Easy Dollywood-Style Cinnamon Bread – The Famous Theme Park Loaf You Can Make at Home
If you’ve ever visited Dollywood in Tennessee, you already know that the moment you step into the park’s Grist Mill, an intoxicating aroma takes over — a smell so irresistible, so warm, and so sweet that it stops people mid-walk. That smell is Dollywood’s world-famous Cinnamon Bread, a legendary loaf that draws lines that wrap around the building. It’s gooey, buttery, sweet, and so soft that it practically melts in your mouth.
Fans travel long distances for it. Some go to the park just for it.
Today, you’re learning how to make an easy, foolproof, at-home version of this iconic bread — with minimal ingredients, no advanced baking skills, and results so close to the real thing that your kitchen will smell like the Grist Mill itself.
This recipe is soft, buttery, cinnamon-swirled perfection. It’s the kind of bread that turns any day into a cozy holiday morning.
Let’s dive in.
Why Dollywood Cinnamon Bread Is So Iconic
This bread hits every pleasure point:
- It’s soft, tender, and pull-apart in texture.
- The dough bakes up fluffy but rich.
- It’s slathered in melted butter before baking.
- Cinnamon sugar is pressed into every seam.
- The outer crust caramelizes into a cinnamon crackle.
- Optional glaze adds warm sweetness that drips into every crevice.
Unlike cinnamon rolls or brioche, this bread is rustic and imperfect — which is exactly why it’s so good. You don’t need perfect swirls or complicated dough shaping. The messy layers and the butter-sugar coating create magic on their own.
What Makes This Version “Easy”
This is a simplified Dollywood-style recipe that keeps the heart of the original but removes the complications.
- No steep learning curve
- No advanced shaping
- No specialty ingredients
- No waiting overnight
You can use homemade dough or store-bought dough, depending on how much effort you want to put in. (This recipe uses an easy homemade dough that comes together quickly.)
The bread is done in about 1 hour, start to finish.
Ingredients Overview
The base ingredients are simple pantry staples:
The Dough
- Flour
- Yeast
- Sugar
- Salt
- Butter
- Milk
- Egg
This creates a soft dough that rises well and stays fluffy.
The Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- Cinnamon
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Melted butter
This is the signature Dollywood touch — heavy cinnamon sugar coating outside and in every crack.
Optional Glaze
- Powdered sugar
- Milk or cream
- Vanilla
It drips beautifully over the warm loaf.
The Technique: Simple, Rustic, and Foolproof
Dollywood’s style isn’t about perfection. It’s about generous buttering, messy cinnamon sugar rolling, and baking until the loaf becomes gooey perfection. You’ll:
- Roll out the dough.
- Slash lines into it (this creates pull-apart texture).
- Brush heavily with melted butter.
- Coat generously with cinnamon sugar.
- Fold, twist, and press it into a loaf pan.
- Bake until golden, sticky, and irresistible.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 large egg
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 6 tbsp melted butter
Optional Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add melted butter, egg, salt, and half the flour. Stir until combined.
- Add remaining flour and knead until a soft dough forms (5 minutes).
- Cover and let dough rise 30–40 minutes or until doubled.
- In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
- Roll dough into a rectangle (about 8×12 inches).
- Cut deep slashes lengthwise and crosswise (do not cut through).
- Brush entire surface with melted butter.
- Press cinnamon sugar mixture generously into every cut and over the entire dough.
- Fold dough in half lengthwise, then twist once or twice.
- Place dough into a greased loaf pan.
- Brush top with extra butter and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 minutes until golden brown.
- Drizzle with glaze while warm, if using.
- Serve warm and pull apart with your fingers.
Easy Dollywood Style Cinnamon Bread
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a bowl and let sit 5 minutes.
- Add melted butter, egg, salt, and half the flour and mix.
- Add remaining flour and knead until soft.
- Let dough rise 30–40 minutes.
- Mix cinnamon, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
- Roll dough into an 8×12 inch rectangle.
- Slash the dough lengthwise and crosswise.
- Brush dough with melted butter.
- Press cinnamon sugar mixture into the slashes and all over the dough.
- Fold dough in half and twist.
- Place into a greased loaf pan and top with more butter and cinnamon sugar.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 minutes.
- Drizzle with glaze if desired.
- Serve warm and pull apart.
Notes
Serving Ideas
- Serve warm with extra melted butter.
- Add a drizzle of honey for sweetness.
- Serve with apple butter in fall.
- Serve with vanilla glaze for dessert-like richness.
How to Store
- Room temperature: 2 days
- Refrigerator: 4–5 days
- Freezer: up to 2 months (wrap tightly)
- Reheat: 12 seconds in microwave or in a low oven until warm
