vanilla. Pure vanilla extract or paste gives the best flavor.
• Room-temperature eggs. Eggs at room temperature incorporate more easily, giving a lighter dough.

How to Store

Wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container. It will keep 2–3 days at room temperature, about 5 days refrigerated, or up to 3 months frozen. To reheat, bake at 350°F for 15 minutes on a baking sheet, loosely tented with foil.

More Holiday Desserts to Try

• Easy Carrot Cake with Sugared Cranberries
• The Best Pecan Pie
• Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake
• Cherry Cheesecake
• Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
• Nutella Puff Pastry Christmas Tree

Star Bread

Star bread is a sweet, moist, pull-apart milk bread filled with butter, warm cinnamon, and brown sugar.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

For the Bread:

• ¾ cup milk, warmed to 110˚F
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2½ teaspoons yeast (instant or active dry)
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg yolk

For the Filling:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the Assembly:

• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons milk
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

• Combine warm milk, granulated sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Stir gently and let sit 5–10 minutes until frothy.
• Add the yeast mixture to the flour, salt, vanilla, oil, and egg yolk. Mix until a dough forms.
• Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
• Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise about 1 hour or until doubled.
• Mix brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling while the dough rises.
• Punch down the dough and divide into 4 equal portions.
• Roll one portion into a 10–12 inch circle and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Spread 2 tablespoons butter over the circle and sprinkle one-third of the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with two more layers, then top with the final circle.
• Press a small glass into the center to leave a circular indentation, then cut the dough into 16 equal segments, leaving the center intact.
• Take two adjacent segments, twist them away from each other, and pinch the ends together. Repeat around the circle.
• Cover and let the shaped star rise 20–30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
• Whisk one egg with 2 tablespoons milk and brush the top of the bread. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
• Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm.

Equipment

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Stand mixer or food processor (optional)
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheet
• Chef’s knife or pizza cutter
• Small glass or biscuit cutter for the center

Notes

• Store leftovers wrapped in plastic in an airtight bag: 2–3 days at room temperature, about 5 days refrigerated, or up to 3 months frozen.
• To reheat, place on a baking sheet, tent lightly with foil, and bake at 350˚F for 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 306 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 45 g |
Protein: 6 g |
Fat: 11 g |
Sugar: 15 g

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Values may vary by ingredients and equipment.