Amazing Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread 1 Tip

There’s nothing quite like the smell of a warm kitchen on a chilly Saturday morning, and frankly, the aroma coming from my oven lately is pure magic. That sweet, yeasty perfume means I’m pulling out another loaf of my absolute favorite Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread. Seriously, forget the store-bought stuff; this is the bread that makes mornings better!

I’m Anna Kowalska, and here I share tried-and-true homemade recipes that you and your family will love. Everything I post here is made with heart and flavor, and this sourdough is no exception. I started baking during a time when I needed comfort, and I found that kneading dough calmed my soul. Now, I pass those comforting, deeply flavorful recipes on to you.

This specific recipe takes the tang of good sourdough and wraps it up with warm spices and plump, sweet raisins. It’s hearty enough for toast but special enough for dessert. Trust me when I say this Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread will become a staple in your house, just like it is in mine!

Gathering Your Ingredients for Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

Okay, let’s talk supplies! Making amazing Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread starts with making sure every single ingredient is exactly what it should be. This isn’t the place to guess, especially with sourdough, because it needs that structure and tang we love.

We need to be precise here, so I’ve broken down what you need into two groups. You’ll notice I want the raisins ready to go, and the filling mixed beforehand. It just flows better when you’re ready to roll out that dough!

Essential Components for the Dough

Make sure your starter is active and bubbly, please! It needs to be fed and ready to work for us.

• Active Sourdough Starter: 100 grams (It must be happy!)
• Warm Water: 350 grams
• Bread Flour: 500 grams (Use good quality bread flour for that chew!)
• Cane Sugar or Brown Sugar: 25 grams (This feeds the yeast a bit extra.)
• Salt: 10 grams
• Raisins: 145 grams (No need to soak these for this recipe, surprisingly!)

Crafting the Cinnamon Sugar Filling

This simple mix is what makes our bread smell like a dream while it bakes. Mix this together in a tiny bowl and set it aside until we need it later.

• Ground Cinnamon: 8 grams (Be generous with the spice!)
• Cane Sugar: 25 grams

Mastering the Technique: How to Prepare Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

This is where the magic happens, but don’t get stressed! Sourdough is forgiving if you listen to the dough. Remember that important note: we are NOT preheating the oven at the very beginning. We let the cold dough hit the hot Dutch oven, and that’s part of how we get that amazing spring. This process is slow, but the hands-on time is minimal, especially when making this incredible Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread.

Initial Mixing and Bulk Fermentation

First things first, get your starter happy in a big bowl with the warm water. Stir that until it looks mostly dissolved. Then, toss in your sugar and stir again until that disappears. Now, add the flour, salt, and all those plump raisins. Mix it all up until you have what looks like a shaggy mess—that’s perfect. Cover it up and let it rest for 30 minutes. This is the autolyse phase, letting the flour drink up the water.

Next up are the stretch and folds. This builds the structure. Take one side, stretch it high, and fold it over the center. Turn the bowl and repeat three more times until you’ve worked all four sides. Cover it and wait 30 minutes. We repeat this stretch and fold two more times, resting 30 minutes between each set. You’ll notice the dough getting smoother and stronger with every fold, which is exactly what we want!

After that final fold, cover the dough well. Now, give it time! This dough needs to bulk ferment overnight at room temperature—at least 12 hours. This long, slow rise at a cooler temp is what develops that deep sourdough flavor that balances out the sweetness of the raisins and cinnamon. Seriously, don’t rush this part; it’s crucial for structure.

Shaping the Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread with Filling

Morning comes, and your dough should have at least doubled! Gently turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. We need to turn this into a beautiful rectangle—don’t punch out all those lovely gasses we worked so hard to build overnight!

Take your pre-mixed cinnamon sugar filling and sprinkle about half of it evenly over that rectangle, leaving a small border around the edges so the filling doesn’t squirt out later. Now, fold the top third down to the middle, like you’re folding a business letter. Add a little more than half of the remaining cinnamon mix right on top of that folded section. Then, fold the bottom section up and over the top. Sprinkle the very last bit of cinnamon sugar onto the exposed dough surface.

Next, fold the dough in half lengthwise, pressing gently to seal. Now, flip it over and shape it gently—I like an oval shape—into a tight ball. You want surface tension! Place this shaped loaf seam-side up into your floured banneton basket. Cover that basket with a damp cloth and pop it into the refrigerator for at least three hours. This cold proofing firms up the dough, making scoring so much easier later on.

Final Proofing and Baking Procedures

When you are ready to bake your Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread, take it out of the fridge. Put your Dutch oven, lid and all, into the cold oven. Now, turn the oven to 425 degrees. Yes, we are putting the cold dough into a cold pot that heats up with the oven—this helps prevent scorching the bottom!

Once the oven reaches temperature (this takes a while!), gently turn your dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Score the top quickly and confidently with a sharp blade. Use the parchment paper handles to lower the loaf right into that hot Dutch oven, put the lid on, and bake for 55 minutes. The lid traps all the steam, giving you that fantastic oven spring.

After 55 minutes, carefully remove the lid. You’re looking for a deep, golden brown color. If it looks a little pale, just pop it back in uncovered for about 5 more minutes. The hardest part? Letting it cool for at least one hour before you slice into it! If you cut it too soon, that beautiful interior crumb will turn gummy. Patience pays off!

Tips for Perfect Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread Results

Baking sourdough takes practice, and this sweet version has a few quirks because of the sugar and raisins. Don’t worry if your first loaf isn’t picture-perfect; these little tips have helped me nail my Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread time and time again. It’s all about managing that moisture!

Achieving the Ideal Crumb Structure

The biggest challenge with this bread is keeping the crumb open and airy, not dense, because the raisins and sugar weigh down the dough. Make sure your bulk fermentation (the overnight rest) is long enough. If your kitchen is cool, it might need closer to 14 hours. You need that dough to be bubbly and jiggly before you shape it!

Also, when you shape, be gentle when folding in the cinnamon sugar layer. You want those layers, but you don’t want to deflate all the gas we built up overnight. And please, please let it cool completely. I know it’s torture, but slicing into warm sourdough ruins the internal structure—it needs that hour to set.

Scoring and Oven Spring Guidance

Scoring this loaf is easier because we chilled it, but the high sugar content can sometimes cause the score to seal up too fast. Make sure your blade is super sharp, and use one confident, deep slash right down the middle, or maybe two diagonal shallow slashes. That cold dough hitting the hot Dutch oven is what gives you that spectacular oven spring!

If you notice your dough isn’t rising much in the oven, check your starter—it needs to be very active before you even start mixing. A sluggish starter means a flat loaf of Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread, no matter how well you score it.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

I get so many questions about this recipe because sourdough can be tricky, especially when we add extra stuff like raisins and sugar! Don’t worry if things look a little different than expected in your first few bakes. We can troubleshoot!

Starter Health and Fermentation Queries

Q1. My dough didn’t double overnight. Did I do something wrong?
If your kitchen was cold, that long overnight rise might not have been enough. Sourdough starters are sensitive to temperature! If your dough is sluggish, just let it sit longer at room temperature—maybe 14 or 16 hours total—until you see that significant growth before shaping. A healthy starter is the bedrock of great Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread.

Q2. Can I bake this dough the same day if I’m in a hurry?
You technically can, but you lose so much flavor! You’d have to do a much shorter bulk rise at a warmer temperature, but you won’t get that signature, complex sourdough tang that balances the sweetness. I really push for that overnight rest for the best results.

Adjusting Sweetness and Raisin Distribution

Q3. I love raisins, can I add more to my Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread?
You can, but be careful! Too many raisins mean too much extra moisture and weight, which can make the loaf flatten out during baking. If you want more, try soaking them briefly in hot water to plump them up, then drain them really well before adding them to the dough. For other sweet baking ideas, check out my recipe for the best zucchini bread recipe.

Q4. What if I don’t like raisins? Can I swap them out?
Absolutely! You can use dried cranberries or chopped dried cherries instead for a different tartness. Or, if you want a purely sweet loaf, just skip the fruit entirely and add an extra 25 grams of sugar to the main dough mixture, keeping the cinnamon swirl the same. It makes a lovely simple cinnamon swirl sourdough! If you are looking for other sweet baked goods, you might enjoy my frosted zucchini spice bars.

Storing and Enjoying Your Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

The hardest part about this incredible Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread is waiting for it to cool, but once it’s ready, you want to keep it perfect! I always slice mine the day after baking because that’s when the texture is just right—chewy crust and soft interior.

For short-term storage, keep the loaf wrapped tightly in a clean kitchen towel or paper bag at room temperature. Don’t put it in plastic right away, or you’ll steam the crust! If you need it to last longer, freezing is your best friend. Slice the whole loaf first, then wrap the slices tightly in plastic wrap before placing them in a freezer bag. This way, you can grab just one or two slices when you need that cinnamon fix! For more baking tips, see this guide on ciabatta bread secrets.

When you’re ready for a treat, just toast a frozen slice straight from the freezer. It comes out perfectly warm and crisp. A little smear of softened butter, and honestly, it tastes just as good as when it came out of the oven!

Share Your Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread Creations

I just love seeing your bakes! If you made this Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread and it smelled up your whole house (in the best way!), please leave me a rating below. Tell me what you thought of the swirl—did it hold up well? I read every comment and it really helps me know which recipes to share next!

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