The Best Cinnamon Bread Recipe
Growing up, every Christmas my mother would get out her Bosch (just kidding, she used it constantly so it was always on the counter) and whip up about 20 loaves of the best cinnamon bread you could ask for.
She even ground the wheat just before making them. I mean, how fresh can you get? She did this for all our neighbors along the winding country road that led past our house. It was a special treat that they looked forward to every year, and it was extra special for my three siblings and I because we got the cinnamon bread for days!
This post is in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill, all opinions are my own
There’s something special about making bread that transports me back into my mom’s kitchen. The smells, the sounds, it all comes rushing to me as soon as I begin kneading the loaves. I feel so cozy, secure, and happy.
When Travis and I married I decided to carry on the tradition my mom still does to this day, and make my neighbors and some of Travis’s work friends fresh bread just before Christmas. Every time I make it I wonder why I always wait until the holidays to whip up a batch? It’s fairly easy, and man on man does it taste amazing! So glad I get to share this special recipe with you today!
When my mom makes this recipe, she doubles it because she has a Bosch. She can then make about 5-6 loaves at a time. My standard KitchenAid just can’t whip out such a large amount, (I tried once . . . I had flour raining down all over my kitchen.) so I do it as written in the recipe below, and make three loaves at a time. If you have an extra large mixer or Bosch feel free to double the batch. It saves time to be sure!
Cinnamon Bread Tips and Tricks
When you add together the warm water, yeast, and 2 cups of flour make sure to combine just a bit before letting sponge for 15 minutes. Just a few turns of the bread hook and then let rest.
After adding in the honey, oil, dough enhancer (I use this brand) and salt, begin to add in the Bob’s Red Mill Flour. Have the mixer on low to begin with and slowly pour in the flour, half a cup at a time. Turn mixer up as needed.
At this point I’m up to eight cups of flour, but my KitchenAid just isn’t cutting it anymore. It’s full and isn’t doing a great job of kneading or adding in the remaining flour. I removed it from the mixer, rubbed my hands in a little olive oil so the dough wouldn’t stick to them, and started kneading in the remaining flour by hand.
I kept a little spot of olive oil at the ready on my clean counter to re-apply to my hands as needed.
I kneaded almost all of the remaining cup of flour in when I got to the point the dough wasn’t accepting much more, so I then oiled the surface and kneaded the dough on the oiled surface to finish activating the gluten for a few more minutes.
At this point its time to divide the dough equally into three parts so we can add the cinnamon and sugar filling! Cut dough into three sections, making them as even as possible. I’m not the best at this, and as you will see below my loaves are slightly different sizes. But that’s called home made!
Roll each section out one at a time on a floured surface. The dough should be around 12 inches long and seven wide. This is close to the perfect size once you roll it into a loaf.
Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon evenly across the surface of the bread, then begin to roll it up lengthwise from one side to the other.
To “seal” the bread pinch the end of the roll into the dough. It will still come undone as it cooks a little, but that’s totally normal.
Fold over the ends and pinch them into the underside or “tummy” of the dough as well. Then turn over and place in a buttered bread pan.
Repeat this for all three loaves.
Once your loaves are made, place them in a warm area or in the oven with the door slightly ajar and on a low temp, (around 170) until they’ve risen about twice their size. Then bake in oven on 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom of the pan, or when the top and sides are a golden brown color. Remove from over and allow to cool on the counter for five minutes. Take a stick of butter and roll over tops to seal in freshness and also add a pretty buttery shine to the tops of the loaves.
Tap pans slightly on sides to help dislodge loaf. If needed, run butter knife along sides of pan as sometime the sugar can make the bread stick to the pan. Tap again and slowly lean pan on its side to remove loaf. Use caution as loaf will still be hot. Place on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes before slicing . . . that is if you can avoid temptation that long!
That’s it! Enjoy the amazing bread and/or give some away to a friend or neighbor. You’ll make their day! I promise!
One of my neighbors’ loves to use her bread for French toast in the mornings. Now doesn’t that sound mouth watering!
This bread also freezes really well so don’t be afraid to place in a high quality freezer bag and keep frozen for up to one month. Let thaw on counter or in fridge and enjoy!
Cinnamon Bread
Equipment
- KitchenAid mixer or Bosch mixer
Ingredients
Bread
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup oil I use light tasting olive oil
- 3 cup warm water
- 1.5 Tbsp Bob's Red Mill Active Dry Yeast
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 9 cups Bob's Red Mill Organic Flour
- 1.5 Tbsp Dough Enhancer
Cinnamon Filling per loaf
- 1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Granulated Sugar
- 3 Tbsp Cinnamon
Instructions
Bread
- Combine the warm water, Bob's Red Mill yeast, and 2 cups of the Bob's Red Mill flour into a large mixing bowl. (KitchenAid or Bosch) Stir two or three times, then allow to sponge for 15 minutes.
- Once sponging is complete, add in the honey, oil, dough enhancer, and salt. Start to mix on low speed. Begin to add in remaining flour until dough starts to clean the sides of the mixing bowl. Do not allow dough to get too stiff (dry). Dough should be smooth and elastic. Depending on altitude and weather, you may need a little more or less than 9 cups of flour.
- Knead the bread until small bubbles or blisters appear beneath the surgace of the dough. 6 to 10 minutes should be sufficient to develop the gluten.
- Note* Towards the end of adding the flour my KitchenAid was having a hard time getting all the ingredients from the bottom of the bowl incorporated into the bread. I ended taking it out, oiling my counter surface and hands with olive oil, and kneading by hand for about 5 to 7 minutes. It will depend on the size of your electric mixer if you'll need to do this. Bosch mixes can handle the load a little easier than KitchenAids.
- Seperate the dough into three even pieces, shaping them a little longer and narrower for rolling out.
- Roll each loaf out to about 12×7 inches. Taking your white sugar, evenly sprinkle over entire surface. Do the same with cinnnamon. Starting at the end, roll loaf up, pinching lengthwise to seal. Pinch each end, the pull up onto the tummy of loaf (where you sealed it lengthwise) and pinch again to seal to tummy.
- Place tummy side (sealed ends) into greased loaf pan. (or you can use parchment paper to line pans like I did)
- Allow to rise in a slightly warmed over or other warm place until each loaf is double in size. (about 30-60 minutes)
- Bake loaves for 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Bread is cooked through when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, or when the tops adn sides are a golden brown.
- Remove from oven and taking a stick of butter, glide it over top of loaf to seal and provide a beautiful shiny golden top! Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before removing from pans. Let cool for another 10 to 15 minutes (if you can) before slicing up, adding a significant amount of butter, and digging in! Enjoy!
Do you make home made breads or does yeast breads scare you? It’s truly not hard, just takes a little elbow grease and willpower not to eat all the cinnamon sugar dough. 😉
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