Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

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Sourdough cinnamon raisin bread has a slight tang to the usual delicious sweetness of traditional raisin bread. While it may take longer to make, it’s worth the time and effort! I’ve been making this cinnamon raisin sourdough bread for a year now. I’ve made it for our family, picnics, and potlucks and it’s always a huge hit. It’s great plain, toasted, or slathered with butter or jam. Read on for some questions and the instructions on how to make cinnamon raisin sourdough!

This cinnamon raisin sourdough recipe is adapted from the Pullman sourdough sandwich loaf recipe. Below you’ll find links to the supplies I used for this recipe. 

Do I need an electric mixer for this recipe?

While I only make this recipe with a mixer, it’s possible to make it by hand. After combining the ingredients, you can do 4-5 sets of stretch and folds every 20-30 minutes, and then following the rest of this recipe from the point that you stop using the mixer. 

If you don’t know how to do stretch and folds, check out our artisan sourdough recipe. It has step by step pictures of stretch and folds!

My dough feels like it’s extra sticky, should I add more flour?

No! Don’t add extra flour. If the dough is extra sticky, let it mix longer or do a few more stretch and folds. Let it rest for a minute and then try the window pane test. Even if the dough is sticky, if it passes the windowpane test, it’s good to go!

The cinnamon raisin sourdough bread doesn’t taste sweet enough. 

We prefer our bread not to be too sweet because we don’t want it to take away from the condiments or the sourness. If you want it sweater, you can double the amount of honey in the recipe or add a quarter cup of brown sugar to the cinnamon and raisin layer. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, The Homesmiths will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

What special supplies do I need to make cinnamon raisin sourdough?

Pullman Loafpan: this is a long loaf pan with a lid that produces a square loaf approximately 13×4.4×4.6 inches

Kitchen Aid Mixer: I use the 7-quart one. 

How to make Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread:

Ingredients:

1 cup of active and bubbly sourdough starter

7 cups of all purpose flour

2 cups of room temperature water

1 tbsp of sea salt

⅓ cup of softened butter

1 ½ tbsp honey

2-3 tbsp cinnamon

2 cups of raisins 

1 cup of warm water

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine 1 cup of warm water and 2 cups of raisins. Leave covered until the dough is is risen. This is to hydrate the raisins.  Combine the active sourdough starter, flour, water, sea salt, softened butter, and honey in a mixer. Mix on low for ten-fifteen minutes, until the dough is fully incorporated and can pass the windowpane test. Then cover the bowl with a damp towel and let sit for 8-12 hours, until doubled in size. 

When the dough has doubled in size, pour it out onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a rectangular shape, approximately 12 inches wide by about 20 inches long. The width is what matters the most. Don’t make it wider than 12 inches, because when you transfer it, it will stretch a bit.  Spread 2-3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon across the rectangle. If you want this to be a sweeter bread, mix 1 ½ tablespoons of ground cinnamon and 1 quarter cup of brown sugar and spread that over the surface of the rectangular dough. Next, strain the water out of the rehydrated raisins, and gently pat them try with a paper towel. Then spread the raisins over the dough. 

Next, carefully roll the dough on itself, like you would a cinnamon roll. Have your pullman loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Pick up your cinnamon roll sourdough dough log and place in the loaf pan. Put the lid on the loaf pan and let it rise for another 3-4 hours. The goal is for the bread to rise to about ¾ the height of the loaf pan. 

Baking:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hr and 10 minutes. If I’m baking on a lower rack, I’ll put the loaf pan on a tray to prevent it from getting too dark. When the bread is done baking, remove the loaf pan from the oven. Remove the lid and pull the bread out of the pan using the parchment paper. If you’re finding that the bread is stuck, take a butter knife and slide it under the lid and around the sides of the bread. 

Let the bread cool for at least 1 hour prior to cutting into it. I know that this is hard but if you don’t wait the bread can become gummy and taste underdone. 

How will or do you serve sourdough cinnamon raisin bread? Let us know in the comments below!

Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

Sourdough cinnamon raisin bread has a slight tang to the usual delicious sweetness of traditional raising bread. While it may take longer to make, it’s worth the time and effort!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Rise Time 15 hours hrs

Total Time 16 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course Bread

Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

• Kitchen Aid Mixer
• Pullman Loaf Pan

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup of active and bubbly sourdough starter
• 7 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 cups of room temperature water
• 1 tbsp of sea salt
• ⅓ cup of softened butter
• 1 ½ tbsp honey
• 2-3 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 cups of raisins
• 1 cup of warm water

Instructions

 

• In a bowl, combine 1 cup of warm water and 2 cups of raisins. Leave covered until the dough is is risen.
• In a mixer, combine the active sourdough starter, flour, water, sea salt, softened butter, and honey. Mix on low for ten-fifteen minutes, until the dough is fully incorporated and can pass the windowpane test.
• Then cover the bowl with a damp towel and let sit for 8-12 hours, until doubled in size.
• When the dough has doubled in size, pour it out onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a rectangular shape, approximately 12 inches wide by about 20 inches long.
• Spread 2-3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon across the rectangle.
• Next, strain the water out of the rehydrated raisins, and gently pat them try with a paper towel. Then spread the raisins over the dough.
• Line the pullman loaf pan with parchment paper. Carefully roll the dough on itself, like you would a cinnamon roll. Pick up your cinnamon roll sourdough dough log and place in the loaf pan.
• Put the lid on the loaf pan and let it rise for another 3-4 hours. The goal is for the bread to rise to about ¾ the height of the loaf pan.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hr and 10 minutes.
• When the bread is done baking, remove the loaf pan from the oven. Remove the lid and pull the bread out of the pan using the parchment paper.
• Let the bread cool for at least 1 hour prior to cutting into it.

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