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Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 58 reviews

This homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread is a delightfully soft and tender yeast bread with a sweet cinnamon-sugar swirl baked right inside. Perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack, this bread combines the comforting flavors of cinnamon and sugar rolled into a fluffy, buttery loaf. The recipe uses simple ingredients and requires basic bread-making techniques including kneading, rising, and baking to create a bakery-quality loaf at home.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) water, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
  • 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar, divided
  • 4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup; 56g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut in 4 pieces
  • 3 cups (390g) bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg white, beaten

Cinnamon Swirl Filling

  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm water, warm milk, yeast, and 2 tablespoons of sugar together in your mixer’s bowl fitted with a dough hook. Cover loosely and let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy. If mixing by hand, use a large bowl and wooden spoon.
  2. Add remaining ingredients: Add the remaining sugar, butter, 1 cup flour, and salt. Beat on low speed 30 seconds, scrape bowl, then add another cup flour. Beat on medium until incorporated (some butter chunks will remain). Add remaining flour and beat until dough forms and pulls away from bowl, about 2 minutes. Add flour by tablespoon if dough is too wet, ensuring a soft, slightly tacky dough.
  3. Knead the dough: Knead using mixer for 8–10 minutes or by hand on floured surface for 8–10 minutes. Add flour sparingly if dough is sticky; dough should remain slightly soft and elastic. Perform windowpane test to check readiness.
  4. 1st Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl, place dough in it, coating all sides, cover, and let it rise at warm room temperature for 1.5-2 hours until double in size.
  5. Prepare loaf pan: Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
  6. Make cinnamon swirl filling: In a small bowl, whisk sugar and cinnamon together.
  7. Shape the dough: Punch down the risen dough. Roll out on floured surface into an 8×20 inch rectangle. Brush surface with beaten egg white, sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture leaving a 1-inch border uncovered. Roll tightly into an 8-inch log and place seam-side down in prepared pan. Sprinkle any spilled filling on top.
  8. 2nd Rise: Cover the loaf and allow it to rise about 1 hour until about 1 inch above the pan’s rim.
  9. Preheat oven: Adjust oven rack to a lower position and preheat to 350°F (177°C).
  10. Brush with butter and bake: Brush melted butter on top. Bake 35–45 minutes until golden brown. Tent with foil if browning too quickly. Check doneness by tapping (should sound hollow) or internal temperature (195–200°F / 90–93°C).
  11. Cool: Remove from oven. Cool in pan on rack a few minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on rack at least 10 minutes before slicing.
  12. Store: Store tightly covered at room temperature up to 6 days or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Notes

  • Use bread flour for best texture; all-purpose flour will make a denser loaf.
  • Ensure water and milk are warmed to about 110°F (43°C) to activate yeast without killing it.
  • Adjust flour addition carefully; dough should be slightly tacky but manageable.
  • Perform windowpane test to confirm sufficient kneading.
  • Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for best results.
  • Tent bread with foil if top browns too quickly during baking.
  • Allow bread to cool sufficiently before slicing to avoid gummy texture.

Keywords: cinnamon swirl bread, homemade bread, cinnamon bread, yeast bread, breakfast bread

Find it online: https://flavorsbymaya.com/homemade-cinnamon-swirl-bread-recipe/