Braided Cinnamon Raisin Bread
This is my Easter Bread. Use moist raisins. If your raisins are dry, soak them in boiling water for 5-10 minutes, then drain and blot. Have all your ingredients at room temperature and ALWAYS AERATE YOUR FLOUR BEFORE MEASURING. - Jenny Jones
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Makes: 1 loaf
Ingredients:
- 2 cups bread flour (all purpose flour works too)
- 1 packet (2 tsp/7 gm) yeast - instant or active dry
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk (reduced fat or whole milk) heated to 120-130° F for instant yeast (or 110-120°F for active dry)
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil (I use avocado oil)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup moist golden raisins (I use Sun-Maid)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup additional flour
- 2 Tablespoons softened butter or transfat-free margarine
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- Egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water
- Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar + about 2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions:
- Combine flour, yeast, sugar & salt in a mixing bowl.
- Add warm milk followed by oil and egg.
- Beat with electric mixer on medium-high for 2 minutes.
- Stir in raisins and enough flour to form a mass.
- Transfer to a floured surface and knead 100 turns (2 minutes).
- Cover dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Meantime, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and combine brown sugar & cinnamon in a bowl.
- Roll dough into 9 x 12-inch rectangle. Cut into three 3 x 12-inch strips.
- Spread butter down the center of each strip. Top the butter with narrow rows of the brown sugar mix, keeping away from the edges.
- Pinch the strips closed, moistening the long edges if needed to stick. Go over sealed edges with floured hands to make three sealed ropes with filling inside.
- Form into a braid, tucking in edges. Place on baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours 'til double in size.
- Brush loaf with egg wash. Bake in preheated oven at 375° F for 25 minutes. If needed, cover with a foil tent the last 10 minutes to prevent over-browning.
- Let rest 10 minutes and top with glaze.
I have made this bread many times, the family loves it. We use it for French toast as well. It’s the best cinnamon raisin bread I’ve ever tasted. I have tried adding different spices to the filling and it’s always a hit. Cardamom, chocolate chips, almond flavor. There are so many different things you can do with this recipe. You can also make it like Jenny does ans it’s perfectly delicious. 😋
I made this recipe last week and it was a big hit with my family! I’ll be making this again and again! Thanks for the recipe
This has become a regular recipe for me, I absolutely adore it. Every time I make it my husband two kids and I all sit together and devour half of it in one sitting. It is so delicious. I can’t speak highly enough of this bread! My husband prefers it with pecans over raisins, but I love it both ways.
One little tip I personally do is not to use the whole egg wash, I find if I apply it heavily I will occasionally get a weird eggy bite that I do not like. I apply the egg wash very very lightly and am careful not to let it pool in the cracks. 10 out of 10 recommend!
I just made this for the second time in 4 days. This time I used pecans AND raisins. I tried brushing with milk instead of egg wash and it turned out beautifully browned.
PS: A pinch of nutmeg added to the cinnamon & brown sugar is heavenly!
I made this Braided Raisin glazed bread today. What a perfect joy… Everyone loved it. I couldn’t stop eating it. It is the most delicious bread I’ve ever eaten, my entire life. Tomorrow I’m going to make it again with bread flour to see if it rises more. Thank you so much Jenny.
Ps. I love all the colors in your kitchen. So pretty 😍
I just made your bread recipe. It came out fabulous, thank you so much for this recipe. I’m going to have another slice. Yummy
Jenny
Thank you for the most amazing tunnels of cinnamon brown sugar bread.I cannot believe I could make such a bread. Your instructions were so easy especially in your video.Your enthusiasm just made it taste all the yummier. You put the fun back into baking
Can the dough be made the day before? I need this for early morning.
Hi Jenny, I made this and it was awesome! The best cinnamon bread I have tasted! Being plant based I substituted the egg with 1/4 cup of Just Egg and used Just Egg for my wash. It turned out beautiful!
forgot to mention I used instant yeast and soy milk and it turned out great!
The recipes is simple easy and delicious. 😋
I do cut down on sugar and made it with 1 tablespoons in the dough and a 1/4 cup of brown sugar to 3 teaspoons of cinnamon plus 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder in the filling. It was quite sweet at that!
Also I spritzed with water on the dough as it doesn’t delaminate the bread and the cinnamon sugar sticks better so I leave out the butter. I did add 1 tablespoon of butter instead of all oil in the dough.
I messed up and used olive oil inside as I grabbed the wrong bottle and there was no flavour left in the bread. I will be using this recipe from now on! (With the avocado oil 🤪)
it’s so good! I live in Colorado at high altitudes, had to increase rise times both, and cooking time to get it to 195 but… we’ve already had four slices each in two days heated with butter for breakfast!!!
LeeAnna
Delicious !! The cinnamon and golden raisins are so flavourful.I made this twice in 1 week. I did add almost 1 cup of extra bread flour as you mentioned in the video for the dough to come together and dusting. It’s very humid now in Ontario, Canada.I opted to make less icing to use on half the loaf. This way I could toast slices from the plain side without burning off the icing. Definitely taking this to the cottage “up north”.
Hi Jenny! I have made this bread several times. I used almond milk and works fine! I also put chopped up almond paste, and used pecans instead of raisins.
OMG!! I ve made this is soooo good my family love’s it sooooo much. Thank you Jen for sharing your recipe. God Bless !
Dear Jenny,
I used your recipe first and made a great Braided Cinnamon Raisin bread, it was a great success and everyone loved it. Yesterday I decided to make another loaf and make it bigger and modify your recipe. I added, pecan and 3 table spoon of saffron water, one egg, both red and golden raisins in addition to your original ingredient of course.
After an hour proofing it, the size doubled, I cut the dough which was the size of Mount Everest in three pieces and round them in circle, put the cinnamon/brown sugar mixture on top of each circle and then I placed the circle on top of each other and made a big mound. I then used egg yoke to shine it (per your recipe). I placed the dough in cast iron pot (Lodge) with cover on for 25 minutes and another extra 10 minutes, then took top off and left it another 10 minute. Wow, the result was fantastic, the most delicious bread ever, the crust was fantastic and inside was even better. I was worried that I shouldn’t have covered it in avon, but it turn to be a great success and super delicious.
Please see the photo, that explains it all.
Thank you very much for your friendly and great recipe.
Wow, that sounds amazing and I would love to see the photo and share it with everyone. The only way you can send a photo is using this link: YourPhotos@JennyCanCook.com
Good morning,
I believe I included the photo in my first email, but no problem I sent it again a few minutes ago.
Thx
Everything went well until it was time to rise. I used the instant yeast, which I never never do. Not sure if that was it. It rose a tiny bit. Still tasted good though!! Next time I’ll use regular yeast and proof it
Jenny, thank you! I made it this morning. It looks big but it tastes very good.
My aunt who is of Polish descent said to watch you, again!🤪🙄
I can’t braid, so I rolled it out to a 9×12, slathered the butter on, sprinkled the brown sugar and cinnamon on top, rolled it up and cooked it in a loaf pan. So good! I call it cinnamon raisin bun bread. My wife even liked it, and she’s not a breadie. Thanks Jenny. I’ll add this to my collection of other recipes I have of yours. 👍
#BreadiesUnite!
Did cooking it as a loaf increase the cooking time by much longer?
I thought that too, and increased the cooking time to 30 minutes. It was a little dry. I could the second loaf for 25, and it was much better. I’m currently making my 3rd loaf. It’s sooo good! 😃
Mike B, Have you ever considered taking the rolled up dough after applying the raisins, sugar, spices, nuts and cut it using fishing line into rolls rather than loaf pan sized loaves ? You can create endless options by staying traditional & letting your loaves look like iced raisin bread but switching up the add-ins & offering samples. The taste testers will be returning to your kiosk to grab the remaining loaves, just saying Mike B !
Randy,
I actually have considered that. I have a separate recipe for cinnamon rolls, but hardly make them any more because this bread is so much better. In fact, I call this my cinnamon roll bread it’s so good! Sometimes I’ll make a vanilla cream cheese frosting to slather on the bread slices. Super delicious. 👌 😋
i made this a while back and am going to make it again tomorrow i am 82 and still like leaning new recipes the reason i love your recipes so much besides being so good is you make it look so easy .im tired of some of the cooks and chefs making everything so much work and everything so complicated like so many cooks and chefs do on tv complicated and using ingredients hard to find or expensive .i do miss your old show i never missed one show i love your pleaseant personality .keep cooking
My husband and I had our three grandsons over. I make cinnamon raisin bread all the time and they love it.
I made this recipe with bread flour and it came out perfect.
The grands and my husband were obsessed!!!!!!
I literally made two more the following day. This time I used all porpose flour. It was equally great. I gave piece to friends as well. The overall consensus is that this should be the only recipe I use in the future. Thank you Jenny, this recipe is the best!👌🏽 😋
I have to second this. Lots of compliments from guests.
And so easy. Yup, another tomorrow, well the guests ate it all and there were no leftovers.
Hi Jenny….Made this recipe and goofed-up a few times. OVERPROOFED the loaf and could not fix it because of the filling, so I forged ahead anyway. In baking, it turned out too big, too flat and did not brown properly because of my stupid mistakes. Took temp of bread and it was 190, so took it out and let cool. Okay – as bakers none of us are perfect, but guess what????? THE LOAF TASTES GREAT!!!! Also, cut into many pieces that really look pretty (added some leftover chopped nuts I had to the cinnamon filling and this helped “cover-up” with added hazelnut and almond flavors).
JENNY – YOUR RECIPES are SIMPLE and FOOL(me)PROOF!!!! HAPPY EASTER…SENDING YOU LOVE AND WARM WISHES. THANK YOU always for YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE and BEAUTIFUL RECIPE PERFECTION.
– Paula
Hi Jenny, I’ve made this recipe dozens of times, always comes out perfect. Many times I substitute 1/2 cup Craisins & 1/2 cup cut up dried apricots instead of the raisins. Think I might try blueberries next.
Ohhh, blueberries…now there’s a good idea. Maybe a dried craisin loaf too! 😃
Are we able to put in the milk hot
The milk needs to go in to the mixture heated. Per the recipe instructions, heated to
120-130° F for instant yeast (or 110-120°F for active dry)
Love the recipe and end result. I don’t care for you saying “Oh My God” all the time.
Her show, can say what she wants………Quit watching.
no kidding!
Robin, good for you for speaking up. There are many others that agree.
I thought it was ‘bad’ to say, “Oh my God,” also. But we have a priest friend who says Oh my God! He said it is not wrong to say that!
By the way, I cannot stand grown men and women saying, “Oh my gosh!”
Jenny you are 1 of my very favorite cooks and I love how you explain all your recipes!Thank you for sharing! The cinnamon bread recipe is my very favorite!
Absolutely beautiful and so delicious.
this is a great recipe: I make two changes: melted butter in place of oil–I prefer the taste. I do not braid. Instead I roll up and twist, sort of like a babka, and then bake in a pan with sides. I find that the braided bread spreads too much and is too flat. But this recipe makes a marvelous Cinnamon raisin twist bread as well. Braided breads have been a lifetime downfall for me. On the other hand, this recipe is great. I have added a few other ingredients over the 4 times I have tried this recipe to vary the taste: different spice profiles, candied ginger, chopped walnuts, and orange peel. But the basic loaf is an excellent jumping off point. As usual, Jenny, your recipes are fool-proof.Thanks so much.
I have made this recipe several times over this last year and need to tell you it’s is wonderful, comes out perfect everytime is delicious and will forever be on my rotation…..thank you so much for sharing this recipe…..
Hi jenny😍 I made this bread today and it was a HIT. Thank you so much for your amazing recipe❤️
Wow, this really was fast, easy, and super yummy!, Excellent flavor and the sunmaid golden raisins really were extra special. I started the dough at 5pm and we had a warm delicious treat after dinner.
Jenny, I am so excited to tell you .. the cinnamon raisin bread was a big success… Light, great color and texture.. My husband was extremely happy, as well as I.. Thank you so much for sharing…. I will continue to try your other outstanding recipes..
I did a quicker shaping version of this bread . . . instead of cutting it into strips and braiding, after rolling the dough to the rectangle shape, spread the butter then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar, roll up like a jelly roll (long side), pinching it closed along the long edge. Then while holding both ends, gently twist the roll a couple of times and then coil it into a ball, tucking in the centre and ends. Let it rise, egg wash, bake, glaze, etc. as in the recipe or your choice. Bake on the parchment paper and check the temp in the centre to make sure it is done. I go to 195- 200 C degrees, but you may need to reduce oven temp if its browning too fast before getting to the internal temp. Jenny’s braided shape is nicer but sometimes you just need to get it done fast, and this doesn’t affect the taste. You can cut it like a loaf, or cut like a pie for something different.
I make a ring out of this recipe and make slits all around the ring. It is beautiful to see the filling in between the dough!
Hi there Florence
What size dish to make the ring shape bread in and long do you bake it?
Thank you.
Faye
Long past your initial question…however, you can put it on a baking tray that’s big enough with room for it to spread a bit.
Maybe your milk is to hot and you kill the dough? Or maybe the yeast is expired 🤔. First time I try it won’t rise either I figure my house was to cold. So I heat up my oven for about 90 degrees then shut it off, and I put the dough inside and it rises after an hour the size double. Was awesome.
Hope this help, because this recipe is really yummy. I been making it alot and rising it inside the oven.
Brenda
I have a friend who makes great bread
She puts them in the pan on top of a heating pad on low
I made this delish thing this morning and am obsessed! It turned out amazing! I used regular all purpose flour and had no issue with dough raising. This was a winner! Next week I’ll make one with walnuts instead of raisins and see hou that will turn out.
Thank you so very much for all your recipes and videos!
xoxo
Is it possible to make this up and let it rise, and then put in the fridge until the next morning?
Thank you
Has anyone ever successfully doubled the recipe for this? I would love to even triple it to use as gifts.
Yes, I have doubled the recipe and it works fine!
Just this morning put alot of time and energy into your recipe!!! I am disappointed since I followed your instruction to the letter, but would have done it differently. I use active dry usually, but went ahead with Red Star instant, since I had it. Once again I learn a lesson to do what I feel is best,not what recipe suggests!!!! Dough sits on my baking sheet after an hour, still UN risen!!! All my ingredients are wasted and I am angry.No clue what went wrong with recipe but it was expensive mistake? Rapid rise yeast has done this before to me, and have been hesitant to ever use it again. Kathleen
Did you do the yeast test??? That is so unfortunate. I have used this recipe and love the results. Never a problem. Must have been the yeast.
I made this lovely braid this morning using active dry instant yeast. I did not add is as a dry ingredient as per recipe. What I did is I dissolved the yeast with some sugar in 3/4 cup warm milk, let it activate and than added it to the flour mixture. I worked perfect. I never use the rapid yeast as i had a bad experience before. I hope this will help you and you’ll enjoy making this delicious bread.
Hi Kathleen;
For using rapid rise yeast, I make sure the liquid, milk when I bake is quite warm, much hotter than plain yeast and have not had any problems. I put my oven on Proof.
You can reply to me if you wish and hope this works for you as it does for me. I make very good cinnamon raisin buns.
Gerry Dybish
made this bread and I have to say it’s the best cinnamon raisin loaf I have ever made!! Definitely going to try other filling combos (nuts, coconut, mixed glazed fruit…)
Just made this, but added a handful of walnuts and in lieu of cinnamon n sugar, I added a white poppyseed spread and made a cardamon vanilla macadamia milk glaze. It was amazing and I used 10tsps of sugar, next time I will use half the raisins and add more walnuts and some orange or lemon zest. I’m wondering if anyone has tried to make this with a banana filling?
I’ve made this several times, it’s so easy! I’ve started splitting the dough and baking two loaves in loaf pans.
Hi Jenny, I am about to make this , so wish me luck! I to am from London Ontario. Thanks Jenny ox
Wonderful. Not hard to make at all. I added pecans inside and out. Let it rise overnight in the fridge, and baked it in the morning. Having it Super bowl Sunday to start the day.. Everyone loves it. Brings me back 40 years.
Delicious. This was my first time using your website and my first time baking raisin bread. It turned out beautifully. Moist, flavourful, perfect amount of raisins.
OMG! I made it today. I must say, it super moist and delicious! I exactly followed everything. I’m going to make another one again and freeze them. Tastier than store bought. I’m so glad I found your recipe. Love it!
I made this bread first time on New Year’s eve, and it turned out great! I followed your video exactly, it was so delicious. I even gave 1/2 of the loaf to my neighbor! Love your website, every video is so practical and easy to follow!
NIght before. I made the dough and then popped it right into the fridge in an oiled bowl. In the morning I took it out, punched the air out, shaped as directed and then rise until doubled (about an hour). It baked fine and was delicious. Thank you for the excellent recipe3
It’s a great recipe. Can I use Pyrex dish
It’s a great recipe. Can I use Pyrex dish instead of bread tin loaf ?
can any of your recipes for bread be used with a bread machine?
This is the second bread I have made of yours and it is AMZING! Thank you for the easy to follow instructions, your YouTube videos help a lot too!! I will be making this again and again!
Hi. I love this recipe and I want to make it Christmas morning. Can I prep it the night before and bake it in the morning? Keep up the good work!!
John–I’m wondering this, too! I’ve made this recipe several times and it always turns out great. But, I’ve never prepped and bake the next day. I think I’m going to prep it, wrap in plastic wrap, place in a covered dish, and then bake the next morning like I normally would!
I just made it and it’s currently rising in a loaf pan. I will cover the Pan in plastic and refrigerate until I bake it tomorrow! We shall see!!
I prepped the batter at night, covered them in the pans with hot damp towels, then baked them this morning. Delicious!!!
I love this and your 2-hour No-Knead Bread, better & easier than James Beard! I look forward to trying the No Dutch Oven variation.
Thanks for the aeration tip! I think it has taken all my baking (pies, biscuits, bread, etc.) up another notch!
If I may be so bold… My last baking enhancement was a ‘shaker’ to add the last (sifted) tablespoon of flour or to dust the breadboard.
I also want to applaud your humor; nearly too subtle!
“To try to do Good, to avoid Evil, a little Severity for one’s self, a little Indulgence for others — this is the means to obtain some Good Result out of our poor Existence. To love one’s friends, to be Loved by them — this is the means to Brighten it.” — Gouverneur Morris
Your recipes are the first that I tell young people to watch. This Raisin Bread is easy to follow and ends with a smile. Thank you. dziękuję.
How many grams are your cups of bread flour? I like to make this recipe in the morning, but have encountered problems with different “cup” measurements in the past trying other recipes. Prompt response is highly appreciated!! Happy Holidays:)
Please use the “Metric” link.
How do you get to the metric link?
https://www.jennycancook.com/category/metric-conversion-chart/
1 cup of flour is equal to 136 gram.
Hope this helps. Stay safe. Blessings always.
Thanks, Cleo:) I have been using 130 grams per cup of flour. Appreciate your reply, it’s a good approximation! Stay healthy!!
Thank you Jenny❤
I came out just like yours and it tastes Wounderful❤??
I have tried other of your recepies because you made it so simple and easy.
Thank you so much
Keep them coming
Over the last week I have made this recipe twice! It is fabulous. Both times I made it was over Zoom with my granddaughters. They made the recipe at their house while I was making it at my house. It was a fun way to connect with each one of them since we couldn’t get together for Thanksgiving. Your videos are perfect for beginner bakers and for us more more mature ones. Thanks so much. I’ll be searching your recipes to find another one we can do together. Thanks!
This looks delicious, but my DH likes fillings like cherry or blueberry. Can something like this be subbed instead of the cinnamon more like a coffee cake? Thanks, can’t wait to try this one.
I made this today. Turned out great. The bottom browned too much tho. Any hints for next time. I love all your recipes. I’m a big fan!!!!!!
Try using a doubled baking sheet.
Hello Jenny,
I cannot wait to try this recipe. I have tried in the past your bread and it came out so good. Ever since I bake once a week. I like to know once I bake this, can we have leftover toasted bread without putting the sugar dressing for the next day?? Thank you !!
Yes. If you don’t add the glaze this makes great toast.
Hi Jenny love your videos,I just got a stand mixer and was wondering do you count the number of times the Dough hook goes around to make up for the number of times you knead by hand..does that make sense lol
Hi Jenny love your videos,I just got a stand mixer and was wondering do you count the number of times the Dough hook goes around to make up for the number of times you knead by hand..does that make sense lol
No question ,just love the look of anticipation on your face (smiling) after you remove the cooked bread from the oven..Thanks Jenny.. you make baking a joyful pleasure…
Grace
No question ,just love the look of anticipation on your face (smiling) after you remove the baked bread from the oven..Thanks Jenny.. you make baking a joyful pleasure…
Grace
Hi Jenny,
I love your recipes and how easy you explain how to make.
I recently purchased a bread machine. Can I dump all these ingredients into the machine in the order you have them and let the machine do the work?
I love love this bread. I made it for my inlaws and they raved about it. It will be my new christmas bread. Thank you Jenny.!!
I don’t have an electric mixer. Can I try mixing it by hand??
Yes, you can mix it by hand but you’ll have to knead the dough longer, until it’s smooth and elastic.
BEWARE. The recipe as written is not correct, and the video makes the same mistake. The amount of milk needed is a lot more than 3/4 cup. In the video she also says 3/4 cup but she is very clearly and obviously holding way more than that (looks closer to 1 3/4 cups). Wasted a lot of ingredients trying to follow the instructions, don’t make the same mistake we made.
I have made this recipe a dozen times along with hundreds of other people who all rave about the result. Jenny’s recipes always work so don’t blame her for the mistakes you made! Sheesh!!
My 10 years old daughter made this at first try, following the recipe! We don’t buy cinnamon bread any more! She is baking only for 4 months ?!! I would advise patience and attention to detail. God bless Jenny!
It is perfect exactly as written! Great results first try. Will be making this bread a lot now.
Sorry, ’ but I have made this bread several times with great success using 3/4 cups milk. I wonder if you scooped your flour rather than aerated it before measuring as Jenny clearly always says. If the flour is packed down there would be too much flour and the dough would be too dry.
This and all the other recipes that Jenny has published are very accurate and delicious.
If you used more than 3/4 cup of milk you failed. The recipe is correct.
Hi Jenny. I tried this tonight and I have to say it came out better than I imagined. Thank you for the recipe. I love your cooking videos. I did the recipe exactly as you did in the video and success !!! My family loved it. Well except for the icing. Way too sweet for our taste. Glad I tried it only on one corner of the bread. Any ideas on an icing that is less sweet ? I know, it’s icing. Lol.
No mistake , don’t even try to put more milk you will end with a watery dough which you will need to add at least 1-2 cups of flour .