Cinnamon Swirl Bread
It’s been a long time since I’ve shared a bread recipe with you guys and I can’t think of a better way to start off the first Monday in February than with this sweet and tender Cinnamon Swirl Bread. Knowing you have a slice of this to look forward to in the morning, makes it so much easier to wake up!
Nothing compares with homemade bread and this cinnamon-y swirl version does not disappoint. It will make your house smell fantastic! And it has an uncanny way of disappearing quickly, especially if you are married to a cinnamon bread lover with a friend who loves this bread even more!
It’s also a great indoor winter project, because while none of the steps are difficult, there are 2 pretty significant risings involved, so make sure you plan this for a day when you’ll be spending a good chunk of time indoors.
You start by mixing up the dough and then letting it rise for about 2 hours until it’s nice and spongy.
Next, you divide it into 2 pieces and form each into a ball.
After a short resting time, you roll the dough out into a roughly 10” square
Brush with a little egg wash
And scatter a generous amount of cinnamon sugar across the top.
Now comes the fun. Starting with the side closest to you, you roll up the dough into a log and place into a bread pan to rise for another couple of hours (see what I mean about the time?)
Finally, you brush the top with more of the egg wash, pop into the oven and bake—
which happily only takes about 25 minutes.
Unhappily, you will be forced to wait until the bread cools to cut into it, but once you do, you are rewarded with a gorgeous swirl of cinnamon-sugar filling that runs throughout a light and buttery loaf.
And while it is sweet, it’s not overly so, which lands it firmly within the “bread” camp meaning you can entirely justify eating a slice (or two) for breakfast, toasted and buttered, without suffering those pangs of guilt! YUM!
And of course, it makes the best french toast!!
So, add this to your winter to-do list ASAP and ensure many mornings filled with happiness, no matter how bleak the weather may be!!
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Makes 2 loaves
It really helps to have an electric mixer that has a dough hook—you can totally make this without it, but you will really need some good muscle power to knead the dough.
Prep Time: 5-6 hours (most of this is hands-free time for dough to rise) Bake Time: 25-27 minutes
Ingredients
2 ¼ cups warm water (between 110-130ºF—it should feel comfortable when you stick a finger in it—not burning hot)
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
7 cups bread flour, plus extra for dusting board, etc.
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Oil for greasing bowl and pans
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
⅓ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
The Recipe
1. Mix the water and maple syrup together in the large bowl of a standing mixer. Sprinkle the yeast across the top and let sit for 10 minutes until it looks bubbly.
2. Add in the butter, flour and salt and stir together until a shaggy dough forms. Let it rest for about 5 minutes, then attach the bowl to the mixer and fit it with the bread dough hook if you have one. If not, you can use the regular paddle or knead the dough by hand—it will just take longer. Knead on medium-low speed for about 9 minutes until dough is soft and elastic. Grease a large bowl with a little bit of oil and turn the dough into the bowl. Cover it with a towel and place in a warm spot in your kitchen to allow it to double, which can take anywhere from 1 ½-2 ½ hours. I turned my oven on to 225ºF and put the covered bowl on the front burner so the radiant heat would help the process along—it all depends on how cold your kitchen is.
3. Lightly flour your board or counter and turn the dough out onto it. Cut it in half. Shape each piece into a round by turning it clockwise on the counter—it’s ok if they’re not perfect circles. Let rest for 15 minutes.
4. While the dough is resting, use a little oil to grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
5. Use a rolling pin to roll the first piece of dough into a 10-inch square. I like to measure with a ruler cause I am terrible at spacial relations but you can definitely just eyeball it too. Use a pastry brush to lightly cover the surface with a coating of the egg wash and then sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture all across the dough. Don’t throw the egg wash away—you’ll need it later. Starting with the end closest to you, tightly roll the dough up into a log, giving each end a little press to seal in the filling as you transfer to the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining dough ball, then cover the pans with a towel and return to the warm spot to allow the dough to rise about an inch over the rim of the pans, about 1 ½-2 hours. The dough should hold a firm indent when you press a finger into it.
6. Preheat oven to 450ºF and brush the tops of each loaf lightly with the egg wash—this helps to give it a golden brown shine. Bake on middle rack for 25-27 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes on a wire rack and then turn out of the pans to finish cooling completely.
7. Store bread well-wrapped at room temperature for about 5 days—I’m sure it would last longer but I’ve never experienced that phenomenon!
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from The Homemade Kitchen by Alana Chernila. I upped the sugar a little—felt it could use just a little bit more filling.
