Although it’s perfect for the holiday season, this recipe for the famous Cinnamon Bread at Dollywood is a year-round treat. When writer Kathy Witt visited Dolly Parton’s Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN, for Dolly Parton’s “Smoky Mountain Christmas,” she told us, in this article, “The line at Dollywood’s historic Grist Mill is one everyone needs to get into no matter how long because it leads to the park’s famous cinnamon bread. Hundreds of loaves are churned out each day the park operates, all season long, and you can watch the process. The Grist Mill is the perfect setting for this as it was built in 1983 as if it were being built a century earlier, in the 1880s. It became the first fully operating grist mill built in Tennessee in more than 100 years and it is where corn and wheat are ground into flour daily.” We’re so fortunate that Dollywood and Executive Chef Rudy Torres shared the recipe with Real Food Traveler readers.

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Cinnamon Bread at Dollywood

This world-famous cinnamon bread, is made daily at the park’s Grist Mill and also at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa (where it is sold in the DreamMore Pantry.) Dollywood visitors queue up for this sugary delicacy year-round, but in the summertime the line for the cinnamon bread is usually longer than the lines for any of the rides – including the roller coasters.

(Makes 2 loaves)

Recipe courtesy of Dollywood

Ingredients:

For the dough:

1/2 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
3/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 TBS plus a pinch of granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Cooking spray

For the topping:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 TBS ground cinnamon
6 TBS unsalted butter, melted
2 TBS light corn syrup

Hungry for more? Get Dollywood’s recipe for Pineapple Chutney for baked ham.

For the glaze:

1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
Pinch of salt
2 TBS unsalted butter, melted
3 – 5 TBS milk

Method for making the Dollywood Cinnamon Bread:

To make the dough: Combine the warm water, yeast and a pinch of granulated sugar in a small bowl and let sit until foamy, 5 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the bread flour, remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and salt in a stand mixer.

Add the yeast mixture and melted butter to the flour mixture. Knead with the dough hook on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Punch down the dough and transfer to a work surface; knead a few times. Cut in half and gently shape into two 3-by-6-inch loaves (do not overwork the dough).

Place the loaves 3 inches apart on the prepared pan. Lightly spray the loaves with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until puffy, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

To make the topping: Whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small baking dish.

Whisk the melted butter and corn syrup in another small baking dish.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Cut 4 deep slashes across the top of each loaf (the loaves will look deflated).

Dip each loaf in the butter/corn syrup mixture, turning to coat, then coat with the cinnamon sugar, making sure to get the sugar in the crevices. Place the loaves in the prepared pans. Drizzle with any remaining butter mixture and sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon sugar.

Bake until light brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Lift the bread out of the loaf pans using the parchment overhang and transfer to a rack. Let cool in the paper, about 15 minutes.

While bread is baking, make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, salt, melted butter and 3 tablespoons milk in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in up to 2 more tablespoons milk as needed to loosen. Drizzle on the warm loaves or serve on the side for dipping.

Hungry for more? See what Christmas is like at Dollywood.