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Sneak Peek: This Lemon Pull-Apart Bread is a sweet yeast bread (similar to monkey bread) flavored with grated lemon, orange rind, and a simple icing. Mixing and kneading the dough with a bread machine or a stand mixer is ridiculously easy. Bake in a conventional oven.
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My daughter-in-law recently asked me if I thought she could make a certainlemon yeast breadshe saw on Pinterest in her bread machine.Did you know most regular yeast bread recipes can be mixed and kneaded in a bread maker? I took the bait.
Ultimately, I adapted my Monkey Breadrecipe because I think it’s the best. I hope this will inspire you to convert some of your favorite bread recipes for use in a bread machine.
Three Reasons Why This Bread Recipe Will Inspire You To Bake
- Grated lemon and orange rind, along with a simple icing make a memorable and sweet taste that’s out of this world.
- You’ll love pulling the fragrant and buttery slices off one by one, like pulling off segments of a juicy orange.
- Brush off your bread machine and use it to mix and knead the dough. Shape it by hand. No worries if you don’t have a bread machine. You can make it by hand or with a stand mixer–directions are in the recipe notes.
Happy Bakers Speak Up
“I made the lemon bread yesterday and it was delicious. This is a keeper recipe for sure. We delivered a sample to two neighbors in our golf cart. I also only use the dough function of my bread machine. “–KELLY W.
Recipe Inspiration
I procrastinated with this recipe because the original bread assembly instructions seemed rather complicated. Surely, there was an easier way than cutting long strips of dough, stacking them, slicing the stacks, etc.
Then, I remembered my mom’s Christmas morning tradition. It was a cinnamon-sugar creation baked inside a round aluminum pan with a hole in the middle.
PinMom produced round discs of yeast dough with a biscuit cutter. After dipping each piece in melted butter, she double-dipped them into a bowl of cinnamon and sugar, just like monkey bread.
The way she arranged the dough pieces made all the difference.
The sugary dough circles were positioned vertically inside the pan around the hole like little toy soldiers lined up at attention.
Eating it was the BEST part. We loved pulling the fragrant and buttery slices off one by one, like pulling off segments of a juicy orange.
My mom’s cinnamon pull-a-part bread described above inspired me to make this recipe faster and simpler without sacrificing taste or appearance. It’s much easier than making cinnamon rolls.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- MILK: Use whatever milk you have on hand. The higher the fat content, the richer and tastier your bread will be. The milk does not need to be warmed before adding it to the bread maker pan.
- SUGAR: Granulated sugar is best. If you want to substitute honey, only use three tablespoons, as honey is sweeter than sugar.
- SALT: The recipe was tested with table or sea salt. If you use Kosher salt, add 1/4 teaspoon more.
- BUTTER: I always use real butter, usually unsalted. The butter you add to the recipe does not need to be warmed. Chop it finely; it will melt quickly once the bread machine starts mixing the dough. The dipping butter must be melted.
- EGGS: I use large eggs in all of my bread recipes. You may need to adjust the liquid accordingly if you use something smaller or larger.
- FLOUR: This recipe was tested with unbleached, all-purpose flour. You could substitute bleached all-purpose flour. If you do that, you may need less liquid or more flour, so check your dough as it kneads. Bread flour is also an option, but it will make the bread a bit chewier.
- If possible, weigh your flour (and liquids) with a digital kitchen scale.
- YEAST: I use bread machine or instant yeast. If you want to use active dry yeast, add 1/4 teaspoon extra, as it is slower to act.
- LEMON: You may notice there is no lemon juice in this recipe. This bread derives its subtle lemon flavor from grated lemon and orange rind. I think it’s the perfect amount of citrus flavoring. One way to add more lemon flavor is to use lemon juice instead of milk in the icing to make a lemon glaze.
How To Make the Dough for Lemon Pull-Apart Bread with a Bread Machine
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PinThe dough should stick to the side, then pull away cleanly. Correct if the dough is too dry by adding liquid one tablespoon at a time. Allow a brief period for the dough to absorb the moisture before adding more.
If the dough is too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time instead of water. Read more about this surprising secret to making better bread in a bread machine.
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PinHow To Shape and Bake Sweet Lemon Pull-Apart Bread
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PinHeat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C)
Allow the dough to rise until it almost doubles in size before placing it into a preheated oven to bake.
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PinFAQ About Lemon Pull-Apart Bread
Can I freeze the grated lemon rind?
Yes. I like to grate the rind of every lemon that I squeeze before squeezing it. Drop it into a small plastic bag and save it for a future recipe–like this one.
Can I bake this bread in my bread machine?
I don’t recommend baking bread in a bread machine, but it’s possible. Select a REGULAR baking cycle at the beginning instead of the DOUGH cycle. Before the final rising period, pause the machine, remove the dough from the machine, and pull out the blade(s). Shape the dough and dip it in butter and the lemon-sugar mixture before placing the pieces back into the bread machine pan. Resume the cycle.
Can I use an angel food cake or loaf pan instead of a bundt pan?
You can use a one-piece angel food cake pan. The buttery lemon mixture will leak from a 2-piece angel food cake pan. A loaf pan will also work. Unless you use good non-stick pans, line your loaf pan with parchment paper with a 1-inch overhang for easy removal.
Use a 9 x 4 x 4-inch loaf pan or a 10 x 5-inch pan. The dough should not fill the pan more than half full.
Can I make almost any bread with a bread machine?
Yes. If you are willing to use the DOUGH cycle, then shape the dough by hand and bake it in your conventional oven, a whole new world will open up for using your bread machine.
Can I prepare this bread ahead of time?
I can’t wait to serve this delicious bread for my family on Christmas morning, but I won’t get up early to assemble it.
See the notes at the end of the recipe for preparing the dough a day ahead and baking it the next morning.
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Parting thoughts: This lemon pull-apart bread makes a great substitute for cinnamon rolls around the holidays or when you have houseguests. This loaf is pucker-free but pleasantly sweet and lemony.
Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.
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Yield: 16 slices
Glazed Lemon Pull-Apart Bread (Bread Machine Recipe)
By Paula Rhodes
This is a simple sweet yeast bread flavored with lemon and orange zest that you can make with a bread machine.
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5 from 16 votes
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Prep time: 45 minutes minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes minutes
Mix and Rise Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Total time: 3 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
Ingredients
Dough
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (142 g) milk
- 2 large (100 g) eggs
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon table or sea salt
- ¼ cup (57 g) butter (chopped)
- 3 ¼ cup (390 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon bread machine or instant yeast
Lemon-Sugar Coating:
- lemon zest from 3 lemons and 1 orange
- ¼ cup (57 g) melted butter (for dipping dough pieces)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
Frosting
- 1 cup (114 g) powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons whipping cream, milk, or coffee
Instructions
Making the dough:
Dump the dough ingredients into the bread machine pan in the order listed: ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (142 g) milk, 2 large (100 g) eggs, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon table or sea salt, ¼ cup (57 g) butter (chopped), 3 ¼ cup (390 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour, and 2 teaspoon bread machine or instant yeast, Select the DOUGH cycle, then START.
Check the dough at least twice by lifting the lid to take a peek. The first time, look immediately after the machine starts mixing to ensure the paddles are engaged correctly.
Look again 15 minutes into the DOUGH cycle to assess the consistency of the dough. For most recipes, The dough should stick to the side, then pull away cleanly.
If your dough is too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time.
Conversely, if the dough is too dry, add one tablespoon of liquid at a time until the dough looks just right. Read more about this surprising secret to success with a bread machine here.
When the DOUGH cycle is finished, if the dough has doubled in size, remove it from the pan to a floured surface. If the dough has not risen enough, leave it in the machine until it does before proceeding.
Lemon-Sugar Coating
Grate the lemon zest from 3 lemons and 1 orange.
Combine 1/4 cup (57 g) melted butter (for dipping dough pieces) with the grated rind and ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar in a bowl large enough for coating the dough pieces.
Shaping the dough:
Remove dough to a floured surface and roll into a rectangle roughly 8 x 10 inches in size.
Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the dough into large diamonds.
Dip each diamond into melted butter, then into sugary lemon/orange zest mixture.
Place first piece on its side in bundt pan. Lay second piece upright against first piece and repeat until all pieces have been lined up around the pan. You may have to push them together to squeeze in the final pieces. Perfection is not required.
Cover with shower cap, plastic wrap or a tea towel and allow to rise in warm place until almost double.
Uncover and bake in an oven preheated to 350˚F for 30-35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 190˚F. If necessary, lay a piece of foil loosely on top to prevent over-browning about halfway through baking time.
Allow the baked bread to cool for 5 minutes before turning it out of the pan. Flip upside down so crusty top is visible.
Glaze:
While the bread is still warm, mix 1 cup (114 g) powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons whipping cream, milk, or coffee and drizzle over the top.
Notes
To prepare a day ahead:
Follow instructions above through step 4 of shaping the dough. Cover dough that has already been arranged in a pan with plastic wrap or a shower cap. Chill overnight. About 2 hours before you want to serve bread, remove the bundt pan from the fridge and set it aside in a warm, cozy place until the dough has almost doubled in size. Bake as directed above. You can control the rising time somewhat by moving the pan to a warmer or cooler location, depending on when you want the bread to be ready to bake.
Directions for making bread with a stand mixer or by hand:
- To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer: Add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on LOW to mix until all ingredients are moistened. Then, using a dough hook, turn the speed to 2 or 3. Continue beating/kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic (about 5-10 minutes). Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
- If making by hand: Combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead with your hands until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Kneading will likely take 10-20 minutes, depending on your experience. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate the dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
- Please note: If you only have active dry yeast, use 1/4 teaspoon more than called for in the recipe. It no longer needs to be dissolved first, but you can if you prefer.
Equipment
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 217IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
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