Artisan Cinnamon Raisin Bread (Dutch Oven) -

Sliced cinnamon raisin bread on a wooden cutting board.

Artisan Cinnamon Raisin Bread (Dutch Oven)

Making your own cinnamon raisin bread is like bringing a warm hug to your kitchen! With simple ingredients like flour, yeast, a bit of salt, juicy raisins, and cinnamon, this bread is full of cozy vibes and nostalgic flavors that everyone will love.

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 2 45

Course: Appetizer, breads, Breakfast

Cuisine: American, Canadian

Keyword: artisan bread, cinnamon bread, cinnamon raisin bread, dutch oven bread, easy bread, easy dutch oven bread, how to make artisan cinnamon raisin bread, no knead bread, raisin bread

Servings: servings

Calories: 214kcal

Author: Deborah McDonald

Cost: $3

Equipment

1 dutch oven

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt kosher
1/2 tsp Instant yeast or 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water (about 110°F)
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp cinnamon ground
1/2 cup raisins (or more, to taste) rehydrated

Instructions

Soak the raisins in a bowl of warm water while you prepare the dough.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and instant yeast. Mix well, and then add warm water.
(If you choose to use active yeast, dissolve it in the warm water in a small bowl. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy. Then add the dissolved yeast mixture to the flour mixture.)
Stir in the honey and ground cinnamon until well combined. The mixture may be a bit shaggy in texture.
Gradually add the juicy raisins to the dough, kneading them in until evenly distributed. You may need to lightly flour your hands and work the surface to prevent sticking.
Once the dough comes together and is smooth and elastic, form it into a ball. Place the dough ball in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a clean damp towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free, warm place for at least 2 hours or until doubled in size. This artisan-style dough is best left to rise for 8 hours or up to 24 hours. The longer you leave it, the better the flavor, texture, and digestibility of this bread.
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). If using a Dutch oven, place it in the oven while it preheats.
Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to release the air. Turn the dough out to a lightly floured surface, shape it into a ball, and place it in a parchment-lined preheated Dutch oven. Alternatively, roll dough into a rectangle and place it on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet or loaf pan if this is your chosen cooking method. Use a sharp knife, bread lame, or razor blade to add a decorative look to the top of the loaf.
Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes until it is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. If you are using a Dutch oven, remove the lid during the last 10 minutes of baking to allow the crust to brown.
Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy your homemade artisan raisin bread warm or at room temperature, with or without butter!

Notes

Deb's Tips:

Don't skip the step of rehydrating your raisins, this will make all the difference in the plumpness and texture after your bread has baked.
Remember that the longer your let your dough rise with this recipe, the better the flavor of the final loaf.
For easier handling, refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes after the rise time, just before baking, to make it simpler to scrape out and shape.
If you're experiencing an overly hard and tough bottom crust, consider placing a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven next time. This will help deflect some of the intense heat away from the Dutch Oven's bottom during baking.

Try these tricks:

Try Different Honey Variations: With so many honey flavours out there, this small change in the recipe can result in big flavor impact.

Add Ice Cubes: Before covering and baking, place a few ice cubes into the Dutch oven between the parchment paper and the pot's interior surface. This extra steam will help your bread rise beautifully, resulting in a taller and fluffier loaf.

Grease the bowl: To ensure the dough doesn't stick to the bowl after rising, lightly coat it with oil. This makes it easier to remove the dough when shaping it later on.

Flour Selection Matters: Ensure you are using a good flour for this no-knead cinnamon raisin bread recipe. Using a low quality flour may result in your bread not holding together well. I love Better Basis's Fife flour for this recipe.

Nutrition

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