Name: Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min 4 s
Yield: 16
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 packages (1/4 ounce each) dry active yeast; 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar divided; 1/3 cup warm water; 1 cup whole milk; 2 eggs; 6 tablespoons butter softened; 1 teaspoon salt; 5 ½ cups bread flour; 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

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This Best Cinnamon Swirl Bread recipe is a family favorite recipe. It is super simple to make too as this bread is made with an enriched bread dough, with a swirl of cinnamon sugar running through the center.

Best Cinnamon Swirl Bread

I love to make my own homemade bread, it is one of my favorite things to bake. Not only does it taste far superior to store bought bread, but it also makes the house smell divine.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread is a favorite around here, and it is really easy to make. This is the best cinnamon swirl bread recipe and it makes enough for two loaves of bread with a sweet cinnamon swirl in the center of each loaf.

I have three ravenous high school teenage boys in the house, so they quickly & easily devour both loaves.

If you aren’t feeding bottomless pits, then feel free to enjoy one loaf and share the second! Homemade bread is a great gift to give, or to take into the office or school to share.

How to make Cinnamon Swirl Bread:

In a small bowl, mix together the yeast and warm water with 1 tablespoon of the sugar.
Set aside for 5 minutes until the yeast is frothy.
In a large mixing bowl, add the yeast mixture, 1/2 cup of the sugar, warmed milk, eggs, butter, salt, and 3 cups of the flour, then beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

Stir in the remaining flour ½ cup at a time until a soft dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).
Place the dough in a large greased bowl, turning once to grease the top.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-2 hours.

In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and remaining ½ cup of sugar together. Set aside.
Once the dough has risen, punch down the dough then turn onto a lightly floured surface.
Divide the dough in half and roll each portion into an 18×8-inch rectangle.

Sprinkle each rectangle evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges with no cinnamon sugar (see photo above).
Roll up the dough jelly-roll style, forming an 8 inch long log.

Place the loaves in two greased 9×5 inch loaf pans, seam side down.
Cover with kitchen towels and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-11/2 hours.
Bake the loaves at 350F degrees for 30 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Remove the loaves from the pans to cool on cooling racks.
Slice with a bread knife and serve with softened butter.

Recipe ingredients:

YEAST: For ease I use 2 packages of dry active yeast which is readily available in most stores.
SUGAR: Granulated sugar is used both in the bread dough and also to make the sugar cinnamon to create the swirl.
MILK: Milk is added to the bread dough, I use whole milk.
EGGS: As this is an enriched dough, 2 eggs are added.
BUTTER: I use unsalted butter as the salt is added to the bread separately.
SALT: Salt is added to bread to give it flavor.
FLOUR: Only use bread flour, do not use regular all purpose flour or your dough won’t rise.
SPICES: Some ground cinnamon is blended with the granulated sugar to form the cinnamon sugar swirl in the center of the bread.

Flavor variations:

Sprinkle over some dried fruits like raisins, sultanas or cranberries on the bread along with the cinnamon sugar then roll up the dough. But’s don’t be too heavy handed or the dough won’t rise, just a scattering.
Finely shred some orange zest and add it to the cinnamon sugar.
Scatter some chocolate chips over the bread before rolling up the dough.
I’ve used ground cinnamon to flavor the bread, but this recipe would work equally well with other spices, why not try it with pumpkin pie spice?

Recipe hints & tips:

The speed the dough rises will have a lot to do with the temperature in your kitchen, the warmer your kitchen the quicker the rise. I’ve said to leave the dough to rest for between 1-2 hours for the first prove and 1-1 1/2 hours for the second prove. The best way to check it is ready is to keep a close eye on the dough until the dough has doubled in size.
Once cooked, leave the bread to cool completely before slicing, otherwise you risk the bread being soft, wet and sticking to your knife.

FAQS

Why do you use bread flour when baking bread?

Bread flour has a higher protein content which makes it more stable. This means you can work the bread, forming it into shapes and this also allows the dough to rise and hold its shape before being baked.

What is an enriched dough?

Most basic bread dough’s contain flour, yeast, water and salt. Whereas an enriched dough is a bread dough that has sugar, dairy and fats added, in the case of this bread, granulated sugar, milk and butter. The result of adding these ingredients is a rich and buttery bread.

Why do you leave bread to prove?

Proving the dough causes it to rise, which means that the yeast has multiplied. This process can’t be rushed as this is what give you a lovely light loaf.

How do you store cinnamon bread?

Cinnamon bread can be stored in an airtight container on the counter top for 3-4 days.

Can you freeze cinnamon bread?

Yes, once the bread has baked, allow it to cool completely. Then wrap it in foil and place in a sealed bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost on the counter top when ready to enjoy.

Try some of my other delicious bread recipes here at When is Dinner:

Yield: 16

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours 4 seconds

Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes 4 seconds

Ingredients

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) dry active yeast
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar divided
1/3 cup warm water
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs
6 tablespoons butter softened
1 teaspoon salt
5 ½ cups bread flour
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix together the yeast and warm water with 1 tablespoon of the sugar.

Set aside for 5 minutes until the yeast is frothy.

In a large mixing bowl, add the yeast mixture, 1/2 cup of the sugar, warmed milk, eggs, butter, salt, and 3 cups of the flour, then beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

Stir in the remaining flour ½ cup at a time until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).

Place the dough in a large greased bowl, turning once to grease the top.

Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-2 hours.

In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and remaining ½ cup of sugar together. Set aside.

Punch down the dough then turn onto a lightly floured surface.

Divide the dough in half and roll each portion into an 18×8-inch rectangle.

Sprinkle each rectangle evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges with no cinnamon sugar.

Roll up the dough jelly-roll style, forming an 8 inch long log.

Place the loaves in two greased 9×5 inch loaf pans, seam side down.

Cover with kitchen towels and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.

Bake the loaves at 350F degrees for 30 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Remove the loaves from the pans to cool on cooling racks.

Slice with a bread knife and serve with softened butter.

Notes

Makes 2 loaves; 16 servings.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 233Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 183mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 7g