Description
Christmas Morning Star Bread is a show-stopping, festive treat perfect for your holiday table. The rich, buttery dough is filled with a spiced brown sugar filling, topped with a sweet pecan caramel sauce, and dusted with powdered sugar, making it the ultimate breakfast or dessert to enjoy on Christmas morning.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¼ cup warm water
- 1 tbsp + ¾ tsp dry active yeast
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ sticks (6 oz) butter, browned and cooled
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 3 ¾ – 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk, beaten (for egg wash)
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
- Filling: 2 sticks (8 oz) butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp orange zest
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- Raw sugar (for sprinkling)
- Pecan Caramel Sauce: 1 stick (4 oz) butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Whisk the water and dry active yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the milk and cinnamon sticks in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat for 10 minutes. Strain the milk and set aside.
- Add the milk, sugar, cooled brown butter, and eggs to the yeast mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and orange zest.
- Incorporate 3 ¾ cups of flour and salt. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Add more flour if necessary.
- Once the dough forms a ball, continue mixing for 3 minutes. Knead for 2 more minutes on a floured surface.
- Place dough in a floured bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Prepare the filling by mixing butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, orange zest, and salt in a bowl.
- Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a circle about 1/8-inch thick. Layer dough circles, spreading filling between each layer.
- Use a drinking glass to mark the center, then cut the dough into 16 even slices. Twist two slices at a time and press the ends together to form a star shape.
- Let rest for 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake for 20 minutes, then cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes more. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- For the pecan caramel sauce: Melt butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream in a saucepan. Stir in cinnamon stick and vanilla, then add chopped pecans and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Serve the bread with the pecan caramel sauce on the side and dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
- For a dairy-free version, substitute coconut milk and vegan butter.
- For nut allergies, omit the pecans in the caramel sauce or replace with dried fruit or chocolate chips.
- To make ahead, prepare the dough the night before and refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature before shaping and baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 45mg