This Cinnamon Streusel Swirl Bread is one of the best loaves I’ve made, to date. The bread is soft and tender, with a cinnamon-raising swirl that bakes without that annoying “gap”. The streusel topping adds a lovely crunch to the crust, so I don’t recommend skipping that part of the recipe.
I am a self-taught bread baker and I absolutely love the entire process. I gave up my bread machine decades ago, and my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer does a great job of mixing and kneading bread dough. Every so often, I get a craving for a Cinnamon Swirl Loaf, and I found this Cinnamon Streusel Swirl Bread recipe on King Arthur Flour.com.
I only use their Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, as well as their Bread Flour. In fact, my baking supply pantry section is loaded with so many of their products!
The Streusel that is pressed onto the bread loaf, before baking, adds a delicious crunchy texture to the slice of bread. Best of all, the filling is pressed onto a layer of an egg wash that prevents those annoying “gaps” between the filling and the bread. Let’s make bread!
Begin with all of the dry ingredients– all-purpose flour, instant yeast, , cinnamon, dry milk powder, potato flour and a few others (see recipe card).
Add softened butter and lukewarm water, and let the mixer do the work. (Directions on how to hand mix is included in the recipe card.) Place the dough in an oiled bowl and allow it to proof for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. A proofing box is one of the best investments I made for bread baking. During cold winter months, I can set the warm temperature that yeast loves.
While the bread dough is proofing, make the filling. A miniature food processor is ideal to mix the sugar, cinnamon and break down the raisins.
This is what I most enjoy about making bread– shaping the dough for a loaf pan. An egg mixed with water is ready to go. The filling is ready. The dough has puffed up. Roll the dough the length of 16″ x 18″. My trusty stainless steel ruler is my guide.
Brush the egg yolk mixture all over the dough, then evenly spread the filling mixture. Gently press the mixture into the dough. (Don’t toss the remaining egg wash, as you’ll need it again.)
Roll the dough, tightly, and pay special attention that the sides are sealed well. You don’t want the filling to seep out!
Place the dough into a loaf pan. The loaf pans that I use are so non-stick that I don’t need to grease them. They baked bread slides right out! (Hand wash only, so as not to remove the silicone non-stick finish.)
While the bread dough is working on its second proof, make the streusel topping. You’ll need sugar, softened butter, cinnamon and flour. Clean fingers work well to combine the ingredients into soft chunks of streusel.
The bread dough has risen nicely, so it’s time to add the streusel topping. Generously brush the bread dough with the remaining egg wash. Press the streusel topping in firmly, but being mindful not to deflate the dough. Can you skip the streusel topping? Yes, but why? We loved it.
I do recommend placing the finished dough on top of a parchment lined baking sheet, given that some of the streusel might fall off. Bake the bread (on the left) at 350F for 45 minutes, then top with aluminum to prevent the loaf from becoming too dark. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. The recommended temperature of the baked bread should be 190F. Place the baked loaf on top of a cooling rack, with a baking sheet underneath for 5 minutes.
The moment of truth: Slide a non-stick knife around the edge of the pan, then tip the bread gently on its side. The bread slipped right out, with minimal lost streusel topping! The aroma of cinnamon wafted throughout our home. Now, for the wait, before slicing.
That Streusel Topping is incredible! Two hours later, it was time to slice into the bread. Will I have the beautiful swirl that is the hallmark of Cinnamon-Raisin Bread?
My favorite bread slicing knife is this Mercer Bread Knife. However, this Bread Slicing Guide with an electric knife is an invaluable tool I’ve owned for decades. Sadly, it’s no longer made nor sold.
Yes! There’s the swirl I had my heart set on. NOTE TO SELF: Increase the raisins next time, and really focus on spreading the filling more evenly.
TASTING NOTES: The bread is so soft and tender. There’s plenty of cinnamon flavor in both the dough and the filling. The Streusel is brilliant as it adds a crunchy texture to each slice. I highly suggest not skipping the streusel part. This makes a perfect slice of toasted morning bread, with butter and honey. This bread will be a repeat in our kitchen, as my husband agrees that he really loves this bread.
Cinnamon Streusel Swirl Bread
Equipment
- Bread Proofer optional, but my favorite way to proof bread dough
- Digital Scale highly recommended for accurate measurements
- Stainless Steel 16" Ruler perfect for measuring dough
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 360g; recommended King Arthur Flour
- 1/4 cup potato flour 46g
- 1/4 cup Dry Milk Powder 28g; recommended King Arthur Baker's Special Dry Milk
- 1 1/4 teaspoons table salt 8g
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 35g
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 4 tablespoons butter 57g
- 1 cup lukewarm water 227g
For the filling:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50g
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 cup raisins 35g; or currants (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon (14g) water
For the Streusel Topping:
- 2 tablespoons butter 28g ; softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 28g
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 28g
Instructions
- Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
For a stand mixer:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dough ingredients, mixing until the dough begins to come away from the sides of the bowl.
- Knead the dough with an electric mixer for 2 minutes; allow it to rest for 15 minutes, then continue kneading it for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until it’s smooth.
IF KNEADING BY HAND:
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface; knead it for 3 minutes; allow it to rest for 15 minutes, then continue kneading till smooth, an additional 8 to 10 minutes. You can also simply knead the dough using the dough cycle of your bread machine.
FIRST PROOF:
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl (if you’re not using your bread machine’s dough cycle), cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set it aside to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours; it’ll be puffy, if not doubled in bulk.
TO MAKE THE FILLING:
- Combine the sugar, cinnamon, raisins or currants, and flour in a food processor (mini preferred) or blender, processing until the fruit is chopped.NOTE: I'll double the raisins, next time.
SHAPE THE DOUGH:
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape into a long, thin rectangle, about 16” x 8”.
- Brush the dough with some of the egg/water, and pat the filling onto the dough.
- Beginning with a short edge, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the side seam and ends closed (to keep the filling from bubbling out), and place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan.
SECOND PROOF:
- Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 hour at room temperature, or until it’s crowned about 1″ over the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
MAKE THE STREUSEL:
- In a small bowl or mini processor, combine the streusel ingredients, cutting in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. If you’re using a mini processor, watch carefully; streusel will go from crumbly to a cohesive mass in just a second or so.
- Brush the loaf with some (or all) of the remaining beaten egg, and add the streusel, using your fingers to gently apply it to the dough, being careful not to deflate the loaf.
BAKE THE BREAD:
- Bake the bread for about 45 minutes, tenting the loaf lightly with aluminum foil for the final 15 minutes or so if it appears to be browning too quickly. You’ll want the temperature to be between at 190° F
- Remove the loaf from the oven, and after about 5 minutes, gently remove it from the pan.Place on a cooling rack over a baking rack, to catch any streusel crumbs.
- Some of the streusel will fall off, but you can alleviate this by first loosening all around the edges of the loaf with a knife, then turning the pan on its side and gently pulling it away from the loaf.
- Streusel will continue to fall off as you maneuver the bread — we’ve never figured out how they make that stuff adhere so nicely on the store-bought loaves! — but you’ll still be left with some nice, sweet topping.
Notes
For a deep-dark, moist, cinnamon swirl inside the bread, we like to blend together sugar, cinnamon, raisins or currants, and flour until smooth. The addition of raisins or currants adds moistness, as well as subtle flavor.
Nutrition
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