Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Cinnamon raisin bread is a soft, buttery sandwich bread swirled with sweet cinnamon and raisins. Bake it the same day or refrigerate the dough overnight for fresh, homemade bread that fits your schedule.

Yield: One 8.5x4.5 loaf

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 40

Resting time 2

Total Time 3 5

Servings slices

Author Heather

Ingredients

Bread

3 ⅓ cups (400 g) bread flour
3 tablespoons (37 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (6 g) kosher salt
1 cup (240 g) water
¼ cup (56 g) whole milk
3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter sliced into pieces
1 ½ teaspoons (5 g) instant yeast

Filling:

3 tablespoons (40 g) brown sugar
1 tablespoon (8 g) cinnamon
1 tablespoon (15 g) whole milk
½ cup (75 g) raisins

Instructions

Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, sugar, and salt. Set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, add water, milk, and butter. Microwave in 20 second increments until warm to the touch, but not hot (about 110ºF), and butter has melted. Whisk the yeast into the warm liquids until dissolved. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky, shaggy dough forms.
Knead: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, knead the dough until it looks smooth, slightly tacky, and slowly springs back when gently pressed, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Rest: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, tossing dough to coat all sides, and cover with plastic wrap or an airtight lid. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about one hour at room temperature.
Fill and shape: Have ready a greased 8 ½ x 4 ½ loaf pan. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Punch the dough down in the bowl and then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat the dough into a rectangle, about 12x8 inches. Brush the rectangle to the edges with milk. Sprinkle the brown sugar cinnamon mixture on top, then add raisins. Gently press with clean hands to adhere your filling to the dough. Starting at a short end, roll it up into a log, pinching the seams closed. Transfer the loaf, seam side down, into the prepared pan.
Overnight: Cover the pan with plastic wrap (allowing space for the dough to rise) and transfer to the refrigerator overnight (or up to 3 days).
Same day: Cover the pan with plastic wrap (allowing space for the dough to rise) and rest until the dough has risen about 1 inch above the lip of the pan, about 1 hour.
If overnight: Remove the loaf from the refrigerator one hour before you plan to bake the bread. Set it aside on a countertop to warm up.
Bake: Fifteen minutes before you plan to bake, arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Bake until the loaf looks golden brown across the top and the center reaches 195℉ (90ºC) when tested with an instant-read thermometer, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Pop the bread out of the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Bread browning quickly?: Tent your loaf with foil if you notice the top browning quickly during baking.
Storage: Fresh bread will keep for about 2 days at room temperature, or up to 3 months in the freezer. Frozen bread can be thawed quickly in the microwave or toaster if pre-sliced.

Nutrition