Cinnamon Raisin Bread - Beginners Recipe

Recipe

Every slice of this cinnamon raisin bread recipe is laced with plump raisins and the perfect cinnamon swirl.

This is the perfect beginner recipe for cinnamon raisin bread, with easy step-by-step guidance whether you're trying it for the first time or have failed loaves before.

two slices of cinnamon raisin bread topped with butter

Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Laura fuentes holding a skillet of food standing in front of a blue door

When I met my husband back in 2000, he would make cinnamon raisin toast for himself upon returning home from our night class in graduate school. And to this day, crispy, buttery cinnamon raisin bread dipped in cold white milk is still one of his favorite things to eat late at night, as well as our kids’!

After you try a slice of this homemade cinnamon raisin bread, you'll never want to buy it store-bought again. Every bite has the perfect cinnamon swirl with plenty of sweet raisins.

Ingredients

The wet ingredients are milk, eggs, butter, and golden or regular raisins. You’ll use warm water to activate the dry yeast. The dry ingredients needed are white sugar, salt to enhance the flavor, all-purpose flour, and cinnamon.

Is Cinnamon Raisin Bread Healthy?

This bread is a healthier choice than store-bought simply because it’s made without any preservatives and with wholesome ingredients. That said, all cinnamon raisin bread recipes have sugar, so it’s definitely something to be enjoyed in moderation.

How to Make Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Activate the yeast.
Dissolve the yeast in warm water and set aside for 10 minutes until the mixture has “bloomed” (developed foam at the top).
Make the dough.
Cream the eggs, sugar, butter, and salt in the stand mixer. Add room-temperature milk and bloomed yeast, and mix slowly. Add the flour and mix until a dough has formed. Add the raisins and give it one last mix.
Knead.
Knead the dough on the floured surface until it’s smooth. If the dough is sticky, dust it with a little extra flour, just enough to fold over.
Let it proof.
Transfer the dough to a bowl greased with oil spray or butter. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and place in the oven for 1 ½ hours, until doubled in size.
Roll it out.
Roll the dough out into a large rectangle about ½-inch thick and 8 to 9 inches long. Brush the surface with 2 tablespoons of milk or melted butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture over the moistened dough.
Roll it up.
Roll the dough lengthwise, and transfer it into a greased 9 x 5-inch pan. Brush the top with melted butter. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
Bake.
Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Let the bread cool slightly before removing it from the pan.

loaf of cinnamon raisin bread with two slices cut out

Laura’s Baking Tips

Can I use whole wheat flour?

You can use some whole wheat flour in this recipe, up to 1 cup; any more than that, and the loaf will be VERY dense, and you’ll need to add vital wheat gluten (about 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons).

What pan-type to use

I made this bread in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, but you could also bake it in a 9-inch round cake pan and slice it the same way you would slice a boulle.

Be patient

This can be tough, but allowing the dough to rise twice is a must and is the only way to ensure that the bread will properly rise. Plan accordingly.

Can I make two loaves at once?

Yes, but I recommend measuring the ingredients twice in two separate batches. When making bread, it’s not as easy as doubling all the ingredients and dividing the dough; this often results in a dense loaf or bread not rising properly. If you’re a seasoned baker and are comfortable doubling the recipe and have a feel for dough consistency, by all means, I’ve often tripled the batch myself.

Can I use cinnamon raisin bread for French toast?

Yes! Cinnamon raisin bread makes delicious French toast. Just make sure you cut the slices thick so the egg absorbs well and the bread doesn't get soggy.

How to Freeze Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Let the bread cool completely before slicing, then place the slices on a lined sheet pan; once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe zip bag. You can freeze cinnamon raisin bread for up to 2 months. To serve, let it thaw out for a few minutes before toasting.

You can also freeze whole, baked loaves of cinnamon raisin bread in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. When ready, transfer the loaf to the fridge and slice as needed, consuming it within 3 days.

Always See My Recipes In Google

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Loaf Recipe

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 15

Rising time: 1 30

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 3 30

Every slice of this cinnamon raisin bread recipe is laced with plump raisins and the perfect cinnamon swirl.

4.89 from 70 votes

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Ingredients

Dough

⅓ cup water, warm
1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 egg
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup milk, warm
⅓ cup raisins
3 cups all-purpose flour, + more for dusting
1 tablespoon milk

Filling

⅓ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Instructions

Activate the yeast:

In a measuring glass or cup, dissolve yeast in warm water and set it aside for about 10 minutes to bloom (for developing a ½ to 1 inch of foam at the top, the bloom).

Make the dough:

Meanwhile, to the bowl of your stand mixer, add the egg, sugar, butter, and salt, and using the paddle, cream well. Add the warm milk and the bloomed yeast and water mixture to the bowl, and combine.
Slowly add the flour to the bowl while the mixer is on medium-low speed until a dough forms. Add the raisins and give it a mix over.

Knead:

Flour your counter or work surface lightly, and transfer the dough onto it. Knead it a few times to combine. If the dough feels sticky, lightly sprinkle a little more flour, just enough to fold over.

Let it rise:

Grease a large bowl with spray, oil, or butter, and transfer the dough ball. Cover it with a warm, damp kitchen towel and let it rise for 1 ½ hours until it has doubled in size.
Transfer the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface, and roll out the dough into a rectangle about ½ inch thick and 8 to 9 inches long (the size of your baking pan).
Brush or use your hands to lightly brush milk over the dough. You could use melted butter instead.
In a small dish, combine brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture over the dough.
Roll the dough lengthwise, and transfer the rolled log into the prepared loaf pan. Brush the top of the dough in the pan with melted butter.
Let the dough rise once more, in the pan, for one hour.

Bake:

Place the top baking rack in the middle position of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until the loaf has browned at the top and it sounds hollow when tapped.
Remove from the oven and let it cool down slightly before transferring it out of the pan onto a cooling rack. Once fully cooled, slice into 8 slices and enjoy.

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