Cinnamon Pull-Aparts
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These Cinnamon Pull-Aparts are flaky, buttery, and packed with cinnamon sugar. The dough is similar to croissant dough, cut into small squares, coated in white chocolate and cinnamon sugar, then baked in a muffin pan with streusel on top. Inspired by the Starbucks cinnamon pull-apart.
Set aside about 4 hours from start to finish for this recipe. You'll spend about an hour working with the dough, and the rest of the time is for chilling and rising.
If you've ever looked at a cinnamon pull-apart in a bakery and wondered if you could make it at home, you absolutely can. The dough needs a little patience, but the steps are simple, and you'll get a flaky pastry that pulls apart in layers.
Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- They're flaky and buttery because you fold cold butter into the dough in layers, like with croissants.
- You'll taste cinnamon, brown sugar, and white chocolate in every bite. The white chocolate coating helps the cinnamon sugar stick to each piece.
- The streusel topping adds a nice crunch, baking into crisp, sweet crumbs on top.
- This recipe makes 12 pastries. Each one bakes in its own muffin cup, making them easy to share.
- The dough is simpler than traditional croissants. Instead of making a separate butter block, you just toss sliced cold butter into the flour.
Ingredients You'll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.
For the pastry
- Bread flour: Gives the dough structure and chew, which helps hold the layers. All-purpose flour may be substituted.
- Granulated sugar: Adds a little sweetness and feeds the yeast.
- Active dry yeast: Makes the pastry puff and rise.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness. If you use table salt, use a little less.
- Unsalted butter, cold: Creates the flaky layers. Keep it cold, so slice it right before you use it.
- Milk: Helps bring the dough together. You might need a little more or less than the recipe calls for, depending on your flour.
- White chocolate chips: Melted with butter to form a sweet coating for the cinnamon sugar to stick to.
- Unsalted butter, melted: Whisked into the white chocolate to thin it out so it coats the dough pieces.
- Light brown sugar: Mixed with cinnamon for the coating.
- Ground cinnamon: Gives the pastries their classic flavor.
For the topping
- Unsalted butter, melted: Binds the streusel into crumbs.
- All-purpose flour: Provides the streusel's crumbly base.
- Light brown sugar: Sweetens the streusel. Pack it lightly when you measure.
- Kosher salt: Keeps the topping from tasting flat.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds warm spice. If you want more details about the topping, check out my basic streusel recipe.
In Photos: How To Make Cinnamon Pull-Aparts
Step 1: Make Dough
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Slice the cold butter into ⅛-inch slices and toss it with the flour mixture to coat.
Stir in the milk until the dough forms and becomes stiff. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Step 2: Fold Dough
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a long rectangle.
Fold it into thirds, like a letter. Turn it 90 degrees and roll it out again.
Repeat the folding, turning, and rolling 3 to 5 more times, until you see large streaks of butter and the dough is smooth and flat. If the butter gets soft, chill the dough in the fridge or freezer until it firms up.
Wrap the dough tightly and chill for 1 more hour.
Step 3: Cut & Coat Dough
Roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick, then cut it into ½-inch squares. Chill the squares in the fridge while you prepare the coating.
Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and mix until everything is evenly distributed.
Melt the white chocolate chips, then whisk in the melted butter until combined.
Make the streusel by mixing melted butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt with a fork. It might look doughy at first, but it will turn crumbly as it cools.
Toss the dough squares in the white chocolate mixture first, then in the cinnamon sugar, to coat them lightly.
Step 4: Fill, Rise, & Bake
Line a muffin pan with tulip papers. Divide the coated dough squares evenly among the 12 wells, then top each with a pinch of streusel.
Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the pastries rise in a warm spot for about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 18 to 24 minutes, until the pastries are puffed, flaky, and golden brown.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Keep your butter cold, since that's what makes the flaky layers. If it starts to soften, chill the dough until it's firm again.
- Don't overwork the dough. You should see streaks of butter, not a completely smooth dough.
- Slice the butter evenly. Cut it about ⅛ inch thick so it's easy to coat with flour and fold into the dough.
- Adjust the milk as needed. Start with the recipe amount, then add or take away a little to get a stiff dough.
- Chill the cut dough squares. Cold pieces are easier to coat and keep the butter from smearing.
- Coat the dough squares lightly. Toss them just until they're covered with white chocolate and cinnamon sugar.
- Use tulip papers if you have them. They're taller than regular liners and help hold the dough as it rises in the muffin pan.
- Look for a golden top. The pastries are ready when they're puffed, flaky, and golden brown.
- If you want to learn more about the dough, check out my easy homemade croissant recipe for more details on folding.
More Recipes Like This
- Easy Homemade Croissant Recipe
- Pain au Chocolat
- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- Apple Butter Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Crumb Cake Muffins
- Basic Streusel Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pastry
- 2 cups (250 g) bread flour, (all-purpose flour may be substituted)
- 3 tablespoons (36 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (6.22 g) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter, cold
- ½ cup milk, (approximately, you may need slightly more or less)
- ¼ cup (45 g) white chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons (3 g) ground cinnamon
For the Topping
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cups light brown sugar, lightly packed
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.75 g) kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon
Instructions
To Make the Pastry
- Place the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and whisk together until combined.
- Slice the butter into ⅛-inch thick slices and toss in the flour mixture to coat.
- Add the milk and stir together until a stiff dough forms.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a long rectangle shape.
- Fold it into thirds (like a letter), turn 90 degrees, and repeat 3 to 5 more times, or until the dough has large streaks of butter in it but it is smooth and flat. (If at any point the butter starts to feel soft, chill it in the refrigerator or freezer until stiff.)
- Wrap tightly and chill for 1 more hour, then roll the dough to a thickness of about ¼-inch.
- Cut into ½-inch squares and set aside to chill in the refrigerator.
- Melt the white chocolate chips and whisk in the melted butter until combined.
- Stir the brown sugar and cinnamon together.
- Toss the cubes of pastry dough first in the white chocolate mixture, then the cinnamon sugar, to coat lightly.
- Line a muffin pan with tulip papers.
- Divide the coated dough cubes evenly between each well of the muffin pan, then top with a few pinches of the streusel topping.
- Allow the pastries to rise in a warm place for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Remove the plastic wrap and bake until puffed, flaky, and golden brown (approx. 18 to 24 minutes).
To Make the Topping
- Toss the melted butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together with a fork until combined (mixture may seem doughy at first but it will become crumbly as it cools).
Notes
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