Cinnamon Swirl Bread

This is one of the bakery items I would make when I made the weekly meals for others. And its one of the things I like to have on hand for breakfast for my family.

Your neighbors will love you if you make a extra loaf to share with them, one of my friends would hide it from her kids so they wouldn't eat it all!

This dough is what I use to make potato bread and calzones, to see the recipe click here. With one large batch you could make a loaf of bread and some calzones all in one day. Or you can double the batch to make even more.
After the bread is baked and cooled, I like to slice it and keep it in the freezer so it stays fresh. But if you think you will eat it within a few days it will be fine wrapped well on the counter.


Cinnamon Swirl Bread:  Makes 2 Large Loaves (9 1/2 -by-5 1/4 inch pans) or 3 Small Loaves (8 1/2 -by-4 1/2 inch or smaller pans.) I usually double this recipe to make 5 loaves.
Potato Bread Dough
Combine in a large mixing bowl or in a bowl of a heavy duty mixer and let stand until the yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes:

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm (105 to 115 degrees F) water

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Add:

2 1/2 cups whole or low-fat milk, warmed to 105 to 115 F

6 Tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup potato flakes or buds

Mix to dissolve potato flakes and add:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

Have ready:

7 to 8 cups unbleached flour (2 to 2 1/4 pounds)

Add 4 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and mix by hand or on low speed for 1 minute. Gradually add the remaining flour until the dough is moist but not too sticky. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer to an oiled bowl and turn it over once to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in volume 1 to 2 hours. If desired, you may deflate and let it rise again until doubled (you can also refrigerate the dough, covered up to 18 hours after first rise.)

Stir together for each loaf a mixture of: (double if making 2 loaves and triple if making 3 loaves)

1/3 c. plus 2 teaspoons sugar (may use part brown sugar)

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Grease loaf pans. Punch the dough down. Divide into loaves. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 8-by-18 inch rectangle on a floured work surface. Brush the surface of the dough with:

1 Tablespoon melted butter(for each loaf) or


New tip to prevent gaps in bread: Skip the butter and spray or sprinkle the dough very lightly with water (i used a sippy cup.) Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar like below. Before rolling, spray or sprinkle again with water until damp but not wet (you may use your hands to even out water if you do not have a spray bottle.) Proceed with rolling as below.

Sprinkle evenly over the dough 1/3 c. cinnamon sugar mixture for large loaves and 1/4 c. mixture for small loaves, leaving a 1/2 inch border on far end. Starting from the closer 8 inch end, roll up the dough as you would a jellyroll. Pinch the seam and ends closed. Place seam side down in the pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled or dough is 1inch above top of pan, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush over the top of loaves:

2 teaspoons of milk

Sprinkle the top of the dough with 2 teaspoons of the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and instant read thermometer pushed through top side into center of loaf registers 185 to 188 degrees, 35 to 45 minutes.(This is the best way I know how to check if its done.) Remove the loaf from the pan to a wire rack. While the bread is still hot, brush the tops with:
2 teaspoons melted butter
Let cool before slicing.


Cinnamon Raisin Bread:

After sprinkling each loaf of dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture, spread evenly with:

1/2 to 3/4 cup raisins 
Proceed with rolling like above.
(If the raisins are dry place them in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover by 1/2 inch. Bring to a boil, drain well, and let it cool.)
You may also knead the raisins into the dough with the flour. Or before rolling the dough flatten it into a rectangle, spread with raisins and roll up like a jellyroll;rest for 15 minutes before rolling the second time.
Potato Bread:
After rising the dough the first time, shape into loaves and place in greased pans seam side down. Rise and bake as above, brushing with melted butter while still hot.
I have also made them into 1 pound free formed loaves, 2 to a jelly roll pan, bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Hope you enjoy! Donna