Homemade bread of any kind is just amazing. Throw in some cinnamon and raisins and you’ve just raised the bar.
We love all kinds of bread, including homemade country white, focaccia with rosemary and olive oil, homemade dinner rolls, and zucchini bread. This swirl loaf is so easy to make and the smell that will fill your home while it bakes is heavenly.
How To Make Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread
The ingredients are straightforward and the technique is not really challenging for this bread.
One thing you do need is some time. The bread will proof (rise) twice, and this can take 1 to 2 hours for each proofing.
But the wait is so worth it!
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The Ingredients You Will Need
Water – Warmed in the microwave to 105°F to 115°F
Yeast – Quick rise or Active will work just fine (Quick rise, as you would imagine, rises faster).
Whole milk – Warmed in the microwave to 105°F to 115°F
Sugar – You’ll need some for the bread and some for the swirl filling
Unsalted butter – Room temperature
All-purpose flour – You could also use bread flour
Salt – Kosher or fine sea salt works great
Cinnamon – Go with good quality ground
Raisins – You could make this bread without raisins, but they add amazing taste and texture
EXPERT TIP: Roll the risen dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 9″x9″ square. After rolling it up, jellyroll style, it will fit perfectly in your greased 9″x5″ pan.
Tips for Perfect Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread
Let the Dough Rise – One of the most important steps in making bread is to give the dough enough time to rise and double in size. You’ll want to place the dough in a non-drafty area covered with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. It may only take 1 hour to double in size, but it could take as long as 2½ hours. You need to be patient! You can make the dough the night before baking – place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge until the next morning.
Roll the Dough Tightly – After you’ve added the cinnamon raisin filling to the square dough, use your fingers to roll the dough tightly. A loose roll will cause the bread to spread apart from itself as it bakes.
Cook the Bread Completely – The exterior of the bread will turn a golden brown as it bakes. When you tap on the top of the bread, it should sound hollow. If you remove the bread too early, the inner portion of the swirl won’t completely bake and be very doughy.
EXPERT TIP: Brush melted butter over the top of the risen loaf. It will add a beautiful golden hue to the bread and, of course, add a wonderful buttery taste.
Other Amazing Baking Recipes To Try
We love this cinnamon raisin swirl bread so much. Here are some other baking recipes that you will love to try:
Grandma’s Cinnamon Rolls
Grandma’s Kolaches
Homemade Monkey Bread
Southern-Style Biscuits
Banana Nut Bread
Classic Orange Sweet Rolls
Cheesy Skillet Rolls
But in the meantime, you’ve got to whip up some of this amazing cinnamon raisin swirl bread!
There is something about the process of making bread, and then eating that homemade bread that is just so comforting.
You take a handful of modest ingredients and transform them into something magical.
And then that first bite. A little piece of heaven (with butter on top!). Absolute perfection.
Ready to make your kitchen smell like an amazing bakery? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- 9"x5" baking loaf pan
Ingredients
- ½ cup water warmed to 105°F to 115°F
- 2¼ tsp yeast quick rise or active
- ½ cup whole milk warmed o 105°F to 115°F
- ½ cup sugar divided
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter divided, room temperature
- 1 tsp salt
- 2½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon ground
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- Place the warm water in the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir in the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Add the warm milk, ¼ cup sugar, 4 tbsp butter, and salt. Use the paddle attachment on medium speed to mix everything together. Slowly add in the flour and mix until the dough no longer clings to the side of the bowl. If it's too sticky, add a little more flour. If too dry, add a little more milk. Remove the paddle attachment and use your hands to form the dough into a ball. Place back in the bowl.
- Add the dough attachment to the mixer and knead the dough on medium speed for 6 to 7 minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic. It's okay if it's not completely smooth. Remove the dough and use your hands to keep it shaped into a ball.
- Place in a greased bowl and turn to coat the dough all over. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, non-drafty area until the dough doubles in size, anywhere from 1½ to 2½ hours.
- Once risen, remove the dough from the bowl and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to a 9"x9" square.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar (¼ cup), cinnamon, and raisins. Mix together.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon raisin mixture over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around all sides. Roll the dough into a log and seal the ends with your fingers.
- Spray a 9"x5" loaf pan with cooking spray or grease with softened butter. Place the rolled dough in the pan and cover with a kitchen towel. Place again in a warm, non-drafty area to rise again, about 1 hour to 90 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Melt 2 tbsp butter and brush over the top of the loaf.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when you tap it with your knuckles. Allow the bread to rest for about 10 minutes on a baking rack. Invert the pan to remove the loaf. Slice and serve at once, or wrap in plastic wrap to serve later.
The bread was so delicious! It disappeared in one day by my family. I made the dough in my bread machine and rolled it out, filled and rolled and let it rise for an hour. It came out perfect! Thank you for this great recipe!
Hi Carol! We are so so happy you made the bread and had such great success! And that’s fantastic that you used your bread machine! Perfect! Thank you for sharing!! Best, Kris & Wesley