Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Breads · Serves 12 · Prep 35 min · Cook 42 min · Total 1 hr 17 min
A soft, slightly sweet sandwich loaf with a tight cinnamon-sugar spiral running through every slice. Rolling the dough snugly keeps gaps from forming in the swirl. It makes outstanding toast and even better French toast.
Ingredients
The Dough
- 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed to about 110°F
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cup all-purpose or bread flour
The Swirl
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp milk
Steps
The Dough
- Stir the milk, water, yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg, butter, salt and 3 1/4 cups flour and mix into a shaggy dough.
- Knead by hand or with a dough hook until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes, adding a little more flour only if the dough sticks to your hands. Cover in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
The Swirl
- Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Mix the sugar, cinnamon and flour. Press the dough into an 8x18-inch rectangle on a lightly floured counter.
- Brush the dough lightly with some of the egg wash, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over it, leaving a 1/2-inch border on one short end. Starting from the other short end, roll it up as tightly as you can, pinch the seam and ends closed, and set it seam side down in the pan.
- Cover and let rise until the dough crowns about 1 inch above the rim, 45 to 60 minutes. Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Brush the top with the remaining egg wash. Bake until deep golden and the center reads 190°F, 40 to 45 minutes, tenting with foil after 25 minutes if it browns quickly.
- Turn out onto a rack and cool completely, at least 1 1/2 hours, before slicing.