Cinnamon Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk – warmed to 110°F
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg – room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter – softened
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 1/4 cups bread flour
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil – for greasing bowl, pan, and work surface
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter – softened (for filling)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar – packed (for filling)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
1. Bloom the yeast: In a large bowl, whisk the warm milk with the granulated sugar and yeast, then let stand until foamy, 5–10 minutes.
2. Make the dough: Whisk in the egg, then add the softened 4 tbsp butter and salt; mix until combined, 1 minute. Add half the flour and mix until shaggy, 1–2 minutes. Add the remaining flour and knead by hand or mixer until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, 8–10 minutes.
3. First rise: Lightly grease a clean bowl with a thin film of neutral oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turn to coat, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 60–75 minutes.
4. Prepare the filling: In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and ground cinnamon until evenly combined, 30 seconds.
5. Prepare to shape: Lightly oil your work surface and a 9×5-inch loaf pan with the remaining neutral oil (about 1 tbsp total), 30 seconds.
6. Roll out: Gently deflate the dough and roll it into an 8×18-inch rectangle, about 0.25 inch thick, 2–3 minutes.
7. Fill: Spread the softened 3 tbsp butter evenly over the dough, leaving a 0.5-inch border on all sides, 1–2 minutes. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the butter and press lightly to adhere, 30–60 seconds.
8. Form the loaf: Starting from a short 8-inch side, roll the dough up tightly into a log, 1–2 minutes. Pinch the seam and ends to seal, then tuck the ends under, 30 seconds.
9. Pan and proof: Place the log seam-side down in the prepared loaf pan, cover, and let rise until the dough crowns about 1 inch above the rim and springs back slowly when gently pressed, 45–60 minutes.
10. Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F during the final 20 minutes of proofing. Bake the loaf until deep golden brown and the center reaches 190°F, 35–45 minutes; tent with foil after 20 minutes if browning too quickly.
11. Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing, at least 1 hour.
Cinnamon bread is a tender, lightly sweet yeast loaf with a spiral of fragrant cinnamon sugar running through the center. Its crust bakes a deep golden brown while the interior stays soft and feathery, making it ideal for breakfast toast, snacks, or dessert. The classic swirl delivers a balanced hit of spice and caramel notes in every slice, especially when warmed and spread with butter.
The loaf has roots in European enriched breads and American home baking traditions, where cinnamon and sugar became a hallmark combination in coffee cakes and breakfast loaves. Over the 19th and 20th centuries, the cinnamon swirl style gained popularity in the United States, eventually becoming a bakery staple and a common homemade treat. Variants with raisins, icing, or streusel appeared regionally, but the straightforward loaf with a clean spiral remains the most widely recognized version.