HOMEMADE CINNAMON SWIRL BREAD

This cinnamon swirl bread recipe is a family favorite, requiring only a few basic ingredients. It’s delightfully soft and fluffy, with a perfectly gooey cinnamon swirl throughout!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup water, warmed

1/2 cup whole milk, warmed

2 and 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

For the swirl and topping

1 egg white, beaten

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm water, warm milk, yeast, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Attach the dough hook and whisk everything together. Cover loosely and let it sit for 5–10 minutes, or until the mixture becomes foamy and frothy on top.

Add the remaining sugar, butter, 1 cup of flour (about 130g), and salt to the mixture. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Add another cup of flour and beat on medium speed until mostly incorporated. Gradually add the remaining flour, continuing to beat on medium speed until the dough begins to come together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes. If the dough feels too wet to knead, add more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is workable. The dough should be soft, slightly tacky, but still manageable for kneading with lightly floured hands.

Continue to knead the dough in the mixer for an additional 8–10 minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for the same amount of time. If the dough becomes too sticky while kneading, sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of flour at a time, either on the dough or the work surface, until the dough is soft and slightly tacky. Once kneaded, the dough should still feel a little soft to the touch. To check if it's ready, poke it with your finger—if the dough slowly bounces back, it’s ready to rise.

Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides with the oil. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot for 1.5–2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

For the swirl, in a small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup (50g) sugar and the cinnamon together.

Once the dough has finished rising, punch it down to release the air. Lightly flour a work surface, your hands, and a rolling pin. Roll the dough into a large 8×20 inch rectangle. Using a pastry brush, brush the surface with beaten egg white, then evenly sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges. Carefully roll the dough up into an 8-inch log. Place the rolled dough, seam-side down, into the prepared loaf pan. If any cinnamon-sugar filling has spilled out, don’t discard it! Simply sprinkle it over the top of the bread in the loaf pan.

Cover the shaped loaf and allow to rise for 1 hour, or until it’s about 1 inch above the top of the loaf pan.

Preheat oven to 177°C.

After the dough has risen, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Lightly brush the melted butter over the top of the shaped loaf before baking. Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown. To check for doneness, gently tap on the loaf—if it sounds hollow, it's ready.

Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes in the pan on a cooling rack. Once it's slightly cooled, remove the loaf from the pan and transfer it to the cooling rack. Allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

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