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Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 60 reviews
  • Author: lilan
  • Total Time: 3 hours
  • Yield: 1 loaf (about 12 slices) 1x

Description

Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread is a soft, slightly sweet yeast bread infused with a warm cinnamon-sugar swirl throughout. This bread features a tender crumb and a golden crust, perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. The dough is kneaded to perfection and rises twice to develop flavor and texture. The cinnamon-sugar swirl is spread inside before rolling and baking in a loaf pan, creating beautiful layers and a deliciously aromatic bread.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) water, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
  • 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar, divided
  • 4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup; 56g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut in 4 pieces
  • 3 cups (390g) bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg white, beaten

Cinnamon Swirl Filling

  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm water, warm milk, yeast, and 2 tablespoons of sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Cover loosely and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy. If you don’t have a mixer, mix in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or spatula.
  2. Mix and incorporate flour and ingredients: Add the remaining sugar, butter, 1 cup flour, and salt. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scrape down sides, then add another cup of flour and beat on medium until partially incorporated. Add the last flour and beat on medium until dough comes together and pulls away from the bowl, about 2 minutes. Add flour by tablespoon if too wet.
  3. Knead the dough: Knead using the mixer for 8–10 minutes or by hand on a floured surface for 8–10 minutes until dough is soft and slightly tacky but manageable. Use the windowpane test or finger poke to check readiness.
  4. First rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil, place dough inside, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1.5–2 hours until doubled in size.
  5. Prepare loaf pan: Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan well with butter or nonstick spray.
  6. Make cinnamon swirl filling: Whisk together sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
  7. Shape the dough: Punch down the risen dough. Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin. Roll dough into an 8×20 inch rectangle. Brush with beaten egg white, sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll tightly into an 8-inch log and place seam-side down in the loaf pan. Sprinkle any spilled cinnamon sugar on top.
  8. Second rise: Cover the loaf and let it rise for 1 hour or until about 1 inch above the pan.
  9. Preheat oven: Adjust oven rack to a lower position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
  10. Brush with butter and bake: Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter, brush on top of loaf. Bake 35–45 minutes until golden brown. Tent with foil if browning too fast. Bread is done when hollow sounding or when an instant-read thermometer reads 195–200°F (90–93°C) in the center.
  11. Cool the bread: Remove from oven, cool in pan for a few minutes on a rack. Remove loaf from pan and cool on rack at least 10 minutes before slicing; longer cooling improves texture.
  12. Storage: Store leftover bread tightly covered at room temperature up to 6 days or refrigerated up to 10 days.

Notes

  • Use bread flour for best texture; all-purpose flour can be substituted but may alter crumb slightly.
  • Ensure liquids are warmed to about 110°F to properly activate yeast.
  • Do not add too much flour during kneading to avoid dry bread; the dough should be soft and tacky.
  • The egg white wash helps the cinnamon-sugar stick to the dough and adds a slight sheen.
  • Resting and rising times can vary with room temperature and humidity.
  • Use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness — helps avoid underbaking or overbaking.
  • Letting the bread cool fully before slicing helps maintain crumb structure and ease of slicing.
  • Leftover bread can be toasted or used for French toast, adding versatility to the recipe.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: cinnamon bread, homemade bread, cinnamon swirl bread, yeast bread, sweet bread, breakfast bread, homemade cinnamon bread

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Find it online: https://cooklilan.com/homemade-cinnamon-swirl-bread-recipe/