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Homemade Cinnamon Bread is an easy white bread recipe full of cinnamon sugar! This bread is better than buying store bought cinnamon swirl bread – it’s fresh and SO GOOD.

If you’re loving making homemade bread, then give this cinnamon bread a try – you can even add raisins if you want!

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sliced cinnamon bread

This post was originally sponsored by Fleischmann’s Yeast®.

My Cinnamon Bread Recipe is EASY

I used to be scared of making bread until I discovered my easy homemade white bread recipe. Now I make it all the time!

Once I got over my fears, making bread became one of my favorite things to do. If you’re a beginner bread maker or are scared of yeast and baking your own bread, don’t be. I’m going to show you step-by-step how EASY it is to make your own bread at home.

(If I’m being honest; one of my fears about making homemade bread was that it’s SO EASY to do I’ll make it all the time and then eat loaves and loaves of warm crusty carbs. Spoiler alert: #TRUTH)

Make your own cinnamon swirl bread and you never have to buy store bought again!

sliced cinnamon bread

What kind of yeast is best to make bread?

Working with yeast is very easy, especially when you use Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast. That little yeast packet knocks both of my fears out of the water.

Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast is INSTANT yeast and is easier to use because you don’t need to proof it: you just mix it into the dry ingredients. Proofing yeast is what always has scared me about it but by using instant yeast, that fear is gone.

The other reason I like this yeast? The term “Rapid Rise” is true; there are only two rising periods but they only total an hour. You give the dough a 10 minute rest and then let it rise 45 minutes before baking; making homemade cinnamon bread is no longer an all day affair.

Ingredients in cinnamon bread

What ingredients are used to make homemade bread?

Rapid Rise Yeast: Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast is the one I recommend. You can use any kind of instant yeast.

Making bread with active dry yeast is a different recipe, but if you want to make cinnamon bread in a bread machine, you can use this same recipe using bread machine yeast.

Milk and Water: these are the liquids you’ll use to make the bread. Milk is used to enrich the dough and give it the creamy color, plus for flavor.

Butter: bread needs fat to be soft and moist and using butter adds flavor.

Salt: for flavor – it’s necessary to add at least some salt to the recipe.

All-Purpose Flour: this recipe was written using AP flour

Cinnamon: for the filling

How to make cinnamon bread with Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast

How to make Homemade Cinnamon Bread

1. Dry Ingredients: Whisk the yeast with some of the flour, sugar, and salt.

2. Wet Ingredients: You’re going to add milk, water and butter to a microwave safe measuring cup or bowl. Then heat that in the microwave in 15 second increments until it’s very warm (think hot bathwater).

I highly recommend an instant-read thermometer when working with yeast. It helps take the guesswork out!

Heat the milk mixture to between 120°-130°F, or very warm if you’re going by touch. (The butter may not melt all the way.)

How to make cinnamon bread with Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast

3. Mix: Once you have the milk hot enough, add it to the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer.

4. Mix, adding more flour: Mix the dough adding more flour until it forms a shaggy dough. If you’re using a stand mixer, continue mixing to knead the dough into a smooth dough.

5. Knead: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead the dough, working it back and forth, until it forms a ball that springs back when touched with two fingers.

How to make cinnamon bread with Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast

6. Rest: Let the dough rest for just 10 minutes.

Do you have to use a stand mixer?

No, but it helps. If you’re using a stand mixer, you’re going to beat it for 2 minutes, then add more flour, mix for 2 more minutes, then add more flour until it becomes a ball. Using a stand mixer also helps with kneading; you’ll only need to knead this bread for about 6-8 minutes.

If you don’t have a stand mixer, don’t worry. Mix it with a hand mixer or by hand until you can’t anymore, then knead it, adding flour, until it forms a ball that springs back when pressed with two fingers.

How do you form cinnamon bread?

This bread recipe makes two loaves, so cut the dough in half.

How to make cinnamon bread with Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast

Simply roll out your dough into a rectangle. Then brush with melted butter.

How to make cinnamon bread with Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

If you want to make cinnamon raisin bread, now is the time to sprinkle about 1 cup of raisins in the middle of the dough.

How to make cinnamon bread with Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast

Tightly roll up the dough and place each piece in a bread pan that’s been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Be sure to lace it seam side down in the pan.

How to make cinnamon bread with Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast

Cover it and let it rise about 45 minutes. It’ll about double in size.

Put the loaves in a warm place for rising. I like to preheat my oven and place the pans on the top of the stove.

Preheat your oven and place the pans on top of the stove to rise!

PRO TIP
How to make cinnamon bread with Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast

Then simply bake until golden brown. You do need to wait at least 5-10 minutes before removing the bread from the pan…and resist the urge to cut it too soon.

Serving Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Warm cinnamon bread is the perfect breakfast with or without melted butter on top. We didn’t even need it toasted; just warm from the oven.

Feel free to toast the bread and top it with butter or eat it plain. We also like it with peanut butter.

Have leftovers? Make French Toast with it!

Luckily, we had a friend to give one loaf too. The other one didn’t last the day!

sliced cinnamon bread

Making homemade bread is so simple, you’ll be doing it in no time.

Expert Cinnamon Bread Tips

  • An instant read thermometer is really the best way to measure water temperature – buy one here.
  • Just let it rise until it’s double in size – not longer or it might overproof.
  • Leftover Cinnamon Swirl Bread is perfect for French Toast
  • You can divide the recipe in half and make just one loaf easily!
  • An instant read thermometer is really the best way to measure water temperature – buy one here.
  • Just let it rise until it’s double in size – not longer or it might overproof.
  • Leftover Cinnamon Swirl Bread is perfect for French Toast
  • You can divide the recipe in half and make just one loaf easily!

Cinnamon Bread Recipe FAQ

Why does my cinnamon bread separate?

If you slice it and the rings separate it’s because it wasn’t rolled tight enough. The tighter the roll the better it sticks together. This comes with practice!

What makes bread moist and fluffy?

The rising of the yeast forms the gluten to make a fluffy bread.

Can I make this bread dairy free?

I have not tested this with nondairy milk and butter but I have made other similar recipes with it. I think that using nondairy butter sticks and nondairy milk will work just fine.

Other favorite yeast recipes:

Have you made this recipe?

Tag @crazyforcrust on Instagram or hashtag it #crazyforcrust

sliced cinnamon bread

Homemade Cinnamon Bread Recipe

4.98 from 47 votes
Easy homemade cinnamon bread has a sweet cinnamon sugar filling. This easy white bread recipe is the perfect homemade bread!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting time 1 hour
Total Time 50 minutes
Yield 24 servings
Serving Size 1 slice

Ingredients
 

For the bread:

  • 5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 packets Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast 4 1/2 teaspoons
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter

For the filling:

  • 1 tablespoon butter melted
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, dry yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir until blended. Combine water, milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH in 15 second increments until very warm but not hot to the touch (120° to 130°F. Butter won’t melt completely). Add to flour mixture.
  • Beat 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in just enough remaining flour so that the dough will form into a ball.
  • Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic and springs back when lightly pressed with 2 fingers, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover with a towel; let rest for 10 minutes.
  • Cut dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a 12 x 7-inch rectangle using a rolling pin. Brush each piece with melted butter. Stir together the cinnamon and sugar for the filling and sprinkle on each rectangle.
  • Beginning at short end of each rectangle, roll up tightly. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place, seam sides down, in two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pans that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
  • Bake in preheated 400ºF oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans by running a knife around the edges and invert onto wire rack.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

To make cinnamon raisin bread, sprinkle 1 cup of raisins over the cinnamon sugar in step 4.
You can use bread machine yeast in this recipe to make this in a bread machine. I don’t recommend using active dry yeast as the recipe is written.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 34mg | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1.2mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American

Also find the Beginner’s White Bread recipe at Fleischmann’s® Yeast!

**Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!**

sliced cinnamon swirl bread loaf with collage

Cinnamon Bread is SO EASY to make at home! This simple white bread recipe is turned into cinnamon swirl bread and is the perfect from scratch recipe – with or without raisins. You never need to buy store bought again! You can even make cinnamon bread in a bread machine!

Last Updated on May 20, 2022

Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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44 Comments

  1. This recipe is fantastic! So simple to put together and has a wonderful flavor. I didn’t get my bread rolled tight enough but it still stayed mostly together. Will definitely be making this again and rolling it tighter next time. Pairs very well with whipped vanilla cinnamon butter.

  2. I have baked for years but always looking for new recipes to try. This is a winner!I had two loaves of bread rising on the counter in less than 1 hours. Wonderful recipe! I will add a little brown sugar to filling next time just because, but not necessary.

  3. I just made this and it is REALLY, REALLY good!!

    I added in brown sugar to the dough and the filling and I did more than what was recommended. I just mixed up white sugar and cinnamon and sprinkled it until it was covered. Then I sprinkled B. sugar on top until it looked good.

    I think the flour amount is WAY off. 4 cups was perfect. Adding in in additional 1.5 to 2 cups, I don’t think everything would have mixed. Just too dry. And my bread was done by 18-20 minutes.

  4. I decided to make this compared to what I’ve been using and this is very easy and and takes less time with great results.
    I kneaded the dough few minutes and it turned out great. Will make it again for sure. Big thanks!