Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sourdough Bread
This sourdough cinnamon raisin bread is soft, fluffy, and filled with a delicious swirl of cinnamon sugar that makes each slice perfect for breakfast, toasted with butter, or as a comforting afternoon snack. The raisins add a nice sweetness, and the sourdough’s slight tang complements it well, making it a great meal for any time.
You can use it for sandwiches or French toast or enjoy it with tea or coffee. Whether you’re an experienced baker or trying sourdough for the first time, this recipe makes you a loaf that’s delicious, soft, and likely to be a hit with everyone. It’s one of those best sourdough recipes you should add to your baking list!
Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Equipment
- Stand mixer or bread machine
- Large mixing bowl
- Rolling Pin (optional for shaping the dough)
- Clean tea towels
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Pastry brush (for brushing the egg wash)
- Thermometer (optional to check internal bread temperature)
Ingredients
Bread Dough
- ¾ cup active sourdough starter (5.8 ounces/165 grams)
- 3 cups all purpose flour (14.75 ounces/415 grams)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ cup butter (softened)
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 egg
- ½ cup raisins
- water for soaking the raisins
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
For assembly
- 1 egg (beaten)
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Instructions
- Mix the dough. Mix the sourdough starter, flour, brown sugar, butter, milk, and egg in a large bowl. Keep stirring until you get a somewhat dry, rough dough. Don't worry if it seems rough now; it will get smoother when you knead it. So, no need to put more liquid in it right now. Just cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and leave the dough to sit out in the room for 30 minutes.
- Soak the raisins. While the dough is resting, submerge the raisins in warm water and set them aside to soak.
- Knead and add the salt. After the resting period, add the salt to the dough. Next, knead it with your hands, a mixer, or a bread machine until it gets soft and smooth, which might take around 8 to 10 minutes. If the dough seems dry and crumbles, slowly add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until it sticks together well. On the other hand, if it's too sticky, just add a bit more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it feels right.
- Do the windowpane test and add the raisins. Mix the dough until it's ready for the windowpane test, which means taking a small piece of dough and stretching it out. If you can stretch it without it breaking and it gets see-through, it’s good to go. After that, strain out the water from the raisins you've had soaking, then mix them into the dough for another minute so they're spread out nicely.
- First rise. Lightly oil a clean bowl and place the dough inside. Then, cover with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 3–4 hours r until nearly doubled in size. The rise time may vary depending on the temperature and the strength of your sourdough starter.
- Shape the dough. After the first rise, press the dough down and stretch it into a rectangular shape. Make sure the shorter side matches the shorter side of your bread pan (usually about 10 inches by 6 inches for a regular pan). Making the rectangle longer will give you more swirls in the end.
- Add the sugar mix. In a little bowl, mix your sugar and cinnamon, then spread this mix all over your flattened dough. Leave about a 1-inch space around the edges without any sugar mix. Fold the top edges of the rectangle inwards, and roll the dough tightly into a log shape. Make sure to pinch the edges together so the roll stays closed.
- Second rise. Put the rolled dough with the seam facing down into a buttered bread pan. Then, cover it with plastic wrap that's also buttered. Let it sit somewhere warm for around 3 hours, or until the dough has risen 1 inch over the pan's edge.
- Bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) toward the end of the rising time. Once the dough has risen, brush the top with the beaten egg. Bake the loaf for 40–50 minutes, until it is a deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200°F (93°C).
- Cool and serve. Remove the bread from the loaf pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. For the neatest slices, make sure the bread has cooled down completely. The bread will keep fresh at room temperature for a couple of days or you can freeze it, and it will last up to two months.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
There’s just something so warm and inviting about the smell of fresh bread baking, especially when it’s filled with cinnamon and sprinkled with raisins. It’s great for a breakfast treat, a snack, or even something sweet to enjoy with your coffee. The best part is that you don’t have to be a pro to get it right—just let the dough rise properly, and you’ll get a delicious, fluffy loaf packed with taste. Believe me, after you make it once, you’ll want to bake it over and over!
For a sweeter take on this classic, you can try my Iced Cinnamon Raisin Bread recipe, which adds a delicious glaze on top.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.
Key Ingredients and Tools
Here’s what you should have on hand for making this sourdough bread:
- Active sourdough starter: This is crucial for the bread’s unique taste and texture. Make sure it’s active and bubbly before you start. If you’re curious about the science behind sourdough and how it became such a popular baking trend, you can read more about it in this article from Scientific American.
- Raisins: Pre-soak them to keep them from getting hard when you bake. You can choose between light or dark raisins, chopped dried apricots, or any other dried fruit you enjoy instead.
- Cinnamon: You’ll need ground cinnamon for that signature flavor. Fresh cinnamon works best since it’s more potent.
- Butter: It makes the bread soft. You can use coconut oil or margarine if you need it to be dairy-free, but it might taste a bit different.
- Milk: It enriches the dough. For a non-dairy option, almond or oat milk works great.
- Brown sugar: It adds a deep, molasses-like sweetness. White sugar or coconut sugar are good alternatives if you’re looking for a different kind of sweetness.
- Stand mixer or bread machine: These make kneading easier and help get a smooth dough. If using a bread machine, be sure to use the correct settings.
- Loaf pan: A standard-size pan is best for baking. If yours is a different size, you might need to tweak the rising and baking times.
Having these ingredients and tools ready will make the bread-making process easier and make your bread delicious.
Troubleshooting and Help
Absolutely! All-purpose flour works just fine in this recipe, but if you want a chewier texture, you can try using bread flour. It has a higher protein content, which helps with the dough structure.
No worries! You can either make your own starter (it takes a few days, but it’s worth it), or you might be able to find one at a local bakery or even order some online. If you’re not ready to learn sourdough just yet, this recipe won’t work without it, but you could try other similar non-sourdough bread recipes instead.
Yes, you can! You’ll just want to use the dough cycle for the kneading and first rise, and then take it out to shape and do the final rise before baking in the oven. Just be sure to follow the specific instructions for your machine. If you’re short on time or like a simpler method, you might want to try my easy No-Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread recipe instead.
If your dough isn’t rising, it could be that your sourdough starter wasn’t active enough or your kitchen is too cool. Try putting the dough in a warmer spot, like inside your oven with the light on (but the oven turned off), to help the dough rise.
The dough is ready when it has nearly doubled in size and is puffy to the touch. If you poke it gently and the indentation stays, it’s ready to move on to the next step. Just be patient—it may take a little longer, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
Skipping the egg wash is fine, but it does help give the bread a beautiful golden-brown crust. If you don’t have an egg or don’t want to use it, you can brush the top with a little milk or even water—it won’t be as shiny, but it will still bake up nicely.
Definitely! Chopped walnuts, pecans, or even chocolate chips would be great additions to this bread. Just be sure not to overload the dough with too many extras so it can still rise properly. If you’re looking for a simpler, more traditional version without the sourdough base, check out my classic Raisin Bread recipe.
This sourdough cinnamon raisin bread is a simple and satisfying recipe to add to your baking routine. Whether you enjoy it fresh, toasted with butter, or turn it into French toast, it’s a versatile loaf perfect for breakfast, snacks, or even dessert.
With the perfect balance of sweet raisins, warm cinnamon, and a hint of tangy sourdough, each slice offers something special. It’s easy to make, and with a little patience for the rising, you’ll be rewarded with delicious homemade bread that can be enjoyed immediately or frozen for later. So give this recipe a try!
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.
Would like to try making this considering all the rave reviews. Can you please fix the “Print” button. It takes me back to the site and not a print version.
try refreshing the screen. it does work, just a fit finicky 🙂
I love this recipe so much, have made it dozens of times! Every time I do, I get concerned about the raw egg in the dough sitting for hours on the counter while the dough proofs. And now we’re heading into the summer months when my kitchen will be very warm. Is is possible for the egg to spoil before it’s baked or does the good bacteria in the sourdough keep that from happening? Could you enlighten me on this and relieve my worry? Thank you!
This is a question. I hope you can relieve my mind on this: I’ve made this bread dozens of times. It is my favorite way to use my sourdough starter. But every time I make it and leave it on the counter for 3-4 hours while it is proofing, I worry about that uncooked egg in the dough. And now we’re entering the summer months, when my kitchen is even warmer. How does that raw egg not spoil and get us sick? Does the good bacteria in the sourdough keep that from happening? Can you explain and help relieve my mind on this? Thank you so much!
hey valerie… so the USDA recommends that raw egg only be left out for 2 hours, and you’re right that this recipe stretches that further. to be honest i don’t know if the bacteria from the starter offers any protection or not. i will only say that i have never ever worried about it, especially since the bread bakes to a high temperature, (egg yolks are firm at 170 degrees, the bread is baked until 190 throughout.). many doughs (brioche, etc) have a LOT of eggs and rise longer than 2 hours total. you can have it rise in the fridge and get similar results but it will take at least 8 hours. all of this to say i understand what you’re saying.. but it’s not something that bothers me personally whatsoever. in fact, i have left dough with eggs in it out overnight at room temperature many, many times.
Thank you for taking time to reply to this question. Sorry I asked it twice, it took awhile to appear and I thought it had gotten lost. Since then, I’ve continued to make this recipe and yes, have never had a problem. My mind is at ease about this issue. My husband would be so sad if I stopped making it!
hey valerie! i am so glad to hear this! thanks for letting me know 🙂
I actually did two loaves Sunday. One was with dried cherries and the other one was with dried raisins. I soakes both with bourbon and homemade vanilla flavoring. I was pleased with how the loaves raised and smelled when baking. I only tasted the raisin loaf which was soft and delicious. My son got the cherry one and said it was amazing. I will be using this recipe again with diggerent dried fruits. Thanks for a marvelous recipee.
I have made this numerous times and it’s delicious!! My hubby absolutely loves it! I have to tweak it some because we are in the mountains but I am used to that. Very easy recipe.
Absolutely beautiful.Made 2 loaves on succesive days and gave one to my daughter and son in law and grandson of 18 months enjoyed it too. Thank you Wonderful recipe
thank you so much belinda! i’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe.
Just delicious! I’ll definitely make it again!
hi Adina! so glad the recipe was a success!
I made this bread yesterday and am so impressed with how it came out. At first I was afraid the dough was way too dry and I was tempted to add an extra egg. But I followed your instructions to the letter and it came out perfect! I was looking for a way to use my sourdough starter in an egg bread and I found you, so glad!
yay! it’s one of our new favorites too!!