Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

This cinnamon raisin sourdough bread combines the rich tang of sourdough with the warm sweetness of cinnamon and raisins. The natural fermentation enhances the flavor, making it perfect for toast, breakfast, or even a decadent French toast. A slow rise ensures a soft, airy crumb, while a crispy crust gives it the perfect bite.

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Recipe

Servings: 12 slices

Calories per Serving: ~170 kcal

Total Time: 12–18 hours (including fermentation)

Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

Ingredients:

• 475g bread flour

• 1 cup (227g) sourdough starter (active and bubbly)

• 1 ½ cups (355ml) lukewarm water

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ cup (75g) raisins

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Mix the Dough

In a large bowl, mix bread flour, sourdough starter, lukewarm water, and salt until well combined. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate.

2. Incorporate Cinnamon, Sugar, and Raisins

Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the dough. Stretch and fold the dough a few times to begin incorporating. Add the raisins and gently fold them in until evenly distributed.

3. Bulk Fermentation

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4–6 hours, performing stretch and folds every 30–45 minutes (about 3–4 times in total). The dough should become smooth and puffy.

4. Shape the Dough

Lightly flour your work surface and shape the dough into a round or oval loaf. Place it into a well-floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with a towel.

5. Second Rise

Cover and let it proof at room temperature for 1–2 hours until slightly puffy. Alternatively, refrigerate overnight for better flavor development.

6. Bake

Preheat your oven to 475°F (246°C) with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes. To prevent the bottom of the bread from burning, sprinkle a thin layer of dry rice in the Dutch oven before placing the dough on parchment paper.

• Turn the dough onto parchment paper and score the top.

• Carefully place the dough (on parchment paper) into the Dutch oven.

• Cover and bake at 475°F (246°C) for 20 minutes.

• Reduce the heat to 410°F (210°C), remove the lid, and bake for another 20–25 minutes until golden brown.

7. Cool & Enjoy

Let the bread cool completely before slicing to allow the crumb to set properly.

Nutritional Value per Serving (1 slice)

• Calories: ~170 kcal

• Carbohydrates: ~36g

• Protein: ~5g

• Fat: ~1g

• Fiber: ~2g

Storage Instructions:

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight bag or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel for 2–3 days.

• Refrigerator: Not recommended, as it can dry out the bread.

• Freezer: Slice and freeze in an airtight bag for up to 3 months. Toast or warm before serving.

Ingredients

Mix the Dough

Incorporate Cinnamon, Sugar, and Raisins

Bulk Fermentation

Bulk Fermentation

Bulk Fermentation

Shape the Dough

Shape the Dough

Shape the Dough

Shape the Dough

Shape the Dough

Second Rise

Second Rise

Bake

Bake

Bake

Bake

Bake

Bake

Cool & Enjoy

Cool & Enjoy

Cool & Enjoy

Cool & Enjoy

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Prompt

I wanted to try a new flavor for sourdough. I already had a good classic sourdough recipe. I went to ChatGPT:

Cinnamon raisin sourdough bread recipe. Please use 475 g of bread flour 1 cup of sourdough starter one and a half cup of lukewarm water and one teaspoon of salt

It wrote the following recipe:

Here's a Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread recipe based on your ingredients:

Ingredients:

• 475g bread flour

• 1 cup (about 227g) sourdough starter (active and bubbly)

• 1 ½ cups (355ml) lukewarm water

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ cup (75g) raisins

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• 2 tbsp honey or brown sugar (optional, for a hint of sweetness)

Instructions:

1. Mix the Dough

In a large bowl, mix the bread flour, sourdough starter, lukewarm water, and salt until well combined. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes (this allows the flour to hydrate).

2. Add Cinnamon and Raisins

Sprinkle the cinnamon and honey (if using) over the dough. Stretch and fold the dough a few times to incorporate. Add the raisins and fold them in gently.

3. Bulk Fermentation

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4–6 hours, performing stretch and folds every 30–45 minutes (about 3–4 times in total). The dough should become puffy but not overly sticky.

4. Shape the Dough

Lightly flour your work surface and shape the dough into a round or oval loaf. Place it into a well-floured proofing basket or bowl lined with a towel.

5. Second Rise

Cover and let it proof at room temperature for 1–2 hours or until it looks slightly puffy. Alternatively, refrigerate overnight for better flavor development.

6. Bake

Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes.

• Turn the dough onto parchment paper and score the top.

• Place it into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 20 minutes.

• Remove the lid and bake for another 20–25 minutes until golden brown.

7. Cool & Enjoy

Let the bread cool completely before slicing (this helps with texture and flavor).

Would you like to adjust the sweetness or spice level?

I preferred brown sugar for this recipe so I asked:

Can I use brown sugar instead of honey?

It said yes:

Yes, you can use brown sugar instead of honey. Use 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, just like the honey amount. It will add a nice depth of sweetness without affecting the dough structure. Let me know if you want to tweak anything else!

I wasn't sure about when the sugar should go in so I asked:

When should I add sugar?

It said:

Add the brown sugar when you mix in the cinnamon, right after the initial 30-minute rest. This ensures it gets evenly incorporated into the dough without interfering with gluten development.

So the order would be:

1. Mix flour, water, sourdough starter, and salt → Rest 30 min

2. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins → Stretch and fold to incorporate

3. Continue with bulk fermentation and the rest of the steps.

This method helps the sugar dissolve and blend into the dough without making it overly sticky.

I wanted to make sure I got it all right so I asked for the recipe again:

Okay please rewrite the recipe with the updated instructions

It then proceeded to give me a recipe:

Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

Ingredients:

• 475g bread flour

• 1 cup (about 227g) sourdough starter (active and bubbly)

• 1 ½ cups (355ml) lukewarm water

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ cup (75g) raisins

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Mix the Dough

In a large bowl, mix the bread flour, sourdough starter, lukewarm water, and salt until well combined. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate.

2. Add Cinnamon, Sugar, and Raisins

Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the dough. Stretch and fold the dough a few times to start incorporating the ingredients. Then, add the raisins and gently fold them in until evenly distributed.

3. Bulk Fermentation

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4–6 hours, performing stretch and folds every 30–45 minutes (about 3–4 times in total). The dough should become smooth and puffy.

4. Shape the Dough

Lightly flour your work surface and shape the dough into a round or oval loaf. Place it into a well-floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with a towel.

5. Second Rise

Cover and let it proof at room temperature for 1–2 hours until slightly puffy. Alternatively, refrigerate overnight for better flavor development.

6. Bake

Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes.

• Turn the dough onto parchment paper and score the top.

• Place it into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 20 minutes.

• Remove the lid and bake for another 20–25 minutes until golden brown.

7. Cool & Enjoy

Let the bread cool completely before slicing. This helps the texture set and enhances the flavors.

Would you like to adjust anything else?

I wanted the cinnamon to be fully incorporated so was curious why not to add it to the flour in the first step:

Why not mix cinnamon and with flour? During the dry ingredient mix?

I learned something new:

Good question! Normally, mixing cinnamon with flour works well in yeasted breads and cakes, but with sourdough, cinnamon can actually slow down fermentation. Cinnamon contains compounds that can slightly inhibit yeast and bacterial activity, which is why it’s better to add it later during the stretch-and-fold stage.

By incorporating it after the initial rest, the sourdough starter has time to activate and begin gluten development before the cinnamon is introduced. This helps maintain a better rise and texture.

If you still want to mix it with the flour upfront, it will work, but the dough might ferment more slowly. You could compensate by extending the bulk fermentation time slightly.

Check out the final recipe at the top of this page or click the link below to get there without the hassle of scrolling.

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