Cinnamon Raisin bread is one of the most delicious bread recipes to make at home! Filled with warm cinnamon and sweet raisins, this Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread is soft, tender, dairy-free, and made with whole wheat flour. But most importantly--it is delicious!
Don't just limit this Cinnamon Raisin Bread to toast! It is great to use for sandwiches, Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole, French Toast Casserole, and regular French Toast.
My favorite bread ever is Cinnamon Raisin Bread.
Whether toasted or sliced warm from the oven, a slice of cinnamon raisin bread with a smear of butter is a bit of heaven.
But the best way to enjoy this bread is to make it at home.
Not only do you get to control what ingredients are in your bread when you make it at home, but you also have the reward of enjoying the sweet aroma as it baked! And nothing beats the smell of cinnamon and freshly baked bread, well except for the taste!
How To Make Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Making Cinnamon Raisin Bread at home is not hard. In fact, my recipe is one of the easiest recipes out there and it also happens to be whole wheat, naturally sweetened, and dairy-free. And of course, delicious!
You can choose to make this Cinnamon Raisin Bread by hand, in a stand mixer, or in a bread machine.
Raisin Bread By Hand/Stand Mixer
Step One: Soak Raisins
- Place raisins into a large heat-safe bowl.
- Cover with boiling water and let soak for 5-10 minutes.
- Drain raisins well.
Step Two: Prepare Yeast
- Mix together water and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes.
Step Three: Prepare Bread Dough
- In a separate large bowl, mix together salt, cinnamon, flour, raisins, and vital wheat gluten if using.
- Add oil and honey to the water mixture.
- Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the water mixture. Knead until smooth (about 5 minutes by stand mixer or 10 minutes by hand).
Step Four: Let Dough Rise
- Cover and let the bread rise until doubled--anywhere from 1-2 hours depending on temperature and humidity in your kitchen.
Step Five: Shape Dough
- After the dough has risen, flour hands and shape dough into one 2 pound loaf of bread or two 1 pound loaves of bread.
Step Six: Let Bread Rise Again
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Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise again for 30-60 minutes.
Step Six: Bake Cinnamon Bread
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Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes for a 2-pound loaf of bread or at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until a digital thermometer reads 190-195 degrees.
- Remove from oven and immediately turn cinnamon raising bread out of loaf pan(s) out unto a cooling rack.
Preparing with a Bread Maker
Step One: Prepare Ingredients
- Cover raisins with hot water and let sit while preparing the bread.
- Pour the water into the pan fitted into the bread machine.
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Measure the oil first and then the honey (this makes the honey slip out of the measuring cup) and add to water.
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Add in half the flour, then top with salt, cinnamon, and vital wheat gluten if using. Top with remaining flour.
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Make a small well in the flour and put yeast into that well.
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Set to manufacturer's instructions.
Step Two: Add in Raisins
- Once the bread machine signals that it is time to add in the raisins (typically it will beep after the first initial rise--about 30 minutes into the cycle
- Drain raisins well and add to the bread machine.
Step Three: Cool
- Allow the bread machine to finish its cycle, then immediately remove from the loaf pan and cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Tips for Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Be sure your water is not too hot (over 115 degrees), as that can kill the yeast.
- Be sure your yeast and flour are fresh. Expired yeast will not allow the bread to rise correctly and old flour will leave an unpleasant after taste.
- Measure flour by placing spoonfuls of flour into a measuring cup versus filling from bag or container, this will drastically change the amount of flour.
- This recipe works with all-purpose, whole wheat, and whole white wheat flour.
- For storing, allow the bread to cool fully and then store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the refrigerator. This bred also freezes well.
More Homemade Bread Recipes
If you tried out this Cinnamon Bread, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Filled with warm cinnamon and sweet raisins, this Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread is soft, tender, dairy-free, and made with whole wheat flour.
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Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 151kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups warm water 100-115 degrees
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 ¼ cups whole wheat flour see notes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten optional
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¾ cup raisins soaked
Instructions
Cinnamon Raisin Bread by Hand/Mixer
- Place raisins in a small bowl and pour boiling water over raisins. Let them sit for 5-10 minutes, then drain.
- Combine warm water with yeast. Let sit until foamy or about 10 minutes.
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, vital wheat gluten, cinnamon, and raisins.
- To the yeast mixture, add in the olive oil and honey.
- Attach a dough hook to the stand mixer and turn on to low speed.
- Add in the liquids and allow the mixer to bring to incorporate the ingredients. (Or mix by hand with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Knead on low speed for 5-8 minutes, or by hand until the dough soft and pliable.
- Place the dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let double in size--anywhere from 1 to 2 hours.
- Grease a 2-pound loaf pan (or two 1-pound loaf pans) generously with oil, butter, or coconut oil.
- Punch down the dough and shape the dough into a loaf shape. Place the shaped dough into the prepared loaf pan and cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise for another hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread for 35-40 minutes or until the inside of the bread registers 190 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove bread from the oven and cool in loaf pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer the bread to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cinnamon Raisin Bread with Bread Machine
- Start by pouring the water into the pan fitted into the bread machine.
- Measure the oil first and then the honey (this makes the honey slip out of the measuring cup) and add to water.
- Add in half the flour, then top with salt, cinnamon, and vital wheat gluten if using. Top with remaining flour.
- Make a small well in the flour and put yeast into that well.
- Set to manufacturer's instructions.
- Once the bread machine signals that it is time to add in ingredients (typically it will beep after the first initial rise--about 30 minutes into the cycle), add in raisins.
- Allow the bread machine to finish it's cycle, then immediately remove from the loaf pan and cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- This yields a 2-pound loaf of Cinnamon Raisin Bread.
- Store at room temperature for 2 days, then refrigerate or freeze as whole wheat bread will grow mold quickly.
- Be sure your water is not too hot (over 115 degrees), as that can kill the yeast.
- Be sure your yeast and flour are fresh. Expired yeast will not allow the bread to rise correctly and old flour will leave an unpleasant after taste.
- Measure flour by placing spoonfuls of flour into a measuring cup versus filling from bag or container, this will drastically change the amount of flour.
- This recipe works with all-purpose, whole wheat, and whole white wheat flour.
Baking at high altitude? Check out these adjustments that you may need to follow.
Nutrition
Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1.1mg
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Carrie Williams
This bread was so good! Very soft with just a hint of sweetness. My 8 year old loves it and I will definitely be making it again! Thanks for sharing!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing Carrie! I love hearing when little ones enjoy!
Laura Boichuk
Turns out perfect every time!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you have found this recipe to be foolproof Laura!
Lauren
I LOVE this bread! I have been making it in the bread maker without the wheat gluten because I didn’t want to buy an extra ingredient. We have given three loaves away in addition to making it for ourselves. Delicious toasted with vegan/regular butter in the morning. I am generous with the raisins and cinnamon but otherwise wouldn’t change a thing. I may experiment with adding hemp, chia, flax etc. Great recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing how much you enjoy this recipe--and that you have success even without the wheat gluten 🙂
Willard Meades
I just made this and...wow! I did not have any vital wheat gluten so I was a bit concerned about the texture and softness of the bread. I also mixed by wooden spoon. But I must say, it's very soft and a very nice texture. The taste is very pleasant, not overly sweet and flavors are well balanced. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Willard! I just had some of this bread toasted with peanut butter--my absolute favorite.
Bill
Great bread and very straightforward to make. I have a question about mixing the raisins. I am using a KitchenAid stand mixer with a dough hook and I have found that after mixing the ingredients, the raisins tend to move to the outside of the dough instead of being mixed throughout. Is there a way to do the mixing so the raisins mix evenly?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Bill! I am so glad you are enjoying this recipe. Try adding the raisins to the flour mixture and then add in the wet in ingredients. That may help disperse the raisins evenly through the bread when using a stand mixer.
Bill
That is what I tried but without success.
Kristen Chidsey
The best way is probably to knead the raisins in by hand then Bill. Just pat out the dough before rising and add raisins and fold a few times to disperse.
Bill
I will give that a try. Thanks
Kelsey
Making it for my third time since the start of the quarantine! Have not made with Vital Wheat Protein because I do not have any on hand. A great bread for a new baker--my family eats up the loaf within 2 or 3 days! Thanks for the clear directions!
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing how much your family enjoys Kelsey! I hope this is a staple for years to come!
Gary Goldstein
I just purchased a used Cuisinart convection bread machine on Ebay. This is the first bread to come out of the machine. Your recipe and instructions could not have been better! Thanks for getting me off to an excellent start in bread machine baking. The machine was a great find, can wait to try more recipes.
Thanks,
Gary Goldstein
Gary Goldstein
CAN'T WAIT
Kristen Chidsey
Yay!! I am so glad you found this recipe and enjoyed so much Gary! Thank you for leaving a review.
Kim
What would the difference in the bread be if not using the vital wheat gluten? I’m looking forward to trying this!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kim. The vital wheat gluten helps the bread be much more tender and soft. I find it makes a world of difference in whole wheat baked goods. You can eliminate but expect a more dense bread. Hope you enjoy.
Beth
I love this cinnamon raisin bread! Especially the olive oil and honey! Great recipe.
Kristen Chidsey
Thank you Beth! The olive oil and honey base in the bread really keep the whole grains light and fluffy.
Nellie Tracy
This whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread is amazing! Love it!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! So glad you enjoyed Nellie!