Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Rating

Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread is the perfect weekend baking project.
Ingredients
- FOR THE SPONGE:
- ⅓ c. plus 1 tbsp. milk
- ¾ c. all-purpose flour
- 1 (0.25-oz.) packet active dry yeast
- FOR THE DOUGH:
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1¾ c. all-purpose flour
- ¼ c. granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tbsp. water
- ⅓ c. butter, softened
- ⅓ c. raisins
- FOR THE FILLING:
- ½ c. granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
- FOR THE EGG WASH:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp. water
Instructions
- MAKE SPONGE:
- Warm milk in microwave or on stovetop to approximately 100. In a small bowl, mix warm milk, flour, and yeast until well combined. Let sit for 45 to 60 minutes, or until sponge has formed air pockets.
- MAKE DOUGH:
- Once the sponge has formed some air pockets, add eggs, flour, sugar, water, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment. Mix on medium speed until well combined, then gradually increase to medium-high speed and continue mixing, scraping down bowl every 4 to 5 minutes, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and becomes shiny and elastic, 10 to 13 minutes.
- With the mixer running, add butter gradually, 1 tablespoon at a time, letting each tablespoon fully incorporate into the dough before adding the next. (This process will take 13 to 15 minutes.) Continue mixing on medium-high speed for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test. Once the dough has reached this stage, add raisins and mix until they are incorporated throughout the dough.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest about 1 hour or doubled in size.
- ASSEMBLE AND BAKE LOAF:
- In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Turn dough out onto a well floured work surface and roll into a large rectangle, approximately 8"-x-16". Fold short ends in towards each other as if folding a letter. Turn dough 90° and roll out from the short end into another 8"-x-16" inch sheet.
- Sprinkle dough with sugar and cinnamon mixture leaving 1" of the far end uncoated. Pull up on the coated end and roll dough into a tight spiral. Place the roll seam side down in a buttered 8"-x-5" loaf pan, cover, and let rise for 1 to 2 hours , or until dough begins to rise over the edge of the pan.
- Preheat oven to 375° and brush top of dough with egg wash. Bake until deeply golden on top and the center of the loaf registers between 190° and 205°, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes then turn loaf out onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely