You know all the smells and feels when you go to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge! If you are a Tennessean, you know that Dollywood famous cinnamon bread.
First stop: Craftsman’s Valley, where you can go to the Grist Mill to watch them make the loaves and take some home or eat it right then and there for about $10.
Dollywood cinnamon bread is so delicious and iconic, you can bet your bottom dollar there are plenty of copycat recipes around. Fortunately, Dolly has done it again, her far reaching generosity and put the recipe up on her Pinterest board, which is full of both her favorite things and some exciting revelations. Now she’s posted a link to the official recipe, confirming its authenticity.
(Video courtesy of Southern Living)
Dollywood released the recipe during the COVID-19 pandemic, when most people weren’t able to travel to the Smoky Mountains. Instead, they were stuck at home, baking up a storm.
(Video courtesy of EECC Travels)
Most of the ingredients you need to make this treat are already present in well-stocked kitchens: you’ll need yeast, a couple different types of sugar, bread flour, salt, unsalted butter, cooking spray, cinnamon, light corn syrup and milk. All these ingredients come together to form a dough with a cinnamon topping and a glaze.
The preparation requires a bit of technique. You should get two full loaves when you’re done.
The preparation requires a bit of technique. You’ll combine ingredients in a stand mixer using a dough hook and let the dough rise for about an hour and a half. Punch down and knead a few times, being careful not to overwork the dough. Then let rise again for up to an hour.
During this time, you should make two topping mixes, one dry and one wet. Cut slashes in the top of your loaves and coat them completely them with the toppings before baking. Bake the dough in 9-by-5-inch pans so that you get two full loaves when you’re done.
If you’re having trouble, though, Dollywood and its Grist Mill are open for business through Jan. 6, 2024. The park opens again for the 2024-2025 season in March.
