Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread is soft, tender, and filled with plump raisins and a sweet cinnamon-sugar swirl. It’s delicious toasted with butter and makes one loaf that freezes well.
Serve this bread warm or toasted. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for several days or can be sliced and frozen for longer storage.
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How to make Cinnamon Raisin Bread
This recipe uses active dry yeast and simple pantry ingredients. The dough is soft and slightly enriched with a little oil and an egg, which gives the loaf a tender crumb. Follow the steps below for a consistent cinnamon swirl and an even rise.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl, dissolve 1 tablespoon active dry yeast and 1/4 cup of the sugar in 1 cup warm water (110°–115°F) and let sit about 10 minutes until foamy. The water should feel just warm to the touch; water that’s too hot can kill the yeast.
Add 1/8 cup oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 egg, and 2 cups of the all-purpose flour. Mix with a dough hook until smooth, then add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Knead the dough for about 5 minutes in the stand mixer. If you don’t have a mixer, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning it once so the top is coated with oil. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour. If your kitchen is cool, preheat your oven to 170°F, turn it off, and set the covered bowl inside to rise.
When the dough has doubled, punch it down, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and gently knead in 1 cup raisins. Roll the dough with a rolling pin into a 15 x 9-inch rectangle and brush lightly with additional oil.
Combine 1/2 cup remaining sugar with 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and sprinkle evenly across the dough, leaving about 1/2 inch clear at the edges.
Starting at a short end, roll the dough tightly like a jelly roll. Place the roll seam-side down in a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Cover and let the loaf rise until it is 1 to 2 inches above the rim of the pan; this can take 20 minutes to an hour depending on temperature.
Remove the risen loaf from the oven if you used the oven-warmth trick. Preheat the oven to 375°F and brush the top of the loaf with a bit of oil to encourage browning.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. To be certain the loaf is done, an internal thermometer should read 190°F–200°F. If it hasn’t reached that temperature, continue baking a few minutes longer and check again.
Allow the loaf to rest in the pan for a few minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Cooling helps set the swirl and makes cleaner slices.
You may also enjoy
- Oatmeal Raisin Muffins
- Cinnamon Raisin Scones
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits
- Maui Banana Bread
- Soft White Bread
- 6 Ingredient Italian Bread
Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer (optional) or large mixing bowl
- 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, greased
- Rolling pin
- Instant-read thermometer (optional but helpful)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water (110°–115°F)
- 1/2 cup sugar (divided)
- 1/8 cup cooking oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 2–3 cups all-purpose flour (plus more if needed)
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1/4 cup sugar in warm water. Let sit 10 minutes until foamy.
- Add oil, salt, egg, and 2 cups flour. Mix with a dough hook or by hand until smooth. Add additional flour as needed until dough pulls away from the bowl.
- Knead about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled (about 1 hour).
- Punch down the dough, turn onto a floured surface, knead in raisins, and roll out to a 15 x 9-inch rectangle. Brush lightly with oil.
- Mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
- Roll the dough tightly from a short side, jelly-roll style, and place seam-side down in a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
- Cover and let rise until 1–2 inches above the rim of the pan (20 minutes to 1 hour).
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the top of the loaf with oil and bake 30 minutes or until golden and the center registers 190°F–200°F.
- Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- If you notice gaps between the dough layers and the cinnamon swirl, try brushing the dough with a thin layer of softened butter instead of oil before adding the filling, or apply a light egg wash. This can help the layers adhere while baking.
Hi there, I’m Zona House. I enjoy sharing simple, satisfying recipes that fit everyday life. My goal is to make cooking approachable and enjoyable.
If you like this recipe, try other quick bakes or classic breads to expand your home-baking repertoire.
