Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread
This long-fermented sourdough cinnamon raisin bread is delightfully sweet and perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. Its flavors are well-balanced, making it an ideal treat for any time of day!
Equipment
- 1 9x5 loaf pan
- Mixing bowl
- Bench scraper
- Food scale
- Rolling Pin
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 grams bread flour
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (cubed & softened )
- 9 grams salt
- 30 grams sugar
- 100 grams active, fed sourdough starter or sweet levain (see notes)
- 250 grams water
- 75 grams (1/2 cup) raisins (soaked in 1 tablespoon of hot water and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract for 15-30 minutes & patted dry)
For the filling
- 1 egg & a splash of water for the egg wash
- 1/3 cup (67 grams) sugar
- 1 tablespoon (7 grams) cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon (8 grams) flour
Instructions
Soak the raisins
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Before mixing the dough soak the raisins in a mixture of 1 tablespoon hot water and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract for 15–30 minutes to enhance their flavor and plump them up.
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After soaking, be sure to pat them dry thoroughly with a paper towel to avoid adding excess moisture to the dough.
Mix the dough
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In a medium-sized mixing bowl dissolve the starter and sugar in the water. Mix using a fork.
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Next add the cubed, softened butter, bread flour, and salt. Mix by hand until the flour has absorbed the water. The dough will look shaggy.
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Once the dough has been mixed, cover the mixture with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
Knead the dough
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After the dough has rested, place it on a lightly floured working surface. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes or until the dough has become smooth and elastic. If the dough starts to tear, allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes and return back to kneading it.
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Once complete, place the dough in a bowl coated in butter, cover it, and let it rest for 1 hour.
Stretch and folds & add the raisins
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After the dough has rested, perform your first stretch and fold. Here, you will add the raisins. It is much easier to add the raisins during this step because the gluten will be more relaxed.
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Scoop your hand under a portion of the dough and stretch the dough to the opposing side while simultaneously folding in the raisins a little at each fold.
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Once complete, cover the dough and allow it to rest for 1 hour.
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After 1 hour, perform 1 more stretch and fold. Cover the dough and allow it to rest for the remaining bulk rise.
Shape the dough
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Once the dough has doubled in size, coat a 9x5 loaf pan with butter.
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Remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured worked surface. Degas the dough by pressing down on it and start to flatten it a bit releasing any air bubbles.
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Using a rolling pin, roll it into a 6x20-inch rectangle. Lightly mark the dough using a knife or razor making a 1-inch border around each side.
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Let the dough rest while you combine the filling mixture. Mix together 1/3 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of flour. In a separate bowl whisk together 1 egg & a splash of water.
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Brush the dough with the eggwash and spread the cinnamon mixture evenly inside the border.
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Roll the dough into a log shape starting from the bottom. Pinch the ends closed and tighten the shape if needed.
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Place the dough into your loaf pan seam side down, cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and allow it to rise in the warmest spot in your kitchen. This can take anywhere from 2-4 hours. To avoid gapping in the bread it is important to not allow the bread to get too tall or puffy during this step.
Bake the Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread
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The bread is ready to bake once the middle of the dough is 1 inch above the rim of the pan. If it is not, let it rest. This will result in an optimal rise.
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When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake the sourdough cinnamon raisin bread for 45-50 minutes.
If you notice the top of your sourdough cinnamon raisin bread is browning too quickly, loosely tent it with aluminum foil halfway through the bake.
Pro tip-Your sourdough cinnamon raisin bread is perfectly baked when the internal temperature reaches 195–200°F (88–90°C). Use a digital thermometer to check for doneness—this ensures a fully cooked center without overbaking the crust.
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After removing the loaf from the oven, coat it with butter to soften the crust.
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Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer it to a cooling rack and let it cool for a minimum of 1 hour.
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Sourdough cinnamon raisin bread can last for 2-3 days on the counter in a bread bag of your choice or an airtight container.
Notes
Sweet levain: If you desire a less sour taste create a levain and add 15 grams of sugar to it. To make 100 grams of levain mix together 15 grams of active sourdough starter, 45 grams of water, and 45 grams of flour.
Baker's schedule Option 1: Mix the dough in the evening for an overnight rise of 8-10 hours. Shape in the morning and allow to rise for an additional 2-3 hours in the pan.
Baker's schedule Option 2: Mix the dough in the morning and allow to rise for 8-10 hours. Shape & place in the refrigerator overnight. Allow to rise in the pan for 2-4 hours the following morning & bake.
For both options: feed your sourdough starter (or make the sweet levain if using) within 12 hours of mixing the dough and ensure it is at its peak.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation only.
