Homemade sourdough cinnamon raisin swirl bread is so much better than store-bought and makes the best toast you’ve ever had!
Well I sort of thought 2017 would be the year of sourdough recipes here at IBK but then cookies and cakes got in the way and I haven’t posted any sourdough anything since January.
I can’t believe how time has gotten away from me! (Dear Time, if you’ll please slow down I’ll bring you some fresh bread. And a stick of butter. The real deal—no margarine, I promise.)
The only thing that can make me turn on the oven in the capital-H heat here in Phoenix is bread, specifically sourdough bread. I’m a sourdough baking fanatic, which is something I inherited from my amazing Grandma Myna. (I also inherited her sourdough starter—for more info on starter check out my Lazy Girl’s Guide to Sourdough Starter. It’s truly not as complicated as you might think.)
This sourdough cinnamon raisin swirl bread is an adaptation of my favorite (and a family favorite too) sourdough bread. I upped the sugar just a smidge in the loaf itself and added raisins and a gorgeous (if I do say so myself) swirl of cinnamon sugar.
Sometimes I find cinnamon raisin bread severely lacking in flavor—like it’s bread with an eensy little bit of cinnamon and three raisins to be found in the entire loaf—so I wanted to make my own flavor-full version.
And this cinnamon raisin swirl bread definitely delivers on the flavor. After I took the pics for this post I devoured four slices with extra butter.
I have an excuse; I’d just been at Pilates and was famished. Bread is a good recovery food. I hope?
If you have any questions about baking with sourdough please let me know! I’m not an expert but I have plenty of non-expert experience and would love to share my sourdough addiction with everybody. Have a great weekend!
How to make sourdough bread ahead of time
I love eating fresh bread early in the morning, but I will not wake up at 4 a.m. for that pleasure. My trick to making sourdough bread ahead is to prepare the recipe up to the first rise, then let the bread do its first rise in the fridge overnight. In the morning, pull the dough out of the fridge, let it sit at room temp for about 30 to 45 minutes, then continue with the recipe.
For this sourdough cinnamon raisin swirl bread, that would mean following the recipe through step 4, then popping the bread dough in the fridge. In the morning after your bread has come to room temperature, make the swirl and proceed as directed.
PS, I had to share this pic. Cookie shoved her head under that pillow last night while we were watching House Hunters. One of the houses was really ugly (more ugly than usual) but I think this was more a reaction to the 118 degrees outside than to the house. Life just wouldn’t be the same without my favorite goofball!
Homemade sourdough cinnamon raisin swirl bread is so much better than store-bought and makes the best toast you've ever had!
- 3/4 cup dark raisins
- 3/4 cup hot water for soaking raisins
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg
- Combine the raisins and hot water in a small bowl. Let stand for 20 minutes, until raisins have gotten plump. Drain, pat dry, and set aside.
- Pour 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast and a pinch of the sugar over the top of the water and mix. Let stand at room temperature until foamy, about 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment* combine the starter, remaining water, sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon, and 1 1/2 cups of the flour. Beat on low until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the yeast mixture and beat 1 minute more. Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until it forms a soft dough that just clears the sides of the bowl.
- Remove the paddle attachment and replace with the dough hook. With mixer on low, add raisins. Knead bread on low speed to distribute raisins evenly throughout the dough. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times by hand.
- Spray a large mixing bowl with cooking spray and place dough inside, turning dough a few times to coat with the spray. Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dish towel and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes.
- After dough has gone through its first rise, combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Beat the egg and 2 teaspoons of water together in another bowl. Gently deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into a rectangle about 8 inches wide by 16 inches long.
- Brush dough with the egg wash, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the top. Roll the dough up as tightly as you can make it, pinching the seal shut.
- Lightly spray a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Place loaf into the pan seam-side down. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in bulk and the dough has risen over the edge of the pan, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake in the center of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped gently on top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving.
*You can do this by hand, too, but you’ll have to knead the dough longer.
Bread adapted from The Bread Bible
Swirl adapted from King Arthur Flour
Puja says
I’d love a piece with my tea.Looks really good.. 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you! I wish I could send you some 🙂
Milena | Craft Beering says
Love this loaf, Kelsie! Sourdough is the healthiest bread possible because of the starter component and how the proteins in the flour are actually digested by airborne bacteria to a level where the human microbiome can digest it all safely, no gluten allergies here. I wonder when it will finally become mainstream about gluten digestion and that the type of flour matters, as well as how the bread was fermented before baked… Maybe ten years? Even though people have known it intuitively for millennia? We’ll wait and see. The research is available.. Of course it is OK to eat this amazing loaf after Pilates, and even before:) This is what I would call a very healthy pastry and offer up to my son for breakfast. Headed over to your sourdough guide now:)
Kelsie says
Thank you Milena! I know! It’s hard for me to accept any bread as not terrible for me, but I’m working on the whole sourdough thing. My grandma ate homemade sourdough bread every day of her life and lived into her 90s so that should tell me something :). Have a great weekend, my friend!
Kelly says
Nothing beats the smell of homemade bread especially sourdough! LOVE the cinnamon and raisins and this is totally the perfect snack for after Pilates or any day 🙂
Kelsie says
Homemade bread is just one of my favorite things ever! Thank you Kelly! Happy Friday 🙂
Maria Doss says
Bread baking is therapeutical and my children love the smell of it and always eat it warm. That said, sourdough is kinda intimidating and never attempted due to complicated starter. But, I totally love a good cinnamon raisin bread and this looks amazing. Have a great weekend Kelsie!
Kelsie says
Warm bread is one of the best things in life :). The starter can be intimidating but it’s really not complicated once you figure it out. Thank you Maria–you have a great weekend too, my friend!
Carlee says
I thought I was going to get a Sourdough Saturday series started last year. I did get about a half dozen recipes posted, but mostly make pizza dough! Give me more ideas and inspire me!
Kelsie says
We really do share DNA don’t we? Haha! Sourdough baking is too much fun! Have a great weekend Carlee!
Stacey @ The Sugar Coated Cottage says
Sourdough is my absolute favorite bread! I love to serve it with a little sweet so this cinnamon raisin sourdough would be just perfect!! Gotta try it! Take care.
Kelsie says
Isn’t it the best? Especially with a little sweet! Thank you Stacey! Have a great weekend 🙂
Megan | 3 Scoops of Sugar says
Ooohh! This looks so delicious! Just spent a day at the pool, and totally wishing i had some of this bread right now so I didn’t have to make supper!! I would totally just pass this out to my kids and say here ya go! 🙂
Kelsie says
Hahaha! I would have loved to be fed bread for dinner as a kid, especially after a day at the pool :). Hope you’re having a great week Megan!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynn's Sweets and Treats says
I’m feeling ya with the heat. It’s been 110-degrees here everyday this week! Ughhhh. I would turn my oven on for this bread though too hehehehe. Yum 🙂 xoxo
Kelsie says
The whole southwest is just being baked right now! I hope you’re eating as much ice cream as I am :). Have a great weekend Kelly!
Natasha @ Salt and Lavender says
I want a slice… or 5 of this bread!! Your dog is precious. 🙂
Kelsie says
I’ll send you some, Natasha! Thank you :). Cookie says thank you too!
evolvewithmary says
I love cinnamon raisin bread. My Mom used to buy it at the grocery store as treat and it defiantly was always a treat to eat. Toasted with a little butter OMG my mouth is watering. I’m not the best bread maker but I would love to try my hand at this recipe. It looks delicious
Kelsie says
You’re lucky–my mom always refused to buy cinnamon raisin bread because she didn’t want to have to eat it :). I bet you could pull off this recipe no sweat, Mary! With butter it’s definitely the best! Have a great weekend my friend!
pglooney says
I love sourdough. I bet this smells like heaven in the oven, bread always smells good cooking, but with raisins , even better
Kelsie says
Sourdough is so good isn’t it? And nothing beats the smell of bread baking in the oven :). Happy Friday-eve Patrick!
Deepika | TheLoveOfCakes says
This seems so much fun.. I have never baked a bread before.. And this sounds so delicious that I definitely plan to try it? I find cakes, cupcakes and brownie recipes so simple in front of breads.. The entire dough thing is intimidating?..But I am surely trying this ??
Kelsie says
Before I started baking bread I thought it was intimidating too, but I find it much more forgiving than cakes and brownies. And knowing the baked goods that come out of your kitchen I have no doubt you could master bread! Have a great weekend, Deepika!
Kim | The Baking ChocolaTess says
That looks so amazing and I love cinnamon raisin bread, with the raisins in it…some people don’t like it with the raisins, but I LOVE it! Pinning and have a wonderful weekend Kelsie!!!!
Kelsie says
I LOVE raisins too! They’re one of my favorite foods–yet something else I inherited from my grandma :). Thank you Kim and you have a wonderful weekend too!
Dawn @ Girl Heart Food says
What a great thing to learn from your grandma!! I love baking bread because (1) I love eating it (duh) and (2) it’s so relaxing and (3) the freakin’ smell is amaaaaazing! Your swirl action is definitely on point, girl! I’ve never made sour dough before, but this looks like the best place to start. I would love to grab the whole loaf right through my screen right now….or you could send me some 😉 ??? Have a fantastic weekend, Kelsie :)!
Kelsie says
I’ll gladly send you some, Dawn! Baking bread is easily one of my favorite things too :). I’m so grateful to my grandma for getting me started! Thank you, my dear, and have a great weekend!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
Homemade bread is the best! I would love a slice of this toasted for breakfast!
Kelsie says
It IS the best! Toasted for breakfast this bread is my life right now :). Have a great weekend Jessica!
thebakingskillet says
You won’t believe it, I was just explaining to my husband yesterday about sourdough breads and how they need a starter! And he was like – “oh this sounds like too much work”. LOl, this is inspiring me to try some sourdough baking.. Maybe I will love it.?
Kelsie says
Seriously Jenny it’s really not that much work. I definitely think you should try it! It’s so addictive that keeping your starter going isn’t a challenge at all :). Have a great weekend!
Ben|Havocinthekitchen says
That’s totally okay to have a slice (or five) of bread after the pilates – they say you need some carbs after sport activities. But I think you’re quite callous. Insted of posting something fresh and light (it’s the season of fruit and veggies), you’re doing a really bad thing. You’re sharing this delicious raisin cinnamon bread. Inappropriate behavior, you know. And answering your question, nope, I’ve never make typos in the word “swilrl”
Kelsie says
I’m terrible aren’t I? Haha! Maybe I’ll come up with something fresh and light soon :). I have pilates again today so I know what I’ll be snacking on afterward. Have a great weekend, my friend!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Whenever I see cinnamon raisin bread I always think of my grandmother. It was her favorite bread EVER. Makes me miss spending time in the kitchen with her. I’m positive she would have LOVED this loaf! Sourdough is the bomb, so I know I could polish off an entire loaf of this in about .2 seconds! SO GOOD! Cheers, friend!
P.s. LOVE the pic of Cookie!! Too cute!
Kelsie says
Awwww grandmas are the best aren’t they? This bread is dangerously easy to eat. . .although I think most breads are so maybe that didn’t need to be stated :). Thank you Cheyanne! Happy Friday-eve!
Miriam @londonkitchendiaries says
Sourdough is fantastic, one of my friends makes the most delicious sourdough bread. Would love to give it a try, I was always a little afraid of not being able to make a starter but I am sure it is not as difficult as I think. Cookie is so cute, could not imagine to live without my two furry friends either 🙂
Kelsie says
It’s so much easier than you’d think! You just mix flour and water and let it sit out for a few days–I couldn’t believe how simple it was! Thank you Miriam, and Cookie says thank you too :). Have a great weekend!