Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Cinnamon swirl bread is manna from the gods for a toast lover, like myself.  I have toast every single day.  I love my morning tea and toast.  This bread is delicious and smells like a cinnamon roll.  As a child, it was a real treat when my mom bought Pepperridge Farm cinnamon swirl raisin bread from the grocery store.  I wasn't too fond of the raisins but that bread was delicious.  I like to make cinnamon swirl bread every couple months to add some zest to the breakfast routine.  I have never used it in French Toast because it never lasts that long, but I have heard it is delicious that way.  Any sweet yeast dough recipe will work.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

makes 1 loaf 

2 cups all purpose flour, plus ¾ cup extra, if needed,

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, plus 2 tablespoons

1 egg at room temperature

¼ cup milk, at room temperature

¼ cup water, warm to the touch but not above 125 F

1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa

Raisins and nuts to taste

Put all ingredients in your bread machine and operate according to manufacturer’s directions. Proceed at the *

In a stand mixer, add yeast, tepid water, and a teaspoon of the sugar.  Mix gently with paddle. Let stand for 5 minutes until yeast softens and begins to bubble.

Add flour, salt, 3 tablespoons of butter, egg, remaining sugar, and milk.

Mix with the paddle attachment until the dough comes together. At this point I knead the dough with my hands in the bowl to insure all the ingredients come together.

Switch to the dough hook and knead for 8 minutes on medium low speed.

The dough should clean the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom.  Add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time if too wet or add more milk if dough is shaggy and breaking apart.

The dough should form a smooth shiny ball.

*Place in an oiled bowl, rolling the dough around to coat.

Cover with plastic wrap or lint free kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Butter an 8x4 inch loaf pan.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10x16 inch rectangle.

Spread 2 tablespoons of butter onto the rectangle then sprinkle with the cinnamon mixture, nuts and/or raisins if using.

From the short edge of the rectangle, roll the rectangle into a log, keeping the roll snug to avoid air between the layers. 

Pinch seams and carefully place seam side down in pan tucking under each end.

Cover with buttered wax paper and put in a warm place until double in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.

Place rack in center of oven.

Remove waxed paper and bake for 40 minutes until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow on the bottom when tapped.

During baking, if the bread becomes too dark, make a foil tent and place over bread.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

One of my absolute favorites is cinnamon swirl bread. When I bake a loaf I just might eat nearly the entire thing! The bread is redolent in fragrant cinnamon sweetened lightly with sugar and scented with orange zest. So lovely. This recipe, from Dorie Greenspan, called for cocoa in the cinnamon mix that I hesitated on adding but I am glad I did because the small amount only enriched what is already a delectable treat.

As a child, yeast breads were not generally homemade - I grew up in the convenience generation and really -why not - women were being liberated from the shackles of confining gender roles! There was a brief period where my mother made homemade bread out of necessity due to a job layoff and even though, they were stressful times I cherish those memories of the togetherness, the breads and big pot meals that had to last a week. I can still see my mom needing the dough and feeling the amazement of the risen dough, and my dad making his big pots of soup.  We may not have had all the things we needed but we had each other.   In some ways it reminds me of today's economic clime, where there is so much uncertainty, and cutting back is the name of the day. I feel a stronger sense of togetherness and have a firm belief that no matter what comes our way we will make it through. Even with my own sense of determination I realize that so many families are facing economic uncertainty and that suffering is plain suffering and that can dash any firm sense of "we shall overcome" attitude. I hope for those who are suffering that they take each day as it comes and may their dreams be laced with the fragrant scent of better times ahead.

My favorite way to eat the cinnamon swirl bread -toasted!

recipe