I’m showing off a rustic cinnamon raisin loaf with gorgeous cinnamon streaks, a chewy artisan crumb, and just enough sweetness to make every slice feel bakery-worthy. Raisin skeptics, I see you, this bread still has plenty to brag about without them.
Here’s my second Bread Week flex: Cinnamon “Swirl” No Knead Bread, baked in a Dutch oven and fully worth the counter space. I call it swirl, but honestly, no knead dough does what it wants, so I get cinnamon streaks, cinnamon pockets, cinnamon chaos.
Better, actually. I love the crackly crust, the soft, chewy middle, and those hits of brown sugar running through each slice.
Raisins are optional, and yes, I know they divide the room. But I’m into them here.
Toasted with butter? Ridiculous.
And if a streak gets extra dark and sticky, that’s the slice I want first.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour gives the loaf its chewy, sturdy bakery-style backbone.
- Fine salt keeps the sweetness from getting too loud or flat.
- Instant yeast does the quiet lifting while you barely do anything.
- Lukewarm water wakes everything up and makes the dough shaggy.
- Granulated sugar feeds the yeast and adds a soft hint of sweetness.
- Melted butter makes the cinnamon filling rich, glossy, and a little cozy.
- Brown sugar melts into sticky ribbons that feel very weekend-morning.
- Ground cinnamon brings that warm bakery smell you’ll notice first.
- Raisins add chewy little pops, if you’re into that classic vibe.
- Egg wash gives the crust a shiny, golden “look what I made” finish.
- Coarse sugar adds sparkle and a tiny crunch on top.
- Plus, the Dutch oven helps build that crackly crust everyone fights over.
- Basically, it’s sweet, cozy bread without acting like a full project.
Ingredient Quantities
- 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
- 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) lukewarm water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter, melted for the filling
- 1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar for the filling
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon for the filling
- 1 cup (150 g) raisins, optional
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash, optional
- Coarse sugar or sanding sugar for sprinkling, optional
How to Make this
1. In a large bowl whisk together 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt and 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast; stir in 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, then pour in 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) lukewarm water and mix with a spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
2. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let dough rest at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours until doubled and bubbly.
3. While dough is resting or toward the end of the bulk ferment, make the filling by combining 4 tablespoons (55 g) melted unsalted butter, 1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Measure out 1 cup (150 g) raisins if using.
4. Turn the fermented dough out onto a well floured surface and gently pat it into roughly a 10 by 12 inch rectangle without degassing it completely.
5. Brush the dough rectangle with most of the melted butter, leaving a small border; evenly sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over the buttered dough, and scatter the raisins on top if using.
6. Starting from one long edge, roll the dough fairly gently into a log to create streaks of filling rather than a tight swirl, then fold or tuck the ends to shape a boule or oblong loaf, sealing seams as best you can.
7. Place the shaped loaf seam side down on a piece of parchment in a floured banneton or a bowl lined with a well floured towel, cover and let rise for 1 to 2 hours until puffy.
8. At least 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) with a lidded Dutch oven inside on the middle rack.
9. When ready to bake, carefully transfer the loaf on the parchment into the preheated Dutch oven, optionally brush with the beaten egg and water for an egg wash and sprinkle with coarse or sanding sugar; score the top if desired, cover and bake 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches about 200 degrees F.
10. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing so the crumb sets.
Equipment Needed
1. Large mixing bowl
2. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale (optional for grams)
3. Spatula or wooden spoon
4. Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel
5. Parchment paper
6. Well floured banneton or bowl lined with a floured towel
7. Lidded Dutch oven that fits in your oven
8. Oven mitts or pot holders
9. Wire cooling rack
FAQ
Cinnamon “Swirl” No Knead Bread, Baked In A Dutch Oven Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour:
- Bread flour for chewier texture and stronger gluten
- Whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier flavor; use up to 25 30 percent substitution to avoid dense loaf
- Gluten free 1-to-1 flour blend for gluten free baking; expect slightly different crumb and texture
- Instant dry yeast:
- Active dry yeast, proof in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes before mixing
- Fresh (cake) yeast, about 2 1/2 times the weight of instant yeast, crumble and dissolve in water
- Sourdough starter, use a fed starter and adjust hydration and rising times accordingly
- Unsalted butter (filling):
- Browned butter for deeper, toasty flavor
- Softened cream cheese for a tangy, richer filling
- Coconut oil for a dairy free option; flavor will be slightly coconutty
- Raisins (optional):
- Dried cranberries for tart sweetness
- Chopped dried apricots or dates for chewiness and caramel notes
- Chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts for crunch instead of fruit
Pro Tips
1) Embrace the sticky dough. Use a well floured bench and a bench scraper to lift and shape rather than kneading aggressively. Gentle handling preserves the air pockets developed during the long ferment and gives a lighter crumb.
2) Flavor boost: soak the raisins in hot water, rum or strong tea for 10 to 20 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Plumping them keeps them juicy and prevents them from drawing moisture out of the loaf while baking.
3) Even filling distribution matters. Pat the dough into an even rectangle and press the butter and sugar mixture gently so it sticks, then scatter raisins last. This helps prevent concentrated pockets of wetness that can make one side dense.
4) Dutch oven tips and cooling: preheat the lidded pot thoroughly for that instant oven spring, but remove the lid for the last 10 to 15 minutes to develop a deep crust. Cool the loaf at least an hour before slicing so the interior sets; cutting too soon makes the crumb gummy.
Cinnamon “Swirl” No Knead Bread, Baked In A Dutch Oven Recipe
I’m showing off a rustic cinnamon raisin loaf with gorgeous cinnamon streaks, a chewy artisan crumb, and just enough sweetness to make every slice feel bakery-worthy. Raisin skeptics, I see you, this bread still has plenty to brag about without them.
12
servings
228
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl
2. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale (optional for grams)
3. Spatula or wooden spoon
4. Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel
5. Parchment paper
6. Well floured banneton or bowl lined with a floured towel
7. Lidded Dutch oven that fits in your oven
8. Oven mitts or pot holders
9. Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
-
3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
-
1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
-
1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
-
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) lukewarm water
-
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
-
4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter, melted for the filling
-
1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar for the filling
-
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon for the filling
-
1 cup (150 g) raisins, optional
-
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash, optional
-
Coarse sugar or sanding sugar for sprinkling, optional
Directions
- In a large bowl whisk together 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt and 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast; stir in 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, then pour in 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) lukewarm water and mix with a spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
- Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let dough rest at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours until doubled and bubbly.
- While dough is resting or toward the end of the bulk ferment, make the filling by combining 4 tablespoons (55 g) melted unsalted butter, 1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Measure out 1 cup (150 g) raisins if using.
- Turn the fermented dough out onto a well floured surface and gently pat it into roughly a 10 by 12 inch rectangle without degassing it completely.
- Brush the dough rectangle with most of the melted butter, leaving a small border; evenly sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over the buttered dough, and scatter the raisins on top if using.
- Starting from one long edge, roll the dough fairly gently into a log to create streaks of filling rather than a tight swirl, then fold or tuck the ends to shape a boule or oblong loaf, sealing seams as best you can.
- Place the shaped loaf seam side down on a piece of parchment in a floured banneton or a bowl lined with a well floured towel, cover and let rise for 1 to 2 hours until puffy.
- At least 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) with a lidded Dutch oven inside on the middle rack.
- When ready to bake, carefully transfer the loaf on the parchment into the preheated Dutch oven, optionally brush with the beaten egg and water for an egg wash and sprinkle with coarse or sanding sugar; score the top if desired, cover and bake 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches about 200 degrees F.
- Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing so the crumb sets.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 94g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 228kcal
- Fat: 5.34g
- Saturated Fat: 3.1g
- Trans Fat: 0.17g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.31g
- Monounsaturated: 1.4g
- Cholesterol: 22.6mg
- Sodium: 308mg
- Potassium: 132mg
- Carbohydrates: 43.9g
- Fiber: 1.69g
- Sugar: 18g
- Protein: 3.92g
- Vitamin A: 142IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 13.1mg
- Iron: 0.7mg
