Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread
Sourdough cinnamon raisin swirl bread perfectly balances tanginess and sweetness. Packed with swirls so you taste the cinnamon in every bite.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Rise Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 1 Loaf
Ingredients
- ¾ Cup (110 g) Raisins
- ½ Cup (123 g) Milk Warmed to 110°F
- 1/3 Cup (78 ml) Warm Water
- 2 ¼ Teaspoon (2.25 Teaspoon) Active Dry Yeast or Instant Yeast
- 2 ½ Tablespoons (2.5 Tablespoons) Granulated White Sugar
- 2 ¼ Cups (281 g) All-Purpose Flour or Bread Flour
- ¼ Teaspoon (0.25 Teaspoon) Salt
- 1/3 Cup (100 g) Sourdough Starter Discard
- 2 ¼ Tablespoons (2.25 Tablespoons) Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 1 (1) Large Egg room temperature
Cinnamon Swirl
- 1/4 Cup (50 g) White Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons (2 Teaspoons) Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) Melted Butter
Instructions
- Soak Raisins: Place the raisins in a bowl of warm water. Let them sit for 15-20 minutes.
- Warm the milk in the microwave to roughly 110°F. It should be warm to the touch but not hot enough to burn your finger. This should take about 15 seconds.
- Yeast Mixture: In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the warm milk, warm water, yeast, and white sugar. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast is foamy.
- Knead: Add the flour, salt, sourdough starter discard, softened butter, and egg. With the dough hook attachment, knead on medium-low speed for five to ten minutes.
- Raisins: Drain the raisins. Add the raisins to the stand mixer bowl and knead until they are evenly distributed into the bread dough.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a large, greased mixing bowl and cover. Let it rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.
- Cinnamon Swirl Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
- Shape: On a floured work surface, roll the dough with a rolling pin into a 7x20-inch rectangle. Moisten the dough with melted butter by brushing it on with a pastry brush. You can also use your hands. Then, sprinkle the cinnamon swirl mixture evenly on top of the dough. Starting from the short side, roll up tightly into a log (this is called the "Jelly Roll".
- Second Rise: Place the rolled dough into a greased bread pan and cover. Let it rise for about 1 to 1 ½ hours till the bread dough is over the rim of the pan. (See Notes)
- Oven: Adjust the rack to the lower ⅔ portion of the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Bake: Uncover the loaf. Bake for 45 minutes or until it is lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped. The internal temperature should be 195°F (91°C).
- Cool: Let the bread sit in the pan for 20 minutes. Then, take it out and let it cool on a wire rack. Let it cool completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
- Special Equipment (Affiliate Links): 9x5-inch Loaf Pan | Wire Cooling Rack | Instant Read Thermometer | Pastry Brush | Rolling Pin
- Overnight Instructions: Prepare the dough through step five. Then, place it in a container and allow it to rise in the fridge overnight instead of a warm environment. The next day, take the dough out and let it sit on the counter until it comes to room temperature. Then, continue with step 7.
- Do I Need To Add Raisins: No, you don't have to add the raisins. If you wish not to use raisins, simply leave them out.
- Yeast: I highly recommend using yeast and discard for this recipe instead of omitting yeast and relying on an active sourdough starter. I've made this recipe with yeast and without. Since this is an enriched dough, it takes longer to rise. The no-yeast version is delicious. However, it took over 12 hours to finish the rise.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour or bread flour. I have not found a difference in either. I have yet to try this recipe with whole wheat flour.
- White Sugar: You can substitute this with brown sugar.
- Second Rise: The second rise is done once the bread is roughly 1/4th inch above the rim of the pan. Unlike my sourdough sandwich bread, this loaf does not rise as high.