This recipe yields a delicious and classic cinnamon swirl bread with a soft and fluffy texture.
Ingredients:
- For the Dough:
- 1 cup warm milk (105-115°F)
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- For the Filling:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions:
- Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.
- Combine Dough: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, eggs, and remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar to the flour mixture.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Prepare Filling: In a small bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
- Roll and Fill: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12×15-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter mixture evenly over the dough.
- Roll and Cut: Starting from a long side, tightly roll up the dough jelly-roll style. Cut the roll into 12 equal slices.
- Arrange in Pan: Place the slices, cut-side up, in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Second Rise: Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes, or until slightly puffy.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips & Variations:
- For extra sweetness, add a glaze to the cooled bread.
- You can add other spices to the filling, such as nutmeg or cardamom.
- For a more decadent treat, add chopped nuts or raisins to the filling.
Enjoy your delicious homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread!