Sourdough Cinnamon Bread

5 from 3 votes

This sourdough cinnamon bread is soft, flavorful, and swirled with a sweet cinnamon sugar filling. Perfect for breakfast, toast, or a sweet snack!

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

Combined Rise Times12

Total Time13 45

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sourdough bread, sourdough discard recipes, sandwich bread, sourdough cinnamon bread, cinnamon sugar sourdough bread

Servings: slices

Calories: 248kcal

Author: Renae Gerhardstein

Equipment

loaf pan See notes for a 12' x 4.5" pan or smaller loaf pans
large bowl
dough whisk

Ingredients

⅓ cup sourdough starter (80 grams) discard or fed within 12-24 hours *see notes
1⅓ cups warm water, filtered (325 grams) 95º to 100º F
¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams) or 2 rounded tablespoons of honey
4 cups bread flour (500 grams) or all-purpose flour (500 grams)
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (20 grams) or your preferred cooking oil
2 teaspoons salt (10 grams)
½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (15 grams)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water (15 grams)

optional

¼ cup raisins (35 grams)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, add sourdough starter, warm water, and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Next add flour, oil, and salt, then mix with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until a thick, shaggy dough forms.
Flour or wet your hands and finish mixing the dough by hand until most of the flour is incorporated. Some dry flour at the bottom of the bowl is okay. Cover with a clean, damp towel and let it rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
Lightly flour a countertop and transfer the dough from the bowl onto the countertop. Starting on one side of the dough, stretch the side of the dough up about 4 inches, then tuck it back toward the center. Turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat until you’ve gone full circle.
Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp towel (or plastic wrap if you live in a dry area) and and let rise at room temperature or a warm area 4-12 hours (see chart in notes) to ferment.
After the bulk rise, gently transfer the dough to a lightly floured countertop. Gently stretch it into a 12" x 6" rectangle and use your fingers to dimple the dough, releasing excess air. Let it rest while preparing the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Use a fork or small whisk to mix the ingredients. Continue whisking until the sugar and cinnamon are a consistent color and free of lumps.
Use a large tablespoon to sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture to the top of the rectangle loaf of dough. Use a silicone spatula or the flat side of the spoon to evenly smooth the sugar mixture. If using raisins, spread them evenly on on top of the sugar cinnamon mixture.
Carefully roll up dough into a tight log shape. Cover and let the dough rest 10 minutes.
Prepare a loaf pan by spraying with cooking spray. To bake smaller loaves, see recipe notes below for directions.
Tighten the dough roll by placing your hands on the far side of the log and gently pulling it towards you along the countertop without letting it roll for 5-8". Place it in your loaf pan, seam side down. Cover and let rise for 1-2 hours, until the dough is about double in size.
To see if it's ready to bake, press the corner edge of the dough in 1/2" and if the indentation remains, it's ready to bake.
Preheat your oven to 375ºF.
In a small bowl, mix together the egg and water with a fork until the mixture is a consistent color. Use a basting brush to brush the egg wash on to the top of the loaf right before baking.
Bake in the center of the oven for 40 minutes. See Recipe Notes below for smaller loaves. The top of the loaf should be golden in color. Remove from oven.
After 10 minutes, tilt the pan to remove the bread to cool on a cooling rack.
Wait at least 1 hour before cutting (to prevent the loaf from deflating).

Video

Notes

FOR GRAMS MEASUREMENTS click on black METRIC tab above.

This recipe uses a discard or unfed sourdough starter, which means one that was fed 12-24 hours before starting the recipe. Our recipe does not use a starter that's at its peak when mixing the dough.

I recommend using a clear glass mixing bowl for fermentation (rising). This allows you to see the activity on the dough's top and bottom. Often, the bottom of the dough will show a lot of activity, reassuring you that it's properly fermented.

Do not refrigerate the dough! Our recipe does not use a refrigerated rise. If it gets too cold, the dough will not ferment (rise) properly.

Want to get the best rise and texture in your sourdough? Check out our tips on proofing sourdough to make sure your dough is ready for baking!

Fermentation Rising guidelines:

Rising times will vary according to your room temperature and humidity:

80ºF about 4-5 hour
75ºF about 6-7 hours
70ºF about 8-9 hours
For temperatures under 70ºF it can take up to 12 hours or more

TFN Pro Tips for keeping dough warm during colder months:

Place the bowl in the oven with the door closed and light on to create a slightly warmer climate without actually turning the oven on.
Use a heated mat (like those used for germinating seeds) for rising.
Use the "proof" setting of your oven (I set mine to 85ºF) and set a timer. This will speed up the rising process, so check it at 4 and 6 hours.
If there is a sunny room in the house that stays warm, keep the dough covered in that area.

To bake in a 12" x 4.5" pan: bake for 30-35 minutes.

To bake smaller loaves: If your loaf pans are 4″ x 8″ or 4′ x 9″ then divide the sandwich dough into two equal pieces. Bake at 375ºF for 25-30 minutes.

How will I know if my bread is done baking?

Check to see if the top of the loaf is golden and if it sounds hollow when tapped on.
Check the internal temperature in the center of the bread. It should 195º – 200ºF when done.

Bread Storage Instructions:

Let the bread cool completely. Store it in a plastic bag at room temperature. I use a plastic bread bag with a twist tie to seal it and it stays fresh for about 5 days.
This sandwich bread is also great to freeze. Place in an airtight bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the loaf at room temperature, then slice and enjoy.
Check out our in-depth guide on how to store fresh sourdough bread for more storage tips.

**Nutritional facts calculated without raisins**

Nutrition