Recipe Tuesday – Cinnamon Raisin Bread

On Saturday, John was out of town and so I was left to my own devices with no car.  I have been thinking about making cinnamon raisin bread for a while now.  I have never done a rolled up bread before.  Normally we use the 5-minute bread method, but since I had a whole day on my hands, I wanted to do it the old-fashioned way.  Of course, I couldn’t leave any recipe well enough alone.  I wanted a lighter loaf than whole wheat, so I decided to do a half and half mixture.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

  • 1/4 cup warm water  (100-110F)
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1 cup 1% milk
  • 1/4  cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp  cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, melted.  (you could just use oil)
  • 1-  1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour, +1/4 to 1/2 cup for kneading
  • 1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup raisins

Filling:

  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Set the raisins in a bowl and cover with very hot water to plump them up.

In a stand mixer (or large bowl) add the warm water and yeast:

Let this sit for 10 minutes until it is foamy.  You can use this time to assemble the rest of the ingredients.

The yeasties are all awake and active now!  Add to this mixture the milk (I warmed this a bit in the micro), 1/4 cup brown sugar, coconut oil,  cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and 1 cup unbleached flour and 1 cup of white whole wheat flour.

Mix until this batter comes together:

Now add in the other 1/2 cup of white flour and the other 1/2 cup of wheat flour.

Mix to incorporate.  Then switch to the dough hook:

If you don’t have a dough hook, you can turn this out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.  If the dough is super sticky, add in some of the reserved 1/4 cup of white flour.  You don’t want the dough really dry, it should be a bit sticky.  How much will depend on the humidity of the day.

If you have the dough hook, just turn it on and add the extra flour:

The dough will pull away from the sides of the bowl and the bottom.   After 10 minutes, drain the raisins and add them to the bowl. Please make sure you  drain the raisins.  Mix in.

I ended up having having to knead in some by hand.  Form into a ball and placed in an oiled bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours until it doubles in size.  If your house is cold like ours, put the bowl in your oven with the oven light on.  That will give a tiny bit of heat.

We have liftoff!

I was all excited at this point 😀   Now is the time for filling and rolling.  Lightly flour a large surface and dump the bowl out.  Melt the 1 tsbp of butter and get a pastry brush.

Press the dough into a large rectangle approximately 10 inches by 14 inches.  It is quite easy to do this by hand, you don’t need a rolling pin or anything.

Brush the dough with the melted butter:

Spread the 1/2 cup of brown sugar evenly over the surface:

Roll the dough up from the short side.  Roll really tight:

Then drop seam side down into the a greased loaf pan.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for another 45 minutes to an hour.  Preheat the oven to 400, remove the plastic wrap and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

I could barely wait for it to cool to cut into it and see how my first attempt went.  Is it bread?

Oh my yes….

There is only one word… wow.  This was soooo good!

Time consuming, yes – but therapeutic and so worthy.

Stats: If you cut the loaf into 12 slices:

Calories:  228

Fat: 4.9 g

Carbs: 47 g

Fiber: 2.4 g

Protein: 4.8

Definitely a dessert bread.  Totally worthy!

22 thoughts on “Recipe Tuesday – Cinnamon Raisin Bread”

  10. Dawn

    Sounds super yummy Lori!!! Don’t think I will be jumping up tonight and making some like with the eggnog though lol. But maybe one day. Problem would be I would want to eat the whole loaf slathered in butter lol.

  14. Jody - Fit at 53

    I so forgot to say something about this bread the other day when you first posted.. OMG!!!! I was going to ask if it came from the 5 minute book. I think I mentioned back when that my sis sent my that book a long time a go but since my hubby is not a bread lover like me, well.. I think you can guess the outcome! 😉 Like your face in the pic above.. me doing that & then heading for the bread! This looks so yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I lived near you.. or you near me!
    .-= Jody – Fit at 53´s last blog ..Medicine- Pills &amp Your Health! =-.

  17. Helen

    Did you know that after the first rise, you could also cut the whole roll into slices, then lay them down flat in a cake pan or an 8×8 or 9×13 (depending on how many you have)? Snuggle them right up next to each other and after the second rise bake them. You’ll have Raisin Cinnamon Rolls!!

    YUM.
    .-= Helen´s last blog ..Tuesday Ten =-.

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