Dollywood Cinnamon Bread

These copycat Dollywood cinnamon bread loaves are soft and fluffy inside, slightly crisp around the edges, and coated in plenty of buttery cinnamon sugar. They’re made completely from scratch and bake up with that same warm, pull-apart feel that makes the famous Dollywood bread so popular.

Why This Dollywood Cinnamon Bread Is So Speacial

Dolly Parton passed away on August 25, 2026, and revisiting this recipe feels especially meaningful right now. My wife has always been a huge Dolly fan, so I wanted to make this bread again as a small tribute to someone whose music, personality, and legacy meant a lot to her.

If you’ve ever had the cinnamon bread at Dollywood, you already know why it has such a following. Dollywood itself calls the Grist Mill version its world-famous cinnamon bread, where it’s made fresh daily and traditionally served with icing or apple butter.

This isn’t Dollywood’s official recipe. It’s my from-scratch copycat version, made with a soft homemade yeast dough that gets dipped in butter, coated generously in cinnamon and brown sugar, and baked until fluffy inside with caramelized, slightly crisp edges.

The recipe makes two loaves, which I love because you can serve one warm and save or share the other. And if you want the full Dollywood experience at home, serve it warm with vanilla icing or apple butter on the side. 

If you want another Dolly-inspired recipe, check out this cuppa cuppa cake next.

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1 teaspoon yeast
• 1 good pinch of sugar
• 1 ½ cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup warm water

For the topping:

• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 6 tablespoon melted butter
• 2 tablespoon corn syrup or agave syrup

Ingredient Notes

• Active dry yeast: This gives the bread its soft, fluffy texture. Bloom it in warm water with the sugar for about 5 minutes before making the dough. If the mixture doesn’t become foamy, your yeast may no longer be active.
• Warm water: Aim for water around 100-110°F. It should feel warm, not hot. Water that’s too hot can damage the yeast, while cool water will make the dough rise much more slowly.
• Bread flour: Bread flour gives the dough more structure and a slightly chewier texture. If you tested this recipe with all-purpose flour instead, I’d list that as the primary flour rather than changing it purely for texture.
• Butter: Melted butter adds richness to the dough, then even more butter is used to coat the shaped loaves before the cinnamon sugar goes on. Let the butter used in the dough cool slightly before mixing it with the yeast.
• Brown and granulated sugar: Using both gives the coating a deeper caramel flavor from the brown sugar while the granulated sugar helps create those slightly crisp, sugary edges.
• Cinnamon: Don’t be shy with it. Cinnamon is the dominant flavor in the coating and should be evenly mixed with both sugars before coating the loaves.

How To Make Dollywood Cinnamon Bread

Step 1: Prep

Add the active dry yeast, sugar, and water to a small bowl. Set it aside for 5 minutes. While the yeast sits, add the flour and melted butter to a large bowl.

Step 2: Make the Dough

After the 5 minutes is up, add the yeast mixture to the center of your flour mixture. Start to stir the two together, gradually incorporating more flour as you mix. Once the dough forms, place it on parchment paper or a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

Step 3: Let it Rise

Set the bread dough back into a greased bowl and let it rise for 2 hours. You can cover the bowl with a lightweight, clean dish towel to protect your dough.

Step 4: Shape the Dough

After 2 hours, shape the bread dough into two rectangles. Make a few cuts on the top of each loaf and leave them to rise on the parchment paper for another 30 minutes. When the time is almost up, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans with butter.

Step 5: Cover the Dough in Brown Sugar and Cinnamon

In a bowl, combine the sugar and brown sugar with cinnamon. Add melted butter and corn syrup into a separate bowl and mix. Gently dip the dough into the butter corn syrup mixture, then coat it with the cinnamon sugar mixture. 

Step 6: Bake

Add the dough to the prepared loaf pans. Pour the remaining butter mixture over the dough. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon sugar mixture over the top. Bake the cinnamon bread for 25 minutes and cool on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy!

Expert Tips For The Best Dollywood Cinnamon Bread

• Don’t add too much flour while kneading. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky rather than stiff. Adding excess flour can make the finished bread dense instead of light and fluffy.
• Make the cuts deep enough to hold the cinnamon sugar. The slashes aren’t just decorative. They create pockets where the melted butter and cinnamon-sugar mixture can settle, giving you more of those gooey, caramelized sections throughout the loaf.
• Coat the dough generously. Make sure the butter and cinnamon sugar get into the cuts as well as over the outside of each loaf. Those heavily coated areas are what develop the best crisp, sugary edges as the bread bakes.
• Use the dough as your guide during the second rise. Thirty minutes is a good estimate, but the shaped loaves should look noticeably puffy before baking. In a cooler kitchen, they may need a little longer.
• Put the loaf pans on a baking sheet. The butter and cinnamon sugar can bubble up around the edges as the bread bakes. Setting the pans on a sheet pan catches any drips and makes cleanup much easier.
• Tent the tops if they brown too quickly. If the cinnamon sugar is getting dark before the centers are finished baking, loosely cover the loaves with foil for the remaining baking time.
• Let the bread rest briefly before removing it from the pans. Give it about 10 minutes so the bread can set, but don’t leave it in too long since the caramelized cinnamon sugar can begin sticking to the pan as it cools.

How To Store and Reheat Cinnamon Bread

At room temperature: Store any leftover bread in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept in a sealed bag with the excess air squeezed out. It'll last on the counter for 3-5 days.

In the freezer: You can wrap the loaves of bread in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. 

Reheating: I like to put a slice of bread in the toaster oven for that fresh-out-of-the-oven flavor. It also gives it a slightly crispy crust that's addictive. 

Cinnamon Bread Recipe FAQS

Can I make Dollywood cinnamon bread ahead of time?

Yes. Make the dough the night before and let it complete its first rise slowly in the refrigerator. The next day, let it sit at room temperature briefly, then shape, coat, proof, and bake as directed.

What makes this similar to Dollywood cinnamon bread?

This is a homemade copycat inspired by Dollywood’s famous cinnamon bread, with soft yeast dough, plenty of butter, deep cuts in the loaves, and a generous cinnamon-sugar coating. It isn’t Dollywood’s official recipe, but it recreates the buttery, pull-apart texture and cinnamon flavor at home.

Can I use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour?

Yes. Bread flour can be substituted for the all-purpose flour, but it will give the bread a slightly chewier, sturdier texture. I prefer all-purpose flour here because it keeps the crumb especially soft and tender.

Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?

Yes. You can substitute instant yeast in the same amount. Instant yeast doesn’t need to be bloomed first, so you can mix it directly with the flour and other dry ingredients before adding the liquid.

Why didn’t my cinnamon bread rise?

The most common causes are inactive yeast, liquid that was too hot, or a cool kitchen. Your yeast mixture should become foamy after about 5 to 10 minutes. If the dough is rising slowly, give it more time rather than relying strictly on the clock.

How do I know when Dollywood cinnamon bread is done?

The tops should be deeply golden and the center of the loaf should be baked through, not wet or doughy. If you use an instant-read thermometer, the center of the bread should be around 190-200°F.

More Copycat Recipes To Try Next

• McGriddle
• Starbucks banana bread
• Starbucks lemon loaf
• Bojangles boberry biscuits
• Cracker Barrel pancakes