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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Jjmmy
I have made this twice. Great recipe thank you for sharing this!
Novi
Hi,
Thanks for the recipe. I was looking for a sweet whole wheat bread when stumbling into your recipe at Pinterest.
Would this recipe work as a no knead bread? I mean using this recipe but using your method on No Knead Wholewheat Bread?
Thanks
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Novi! For a no-knead bread recipe, use my Cranberry Walnut Bread and instead of cranberries, fold in cinnamon and raisins.
Novi L
Thank you for your help
Laura
Wonderful taste and easy to make! This was my first official attempt at bread making and it turned out great! I loved the use of just a few ingredients. I could not find the vital wheat gluten and was worried that would be a problem but I went ahead after reading reviews by cooks who had left it out. Glad I did!
Kristen Chidsey
So happy that you enjoyed--even without the vital wheat gluten 🙂
Cassandra
I can't wait to try this - even the "healthy" options I've found at the store are made with part refined wheat flour.
Do you think this recipe would be easily modifiable to make apple raisin bread? And any other ideas to change it up- What would you suggest?
Going to check out the rest of your site now! ^_^
Kristen Chidsey
I am so happy you discovered my blog and this recipe! My concern with adding apple chunks would be the added moisture to the bread. If you try it, I would only add max 1/2 chopped apples that are suitable for baking.
Samantha
I've made this bread twice now - and it's simply wonderful! The whole family loved it! The first time, I made it as written except added half the honey. The second time (just yesterday), I made it exactly as written. I used my oven both times (no bread machine). I prefer the recipe exactly as written - most recipes I find online are too sweet for our tastes, but this one is just right! Thank you for a wonderful recipe, and I'm off to check out the rest of the site too!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! I love hearing you enjoyed so much!
Steve
Are we soaking the raisins 5-10 minutes or 30? Different times listed at top than in directions with recipe.
Kristen Chidsey
Sorry for the confusion Steve. The raisins only need soaked for 5-10 minutes in hot water. I updated to be more clear.
Tim
Hi. I noticed that the baking temp is listed at 350 for 35-40 mins. for the 2 pound loaf in the step by step instructions with the pictures. Down below, the recipe instead says to bake at 375 for 40-45 mins. Which of the baking temps/times do you recommend?
Kristen Chidsey
Sorry for any confusion Tim. It is to be baked at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
Barbara
I make this in my bread machine all the time. So easy, and so delicious!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed!
Dan
Should I use instant or active dry yeast? I'm using a bread machine. Thank you very much!
Kristen Chidsey
HI Dan! use Active Dry Yeat. Enjoy!
Ava
I made this bread in my bread maker and it turned out so good! I love it more than the one you buy in the store! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! One thing though, the recipe called for a bit to much yeast so it made my bread sink a little but other than that super delicious!
Ava
Sorry I forgot to rate it in my other comment 😁
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Ava! I am so glad you enjoyed so much! You can certainly decrease the yeast to your liking, but I find I need the full amount. Thanks for sharing your review!