Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Growing up, one of my favorite breakfasts was cinnamon raisin bread (I don’t remember the brand name, but it came in a red bag for anyone living in the United States). My mom didn’t buy it very often, but when she did, I would toast it and smother it in melted butter. I had a craving for it the other day and decided to make some myself. This bread tastes just like the bread from my childhood and I’m really in love with it. The bread is sweetened by the sugar and flavored with ground cinnamon, chopped raisins, and butter. It’s truly delicious!
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Ingredients For Cinnamon Raisin Bread Dough
- 3 cups (430g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (43g) potato flour
- ¼ cup (24g) nonfat dry milk powder
- 1¼ tsp (7.5g) salt
- ½ tsp (1.3g) ground cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp (40g) granulated sugar
- 2½ tsp (7.5g) instant yeast
- 4 Tbsp (56g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (250g) water, room temperature
Ingredients for Cinnamon Raisin Bread Filling
- ⅓ cup (70g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp (4g) ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup (50g) raisins
- 2½ tsp (6.8g) all-purpose flour
Ingredients for Egg wash
- 1 large (48g) egg, beaten
- 1 Tbsp (10g) water
Ingredients for Cinnamon Raisin Bread Topping
- 2 Tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 Tbsp (24g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp (1g) ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup (35g) all-purpose flour
Equipment
- Digital scale (or dry measuring cups, liquid measuring cups, and measuring spoons)
- Stand mixer with dough hook (or a whisk with a large bowl if mixing by hand)
- Large bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Food processor
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Pastry brush
- 8½” (21.5cm) x 4½” (11.5cm) Loaf pan
- Large proofing bag (optional)
- Aluminum foil
- Wire rack
How To Keep Cinnamon Raisin Dough from Coming Undone or Gapping
There are 4 different ways to reduce the likelihood of gapping (i.e., the swirls in the bread separating while baking to leave spaces). By using these tips, you should be able to significantly reduce the size of any gaps or eliminate them completely.
1) Add a Stabilizer to your Filling
Beware of cinnamon raisin bread recipes that only contain a filling of cinnamon and sugar. While the flavor is delicious, the granulated sugar is hygroscopic, which means it attracts water. This means, that as the bread proofs with the filling inside, the sugar will start to absorb moisture from the bread and begin to melt. As it melts, it will leak out of the swirl, which leads to gaps while baking.
To avoid this, you can add a stabilizer to your filling. Stabilizers, like all-purpose flour, will keep the sugar from melting completely and will help avoid gaps.
2) Cut Up the Fruit
Cut any dried fruit into small pieces before sprinkling them over the dough rather than using whole fruit. The larger pieces of fruit will can create pockets of space in the cinnamon swirl. As the dough rises, full raisins (or other dried fruit) can cause the dough to sink in spots, which leave behind gaps when the bread bakes.
3) Use Egg Wash
Many recipes will call for brushing the dough with butter before sprinkling on the filling. Rather than using butter, use an egg wash to help the filling stick to the bread. The fat in the butter will keep the dough from bonding as it bakes. The egg wash helps minimize gapping because the protein in the egg binds the swirls together.
4) Roll the Dough Tightly
The first important part of rolling is to start with the short side of the rectangle. This will allow you to create more swirls throughout the loaf, which makes the slices look prettier. As you are rolling the dough, make sure to gently pull the roll back towards you after each forward roll. This will help create tension and decrease space between the swirls.
While this loaf benefits from rolled tension, avoid rolling it too tight. This will inhibit the second rise.
Making the Dough
In the bowl of the stand mixer (or a large bowl if making by hand), combine all the dough ingredients on low speed until the dough begins to come away from the sides of the bowl. Beat on low speed for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and satiny.
First Proof
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set it aside to rise for 1 – 1.5 hours or until the dough doubles in size.
Making the Filling
Place all filling ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. This will cut the raisins into smaller pieces, which will make it easier to get clean cuts when slicing the bread and will reduce gaps between swirls.
Assembling the bread
Tip the dough out onto a lightly oiled counter and use your hands or a rolling pin to shape it into a long rectangle, approximately 8 x 16 inches (20 x 40.5cm).
Use a pastry brush to brush egg wash over the entire rectangle of dough. Spread the filling in an even layer and gently pat it into the dough.
Tightly roll the dough into a log starting with a short side of the rectangle. Pinch the side and end seams closed to keep the filling from bubbling out and burning while baking.
Second Proof
Place the log, seam-side down, in a lightly greased loaf pan. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap or proofing bag and let the bread rise for about an hour at room temperature, or until it’s about 1 inch above the edges of the loaf pan. Test the readiness of the dough by pressing into the dough with a fingertip. If the dent very slowly fills back in, the dough is ready to bake. If it springs back immediately, it needs more time to proof. If the dent doesn’t fill back in, the bread is over proofed.
Making the Topping
In a small bowl, combine the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and flour until the mixture is crumbly.
Brush the top of the loaf with the remainder of the egg wash and gently press on the topping.
Baking the Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Bake the bread for about 45 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil for the final 15 minutes if it’s browning too quickly.
Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack. Some of the topping will likely fall off, but there will be lots left over.
Storing the Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Ensure bread is completely cool before storing. Place unused bread in a plastic storage bag or breadbox. You could also wrap the loaf in foil and store at room temperature. Kept in an airtight container, the bread should still be good for 4-5 days.
This Cinnamon Raisin Bread is delicious, slightly sweet, and spicy. I like to eat toasted slices with butter (and sometimes a little peanut butter). It’s also really good as French toast.
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I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving your thoughts below. Or snap a photo and share it on Pinterest or Instagram (@windycitybaker).
Notes
This recipe was slightly adapted from the “Cinnamon Swirl Bread” recipe in The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook.
Equipment
- Digital scale (or dry measuring cups, liquid measuring cups, and measuring spoons)
- Stand mixer with dough hook (or a whisk with a large bowl if mixing by hand)
- Large bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Food processor
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Pastry brush
- 8½” (21.5cm) x 4½” (11.5cm) Loaf pan
- Large proofing bag (optional)
- Aluminum foil
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Ingredients For Cinnamon Raisin Bread Dough
- 3 cups (430g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (43g) potato flour
- ¼ cup (24g) nonfat dry milk
- 1¼ tsp (7.5g) salt
- ½ tsp (1.3g) ground cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp (40g) granulated sugar
- 2½ tsp (7.5g) instant yeast
- 4 Tbsp (56g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (250g) water, room temperature
Ingredients for Cinnamon Raisin Bread Filling
- ⅓ cup (70g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp (4g) ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup (50g) raisins
- 2½ tsp (6.8g) all-purpose flour
Ingredients for Egg wash
- 1 large (48g) egg, beaten
- 1 Tbsp (10g) water
Ingredients for Cinnamon Raisin Bread Topping
- 2 Tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 Tbsp (24g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp (1g) ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup (35g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
Making the Dough
- In the bowl of the stand mixer (or a large bowl if making by hand), combine all the dough ingredients on low speed until the dough begins to come away from the sides of the bowl. Beat on low speed for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and satiny.
First Proof
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set it aside to rise for 1 – 1.5 hours or until the dough doubles in size.
Making the Filling
- Place all filling ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. This will cut the raisins into smaller pieces, which will make it easier to get clean cuts when slicing the bread and will reduce gaps between swirls.
Assembling the bread
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly oiled counter and use your hands to shape it into a long rectangle, approximately 8 x 16 inches (20 x 40.5cm).
- Use a pastry brush to brush egg wash over the entire rectangle of dough. Spread the filling in an even layer and gently pat it into the dough.
- Tightly roll the dough into a log starting with a short side of the rectangle. Pinch the side and end seams closed to keep the filling from bubbling out and burning while baking.
Second Proof
- Place the log, seam-side down, in a lightly greased loaf pan. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap or proofing bag and let the bread rise for about an hour at room temperature, or until it’s about 1 inch above the edges of the loaf pan. Test the readiness of the dough by pressing into the dough with a fingertip. If the dent very slowly fills back in, the dough is ready to bake. If it springs back immediately, it needs more time to proof. If the dent doesn’t fill back in, the bread is over proofed.
Making the Topping
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and flour until the mixture is crumbly.
- Brush the top of the loaf with the remainder of the egg wash and gently press on the topping.
Baking the Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Bake the bread for about 45 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil for the final 15 minutes if it’s browning too quickly.
- Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack. Some of the topping will likely fall off, but there will be lots left over.
Storing the Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Ensure bread is completely cool before storing. Place unused bread in a plastic storage bag or breadbox. You could also wrap the loaf in foil and store at room temperature. Kept in an airtight container, the bread should still be good for 4-5 days.
