Star Bread

For a festive treat to bring together the family during Christmas, you will want to have this easy star bread recipe handy! This delicious cinnamon bread isn't just tasty but also eye-catching, with an impressive star shape, tender, buttery dough, and warm cinnamon sugar filling. It will surely be the highlight of the dessert table!

Jump to:

• 🌟 Why this is the best recipe
• 📝 Ingredient notes
• 👩‍🍳 How to make this recipe
• 👩‍🍳 Storage & freezing
• 📚 Flavor variations and substitutions
• 🎓 Expert tips to make Star bread brioche
• 🥣 Equipment notes
• ❓Recipe FAQs
• 👩‍🍳 More sweet bread recipes
• Star Bread

🌟 Why this is the best recipe

1. It is easy to make - Although star bread looks complicated to assemble, it is one of the easiest recipes!
2. No unique ingredients required - The best thing about star bread ingredients is that they are all staple pantry items!
3. It is versatile - There are countless ways that you can customize this recipe with different star bread fillings and flavors. 
4. It is the most delicious - I use the highest quality star bread ingredients and the best technique to produce the most buttery, fluffy, mouthwatering bread.

📝 Ingredient notes

1. Milk - Use whole milk with 3% fat for the best texture and flavor. The milk needs to be lukewarm.
2. Sugar - A small amount of granulated sugar is necessary to add sweetness to the bread. You will also need sugar to make the filling.
3. Yeast - I prefer fresh yeast; however, you can use active dry yeast or instant yeast. It is important to calculate the correct quantity since it can vary between brands. Read my yeast guide to help with conversions.
4. Egg - You need three room-temperature eggs: Two large eggs for the brioche and one for the egg wash. 
5. Flour - Use high-protein content bread flour for a light, airy, and chewy texture. You can also use regular all purpose flour if necessary.
6. Salt - Salt is an essential ingredient that helps balance the sweetness. Avoid adding the salt directly to the yeast, as it will kill it.
7. Butter - Always use unsalted butter so that you can be in complete control of the amount of salt that goes into the recipe. I like to use European-style butter with 82% fat content. The butter for the bread should be at room temperature but not melted or runny. You will also need a small amount of melted butter to glaze the bread at the end.
8. Ground cinnamon - Cinnamon gives the filling a delicious, warm flavor.
9. Powdered sugar - Powdered sugar puts a sweet finishing touch on the bread. To avoid lumps, use a sifter!

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all Ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post

👩‍🍳 How to make this recipe

1. How to make the brioche dough

1. Heat half of the sugar with the milk only until lukewarm. Do not let it get too hot. Remove it from the heat, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it sit for approximately 10 minutes, after which the yeast should foam.
2. Move the yeast to the mixing bowl of your stand mixer and attach a kneading hook. Add two eggs and begin to mix.
3. Next, add the flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt while the mixer kneads the dough. It should come together in approximately three minutes. 
4. Piece by piece, add the softened butter while the mixer runs. Then, continue kneading the dough for approximately 10 minutes at medium-high speed. Once the dough becomes elastic and shiny, you can stop kneading.
5. Move the kneaded bread dough into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size. 
6. Next, knock the air out of the dough and reshape it into a bowl. Place it in the fridge again for at least eight hours (preferably overnight) to rise again.

💡 Top Tip: If the yeast does not start to foam within 10 minutes, the milk may have been too hot and killed the yeast. It will likely not rise then, and you must begin again.

2. How to assemble and bake the star bread

1. The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into four equal pieces. Roll the first piece into a thin, 30cm/12-inch circle over a lightly floured surface.
2. Next, combine the sugar with the cinnamon.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then move the dough circle onto the sheet. Sprinkle ⅓ of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough, leaving a border of approximately 1cm/0.5 inches.
4. Roll out the second dough ball the same size and place it on top of the first. Sprinkle it with sugar in the same manner. Continue until you have placed the 4th dough circle, then gently press the border of the dough circles together until sealed all around.
5. To cut and shape the Christmas cinnamon star bread, place a round cookie cutter in the center of the dough. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the circle into quarters. Then, cut each quarter in half and cut each of the halved pieces into half again. When finished, you should have 16 small triangles connected at the center.
6. To create the star shape, take two strips next to each other and twist them three times in opposite directions from each other. Then, pinch the ends together. Repeat around the circle until you have eight sets of twists.
7. Next, cover the dough star with a kitchen towel and let it sit for 1-2 hours to rise a third time. It should double in size.
8. As you reach the end of the proofing time, preheat your oven to 180C/356F.
9. Mix one egg with a splash of milk or water, then lightly apply the egg wash across the dough.
10. Bake for approximately 45 minutes until golden brown.
11. Remove the star bread from the oven, brush a small amount of melted butter over the top, dust with powdered sugar, and enjoy!

💡 Top Tip: For ease of shaping the dough and preventing sticking, use a silicone baking mat. 

👩‍🍳 Storage & freezing

To store, place in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can also put it in the fridge to keep it fresh longer.

To freeze, wait until the star bread has cooled completely to room temperature. Then, wrap it in plastic, followed by aluminum foil, and store it in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven until warm throughout.

📚 Flavor variations and substitutions

Give your star bread a different flavor profile with a hint of vanilla extract or other spice blends, such as pumpkin spice or allspice.

Instead of a cinnamon-sugar filling, use a light layer of cream cheese, my chocolate namelaka, caramel filling, or homemade Nutella spread. You can also use fruity fillings like jam or caramelized apple topping. To make your star bread savory, try filling it with pesto, melted cheese, or tomato sauce.

Swap out the powdered sugar for vanilla or chocolate icing or a fruity glaze (as I do in my blueberry donuts recipe).

Make your star bread butter-free with one of these butter substitutes. 

🎓 Expert tips to make Star bread brioche

1. Apply the "windowpane test" to test whether the dough has been sufficiently kneaded: Slowly stretch a small piece between your fingers. If it breaks, you need to knead it more. It is good to go if it stretches to the point where it allows light to pass through like a window!
2. To check whether the dough has completed proofing, gently press it with your finger. If it leaves an indent or bounces back halfway, it is done. However, if it bounces straight back, it needs more time. If it completely deflates, it has been over-proofed.
3. The dough needs a warm environment to rise, ideally between 22C-25C/72F-77F. If your kitchen is cooler, place the pan on the oven rack (while the oven is off), set a pot of hot water underneath, and close the oven door. 
4. Monitor the star bread during the last rise to ensure it doesn't rise too much and lose shape.
5. Check the progress after about 20 minutes of baking. Cover it with aluminum foil if it is browning too quickly.

🥣 Equipment notes

Use a digital scale to measure your ingredients for flawless, bakery-style results every time. Likewise, as baking temperature is critical, you will want a digital oven thermometer handy.

Although hand-kneading is an option, a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment will make preparing this star bread recipe easy. Use a silicone baking mat to help make cleanup effortless!

❓Recipe FAQs

👩‍🍳 More sweet bread recipes