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This cinnamon sugar brioche knot is soft and pillowy with a gooey cinnamon sugar filling. It's the perfect brunch treat! Made with Shepherd's Grain All Purpose Flour, this brioche knot is super fun to bake and will fill your kitchen with the aroma of fresh baked cinnamon rolls! Top it with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon sugar and serve warm with your morning coffee!
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS CINNAMON Sugar Brioche Knot:
FOR THE BRIOCHE:
This dough is a basic brioche recipe, which is my go-to for all enriched breads. It is best to make it the night before, so after it proofs in the fridge overnight, it will be cold and super nice to work with.
- Active Dry Yeast or Instant Yeast: If using active dry yeast, combine with milk and sugar and allow to sit for 15 minutes. If using instant yeast, there is no need to let the yeast sit in the mixture.
- Milk: Warm the milk to about 110 degrees F to activate the yeast.
- Brown Sugar: The brown sugar will need to be mixed in with the milk and yeast to help activate the yeast. Alternatively, you can use granulated sugar.
- Eggs: You’ll need 3 eggs at room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract: A good quality vanilla paste or extract will give this brioche knot a wonderful flavor!
- Shepherd's Grain All Purpose Flour: Shepherd's Grain All Purpose Flour is made from sustainably grown wheat and creates the most beautiful bakes with the perfect taste and texture. Get your own flour here!
- Malted Milk Powder: To add flavor and help the brioche remain softer for longer, add malted milk powder.
- Unsalted Butter: You’ll need about 9 tablespoon of unsalted butter at room temperature, which will need to be added one piece at a time to properly incorporate into the dough.
FOR THE FILLING:
This filling is a traditional cinnamon roll filling, made with melted unsalted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Unsalted Butter: You’ll need 84g of unsalted butter.
- Brown Sugar: You can use light and dark brown sugar, or even muscovado!
- Cinnamon: For optimum cinnamon flavor, add 10g to the filling.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
Once baked, top this brioche knot with cinnamon sugar!
- Granulated Sugar: You'll need 30g or about 2 tablespoon of sugar.
- Cinnamon: Add ½ teaspoon or 4g of cinnamon for the perfect cinnamon sugar ratio.
How to shape this cinnamon sugar brioche knot:
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 14”x20”.
- Spread the filling evenly all over the dough, leaving a border around the edge.
- Roll the dough up from the long side. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes so it is easier to cut and shape.
- Cut the dough down the middle, leaving one end intact.
- Braid the dough, placing one piece over the other, keeping the layers facing upwards.
- Shape dough into a knot by laying one end over the other and tucking the ends underneath.
1. Using a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix the wet and dry ingredients on low-medium speed for a few minutes until it forms a ball around the hook.
2. Slowly begin incorporating the room temperature butter as it mixes on medium speed. It is very important to use room temperature butter in order for it to incorporate properly.
3. Once all of the butter is incorporated, turn the speed up to high and mix for about 10 minutes or until the dough passes the windowpane test.
The windowpane test is used to tell when the brioche has developed enough gluten. To check if the dough is ready, tear off a small piece and carefully spread it out to see if you can see the light through it without it tearing (see photo above). If it tears, mix for another minute and check again.
1. First proof overnight - Make the brioche dough the night before, and allow it to proof overnight in the fridge. Shape and bake the next morning.
2. Second proof overnight - Make the brioche dough the night before, and proof for about 1 hour in a warm environment. Shape the dough into a knot, then proof overnight in the fridge. The next morning (ideally before 9am), take the brioche knot out to come to room temperature (about 30-45 min) and bake as directed.
A few tips to make this brioche knot:
- I have a few different methods of proofing the brioche dough listed above!
- Brush the brioche knot with a little bit of egg white to give it a nice shine and help it become golden.
- Tent the knot with foil about 15 minutes into the bake time to make sure it doesn’t get too dark.
- Get you own Shepherd's Grain All Purpose Flour here!
Happy baking! x
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Cinnamon Sugar Brioche Knot
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the Brioche Dough:
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry or instant yeast
- 172g whole milk
- 30g brown sugar
- 3 eggs (room temp)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla paste or extract
- 450g Shepherd's Grain All Purpose Flour
- 30g malted milk powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 127g unsalted butter (room temp)
For the Filling:
- 84g unsalted butter
- 10g cinnamon
- 213g brown sugar
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
- 30g granulated sugar
- 4g cinnamon
Instructions
For the Brioche Dough:
- Heat the milk to 110 degrees F and stir in yeast and brown sugar. If using active dry yeast, allow to sit for 15 minutes. If using instant yeast, simply move on to the next step.
- Mix the eggs and vanilla into the milk yeast mixture.
- Combine flour, malted milk powder, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix on low-medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until it forms a ball around the hook.
- Add in one piece of butter at a time, allowing it to fully incorporate before adding the next. Once all of the butter is incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and mix for 8-10 minutes. To check if the dough is ready, tear off a small piece and carefully spread it out to see if you can see the light through it without it tearing (see photo above). If it tears, mix for another and check again.
- Once the dough is ready, transfer it to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow to proof in a warm environment for one hour or until doubled in size. Alternatively, you can proof the dough overnight and bake in the morning.
For the Filling:
- In a small bowl, melt the butter.
- Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside to thicken.
For Assembly:
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 14"x20".
- Spread the filling evenly all over the dough, leaving a border around the edge. Roll the dough up from the long side. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes so it is easier to cut and shape.
- Cut the dough down the middle, leaving one end intact. Braid the dough, placing one piece over the other, keeping the layers facing upwards. Shape dough into a knot by laying one end over the other and tucking the ends underneath.
- Transfer to a parchment paper lined 9inch cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm environment for about one hour.
- Towards the end of the proof time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brush the brioche knot with an egg white and bake for about 50 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, tent with aluminum foil to ensure it does not get too dark.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes before topping with cinnamon sugar and serving.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it turned out!