This Cinnamon Roll Bread is a classic sweet baked in a new way. Cinnamon rolls are packed into a loaf pan to create a delicious bread that's swirled with cinnamon and sugar and topped with a cream cheese glaze.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together 2 cups of flour, ¾ cup sugar, yeast, and 1½ teaspoons of salt.
In a saucepan heat together water, ½ cup butter, and vanilla extract until the mixture reaches 120-130 degrees F. (If the temperature gets too high, simply let the mixture cool before proceeding.)
Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and beat at a medium speed to combine. Then beat in the eggs and 2 additional cups of flour. Beat until just combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary.
Switch to the dough hook and beat at a low speed for about 4 minutes until a dough ball forms.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour. The dough should double in size.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Set aside.
Prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Use one sheet of parchment paper to cover the bottom and long sides of the pan. Let a couple of inches of paper hang over the long sides to make it easy to later remove the bread. Spray with baking spray.
Once the dough has doubled in size, roll it out into a 26x7-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
Using a spatula, spread ½ cup of softened butter on the dough, leaving a ½ border along one long side. Sprinkle the butter evenly with the prepared cinnamon and sugar mixture. Roll up the dough lengthwise and pinch to seal the ends. Gently reshape the dough into an even 26-inch long cylinder. Slice into 26 1-inch slices.
Fill the prepared loaf pan with the cinnamon rolls. (You can reference the photos in the blog post to see how I arranged my cinnamon rolls. I used 14 standing on their sides for the bottom layer and 12 cut side down for the top layer.
Cover the loaf pan with a towel and set it in a warm place to let the Cinnamon Roll Bread rise for about 45 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Once the dough has risen, bake the bread until golden. This will take 55-60 minutes. If the loaf is browning too quickly, cover it lightly with a piece of foil. (The internal temperature should be at least 190 degrees F.)
While the bread bakes, prepare the glaze by whisking together cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, salt, and milk until smooth. Use less milk for a thicker glaze. (An electric hand mixer is recommended for the smoothest results.)
Let the bread cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Then remove the bread using the excess parchment paper on the sides. Drizzle with the glaze to complete. Serve the bread warm or at room temperature.