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Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread
Bake a classic homemade yeast bread filled with plump raisins and a rich cinnamon-sugar swirl. The dough yields two beautiful loaves with a tender crumb and a golden crust brushed with butter. Serve these thick slices for a comforting weekend breakfast or toast them for a quick morning treat. The warm aroma of cinnamon fills the kitchen while it bakes, resulting in a sweet and spiced loaf that feels incredibly rewarding to make.
Ingredients
- 6 to 6½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 packages regular active or fast-acting dry yeast (4½ teaspoons)
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
Instructions
- 1Combine three cups of the flour, half a cup of the sugar, the salt, and the yeast in a large bowl. Heat the water and a quarter cup of the vegetable oil in a small saucepan until very warm, between 120°F and 130°F, then stir the liquid into the flour mixture.
- 2Add the eggs and beat the mixture until smooth. Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour until the dough becomes easy to handle.
- 3Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently roll it to coat. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough feels smooth and springy, then grease a large bowl with cooking spray or shortening.
- 4Place the kneaded dough into the greased bowl, turning it over once to coat all sides.
- 5Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- 6If you are using fast-acting yeast, skip the one-hour rise. Instead, cover the dough and let it rest on a floured surface for 10 minutes.
- 7Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans. Gently punch down the dough to deflate it, divide it into two equal portions, and knead half a cup of raisins into each piece.
- 8Roll each dough portion into an 18x9-inch rectangle. Brush the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil evenly over both rectangles.
- 9Mix the remaining half cup of sugar with the ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of this cinnamon-sugar mixture over each rectangle, then roll each one up tightly starting from the 9-inch side.
- 10Pinch the edge of the dough to seal the roll. Press each end flat with the side of your hand, fold the ends under the loaf, and place them seam-side down into the prepared pans. Lightly brush the tops with oil.
- 11Cover the pans and let the loaves rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until they have doubled in size.
- 12Move an oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes until the loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove the bread from the pans, transfer to a wire rack, brush the tops with softened butter, and let cool completely.