This homemade sourdough cinnamon raisin bread gets a noteworthy upgrade with tangy, active sourdough starter and vanilla soaked raisins. It’s so soft and scrumptious, just wait until you try it!
Admittedly, I grew up on store-bought Pepperidge Farm cinnamon raisin bread with cream cheese, cut into neat and tidy triangles, no crust (thanks mom). Homemade is next level.
This recipe is a spin-off of my easy sourdough sandwich bread with more sourdough starter, a sweet cinnamon-sugar swirl, and my secret weapon: vanilla soaked raisins.
I’ll walk you through it step-by-step, with a simple video above. I can’t think of anything more satisfying to enjoy for breakfast!
Why This Recipe Works
- The stretch and fold technique + bread flour is used for optimal height and crumb structure.
- Raisins are incorporated into the dough (not into the filling) for easier rolling.
- Flour binds the cinnamon-sugar swirl together so it doesn’t leak out of the loaf!
How To Make Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread At Home (Step-By-Step-Recipe)
Step 1: Mix the Dough
In a stand mixer, combine the dough ingredients to form a rough, shaggy dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. This resting period will make the raisins much easier to incorporate. Meanwhile, soak the raisins in vanilla extract. Drain, squeeze dry in a paper towel, and add to the bowl.
Knead the dough on medium-low speed for about 6-8 minutes. If you don’t have a stand mixer, I’ve included instructions in the recipe below to mix the dough by hand.
Step 2: Bulk Rise With Stretch & Folds
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise overnight until double in size, about 8-12 + hrs @ 68 F.
To stretch and fold the dough, the first set can be done about 30 minutes into the bulk rise followed by another set 30 minutes later (2 sets total). You’ll get great height and a soft bouncy crumb following this technique!
Step 3: How to Shape Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Gently pat and stretch the dough to remove some of the air bubbles. Roll into a 6 x 20-inch rectangle. These specific dimensions are important: the longer you roll the dough, the more swirls you’ll get! The 6-inch width will ensure the dough fits snuggly into the pan. I use a measuring tape for accuracy and smooth down the sides of the dough to keep the width within range (watch the video at the top of this post!).
Lightly score the dough around the tops and sides to create a border. Brush the surface with egg wash or plain water for the filling to stick. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar in the center.
To finish, roll the dough into a log and place into a buttered 8.5×4- inch loaf pan.
A Few Helpful Tips…
- When bread bakes, steam forms within the dough. Because this loaf is not scored on the surface (it will cut into the cinnamon swirl) the steam has no place to escape. As a result, the steam can sometimes form gaps between the cinnamon swirl and the bread.
- To remedy this, Cooks Illustrated recommends adding powdered sugar to the swirl filling to bind the extra moisture. King Arthur brushes an egg wash onto the dough to make the swirl stick. I’ve had mixed results with both.
- Several of my recipe tests revealed that gap preventative binders (i.e. egg wash, powdered sugar etc.) only work if the dough is shaped properly AND it is not over proofed after the second rise. If the dough is too puffy and over proofed, you won’t get gaps… you’ll get tunnels! Either way, not to worry- the gaps will not effect the final taste.
Step 4: Second Rise
Cover the loaf pan and let rest at room temperature until the center of the dough rises to about 1-inch above the rim of the pan, about 1 1/2- 2 hrs. It should look soft and slightly puffy, and no longer dense.
Step 5: Bake The Dough
Place on the center rack and bake @ 375 F for 45-50 minutes or until light golden brown. The aroma will tantalize you as it bakes! Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes or so, and then transfer to a wire rack to finish.
We love this soft sourdough cinnamon raisin bread served slightly warm, or toasted with melted butter. It makes great French toast the next day too. How good does this look?!
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Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread {with vanilla-soaked raisins!}
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Method: One-Bowl
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A twist on a classic, this soft sourdough cinnamon raisin bread recipe gets a noteworthy upgrade with tangy sourdough and vanilla soaked raisins. We love it toasted with cream cheese or melted butter and it makes great french toast!
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 g (4 cups) bread flour
- 85 g (6 tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes
- 24 g (2 tbsp.) sugar
- 9 g fine sea salt
- 100 g (1/2 cup) bubbly, active sourdough starter (100% hydration)*
- 240 g (1 cup) warm water
- 85 g (1/2 cup) raisins
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg + a splash of water, lightly beat (egg wash)**
Cinnamon-Sugar Swirl
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. flour
Notes & Substitutions
*For an even faster rise, use 150 g sourdough starter + 230 g warm water and keep the rest of the quantities the same.
**Water can be used instead of an egg wash to brush the dough.
Instructions
Baking Schedule: this is an overnight dough which takes approximately 8-12 hrs to rise @ 68 F. Start the night before, in the evening, and plan to bake the following day. Alternatively, if you’re making this in the summer and it’s warmer than 68 F, the dough will take less time to rise, about 4-6 hrs @ 80+ F. Instead of the overnight option (which might lead to over proofed dough), let it rise during the day to bake later in the afternoon or evening.
Mix the Dough
Add the flour, butter, sugar and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine on low speed until the butter looks like crumbs. Add the starter and warm water. Mix until the flour is fully absorbed. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, soak the raisins in the vanilla extract. Drain and squeeze dry in a paper towel before using.
After the dough has rested, add the raisins to the bowl. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium-low (#3 on a KitchenAid) for 6-8 minutes. The dough will feel soft and supple when ready. If it’s sticky, add a little bit of flour.
Note: In lieu of using a stand mixer, knead the dough by hand without the raisins for 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest for 1 hour. Add the raisins during your first stretch and fold; they will be much easier to incorporate at this stage.
Bulk Rise with Stretch & Folds
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise overnight at room temperature (68 F) until double in size, about 8-12 hrs. Please refer to the Baking Schedule above for alternative rise time options.
To stretch and fold the dough, begin 30-minutes to 1 hour into the bulk rise. Grab a portion of the dough and stretch it upward. Fold the dough over toward the center of the bowl. Give the bowl a one-quarter turn and repeat: stretch the dough upward and fold it over toward the center. Continue until you have come full circle to complete 1 set, or 4 folds around the bowl. Rest the dough for 30 minutes and then do a second set. For step-by-step instructions and video click here.
Shape the Dough
In the morning, coat an 8.5 x 4-inch loaf pan with butter. Combine the sugar, cinnamon and flour in a small bowl; set aside.
Remove the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently pat, flatten and stretch the dough to release any large air bubbles. Roll the dough into a 6 x 20-inch rectangle with a rolling pin. Gently score a 1-inch border around the sides leaving a 2-inch border at the very top to seal the dough (you are not cutting through the dough just marking it). Brush the entire surface with the egg wash or water, if using. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture inside the border. Slowly roll the dough into a log pinching the ends to seal. Place the dough into the loaf pan seam side down.
Second Rise
Cover the dough and let rest at room temperature until it has risen to about 1-inch above the rim of the pan, about 1 1/2- 2 hours depending on temperature. Check the height by looking at the domed center portion of the dough.
Preheat your oven to 375 F towards the tail end of the second rise.
Bake the Dough
Place the loaf pan on the center rack and bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
This loaf will stay fresh for up to 3 days, stored in a plastic bag at room temperature.
Comments
meerry says
left out the raisins, super delicious. this time I’m adding mini chocolate chips in lieu of them.
Rich says
I have made this a couple of times, and I found that the bread has come out still more dense than I would have thought it was going to come out. Any thoughts as to why? Am I rolling it out too much?
Bryanna says
Hi rich did you ever figure this out? I’m having the same problem
Rich says
No I haven’t.
Nancy Vaughns says
I rarely leave comments, but this bread came out so perfect. I followed the directions as written, was worried that I may have left it to prove too long on the counter (14h) but it did not seem overproved. Continued to shape, second prove, and bake as written and it was perfect. Soft, not too sweet, with a beautiful cinnamon sugar swirl. Will make this recipe again 1000x.
Lecia A Blackmon says
I made the regular sourdough bread the other day and decided to try this. Your bread recipes a awesome. My bread rose up so nicely I can’t wait to dig in and enjoy. The smell of cinnamon is all through the house. I also added crusted walnuts. I will difinitely be trying other recipes.
Lauren says
This bread is delicious! I wasn’t paying really close attention to the timing of the bulk ferment and the stretch folding and I baked it in a round porcelain dish rather than a loaf pan and it still came out terrific.
I doubt this loaf will be around for many days because it is irresistible!
Thank you for this recipe.
Grace says
Might be too tasty! Not a fan of raisins, so left them out. The most perfect toast I can imagine! Can’t wait to make French toast. Make sure the overnight rise is in a very large vessel, mine outgrew its container and was a hoot to discover in the morning!
CHRISTINE LATINE says
Made this a few days ago. Love it.
meyka Paddock says
Absolutely love this bread! I baje a loaf every week!
Lacey says
My dough didn’t rise :( I actually was doing a regular sourdough loaf at the same time, used the same active starter and this one didn’t rise while the regular loaf did. I weighed all my ingredients and can’t figure it out. Thoughts?
Rich says
I have made this once but there were a couple of instructions that were not clear to me, so feel free to answer as a reply.
[1] Active starter: is this taking 100g from my mother starter in the fridge, or do i need to activate it overnight on the counter by feeding it. It wasn’t clear. The first time I did it I used it straight from the fridge and it worked well, but didn’t rise as much as I would have expected.
[2] The bulk rise stretch and folds. Do you let it rest 8-12h then do stretch and folding? Or Do you stretch and fold 3-4 times in the first 2h of the 8-12h then let it rest for the remaining time. Not clear from the instructions and the video just starts at the start of the degassing phase and putting sugar on.
[3] Can I just double everything to make two loaves at once, then cut it into two parts prior to the final shaping phase.
Regardless, it was very tasty, and my family gobbled it up….just wanted to make sure I was doing this correctly
Michele says
Active = fed and bubbly. :)
Victoria A. Filippi says
This bread was delicious. The recipe is easy to follow and the cinnamon and vanilla-soaked raisins make it feel special. The aroma made waiting for it to cool difficult, but when you do, that first bite is fabulous. It is wonderful toasted and I saved two thick pieces to make French Toast. Amazing. Thank you for this recipe!
Chelsea says
Can I freeze the bread once it’s baked?
Anne says
I slice and then freeze the bread as there are only two of us to eat it! We take out individual slices as needed. It always tastes amazing! You could freeze the whole loaf as well; just wait until it’s completely cooled (usually minimum 4 hours), then wrap in foil before placing in freezer.
Pamela says
Can I substitute honey for the sugar in both the bread and the cinnamon-sugar swirl? We don’t use refined sugar.
Jennifer Kirby says
Delicious!! But I did have a very large tunnel that went through the whole top so when I cut a piece, the piece kinda just falls apart. If I did attempt to score top would it prevent this?
I did put in fridge overnight after 4 hours bulk rise, is that the culprit with the tunnels?
Erin says
AMAZING!! Third Clever Carrot recipe I tried, now I am officially hooked! It was so delicious, and very pretty when you cut into it and see the cinnamon swirl! My family already asked when I am making it again and the loaf is not even finished yet!
Maggie says
Looks so good!!
Is that a left-handed knife you are using?
If so, where did you find it?
I am constantly looking for one ……..no luck so far!!
Kathy says
Internal temp of bread?
Samantha Peterson says
I’ve been trying so hard to make good sourdough for 2 months. This is the first loaf I’ve made other than plain Dutch oven sour though (which I’ve not mastered). This loaf turned out INCREDIBLE!!! Way better than store bought. I didn’t think I was capable of making bread like this! This recipe has given me confidence to forge ahead on the sourdough journey. Thank you!!! I will make this loaf over and over again and look forward to gifting it to others!
Kelsey says
I can’t stop making this bread! It’s delicious and the vanilla soaked raisins take it to the next level.
I’m considering using this dough for other things—dinner rolls, sandwich bread..etc. Have you tried that? Would love to know!
Elizabeth says
This bread is so delicious! But I’ve had issues with separation each time! Any thoughts? Should I score the top?
janet yuen says
use an egg wash to help keep the rolls together. i added the egg for each roll of the dough
as roll and shape before letting it rise in the pan.
Mary says
This was so easy to make. I followed the recipe right through but had ran out of cinnamon so used mixed spice it is delicious. I did not expect it to rise in a hour to hour and half but it did. Rose about 1 and1/2inch above tin and did not flop or deflate (quite a strong dough) . We have just had a slice toasted with butter. Definitely making this on a regular basis now will experiment with different flavours.
Katie says
Having never made sourdough before, I thought I’d start with this, because my 3 yo thought it looked yummy. It was going ok and the bulk prove was underway when my 1 yo became unwell. My husband shoved the dough in the fridge after the little one and I were bundled off in an ambulance. My son is fine, and was discharged after 24 hours.
After approx 48 hours in the fridge I retrieved the dough. I couldn’t bring myself to throw it out, so I shaped it and let it do it’s thing. Somehow it has come out smelling, tasting and looking like bread. To advanced sourdough bakers, it probably would be classed as a disaster, but we’re all very happy with our warm, cinnamon raisin loaf.
Will try making again and hope the little one’s don’t give us a fright part way through the process! ☺️
Mary says
When you do a slow rise in the fridge i think it tastes better and definitely not a dissaster. Well done.
Macy says
I’ve made this twice now and it’s soooo good! The second time around, I doubled the cinnamon as my family prefers a stronger flavor.
Jillian says
Not that this recipe needs another person saying how amazing this bread is but here I am doing it anyway. Just when you think bread can’t get softer, you make this and the bar is raised. I soaked my raisin rocks in the tablespoon of vanilla and some hot water because they were very dried out. After draining the raisins I used that soaking water as part of the liquid for the recipe. It was a risk but I did it anyway and I don’t regret it. Such a fantastic recipe!
Jillian says
I should add, both times I’ve made this so far it has taken much longer to bake than the instructions say. At least 30 minutes more.
Alex says
Seriously so good! Only the second sourdough loaf I’ve ever made, and it came out perfect. So soft and so yummy!!
For some reason, my first proof went faster than expected, but my second proof in the loaf pan took a very very long time. I had it rising under a warming light in the loaf pan for over two hours before I had to give up and put it in the fridge for the night. Pulled it out of the fridge at 7am the next morning and it wasn’t ready to bake until around 2pm. Overnight proof in the fridge didn’t hurt it one bit though!
Highly recommend this recipe!!
Stacey says
Thank you for sharing this! I had to leave the house before I got a chance to bake it. I put it in the fridge and hoped I could pull it out and finish the second rise/bake. It’s still got a bit to go, but I have hope the refrigerator time didn’t ruin the loaf.
Lance Cacy says
What should the internal bread temp be after 45 min in the oven?
Gina says
King Arthur says 190 for their cinnamon bread and it’s what I went with…it came out perfect.
Deborah Davis says
Made this recipe for the first time today. It is delish and my entire family loves it. I did replace approx 3 Tblsp of granulated sugar with dark brown sugar.
Thank you for sharing the recipe and for the clear instructions.
Sandhya Jain says
This recipe is absolutely amazing. Making it the second time as I type this comment.
I accidentally added 340 gms of water instead of 240 and realized my mistake after the bulk rise as it felt too sticky. I have added more flour to it and am going for second bulk rise to salvage the loaf. Am I thinking right or is my loaf doomed.
Kat says
Absolutely loved this recipe. Best yet. Whole family loved it
Emilie Raffa says
Wonderful! Thank you!
Sadye says
This one will knock your socks off!!!
Sara says
This recipe is fantastic! Like some others, I was hesitant to use so much vanilla. I’ve tried different variations, but my favorite is Amaretto and dried cranberries. Added benefit, the drained Amaretto makes nice addition to a cocktail. I’ve found that I prefer the shorter bulk rise, 7-8 hours. This makes the bread have less of that sourdough tang.
I’ve never commented on a recipe before, but I figured I probably should since I’ve made so many of these loaves. Everyone loves them. Thank you!
Lorraine says
Absolutely perfect! I have to stop myself from binge eating! I have a second loaf proofing to take to work. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!!
Christy says
Eating a slice fresh out of the oven as I type this. I used dried cranberries instead of raisin because that’s what I had on hand. It’s delicious! Will make again soon!
Kristi Niclas says
Fantastic recipe !!
This made a light, fluffy delicious bread and the vanilla soaked raisins were a game changer . I am making a second loaf and this will be a staple in our home. Everyone is asking for it!
Julie-Ann Kossatz says
Just so i am clear. We use the mixer with dough hook and then stretch and fold methods. Right?
Annie Moore says
I’ve made this bread many times but I’m wondering if I could it without the raisins? Would I just add vanilla extract? Thank you 😊
Caley Gill says
Yum! Even better on day 2.
Emilie Raffa says
Glad you liked it!
Marisa says
I’ve been wanting to try to make a sourdough version of my cinnamon swirl bread for a bit. I’m going to give this one a try later as I’m feeding my starter now. On the tips regarding gaps around the swirls, just thought I’d add that I use a pain de mie/pullman pan with a lid for cinnamon swirl bread typically and it makes perfect slices with no separation. Definitely recommend trying if anyone already has a pain de mie pan. If you only have a larger pain de mie pan, you can usually scale the ingredients to 1.5x for those.
Emilie Raffa says
This is excellent advice, Marisa. Thank you for sharing!
Elizabeth Porter says
I’ve made this recipe so many times, and it’s always delicious. I had multiple silly mishaps this past time (user error— nothing to blame with the recipe), and it still turned out perfect. My timing was off so for the second rise, I put it in the fridge over night and baked in the morning. Still worked well. I hope this helps someone in a similar situation because I was worried but too far into the bread making process to give up!! Lol. Such a flexible recipe, I recommend to anyone wanting to venture out from plain sourdough.
Elizabeth says
I also have to bake mine significantly longer than the recipe calls for (20+ min) so trust your gut if you think yours is not quite done despite the timing!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Thank you for sharing your tips. I couldn’t agree more! Once you have a basic understanding of the process, the timing with bread is flexible. And ALWAYS go with your gut. That’s how you further develop your baker’s intuition which is 100% your best tool.
Nora says
I am in the middle of this recipe, getting ready to do the second set of stretch and folds. Based on the directions, it looks like there are only two sets of stretch and folds, about 30 minutes apart, early in the bulk rise. Is this correct? I would appreciate the clarification.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Nora! Yes, this is correct :)
Susan says
Ok I love the cinnamon raisin swirl bread , making my 2nd loaf. It is delicious. Also thank you I made my sourdough start from your instructions. My husband kids and grandkids love the chocolate chip cookies. So thank you for your web pages and recipes.
Emilie Raffa says
You’re very welcome, Susan! Thanks for taking the time to comment :)
Jolene says
This recipe is amazing! I missed the stretch and pulls bc I didn’t read past cover it and let it rise… it still turned out great!
Malinda says
This is reassuring as I also missed this! I am waiting on the second rise now and was hoping I hadn’t waisted all of that time I put into it. :)
Whitney says
Can I put the dough in the fridge to slow down the 2nd rise? I had an emergency come up and won’t be able to put it in the oven between 8-10am when it would normally be ready to bake. My boys LOVE this recipe and I would hate to waste the dough.
Emilie Raffa says
Yes! You can absolutely do this. If it needs more time to puff up before baking, just let it rest on the counter while the oven heats up.
Kristen Meyers says
Seriously perfection!! Easy to follow and fantastic texture and flavor!
Emilie Raffa says
Wonderful! Thank you!
Darla Elkin says
Loaf was delicious but my cinnamon swirl disappeared – any thoughts on why? Just looks like bread with raisins – wanted that pretty swirl!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! That is SO strange. It’s never happened to me before… Was your dough on the warm side? Did the cinnamon-sugar dissolve somehow?
Kristina says
This recipe is excellent and so easy! I started my sourdough journey with artisan bread, which is a more tedious and time consuming process than this recipe. This cinnamon raisin bread is such a hit that it is now requested for birthdays instead of cake!
Emilie Raffa says
Well! Bread instead of cake? You are a star!
Corrie says
Was so excited to make this, but I must’ve messed up somehow! I used a stand mixer and went through the adding raisins step. After a couple hours, I put it in the fridge to do my bulk rise since I wouldn’t be able to bake it in time. It was only in the fridge fir about 15 hours and was super hard when I pulled it out. I always get a good bulk rise from my regular sourdough in the fridge. Any idea why this could’ve happened? Thanks!!
Rachel says
it’s the butter content. butter has saturated fat, which seizes up when it gets cold. this bread is pretty rich in butter
Courtney says
Hi! i made this and there are massive “caverns” all along the swirl of cinnamon, not a tight swirl, you could
probably stick your hand through it! could this be due to me not rolling tight enough? or maybe i didnt get all the air bubbles out during shaping? still delicious tho, texture was perfect
Joyce says
Read the “tips” part in the descriptive portion of the recipe. It talks about why those form and possible remedies.
Elizabeth Musick says
I had this happen too! So delicious but massive gap right at the top. I used the egg wash too.
Sam says
I’ve made this twice now. It’s absolutely delicious! My husband has been eating it toasted for breakfast everyday this week. I will be making this regularly. This has been great to slice and put in the freezer, super easy to take out a slice or two and put straight into the toaster. Thank you.
Jamie says
Has anyone used butter instead of the water or egg?
Rama says
I was wondering the same thing! Any luck? It’s proofing right now, and I’m going to bake it tomorrow.
Someone please reply!!
Butter in the middle and on top instead of water/egg wash. Will it work?
Jamie says
Rama what did you end up using? I used the egg wash and it turned out very good. Still wonder about the butter though!
Michelle says
I’ve used butter as well as the egg wash . Both darken the top of the loaf however butter gives it a dull appearance and the egg wash gives it a nice shine. Both ways are delicious, just a matter of preference.
Rama says
Hey Jamie, I ended up using water as I didn’t want to mess anything up! But I think I’ll try butter next time..
What about you?