Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Last Updated on September 27, 2023

The aroma of this sourdough cinnamon raisin bread is so intoxicating and cozy to me. The smell of warming cinnamon spice and rum-soaked raisins fill up the entire kitchen as this easy loaf bakes!

I associate cinnamon raisin bread with breakfast diners, where the warmly spiced soft bread is my go-to toast option. Hence, this sandwich bread is the recreation of my favorite diner toast. So, sit back in an imaginary booth with a cup of coffee and spread some softened butter on this delicious sourdough cinnamon raisin bread.

The secret to making this easy loaf bread is to get the cinnamon raisin swirl right. Swirl bread has the propensity to develop gaps or tunnels during baking. And after all of that hard work, it’s disappointing to slice into the swirl bread only to find that there are large holes.

The recipe and guide has lots of helpful tips and tricks to help prevent gaps in swirl bread so it’s perfect every time.

Sliced and toasted with butter, this is my favorite breakfast toast. It’s only slightly sweet from the cinnamon sugar filling and balanced with the sourdough tang that comes from an overnight fermentation. The rum-soaked raisins are evenly distributed throughout the swirl so each bite has a burst of flavor.

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🛠 Tools needed

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🍞 Ingredients Needed

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👨‍🏫 Baker’s Percentage Table

I include a baker’s percentage chart so you can easily scale a recipe up or down. With baker’s percentages, the total weight of all flour in the recipe is 100%. The other ingredients are noted in relation to the total weight of the flour. This is why the percentages below will add up to over 100%. The King Arthur website has a more detailed reference page on why and how baker’s percentages are calculated if you’re interested and would like to learn more.

Dough Ingredients	Weight	Percentage
All-Purpose Flour	450 grams	100%
Sourdough Starter*	50 grams	11.1%
Water, room temperature	125 grams	27.8%
Sea Salt	8 grams	1.8%
Granulated Sugar	44 grams	9.8%
Whole Milk, room temperature	125 grams	27.8%
One Large Egg**	57 grams	12.7%
Unsalted Butter, room temperature	71 grams (5 TBS)	15.8%

Filling Ingredients	Weight	Percentage
Dark Brown Sugar	50 grams	11.1%
Ground Cinnamon	6 grams	1.3%
All-Purpose Flour	8 grams	1.8%
Raisins	120 grams	26.7%
Dark Rum*	40 grams	8.9%
One Large Egg, beaten**	57 grams	12.7%

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🧑‍🍳 How to Make Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Follow this guide to help you make the best sourdough cinnamon raisin bread.

1. Build the levain

Mix together 50g of sourdough starter, 50g of bread flour, and 50g of warm water in an empty jar.

Cover and set it in a warm location (between 75-80ºF) for about five hours until bubbly and ripe. The levain should at least double in size during this time.

While waiting for the levain to double, set aside 75g water, 125g whole milk, and 71g (5 TBS) unsalted butter to come to room temperature.

Note: Please refer to my guide on How To Make A Sourdough Starter if you do not have a sourdough starter and the FAQ section on that page where I explain the difference between a starter and a levain.

I almost always use a specific levain for recipes. If you’d prefer to skip making a levain, use about 125-150g ripe sourdough starter when you add the wet ingredients.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

Once the levain is ripe, mix the dry ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl:

• 400 grams of all-purpose flour
• 44 grams of granulated sugar
• 8 grams of sea salt

3. Add the Wet Ingredients

Then, in the same bowl, add the wet ingredients:

• Ripe levain (125-150g)
• 125g room temperature whole milk
• 75g room temperature water
• One large egg

Note: If you forgot to bring the milk and water to room temperature, you can zap it in the microwave for a few seconds at a time. Just be sure that neither is hot or it can kill the sourdough yeasts.

4. Mix

Using the dough hook attachment, mix together the wet and dry ingredients on low speed.

At first, the mixture will be dry until the flour starts to get hydrated. After a couple of minutes, the dough will be sticky, shaggy, and wet.

Next, increase the speed to medium and continue to mix for about five more minutes. When done, you should hear a slapping sound from the dough hitting the sides of the bowl, the dough should be smoother and more cohesive. The dough should not stick to the sides of the bowl.

5. Add Butter

Slice the 71 grams (5 TBS) of room-temperature unsalted butter into at least five pieces.

When making most enriched bread like this loaf or my Sourdough Brioche Bread, it’s important that the butter be softened at room temperature (68-70ºF). Room temperature butter will incorporate easier into the dough. You’ll know the butter is soft enough when it leaves a slight impression or indentation if you press on it with your finger.

With the mixer on medium speed, add the butter one piece at a time until fully incorporated into the dough. Let the dough mix for at least a minute or two before adding in the next piece of butter.

After adding each piece of butter, continue to mix the dough for about five or so minutes until the dough is completely smooth, glossy, and supple.

Finally, when done, the dough should pass the windowpane test and easily slide off of the dough hook.

What is the windowpane test?

The windowpane test is a useful tool to know if enough gluten has been developed in a dough. To perform the windowpane test, gently pull up a small portion of the dough between your fingers. If the dough quickly tears, it has not developed enough gluten as seen in the photo below before kneading.

The dough passes the windowpane test if you’re able to stretch it into a thin, translucent film that light could pass through without breaking (like a windowpane!).

6. First Proof

Transfer the dough to a medium mixing bowl, cover it, and place it in a warm location to proof.

Then, proof the dough for about 5 hours at 78ºF until it is about doubled, domed, and even smoother.

Notes:

• Because this is an enriched dough, dough can take longer to proof. Ideally, the dough is placed in a warm & humid environment like a bread proofer or in an oven with the light turned on. 75-80ºF is the ideal temperature range for sourdough yeasts. If cooler, the dough will take longer to proof. If warmer, it will proof faster.
• Unlike My Everyday Sourdough Bread recipe, this dough is unlikely to overproof unless left in a warm environment for hours longer than called for (in which case the dough can spoil). You will degas the dough the next day, so getting this first proof exactly correct is less critical than making an artisan-style sourdough bread.

7. Cold Overnight Proof

There are many benefits of chilling this dough overnight.

First, the cold-proof, or retard, slows down fermentation and gives the sourdough cinnamon raisin bread a more complex flavor.

Secondly, rolling out chilled dough is much easier than rolling out room-temperature dough. Lastly, proofing it overnight allows you to bake it at a later time that best fits your schedule.

With the dough covered, place it in a cold refrigerator for overnight proof and up to two days.

8. Soak raisins and make cinnamon raisin filling

Soaking the raisins in dark rum will hydrate them to make them plump & juicy for your cinnamon raisin bread filling. The rum is really excellent for a rum-raisin quality, but you’re welcome to replace it with black tea or water.

Make rum raisins

The next day, place 120g of raisins into a small saucepan. Pour 40g dark rum over the raisins and place over a stovetop. Turn on low until the rum just starts to boil and immediately turn off the stove and cover the pot with a lid. Allow the raisins to soak in almost all of the rum and cool in the saucepan while you make the filling (at least 30 minutes).

Make cinnamon sugar filling

In a small bowl, mix together 50g of dark brown sugar, 6g of ground cinnamon, and 8g of all-purpose flour.

This small amount of flour helps keep your cinnamon sugar filling from leaking from your swirl bread. I do this for other breads will cinnamon swirl fillings such as Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.

9. Shape

Next, take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator, and punch it down slightly with your hand to degas it. Then, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface.

Press the dough into a 6-inch square.

Roll out the dough

Lightly flour the top of the dough and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out evenly into a rectangle. The rectangle should be about 18″x7″.

As you’re rolling, generously flour the work surface and try to move quickly so your dough doesn’t stick to the counter.

Note: It’s okay to roll the dough out slightly longer (longer=more swirls), but try to keep the width near 7″ or even slightly less. As it’s rolled, it will get wider and you want to make sure it will fit in the pan.

Add cinnamon sugar and rum-raisin filling

Swirl breads have a tendency to create gaps or tunnels when baked. To help prevent gaps or tunnels in swirl breads, apply a light egg wash to the rolled-out dough. First of all, it will help your sandy cinnamon sugar filling stick to the dough. Secondly, the egg wash will act as a binder for the filling and help prevent gaps.

Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl with a fork or small whisk.

Apply a light egg wash to the rolled-out dough with a pastry brush. Leave about a half-inch border on the sides. Reserve remaining egg wash for topping later.

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling evenly on top of the egg wash.

If there is any remaining liquid from soaking the raisins, strain it. Place the rum-soaked raisins evenly on top of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Roll up the cinnamon raisin bread

Starting from one of the short ends of the dough, use both hands to roll it up into a swirl.

Try to roll the dough up snugly so no raisins or filling comes out. If a raisin plops out, just poke it back into the swirl, add it with the filling not rolled up yet, or have it as a treat!

Note: The dough should be pliable and shouldn’t stick to the counter as long as it was floured enough and isn’t too warm. If the dough sticks, flour your hands and use a floured bench scraper placed under the dough to help roll it up.

I’ve found this dough to be quite forgiving, so if it slightly tears, sticks, or isn’t a perfect cylinder, it will probably work itself out during the final proofing.

10. Final Proof

Grease the interior of a 8.5″x4.5″ or 9″x5″ bread loaf pan with butter or a non-stick cooking spray. Gently place the dough into the pan with the seam down.

Place the dough in a warm location for its final proof like a bread proofer or an oven with the light turned on.

At 78ºF, proofing typically takes between 4 to 5 hours.

At the end of proofing, the dough should double, be about an inch above the bread pan, feel poofy, and pass the “finger poke test”.

What is the “finger poke test”?

One way to tell if your dough is fully proofed is to do “the finger poke test.” Take a floured finger and gently poke the dough. The dough is underproofed if it immediately springs back.

If the dough leaves a small indentation and slowly springs back, it is likely proofed! Does your poke leave a big crater that doesn’t spring back? It might be overproofed.

11. Bake

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Then, brush the top of the dough with the reserved egg wash.

Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes until it is a deep brown. The internal temperature should be between 190-200ºF.

Finally, let it cool completely on a wire rack before removing and slicing into it!

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How to Serve

I think this sourdough cinnamon raisin swirl bread is great on its own. The interior texture is soft and somewhat reminiscent of store-bought white bread (in a good way!). That’s all balanced by the warming cinnamon spices and bursts of raisins in the swirl filling.

However, in my opinion, it’s even better as breakfast toast. With a morning coffee and a slab of butter, it’s one of the coziest breads I bake. The swirl is mesmerizing even when it’s not perfect which makes it even more rustic!

I haven’t made this bread into French Toast, but I imagine it would also be lovely as a cinnamon raisin French Toast if sliced thickly. If you’re into French Toast as much as I am, I have a great sourdough challah recipe that makes the perfect French Toast.

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How to Store

To store this sourdough cinnamon raisin bread, wrap it in a tea towel or paper bag for a couple of days. It will start to stale after a couple of days but you can still toast it up.

Furthermore, the cinnamon raisin bread also freezes well if you slice and place it into a freezer-safe bag. Use it within a couple of months so it doesn’t get freezer-burned.

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