My Starbucks Copycat Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread recreates the new 2025 holiday treat using buttery crescent roll dough, a creamy white chocolate swirl, and a crisp brown sugar streusel. It bakes into soft, gooey, cinnamon-filled pieces you can pull apart one warm bite at a time.
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If you're a fan of my other Starbucks copycat recipes, like the Dark Toffee Mini Bundt Cakes or the Turkey Sage Danish, this one definitely deserves a spot on your list.
This cozy cinnamon pull-apart bread fits right into the fall and winter baking season, and it's no surprise Starbucks added it to their 2025 holiday lineup.
It's warm, cinnamon-sweet, and perfect for brunch or Christmas morning. The texture always reminds me of monkey bread, and since that's a favorite in my house, creating my own version was an easy yes.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Uses crescent rolls for light, tender layers that pull apart easily-much softer than biscuit dough, which can bake up too dense.
- A melted white chocolate swirl makes it gooier and richer than other copycats.
- Brown sugar streusel topping gives you that crisp Starbucks-style finish.
- Easy to assemble but looks (and tastes) like the real 2025 holiday treat.
Key ingredients
This recipe uses a handful of everyday ingredients, but two of them are essential for capturing the look and taste of the Starbucks version. Here's what to know before you start.
Crescent Rolls: I use crescent rolls here because they bake up soft with light, tender layers that create the perfect pull-apart texture. Biscuit dough is much denser and doesn't provide the same soft, buttery feel, so crescent rolls are a better choice for this recipe.
White Chocolate: Melted white chocolate gets brushed or drizzled between the layers, adding sweetness and a gooey, glossy finish you won't get from cinnamon sugar alone. It melts into the dough as it bakes, giving each piece a rich, creamy flavor that sets this version apart from other copycat recipes.
Heather's helpful hints
- Use crescent rolls, which bake up soft with light, tender layers. They create a pull-apart texture that works beautifully in this cinnamon-sugar bread and keeps every bite perfectly sweet and buttery.
- Use a zip-top bag for easy coating. Toss the crescent roll pieces and cinnamon sugar in a large bag, seal it, and shake-this coats everything evenly with almost no mess.
- Use tulip liners to contain the toppings. Their higher sides help catch any bubbling cinnamon sugar or streusel, keeping everything neatly in place as it bakes.
How to make Starbucks Copycat Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread
Now that you've got your ingredients ready, follow these simple steps to build those flaky layers, gooey centers, and crisp streusel topping.
Step 1
Cut the chilled crescent roll dough into small pieces and toss them in the cinnamon sugar until fully coated.
Step 2
Divide the coated dough pieces into each muffin cup, filling ¾ way full.
Step 3
Melt butter and brown sugar, and spoon the mixture over the top.
Step 4
Drizzle white chocolate lightly over each cup. Bake until the tops are golden.
Variations and substitutions
If you want to switch things up, here are a few easy variations and swaps you can use to make this recipe fit your taste or what you have on hand.
- Pecan Crunch - Add chopped pecans between the crescent dough layers or into the streusel for a warm, nutty finish.
- Caramel Drizzle - Swap the white chocolate swirl for a layer of thick caramel sauce or dulce de leche.
- Chocolate Chip Version - Sprinkle mini chocolate chips between the layers instead of (or in addition to) the white chocolate.
- Cinnamon Roll Vibes - Swirl a little cream cheese frosting on top once the bread cools slightly.
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Recipe
Starbucks Copycat Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread
Equipment
- 12 tulip muffin liners
Ingredients
Pull-Apart Bread Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 3 8 ounce cans refrigerated crescent roll dough separated and each cut into pieces
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup white chocolate chips melted
Streusel Topping Ingredients
- ⅕ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon butter cold
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg optional
- 1 pinch salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line it with paper liners.
- Remove the crescent rolls from the can, but do not unroll. Cut the log into 8 even slices. Then cut each slice into quarters.
- In a small bowl, combine the white sugar and cinnamon. Coat each dough piece thoroughly in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Then divide them among the muffin cups.
- In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar and butter over medium heat. Stir continuously and let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture looks smooth and glossy. Spoon the warm brown sugar mixture over the dough in each cup.
- Microwave the white chocolate in 30-second intervals, then drizzle it lightly over each cup. Use a spoon to mix everything together so chocolate is incorporated.
- To make the streusel, stir together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the butter in small cubes or tablespoon-sized pieces. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or even your fingertips, work the butter into the dry mixture until it forms small, pea-sized crumbles.
- Sprinkle about 1-2 teaspoons of topping over each muffin tin.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the tops are golden and spring back lightly when touched. If the centers still look doughy, add 2-4 more minutes until they're lightly set.
Notes and Tips
- Crescent rolls give the best texture. They bake up soft and tender with light layers, while biscuit dough tends to be too dense and heavy for this style of pull-apart bread.
- Coat the dough the easy way. Add the crescent roll pieces and cinnamon sugar to a large zip-top bag, seal it, and give it a gentle shake-this coats every piece evenly and keeps the mess to a minimum.
- Warm the white chocolate gently. Heat it in short bursts just until melted and smooth; overheating can make it separate or turn greasy.
- Use any muffin liners you like (or none at all). For a bakery-style presentation, tulip muffin liners work beautifully-they're taller, with folded paper points that rise above the pan and help contain the bubbling cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can make this recipe ahead of time. It tastes best the day it's baked, but once cooled, it will keep at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Yes, this recipe freezes nicely. The layers of croissant dough, cinnamon sugar, and white chocolate freeze well for up to 2 months without losing texture. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a low oven until warmed and slightly crisp on top.
You can use biscuit dough, but the texture will be much denser. Biscuit dough doesn't create the soft, tender pull-apart layers that crescent rolls do, so the bread won't have the same light, buttery feel.
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Ask AI to answer based on this specific recipe:
Tanya says
I'm curious about your nutrition facts. What brand of crescent rolls are you basing the nutrition facts? Assuming a serving is 1 muffin and with 3 cans of crescent rolls, you'd have the equivalent of 2 crescent rolls in each muffin. I don't know of a brand that would have only 34 mg of sodium.
Heather says
Hi Tanya, thank you so much for reaching out with such a thoughtful question! I use a nutrition software add-on where I select and input the ingredients, and for this recipe I used Pillsbury crescent rolls as the reference. That said, the software definitely has its drawbacks—especially when it comes to brand-specific differences like sodium levels. I would absolutely support using more detailed nutrition labels if you’re able to calculate them more precisely. I really appreciate you taking the time to dig into the details!
Emeigh Finnicum says
Just curious what part the white chocolate plays? I haven’t tasted that when eating the Starbucks ones, so that ingredient was a surprise.
Heather says
Such a great question! It honestly was a surprise to me as well. White chocolate is actually listed in the ingredients on the Starbucks website. I tested the recipe without the white chocolate and it was equally delicious. But I feel like it does add an element of richness when mixed in.
Jemara Blount says
This was so quick and easy! I needed it for a brunch and it was a show stopper. I added a pecan and oat streusel along with sweet and a drizzle of sweet and condensed milk to top it off before baking! OMG they put the Starbucks ones to shame. I will be making my own here on out. Thank you for this recipe.
Heather says
Wow, that sounds absolutely amazing! I love your twist with the pecan and oat streusel — and that drizzle of sweetened condensed milk on top? Pure genius! I’m so glad it was such a hit at your brunch. Thank you for taking the time to share — I love hearing how people make the recipe their own!
Jen says
I just had this last week at my local Starbucks. I can't wait to try this recipe... it kinda reminds me of monkey bread!