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    Public Recipe

    Cinnamon-Orange Star Bread

    Shared on 12/2/2025

    Sweet centerpiece for the Give Bread Instead Campaign. It's early. The dough feels warm under your palms, soft like a marshmallow, and the whole kitchen smells like butter and oranges. This is the kind of bread that stops people in their tracks. Not because it's fancy, but because it looks like something that took a little love. The milk-bread dough gives you a silky texture that rolls out easy. The filling? Cinnamon with fresh orange zest so the sweetness doesn't get heavy. When you twist those layers, the perfume hits before it even bakes. That scent becomes the gift. If someone's never received homemade bread, this is the one that converts them.
    Cinnamon-Orange Star Bread
    Prep Time
    25 minutes
    Bake Time
    25 minutes
    Difficulty
    intermediate
    Yield
    10-12 servings
    yeast bread

    Ingredients

    Dough

      • 360 (3 cups) Bread flour
      • 180 (¾ cup) Whole milk warm
      • 50 (4 tbsp) Unsalted butter softened
      • 50 (¼ cup) Granulated sugar
      • 1 (1 large) Egg
      • 5 (1½ tsp) Instant yeast
      • 6 (1 tsp) Salt

      Filling

        • 50 (4 tbsp) Unsalted butter softened
        • 70 (⅓ cup) Brown sugar
        • 6 (2 tsp) Cinnamon
        • 1 (1 large orange) Fresh orange zest

        Finish

          • Milk or egg wash
          • Optional powdered sugar

          Instructions

          1

          1

          Make dough: Mix all dough ingredients for 8 minutes until smooth. Rise for 60-75 minutes.

          2

          2

          Make filling: Combine butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest.

          3

          3

          Shape: Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll each to 10-11 inch circles. Layer with filling, leaving top layer plain.

          4

          4

          Cut & twist: Place cup in center. Cut 16 rays. Twist pairs twice and pinch ends.

          5

          5

          Final proof: Let it puff for 25-35 minutes until puffy.

          6

          6

          Bake: Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 22-25 minutes until golden.

          7

          7

          Cool: Dust lightly with powdered sugar.

          Equipment

          • Mixing bowl
          • Rolling pin
          • Cup
          • Baking sheet

          Tips

          • •Best served on the day of baking.
          • •Keeps for 2 days when wrapped.
          • •Reheat in the oven for 6 minutes at 150°C (300°F) to enjoy warm.

          Troubleshooting

          • Issue: Filling is too stiff
            Solution: Warm it for a few seconds.
          • Issue: Filling is too runny
            Solution: Chill it in the fridge.

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