Soft Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sourdough Bread Recipe
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No breakfast table is complete without this Soft Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sourdough Bread Recipe. Each slice of this sweet bread is dotted with plump raisins and holds a beautiful cinnamon sugar swirl that melts into sticky goodness, much like my favorite Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls.
This delicious bread recipe uses your own active sourdough starter to create a soft, delicate crust and a slight sourdough flavor. It’s an excellent recipe that can be prepared and baked on the same day, making it a frequently requested breakfast item in my home. If you love this flavor profile, you should also try my Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins.
Quick Look: Cinnamon Swirl Sourdough Raisin Bread
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Rise Time: 12 hours
- Bake Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 13 hours
- Servings: 1 loaf
- Calories: ~2,970 kcal per loaf
- Cook Method: Baked
- Flavor Profile: Soft and lightly sweet with plump raisins and a beautiful cinnamon sugar swirl in every slice. Perfect for toasting at the breakfast table!
- Difficulty: Intermediate — A 100% sourdough loaf with a long bulk fermentation and a cinnamon sugar filling, but can be prepared and baked in the same day!
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Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread Recipe
- No Fancy Equipment Required: Put away your stand mixer and Dutch oven; all you need is a large mixing bowl and a dough whisk to mix the dough ingredients. Sometimes simple recipes are the best. For another easy bake, check out my Easy Sourdough Bread for Beginners.
- Bare Minimum Kneading: Only 20 seconds of kneading is required in order to have soft sourdough cinnamon raisin bread. Talk about easy! If you enjoy low-effort breads, you’ll also love my The Best Sourdough Sandwich Bread.
- Same-Day Bake: Many sourdough recipes can be a multiple-day-long process, but that isn’t the case here! This delicious bread recipe can be prepared and baked all on the same day. For another quick option, try my Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Raisin Sandwich Bread.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Active Sourdough Starter – Forget commercial yeast, your own sourdough starter will do all the work to give you that soft and chewy slice of sandwich bread.
- Warm Water – Make sure that the water isn’t boiling. This can kill your sourdough starter, causing the dough not to rise and be dense.
- Unsalted Butter, melted – Adding butter to this recipe makes this everyday bread so soft. You can substitute for a 1:1 ratio with olive oil if preferred.
- Sugar – For some sweetness and color! While the bread bakes, the crust will turn golden brown due to the Maillard reaction.
- Bread Flour – Bread flour has a higher gluten count, which helps this homemade sourdough bread keep its shape.
- All-Purpose Flour – Incorporating some white flour keeps the bread nice and soft.
- Salt – To enhance the overall flavor of the bread. My favorite brand is Redmond Salt.
- Raisins- Pre-soaking raisins before adding them to the bread dough will give each bite a plump, sweet raisin.
- Cinnamon – Warm and aromatic, ground cinnamon steals the show.
Same Day Bake
|
Time |
Process |
|---|---|
|
9:00 AM |
Make the Dough |
|
10:00 AM |
Knead the Dough |
|
10:00 AM |
First Rise |
|
7:00 PM |
Shape |
|
7:00 PM |
Second Rise |
|
9:00 PM |
Bake |
Next Day Bake
|
Time |
Process |
|---|---|
|
9:00 PM |
Make the Dough |
|
10:00 PM |
Knead the Dough |
|
10:00 PM |
First Rise |
|
Next Day |
|
|
7:00 AM |
Shape |
|
7:00 AM |
Second Rise |
|
9:00 AM |
Bake |
Make the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bubbly and active starter, warm water, melted butter, and sugar.
- Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients and mix with a Danish dough whisk until all the dry bits of flour have been incorporated and it has formed a shaggy dough.
- Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel, a tied plastic bag, or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the gluten to relax a bit.
- While the dough is resting, pour boiling water and raisins into a small bowl. Leave them to soak in the hot water while your dough is resting.
Knead the Dough
- After 30 minutes, drain and dry the raisins.
- Remove the dough cover and pour the raisins on top of the dough.
- Next, wet your fingers so the dough doesn’t stick to them.
- Then, take a piece of the bread dough, pull it upwards, and fold it towards the center of the dough. Push the heel of your hand into the dough.
- Turn the bowl clockwise a quarter turn and repeat the same motion. Continue to knead the dough for about 20 seconds. The dough should become more stiff and smooth looking. The raisins will be mixed throughout the smooth ball of dough.
- Grease another bowl with butter and place the smooth dough ball with the seam side down.
Bulk Fermentation
- Cover the bowl again and place in a warm place, like on top of the fridge or in a cabinet. Let the dough rise till doubled in size. The bulk rise will take anywhere from 8-10 hours.
Shape the Dough
- Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the bowl cover and punch the dough. Do so by placing your fist in the center of the dough and pushing it downwards. Punching the dough helps to release all the air bubbles. This creates a tighter crumb that you want for cinnamon raisin swirl bread.
- Remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Stretch the bread dough into a large rectangle on your work surface, about 8inx12in. You want it to be long enough to get those beautiful swirls and wide enough to snuggly fit in the loaf pan.
- With a pastry brush, brush about 1 inch wide along the sides and 2 inches wide along the top and bottom. This will help seal the bread dough when shaped.
- Sprinkle the rest of the dough with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Tightly roll the bread dough into a log, like you would a cinnamon roll. Curl the ends of the sourdough sandwich bread under itself and pinch the seams together.
Second Rise
- Using a bench scraper, gently lift the sourdough bread dough and place it into a greased 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan with the seam side down.
- Cover the dough for the final rise. This should only take 1-2 hours, or until the dough is 1″ above the rim of the pan.
Bake
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees f.
- Place the pan in the hot oven on the middle rack and bake for 50-55mins, or until golden brown on top. I like to place a baking sheet the rack under the loaf pan, just in case any cinnamon-sugar mixture bubbles over.
- Remove the sourdough cinnamon raisin swirl bread from the oven and place the bread pan on a wire rack. Keep the loaf in the tin pan for an extra 5 minutes before removing it to cool.
- While it is still warm, spread butter all over the top of the bread for a super soft and shiny crust.
- Place on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Soak your raisins: Pre-soaking your raisins in hot water while the dough rests ensures they stay plump and juicy, rather than drawing moisture out of your bread dough.
- Seal the edges: When shaping the dough, use a pastry brush to apply a little water along the edges before rolling. This helps seal the cinnamon-sugar mixture inside so it doesn’t leak out.
- Use a baking sheet: Place a baking sheet on the rack under your loaf pan while it bakes. This will catch any cinnamon-sugar mixture that might bubble over, keeping your oven clean.
- Repurpose stale slices: Even when the bread gets a bit stale, it makes the most incredible breakfast. I love transforming it into my Sourdough French Toast Casserole.
How to Store
Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sourdough Bread will stay fresh for 3-5 days when stored in a plastic bag.
My favorite way of storing this bread is actually by freezing it. Once the bread has cooled completely, I will slice it up and store the pieces in a gallon-sized ziplock bag. I place small pieces of parchment paper in between the slices so they don’t freeze together.
To refresh, pull out some slices and bring them to room temperature or pop them straight into the toaster. Super simple, but still super tasty!
Soft Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sourdough Bread Recipe FAQs:
Why does my Soft Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sourdough Bread separate?
This happens because sugar attracts water, causing the bread to split if there is no flour to soak up the extra liquids. Make sure you are mixing a little flour into your cinnamon sugar mixture before sprinkling it on the dough. If you want to practice your swirling technique, try my Sourdough Babka.
Can I bake this recipe the next day?
Yes! If you prefer an overnight rise, you can prepare the dough in the evening, let it bulk ferment overnight, and then shape and bake it the following morning. For more information on sourdough schedules, check out my guide on Sourdough for Beginners.
How should I store my Soft Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sourdough Bread?
This bread will stay fresh for 3-5 days when stored in a plastic bread bag at room temperature. My favorite way to store it is by slicing the entire loaf once cooled, placing small pieces of parchment paper between the slices, and freezing them in a ziplock bag. You can pop them straight into the toaster!
What is the best way to serve my Soft Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sourdough Bread?
It is perfect served warm and slightly toasted with a slab of butter. It’s also the absolute best bread to use for my The Best Easy Sourdough French Toast or Apple Cinnamon Sourdough French Toast Casserole.
If you tried this Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sourdough Bread recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sourdough Bread Recipe
Yield: 1 loaf
This Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sourdough Bread recipe is what your breakfast table needs. Each slice of soft sweet bread is dotted with plump raisins and holds a sweet cinnamon sugar swirl. Simply delicious! Better yet, this recipe can be prepared and baked on the same day.
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Ingredients
- 65 grams active sourdough starter heaping 1/4 cup
- 300 grams warm water 1 1/3 cups
- 57 grams unsalted butter, melted 1/4 cup
- 25 grams white sugar 2 Tablespoons
- 400 grams bread flour 2 3/4 cups + 1 Tablespoon
- 100 grams all-purpose flour 3/4 cup
- 9 grams salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 100 grams raisins 1/2 cup
- 240 grams boiling water 1 cup
Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture
- 65 grams sugar 1/3 cup
- 6 grams ground cinnamon 1 Tablespoon
- 10 grams all-purpose flour 1 Tablespoon
Instructions
MAKE THE DOUGH
- In a straight edge bowl, whisk together the bubbly and active starter, warm water, melted butter, and sugar.I love using this straight edge bowl because it allows me to clearly see how much my dough has risen.65 grams active sourdough starter, 300 grams warm water, 25 grams white sugar, 57 grams unsalted butter, melted
- Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients and mix with a Danish dough whisk or by hand until all the dry bits of flour have been incorporated and it forms a shaggy dough.400 grams bread flour, 100 grams all-purpose flour, 9 grams salt
- Cover the bowl with the plastic cover or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the gluten to relax.
- While the dough is resting, pour boiling water and raisins into a small bowl. Leave them to soak in the hot water.100 grams raisins, 240 grams boiling water
KNEAD THE DOUGH
- After 30 minutes, thoroughly drain and dry the raisins.
- Remove the dough cover and pour the raisins on top of the dough.
- Next, wet your fingers so the dough doesn’t stick to them. Then, take a piece of the bread dough, pull it upwards, and fold it towards the center of the dough. Push the heel of your hand into the dough.
- 9Turn the bowl clockwise a quarter turn and repeat the same motion. Continue to knead the dough for about 20 seconds. The dough should become more stiff and smooth looking. The raisins will be mixed throughout the smooth ball of dough.
BULK FERMENTATION
- Cover the bowl again and place it in a warm place to double in size.In my kitchen at 70 degrees F, the bulk rise will takes anywhere from 8-10 hours. If your kitchen is warmer, it will take less time. Check often and look for signs that your dough is done, rather than the time. The dough will have doubled in size, be domed on top, remove easily from the bowl and if you are using a glass bowl, you'll see bubbles all throughout the bottom of the dough.
SHAPE THE DOUGH
- Once the dough has doubled, remove the bowl cover and punch the dough. Do so by placing your fist in the center of the dough and pushing it downwards. Punching the dough helps to release all the air bubbles. This creates a tighter crumb that you want for cinnamon raisin swirl bread.
- Remove the dough onto a clean work surface.
- Stretch the bread dough into a large rectangle on your work surface, about 8×12 inch, but doesn't have to be precise.
- With a pastry brush, brush water about 1 inch wide along the sides and 2 inches wide along the top and bottom of the rectangle. This will help seal the bread dough when shaped.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and flour. Sprinkle the rest of the dough with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, avoiding the edges.65 grams sugar, 10 grams all-purpose flour, 6 grams ground cinnamon
- From the short side, tightly roll the bread dough into a log, like you would a cinnamon roll. Curl the ends of the sourdough sandwich bread under itself and pinch the seams together.
SECOND RISE
- 19. Using a bench scraper, gently lift the sourdough bread dough and place it into a greased 4.5 x 8.5 loaf pan with the seam side down.
- Cover the dough for the final rise. In my 70 degree F kitchen, this will typically take 1-2 hours. Don't rush this step, allow the dough to rise until it is 1″ above the rim of the pan. Otherwise, the loaf will bake up dense and gummy.
BAKE
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place the loaf pan in the hot oven on the middle rack and bake for 45-50 mins, or until golden brown on top and the internal is 190-200 degrees F. I like to place a baking sheet underneath the loaf pan, just in case some cinnamon sugar mixture bubbles over. If you notice that the top is browning too much before the loaf has finished baking, place a piece of aluminum foil on top of the loaf. for the rest of the baking time.
- Keep the loaf in the tin pan for an extra 5 minutes before removing it to cool on a wire rack.
- While the loaf is still warm, spread butter all over the top of the bread for a super soft and shiny crust.
- Place the loaf on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
This recipe card was updated on February 20th, 2026.
Recipe Tips
- I like to place a baking sheet on the rack under the loaf pan, just in case any cinnamon-sugar mixture bubbles over.
- Sourdough sandwich bread will stay fresh for 3-5 days when stored in a plastic bag.
- Sourdough sandwich bread freezes exceptionally well. Once the bread has cooled completely, slice and store the pieces in a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Place small pieces of parchment paper in between the slices so they don’t freeze together.
BAKER’S SCHEDULE:
BAKE THE SAME DAY: 9 am: Make the Dough 10 am: Knead the Dough 10 am: First Rise 7 pm: Shape 7 pm: Second Rise 9 pm: Bake BAKE THE NEXT DAY: 9 pm: Make the Dough 10 pm: Knead the Dough 10 pm: First Rise Following Morning: 7 am: Shape 7 am: Second Rise 9 am: BakeNutrition
Calories: 2970kcal | Carbohydrates: 559g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 3562mg | Potassium: 1385mg | Fiber: 23g | Sugar: 92g | Vitamin A: 1450IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 12mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram!
Love this recipe! Great cinnamon flavor and came out perfect.
I’m thrilled it turned out perfectly for you! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Can you make this with a sugar replacement like sukrin instead of real sugar?
I haven’t personally tested it with a sugar substitute like Sukrin, so I can’t say for certain how it would affect the final texture and rise. The sugar in the dough contributes a bit to softness and browning, so the loaf may turn out slightly different. But it’s definitely worth experimenting with! If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
I baked your recipe …. Amazing
My one comment is I think your nutrition values are incorrect
Serving: 1g | Calories: 2970kcal | Carbohydrates: 559g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 3562mg | Potassium: 1385mg | Fiber: 23g | Sugar: 92g | Vitamin A: 1450IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 12mg
Is the serving size incorrect or am I understanding that a 1 gram serving is 2970 calories?
Thanks
Monica
Thank you so much for baking it — I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! And you’re absolutely right to question that. The nutrition information should be for one loaf, not 1 gram — that was a formatting error on my end.
I’ve gone ahead and corrected it in the recipe card. I really appreciate you taking the time to point it out!
I think I nailed it. Nice swirl, finally, and soft texture. And it is delicious!
Yay! I’m so glad it turned out soft and delicious. Thank you so much for coming back to share — happy baking!
I want to use currants instead of raisins. also, can I use coconut or date, or maple sugar?
Yes, currants should work great in place of raisins They’re a little smaller and drier, so you may want to soak them the same way (or even a few extra minutes) so they stay soft in the bread.
And yes — you can substitute the sugar with coconut sugar, date sugar, or maple sugar. Just keep in mind they may slightly deepen the color of the dough and add a richer flavor, but the recipe will still work well. Happy baking!
Could you combine this recipe using your discard sandwich bread recipe for a faster turnout? I want to try to make this for a friend in need but would have to do it quicker than 13 hours.
Absolutely! Once the discard sandwich dough has doubled in size, follow the cinnamon sugar filling/shaping instructions on this recipe and then allow it complete its second rise before baking. Bake until 190-210 degrees F internal temp is reached. I hope your friend loves this bread! So sweet of you to help her in her time of need.
Have you ever made this as a boule?
Can the sourdough discard recipe you offered be used to make this bread? Have you tried that? I used the discard recipe and it was the first loaf I’ve ever made and it turned out great.
Certainly! When you’re ready to shape the loaf, use this recipe for ingredients measurements and how-to instructions. Then continue with my Discard Sandwich loaf. Hope you love this flavor combination!
When do we put the raisins in the dough
Once you mix/knead the dough, let the dough rest for 30 minutes. In the meantime, prep your raisins. After 30 minutes, knead the raisins into the dough by hand, then cover and leave it to double in size.
Can you do an overnight second rise in the fridge like a cold proof and then bake?
You certainly can, but know that the cinnamon sugar draws out moisture from the dough, which will most likely leak out. If you do give it a go, be sure the loaf is well sealed when you roll it up! If you notice any sugar pooling, it usually bakes up just fine—it just might caramelize a bit more along the edges. Let the loaf come to room temp while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.
I already sang this recipes praises on Instagram a couple of months ago but I just made 6 more loaves in the past month and figured I would leave a comment here as well. I’ve made this recipe at least a dozen times since I found it and it never fails. I have shared with many family/friends and just sent half a loaf on a plane with my mom to give to my grandma (she loves cinnamon raisin toast for breakfast) – everyone raves about it. The time commitment is reasonable – no need to babysit the dough. I’ve been playing with the way I roll the dough to get my swirl all the way to the ends. Occasionally I get a little air pocket on top of the loaf during the second rise but I just poke a hole and pinch it back closed before I pop it in the oven. I was having trouble timing a standard sourdough boule and went looking for alternative ways to use my starter and have success making something – so happy I found this recipe. It’s perfect!
Wow—thank you so much for taking the time to leave this comment (and for sharing on Instagram too!). It truly means the world to me! I’m beyond happy to hear this recipe has become such a staple in your kitchen—and how special that it’s even made its way to your grandma on a plane!
I baked this today and it is AMAZING! Definitely a keeper recipe. Your recipe and detailed directions were so easy to follow. Thank you!!
This makes me so happy to hear!! I’m so glad you loved it — and thank you for the kind words about the directions, that means a lot. Definitely one of our favorites too.
Making for the first time tonight, so far it’s all going well! I only have a glass bread pan, is the bake temp and time the same? (I’ve seen before to decrease the temp and increase the time if in glass..)
Thank you!
Hi Kim! Yay, I’m so glad you’re making it! Yes — if you’re using a glass bread pan, you’re right that it retains heat differently. I recommend reducing the oven temperature by about 25°F (so bake at 350°F instead of 375°F) and adding 5–10 extra minutes to the bake time. Just keep an eye on it toward the end and check for that golden brown top and the internal temperature should be 205 degrees F. Can’t wait to hear how it turns out!