Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I know I have said this once or twice before, but dishes taste so.much.better knowing they came from a home kitchen and it took someone a long time to create from scratch.

This Cinnamon Raisin Bread is probably one of my top 3 ultimate comfort foods. Another would be Mom’s Noodle Kugel, and probably a third is something desserty. This bread isn’t too sweet like a dessert bread, but it’s so soft and chewy that it’s really delicious. Like saying “mmm” in your head as you eat it.

The funny thing about early pregnancy cravings for me is that I wanted kid food. I did not indulge in many of them, but I wanted mac and cheese (pulled a recipe, haven’t made it), a hot dog (waiting for the right time), and PB&J sandwiches (like 2-4/week for a month).

One thing I remembered when I saw this recipe is the classic Sun Maid Cinnamon Raisin Bread in the red bag at the store. Yum and yum. I wanted.

This version puts a grocery store version to shame! You must try. Don’t be scared of the yeast. Really, it’s not that bad. And what an accomplishment!

I bookmarked this over the last few weeks when I had no energy to spend six hours baking a bread at home. I altered the recipe a bit, one on purpose and one accidental. I’ll explain.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Adapted from Eat Live Run

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 (1/4th oz) package yeast
• 1/3 cup sugar + 1 tbsp
• 6 Tbsp softened butter, divided
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 C black raisins
• 1.5 Tbsp cinnamon, divided
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg + 2 Tbsp warm water

Instructions:

• Combine your warm milk, water, yeast and 2 tsp sugar in a measuring cup and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy. The temperature of the milk/water should be about 100 degrees. (I combined the milk and water and microwaved for about 45 seconds, then inserted a meat thermometer. When I made challah, I used “warm” tap water and didn’t measure the temperature, but I wanted to get the milk temp right.)
• While the yeast is resting, combine the flours, sugar, 3 tbsp softened butter, salt and 1 tbsp cinnamon in a large bowl. If you’re using a kitchen aid, use a paddle attachment and start to mix on slow. Then, drizzle in the water mixture while the machine is running. Add raisins after a couple minutes. Increase speed to high and mix for about 4 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
• If you mix by hand without a mixer, knead well for about 10 minutes. If using mixer, no kneading is necessary.
• Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place dough ball in. Cover with a cloth and let rise for 1.5 hours in a warm spot. (I put mine in the pantry covered with a damp cloth. I let it go about 2.5 hours because it wasn’t rising as tall as I expected, but it turned out fine. You could place it on a dryer or near running dishwasher, but I don’t think it’s supposed to be in sunlight.)
• While the dough is rising, mix together the remaining 3 T butter with the extra 1.5 tsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp sugar in a small bowl until smooth.
• After the dough has risen to double it’s size, roll out with a rolling pin on a floured surface to a long rectangle. (Make sure your rectangle is about the size of your loaf pan. This was where I started to goof.)
• Smear the butter mixture all over the top and roll up tightly.
• Place dough in a greased loaf pan, cover with cloth and let rise for another hour in a warm spot.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the egg and warm water then brush all over loaf. (I only used about half this mixture).
• Bake for 40 minutes. Let cool and slice.

The part I goofed was when I rolled up my loaf. It was way too long and skinny and about 50% too long for the loaf pan. First I thought I would leave it and bake it on a sheet pan like the challah, but then I decided to wad it back into a ball and re-roll it. However, I did not re-smear with more butter mixture. I just rolled it out and rolled it up. It ended up with less visible swirl, but the cinnamon flavors were there.

Here are the step by step pictures:

Ball before doubling.

Rolled out on floured surface after first rising.

Smeared with butter and sugar.

Rolled up all cute. Make sure it’s the same size as your loaf pan.

This picture is misleading, it fit in.

Rubbed with a little egg/water mixture.

I pulled mine out of the oven at about the 36 minute mark, but my oven tends to cook faster on all things.

Invite people over to smell the great smell you just created. Is there anything as good as fresh baked bread?!

Slice into pretty pieces.

Spread with butter, enjoy a simple bread and butter snack.

All in all, I started the process around 11:30 a.m. on a Saturday and it came out of the oven around 5 p.m. It’s a half day project! But well worth it.

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