Elevate your holiday baking tradition with our step-by-step guide, and unwrap the joy of sharing this delectable Cinnamon Star Bread with family and friends this Christmas.
Place dough for 12 Rhodes rolls in four groups of 3 rolls each on a greased or silicone lined baking sheet. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge.
Pinch three rolls together and roll them into a 10-inch circle on top of parchment paper. This helps make stacking the layers really simple. Repeat with the other rolls to make four circles, each on a separate piece of parchment paper.
In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Make sure the butter is soft and spreadable, but not melted. You may nuke the butter in the microwave for 5 second increments, if needed.
Place one circle of dough, with the parchment paper still underneath, onto a rimmed sheet pan. Spread a thin layer (about 1.5 Tbsp) of butter on top of the circle of dough, leaving 1/2-inch bare on the edges.
Sprinkle 1/3 of the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of the butter, then spread evenly with your hand.
Add another circle of dough by flipping the dough with the parchment paper over on top the cinnamon-sugar. Then pull the paper away from the dough. NOTE: You may need to stretch the edges of the dough to make sure it lines up with the circle underneath.
Repeat layering the butter, cinnamon-sugar, and dough circles, leaving the top circle bare.
Gently place a 10-inch bowl or plate on top of the stack and use a pizza cutter to cut around the bowl/plate to create a perfect circle. Remove and discard any excess dough.
Place a 2-inch bowl in the center of the circle. Make 16 even cuts from the bowl to the edge, cutting through all the layers. (To make even strips, first cut the circle into fourths. Then cut each section in half to make 8 strips. Then cut each of those sections in half again to make 16 strips total.) Remove bowl from center.
Take two adjacent strips by the ends and twist them away from each other 3-4 times. Then pinch the ends together to create one point of the star. Repeat with the remaining strips. NOTE:The amount of twists may depend on how thin the dough was rolled and/or how long the strips are. Make sure you count how many turns you make, so you do the same thing to each point of the star.
Cover the cinnamon star bread with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350℉. Uncover and re-pinch the points. Brush lightly with egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 Tablespoon of water; discard excess).
Bake at 350℉ for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and an internal temperature of 190-200˚F. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Enjoy warm with a dusting of powdered sugar, if desired.
Notes
If you want slightly thicker layers, consider using 16 rolls, in four groups of 4 rolls each.
Cover and store leftover star bread at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Nuke leftovers in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften the bread.