No Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread
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Get ready to gush over this super easy delicious No Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread! Baked right in a cast iron pot, it’s got a crispy crust, soft springy texture, and is perfectly sweetened with a touch of brown sugar. Your family will not be able to wait to slice into it as the amazing aroma of cinnamon raisin fills your home as this yummy bread bakes in the oven!
Easy No Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe
When you put cinnamon and raisins together with a delicious bread dough it’s like a flavor combination match made in heaven! There is nothing better than biting into a warm slice of Cinnamon Brown Sugar Pull Apart Bread with Raisins. But you look at the recipe and see that there is kneading, rising, forming, and baking. Sure on some days that’s not a big deal and baking is totally therapeutic. But other days you need something a little quicker. Or, in this case, a lot quicker!
With this recipe, if you’ve got no time for kneading!?! No worries! This no knead cinnamon raisin bread recipe is a simple, delicious, and pretty foolproof way to make some unbelievably good bread. In fact, you don’t even have to activate the yeast! But unlike my Fast and Easy No Knead Bread you do have to let it rise for some time. Yet, this means that you can whip the dough together in minutes and then return to it hours later right before it needs to be baked! Easy peasy bread making at its best!
So if you’re a regular bread baker, this technique is going to change your life. It’s so simple and so good that you might wonder why you ever bothered baking bread the old way. And for beginners, it’s a fantastic way to start learning your way around bread baking with a lot less work!
Why You’ll Love This No Knead Cinnamon Bread
- Perfect for Beginners! With just 7 easy to find basic pantry ingredients and a cast iron pot, you can make this super flavorful simple no knead cinnamon raisin bread recipe. No special bread baking knowledge is needed.
- Cinnamon Raisin Yumminess! Chock full of cinnamon and raisins with a bit of brown sugar folded into the dough for a touch of sweetness, this soft cinnamon raisin bread with a crispy crust is incredibly good.
- Family Favorite! This homemade raisin bread makes an excellent sweet treat any time of the day that the whole family will love. And it’s a much healthier snack or dessert for kids than cookies or chocolate.
- Flour – Basic all-purpose flour is all you need to make this no knead bread recipe. However, bread flour is another option if you prefer.
- Salt – A touch of salt is important to help develop the flavor of the dough and balance the sweetness.
- Active Dry Yeast – This is the leavening agent used to make the dough rise. Be sure to check the expiration date on your yeast.
- Cinnamon – No other spice goes with raisins quite like warm ground cinnamon. You can also add a pinch of cardamom or nutmeg if you like.
- Raisins – The star ingredient, use plump raisins for the best-tasting raisin bread.
- Water – You need lukewarm water that is between 105°F to 115°F (41°C to 46°C) to activate the yeast and bring the dough together.
- Brown Sugar – Adds a lovely touch of sweetness to the bread.
This bread recipe is so easy and foolproof! But it does require a little bit of patience. However, it takes very little effort and the results are amazing!
For this recipe, you don’t have to activate the yeast before making the dough! All you have to do is stir the flour, salt, yeast, ground cinnamon, and raisins together in a large bowl.
Then pour the lukewarm water into the bowl and mix everything together with a wooden spoon or spatula until it’s fully combined. All the flour must be well incorporated into the dough.
Once the dough is made you don’t have to knead it, but it does need time to rise. So cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Then leave the dough to sit on your kitchen counter or inside an unheated oven for 12 to 18 hours. In order for the yeast to do its job properly, the dough must be left to rise for a minimum of 5 hours. The longer you leave it the better your results will be.
After the dough has had plenty of time to rise, preheat your oven temperature to 450°F (232°C) and put your cast iron pot with its lid on into the oven as it’s heating up. Then once the oven reaches 450°F (232°C) use oven mitts to carefully remove the hot pot from the oven and then remove the lid. Take extra care not to burn yourself while doing this step.
Before you begin, flour your hands well. Now, sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough in the bowl. Then gently remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a well floured work surface. Next, flatten the dough just a bit with your hands and then sprinkle it with the brown sugar. Then fold the dough over itself a few times to blend the brown sugar a little bit into the dough. Finally, form the dough into a ball using more flour if needed and place it on a piece of parchment paper.
Now let’s bake some delicious sweet bread! First, drop the ball of dough into the hot Dutch oven with the parchment paper and cover the pot with the lid. Next, transfer the pot back into the oven and bake the bread for 30 minutes with the lid on. Then remove the lid and bake it for another 15 to 20 minutes until it’s golden brown on top. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing it to serve.
How Do You Know When No Knead Bread Is Done?
When no knead bread is finished baking the crust should be firm with a darker golden brown color. So if the bread is still pale you need to leave it in the oven to bake for a few more minutes. Another way to see if the bread is done is by using an instant-read thermometer. Just insert it into the center of the loaf and if the bread is at least 195°F to 205°F (91°C to 96°C) inside then it’s done.
Why Is My Homemade No Knead Bread So Dense?
If your no knead bread turns out dense it’s likely because you didn’t give it enough time to rise. No knead bread recipes are easy to make but they require a longer rise time, which gives the gluten plenty of time to develop in place of the kneading. The other reasons that your bread may have turned out dense are that you overbaked it or you used expired yeast.
Expert Tips
- Check the date on your yeast. Always check the date on your yeast before starting any bread recipe. The main reason that homemade bread fails is due to old expired yeast.
- Lukewarm water is a must. The water must be between 105°F to 115°F (41°C to 46°C) for the dough to come together and rise properly. You can easily use a digital cooking thermometer to check the temperature of your water.
- It needs time. You must give this no knead cinnamon raisin bread dough at least 5 hours of rising time. If you don’t allow it the time it needs to double in size your bread will turn out heavy and be very dense.
Storage
No knead cinnamon raisin bread will keep at room temperature for up to 4 days in a container or bag. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 3 months in a sealed freezer bag or double wrapped in plastic wrap. Then just allow the bread to thaw out at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
Other Delicious No Knead Bread Recipes To Try
- No Knead Bread
- Air Fryer No Knead Bread
- No Knead Skillet Bread
- No Knead Whole Wheat Bread
- Fast and Easy No Knead Bread
- No Knead Potato Bread
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No Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread
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Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon (ground)
- 1 cup raisins
- 1½ cup water (lukewarm (105°F to 115°F))
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- In a big bowl mix the flour, salt, yeast, cinnamon and raisins together. Pour water into the bowl and using a spatula or a wooden spoon mix it until well incorporated. You do not need to activate the yeast before, even though we're using active dry yeast.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on your counter or inside your unheated oven for 12 to 18 hours. You need to let this dough rest for a minimum of 5 hours to allow the yeast to do its job.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Add your cast iron pot to the oven as it's heating and heat it as well until it's at 450°F. Usually when the oven is done preheating your pot should be hot enough as well. Remove the pot from the oven and remove the lid from it. Use oven mitts, as to not burn yourself.
- Flour your hands really well and also sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough. With your floured hands gently remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a well floured work surface. Flatten the dough a little bit then sprinkle the brown sugar over the dough. Now fold the dough over itself a few times, to make the brown sugar blend a bit into the dough. Form the dough into a ball, use more flour if needed. Place the dough over a piece of parchment paper.
- Take the ball of dough with the parchment paper and drop it into the hot Dutch oven. Cover the pot with the lid and place it back in the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, after which remove the lid and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove the bread from the pot, it should fall out easily. Let cool completely before slicing into it and serving.
Notes
- Check the date on your yeast. Always check the date on your yeast before starting any bread recipe. The main reason that homemade bread fails is due to old expired yeast.
- Lukewarm water is a must. The water must be between 105°F to 115°F (41°C to 46°C) for the dough to come together and rise properly. You can easily use a digital cooking thermometer to check the temperature of your water.
- It needs time. You must give this no knead cinnamon raisin bread dough at least 5 hours of rising time. If you don’t allow it the time it needs to double in size your bread will turn out heavy and be very dense.
- This cinnamon raisin bread will keep at room temperature for up to 4 days in a container or bag. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 3 months in a sealed freezer bag or double wrapped in plastic wrap. Then just allow the bread to thaw out at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Can you double this recipe? It was fabulous!
I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed it! Yes, you can certainly double the recipe. Just make sure your mixing bowl and baking vessel are large enough to accommodate the increased volume.
This is a great recipe, my family and I love this bread!
What size Cast Iron Dutch Oven did you use. I saw links to Amazon for 3.5 qt and 5.5 qt. Thank you.
Either will work!
I don’t have a cast iron pot but do have a cast iron frying pan, will that work or is it too shallow?
Certainly! While a cast-iron pot is often used for no-knead bread to mimic the effects of a professional bread oven, you can still make this recipe using a cast-iron frying pan. Keep in mind, though, that the shallowness may affect the shape and crust of the bread. If possible, try to cover it with a lid or aluminum foil to help trap the steam. This will create a nice crust and help the bread rise.
I’ve used your recipe several times & want to thank you for a great loaf of bread! Just for fun, before the final rise, I pat out the dough & rub on a layer of cinnamon/sugar, then roll it up & shape it into a ball. But your recipe is perfect as is. You make beautiful food that tastes as good as it looks!
Hello! Your message just made my day! It’s fantastic to hear that you’re enjoying the no-knead cinnamon raisin bread recipe and having fun with it as well! The cinnamon/sugar rub sounds like a delicious addition, and I’m sure it adds an extra cinnamon-y twist to each bite. Thank you so much for your kind words and appreciation, it really means the world to me.
I was searching for bread baked in an air fryer. Is this recipe suitable?
While this recipe was developed specifically for a traditional oven, I haven’t personally tried it in an air fryer. However, if your air fryer is large enough to hold the dough and has a baking function, you could experiment with it. Just be sure to monitor it closely as the baking time and temperature might need to be adjusted. If you need some help, I have an air fryer no knead recipe here you can use: https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/air-fryer-no-knead-bread/
I’ve seen where people have drizzled a little maple syrup on top of the brown sugar before folding – would you have any experience with that? I wouldn’t want to ruin a good thing by adding it if it’s not good
Adding a drizzle of maple syrup is indeed a wonderful addition to this recipe! The maple syrup can add a nice depth of flavor to the bread, complementing the warmth of the cinnamon and the sweetness of the raisins. However, you’ll want to use it sparingly to avoid making the bread too sweet or overly moist. Try drizzling about a tablespoon over the brown sugar before folding, and see how you like the result. Remember, recipes are just a starting point, feel free to experiment and make it your own!
On my recent trip to MN, I fell in love with a wild rice and cranberry bread. Do you have any suggestions or a recipe? I was thinking 1 cup cooked wild rice and 1/2 cup cranberry in this recipe without the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Thank you
That sounds like a wonderful twist on the recipe! Your idea of using 1 cup of cooked wild rice and 1/2 cup of cranberries sounds like a good start. You might want to slightly reduce the liquid ingredients in the recipe to account for the moisture from the cooked wild rice. Also, consider adding a touch of honey or maple syrup to balance the tartness of the cranberries. And do let me know how it turns out.
I am just making this yummy looking bread right now but I was wondering after it rises and you put the cinnamon on do you let it rise another half hour or not? Thank you.
The cinnamon goes in at the beginning, I think you mean the brown sugar and the answer is no, you do not need to let it rise again. Of course it doesn’t hurt, so it’s really up to you.
I made it and it came out AMAZING!!!when I find a recipe I usually make it exactly as recipe says and then tweak it next time. NO TWEAKING NECESSARY!! SO GOOD!! Thank you for sharing!!!
My pleasure, so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi I wanted to know if I can make this without a cast iron pot?
Absolutely, you can make this bread without a cast iron pot! The purpose of the pot is to create a mini-oven within your actual oven, trapping steam from the dough to create a beautiful crust. If you don’t have a cast iron pot, you can use any oven-safe pot with a lid. Alternatively, you can also bake the bread on a baking sheet, but cover the bread with a large heatproof bowl for the first part of baking to trap the steam. Just remember to remove the bowl halfway through to allow the crust to brown.
Spot on recipe! Followed exactly as written and I’m now making a loaf every two to three days (third one just started it’s proofing journey). My little human adores cinnamon raisin bread for breakfast and this version of it is PERFECT since the traditional swirly kind is VERY time consuming when you’re raising an active toddler. He loves it, I love it, and even his DAD raved about it saying it’s the best raisin bread he’s had — and he’s definitely one to dish out (thankfully) constructive criticism where it’s needed. If THAT dude thinks it’s killer, it’s pretty darn good. You won’t be disappointed.
Soaking the raisins is an absolute must for an extra special touch. I do it in heated apple juice, and it’s amazing.
Hi! Why is it important to NOT activate the active dry yeast? Thanks in advance!
Hi there! Thanks for your question. In many bread recipes, including this No-Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread, the yeast is combined with the other ingredients without being activated first.
The process of “activating” yeast usually involves dissolving it in warm water and often feeding it with a bit of sugar. It’s used to “wake up” the yeast and start the fermentation process faster. However, with a no-knead bread that has a long rise time, this step isn’t necessary.
In the case of this recipe, the yeast has plenty of time to gradually activate and ferment on its own within the dough as it rests and rises. This long, slow fermentation contributes to the bread’s flavor and texture. So, while it’s not harmful to activate the yeast first, it’s simply not necessary in this case.
Hope that helps, and happy baking!
Love this fun overnight recipe – used half whole wheat and one cup of oatmeal one cup all purpose. Wow healthy and delish!! Thanks
My bread exploded (I forgot to make a slice on top) and the brown sugar weeped out. Lol. But I’m going to try again. Any tips?
To keep the brown sugar from weeping out, make sure to fold it in better, also use the parchment paper in the Dutch oven, at least you won’t have to clean it. As far as the bread exploding on top, score the dough with a sharp knife and make a shallow cut about 1/4 inch deep. Also shape it properly, make sure you create enough surface tension by folding and stretching the dough. Hope this helps.