The Best Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Sourdough Bread Recipe
The best cinnamon raisin sweet sourdough bread recipe is a wonderful addition to any morning of the week! Sourdough cinnamon raisin bread is a traditional treat that is one of the most popular recipes, no matter the time of year. The combination of sourdough tanginess with the sweetness of sugar, the warmth of cinnamon, and the natural sweetness of raisins creates a complex and delightful flavor profile that will satisfy any sweet tooth. The fermentation process of sourdough adds depth and complexity to the taste. This sourdough cinnamon raisin bread recipe has a soft texture with a crisp crumb that keeps families craving it throughout the year.
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How to Eat Sourdough Sweet Breads
This bread is versatile and can be enjoyed in many ways. You can eat it plain, toast it and spread butter or jam on top, or use it to make sandwiches or French toast. It can also be made into a delicious bread pudding!
Is Sourdough Bread Healthy?
Sourdough bread, especially when made with whole grain flour, offers nutritional benefits such as being easier to digest, potentially lower glycemic index, and contains beneficial nutrients due to the fermentation process.
Why I Love Making Sourdough Breads
Making homemade sourdough bread from scratch is a rewarding process that requires time, patience, and skill. The satisfaction of creating something delicious with your own hands adds to the enjoyment of eating it, not to mention the joy it brings seeing those around me loving it!
Is Sourdough Bread Complicated to Make?
Sourdough bread can be more involved to make compared to some other types of bread due to its unique fermentation process, but it’s not necessarily complicated. Here are some reasons why:
Starter Culture: Sourdough bread is made using a starter culture, which is a mixture of flour and water that has been allowed to ferment and capture wild yeast and bacteria from the environment. Creating and maintaining a sourdough starter requires some attention and care, but once established, it can be relatively low-maintenance. Now that I have a mature active starter, I only need to feed it about three times per week!
Longer Fermentation: Sourdough bread typically requires a longer fermentation period compared to bread made with commercial yeast. This means that you need to plan ahead and allow for adequate time for the dough to rise and develop flavor. However, most of this time is inactive waiting time, so it doesn’t necessarily require constant attention.
Understanding Dough Consistency: Working with sourdough dough requires some understanding of its consistency and behavior. Sourdough dough tends to be more hydrated and sticky compared to dough made with commercial yeast. This can take some getting used to, but with practice, you’ll learn how to handle it effectively. After your first couple of loaves you will find yourself becoming more comfortable with the dough.
Temperature and Environment: Sourdough fermentation is influenced by factors such as temperature and humidity, so there may be some variability in the process depending on your kitchen environment. However, with experience, you’ll learn how to adjust for these factors to achieve consistent results. During the summer months, I might place my soudough in the fridge to slow down the fermentation process and for the winter months, I will place it in an oven with a light on or place it in a warm stove to help it along. You will find that the more that you work with it, you will develop a “knowing” for what your dough needs.
While sourdough bread may require a bit more attention to detail and time compared to some other breads, many people, including myself, find the process rewarding and enjoy the unique flavor and texture of homemade sourdough.
Baker’s Schedule
9:00am- I feed my sourdough starter.
4:00pm- Mix all of my ingredients for cinnamon raisin sweet sourdough bread together in a bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.
4:30pm to 5:30pm- I perform 3 sets of stretch and folds.
5:30pm to 7:00am- The next day, I place the dough in a warm place and allow it to bulk ferment.
7:00am (next day)- I shape the sourdough, place it into a banneton and into my fridge for the final fermentation process, which is at least 3 hours.
12:00pm- I remove the sourdough from the fridge, score it and then transfer it to the oven to cook.
Ingredients for Sweet Sourdough Recipe
- 100 grams active sourdough starter (1/2 cup)
- 350 grams warm water (1 1/4 cups)
- 500 grams bread flour (5 cups)
- 145 grams raisins (1 cup)
- 25 grams cane sugar or brown sugar (2 Tablespoons)
- 10 grams salt (1 1/2 teaspoon)
- Additional flour for dusting
Ingredients for the Filling
- 25 grams cane sugar (2 Tablespoons)
- 8 grams ground cinnamon (1 Tablespoon)
Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Sourdough Bread Recipe
Day 1: Mixing the Dough
In a large mixing bowl add the wet ingredients: active starter, warm water until completely combined.
Then add the sugar until it dissolves.
Add the bread flour, salt, and raisins stirring until a shaggy dough forms.
Place a wet tea towel or plastic wrap on the bowl and let the rough dough rest for 30 minutes.
Stretch and Folds
Once the 30 minutes is up, begin to stretch and fold the dough. Grab one end of the dough, stretch it out and fold it over itself. Then grab the opposite end, stretch and fold it onto itself. Finally, grab the sides and stretch and fold them.
Repeat the stretch and fold method for a total of 3 times with 30 minute intervals.
First rise
After the final stretch and fold, place a damp cloth over the bowl and allow the dough to rise overnight at room temperature, for at least 12 hours.
Next Day
In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon and sugar mixture for the filling and set aside.
The dough should have at least doubled in size by now. Remove the dough from the large bowl and place it onto a clean work surface that has been lightly dusted with flour.
Gently stretch the dough out into a rectangular shape.
Place the half of the cinnamon sugar mixture across the dough, leaving a 1 inch perimeter around the edge so that the mixture does not fall out.
Fold the top half of the dough (to the center) onto itself as though folding a letter.
Place a little more than half of what is left of the cinnamon mixture on that folded half. Make sure to save a little bit of the mixture for the final fold.
Fold the bottom half of dough onto the top half and add the rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture to half of that half.
Then fold the dough in half “long ways”.
Shape your dough into a smooth ball or oval shape. (The shape of your banneton.) If you need a banneton or proofing basket check out this post: How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial)
Cover with a damp towel and place the banneton in the fridge for the final rise. For best results the rise time should be at least 3 hours. Chilling your dough before scoring it will be the easiest way to achieving a beautiful score!
Preparing your bread to bake
*This recipe does not require a preheated oven! When you are ready, simply place the sourdough into the dutch oven and into the oven, and then turn it on.
Remove the dough from the banneton and place it onto a piece of parchment paper.
Score the top of the dough.
Place the dough into the dutch oven and into the oven.
Turn the oven to 425 degrees and bake for 55 minutes.
Once the 55 minutes is up, remove the lid.
Remove the bread if it is golden brown or allow the bread to brown for 5 more minutes or until the desired golden color is achieved.
Wait at least one hour until the bread cools before slicing into it! This will ensure that the cooking is complete and you will not have a mushy crumb.
Spread delicious softened homemade butter across your fresh baked bread slice and enjoy!
Try out Idie’s homemade butter recipe! How To Make Easy Homemade Butter From Raw Milk
More Sweet Sourdough Recipes
Peanut Butter with Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe
Best Sourdough Bread Recipe with Almond and Raisins
The Best Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Sourdough Bread Recipe
Other Sourdough Recipes
Easy Same Day Sourdough Bread (Beginner’s Recipe)
Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe Without A Dutch Oven
Easy No-Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe for Beginner’s
Sourdough Discard Recipe
Easy Italian Sourdough Flatbread Discard Recipe
The Best Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Sourdough Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 100 grams active sourdough starter 1/2 cup
- 350 grams warm water 1 1/4 cup
- 500 grams bread flour 5 cups
- 145 grams raisins 1 cup
- 25 grams cane sugar or brown sugar 2 Tablespoons
- 10 grams salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Additional flour for dusting
Ingredients for the filling
- 8 grams ground cinnamon 1 Tablespoon
- 25 grams cane sugar 2 Tablespoons
Instructions
- Day 1: Mixing the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl add the wet ingredients: active starter, warm water until completely combined.
- Then add the sugar until it dissolves.
- Add the bread flour, salt, and raisins stirring until a shaggy dough forms.
- Place a wet tea towel or plastic wrap on the bowl and let the rough dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Folds
- Once the 30 minutes is up, begin to stretch and fold the dough. Grab one end of the dough, stretch it out and fold it over itself. Then grab the opposite end, stretch and fold it onto itself. Finally, grab the sides and stretch and fold them.
- Repeat the stretch and fold method for a total of 3 times with 30 minute intervals.
- First rise
- After the final stretch and fold, place a damp cloth over the bowl and allow the dough to rise over night at room temperature, for at least 12 hours.
- Next Day
- In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon and sugar mixture for the filling and set aside.
- The dough should have at least doubled in size by now. Remove the dough from the large bowl and place it onto a clean work surface that has been lightly dusted with flour.
- Gently stretch the dough out into a rectangular shape.
- Place the half of the cinnamon sugar mixture across the dough, leaving a 1 inch perimeter around the edge so that the mixture does not fall out.
- Fold the top half of the dough (to the center) onto itself as though folding a letter.
- Place a little more than half of what is left of the cinnamon mixture on that folded half. Make sure to save a little bit of the mixture for the final fold.
- Fold the bottom half of dough onto the top half and add the rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture to half of that half.
- Then fold the dough in half "long ways".
- Shape your dough into a smooth ball or oval shape. (The shape of your banneton.) If you need a banneton or proofing basket check out this post: How To Make An Easy DIY Basket Liner (Sew Tutorial)
- Cover with a damp towel and place the banneton in the fridge for the final rise. For best results the rise time should be at least 3 hours. Chilling your dough before scoring it will be the easiest way to achieving a beautiful score!
- Preparing your bread to bake
- *This recipe does not require a preheated oven! When you are ready, simply place the sourdough into the dutch oven and into the oven, and then turn it on.
- Remove the dough from the banneton and place it onto a peice of parchment paper.
- Score the top of the dough.
- Place the dough into the dutch oven and into the oven.
- Turn the oven to 425 degrees and bake for 55 minutes.
- Once the 55 minutes is up, remove the lid.
- Remove the bread if it is golden brown or allow the bread to brown for 5 more minutes or until the desired golden color is achieved.
- Wait at least one hour until the bread cools before slicing into it! This will ensure that the cooking is complete and you will not have a mushy crumb.
- Spread delicious softened homemade butter across your fresh baked bread slice and enjoy!
- Try out Idie's homemade butter recipe! How To Make Easy Homemade Butter From Raw Milk
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