Easy No-Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread

This recipe needs just a few minutes of hands-on time. Sweet cinnamon and raisins are mixed in with basic bread ingredients, and a long rest time takes the place of kneading. You’ll love it toasted with butter in the morning.

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s easy. Like… so easy. If you can hold a spoon and mix, you’ve got this.
• Sweet and delicious. A slightly sweet dough that’s absolutely loaded with juicy raisins, and plenty of cinnamon and sugar.
• Versatile. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a nice slice of buttered and toasted raisin bread, but it’s surprisingly good with a sandwich. Really.

🧂 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.

You’ll need the following for this easy loaf:

Flour: All-purpose flour is all you need here
Water: Filtered water is best, but I always use tap water.
Salt: Every bread recipe needs a little salt.
Sugar: To help give this bread the perfect sweetness and that beautifully browned crust.
Yeast: Either instant or active dry yeast will work well.
Raisins: Soaked in water to ensure you have a juicy raisin in every bite.
Cinnamon: This wouldn’t be Cinnamon Raisin Bread without cinnamon.

🥣 Equipment

• large mixing bowl
• plastic wrap
• Dutch oven (optional)

🍴Instructions

Step One: mix

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, water, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. It’s important to mix everything together at once so that the cinnamon and raisins will disperse easily.  Use a rubber spatula to mix well, incorporating any dry areas of flour. 

Step Two: rise

Tightly cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap.  Place the covered bowl in the fridge and allow it to rise for ten hours or overnight.  In the morning, check the dough to see if it has risen enough.  Ideally, it will have doubled in size.  If the dough has not changed much in size, remove it from the fridge and give it more time to rise on the counter.

Step three: shape

Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment or spraying generously with nonstick cooking spray. Gently pick the dough out of the bowl and shape it into a smooth ball. Pull from the bottom of the dough to smooth out the top rather than smashing the dough down.  Deflate any large air bubbles that have formed. Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet.  

Step Four: proof

Prepare a warm place for the second rise, either by briefly turning on your oven or placing a bowl of hot water inside it.  Cover the ball of dough with greased plastic wrap, making sure that the loaf is completely covered.   Allow to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, until puffy but not quite doubled in size.   Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the center. Be sure to remove the dough first.

Step Five: bake

Bake the loaf for 35-40 minutes.  The finished loaf will be deep golden brown and have an internal temperature of 200 degrees.   Cool for an hour before slicing.

🥫 Storage instructions

I like to keep any leftovers in the fridge because of all the raisins, but this isn’t strictly necessary. It will do just fine on the counter for 3-4 days.

A fully baked and cooled loaf will also freeze very well for up to 3 months.

🔍 FAQs

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert tips

• Soak your raisins: If you don’t soak your raisins before adding them to the dough, they will absorb the moisture from the ingredients while baking, making your bread less moist. Just let them sit in a cup of water for a little while until they are moist.
• Sticky dough: Don’t think you need to add more flour to make a perfectly tight, round dough ball. This dough is supposed to be sticky. As long as you follow the measured ingredients, you will be good to go. If the dough is too dry, the no-knead magic won’t work, and the gluten won’t develop properly.
• Let it rise: During the rising phase, the dough should double in size. If it is taking longer than noted in the recipe card, set it out on the counter and let it rise until it has doubled.
• Rise again: The second rise requires a warm area. A great tip is to turn your oven on 350 degrees F for 2-3 minutes and then turn it OFF. The oven will be warm and perfect for putting your dough in for a second rise.

📘 Related Recipes

• Farmhouse White Sandwich Bread
• Classic Sourdough Banana Bread
• Milk and Honey Bread
• Soft Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls
• Orange Sugar Rolls
• Carrot Bread

🍽 Serve it with

📖 Here’s the recipe