Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread

A Soft, Sweet, Cozy Loaf for Any Morning

There is nothing more comforting than a warm, homemade loaf of cinnamon raisin bread — especially one made with sourdough. This loaf is soft, tender, lightly sweet, and swirled with cinnamon and juicy raisins. Toast it, butter it, drizzle it with honey… it’s the kind of bread that makes breakfast feel special.

Using sourdough gives this bread a beautiful depth of flavor and an extra-soft crumb you can’t get from store-bought loaves. And the best part? This recipe is so simple. Everything goes directly into your stand mixer, and the dough practically makes itself.

Whether you're baking for your family, prepping breakfasts for the week, or filling your home with warm cinnamon smells, this loaf is guaranteed to become a forever favorite.

Ingredients (One Loaf)

Dough

• 75g active sourdough starter

• 125g water

• 2 tbsp butter, melted

• 7g milk

• 5g salt

• 6g honey

• 250g all-purpose flour

Cinnamon Raisin Filling

• ½–1 cup raisins

• 2–3 tsp cinnamon

• 2–3 tbsp sugar or brown sugar (white sugar works better for a neat swirl, but brown has a deep rich flavor)

• Slight bit of milk to have the cinnamon and sugar stick

How to Make Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread

1. Mix the dough (the easiest method ever!)

Add all of the dough ingredients directly into your stand mixer:

• sourdough starter

• water

• melted butter

• milk

• honey

• salt

• flour

Using the dough hook, mix on medium-low until the dough becomes smooth, stretchy, and elastic, about 5–8 minutes.

2. First Rise (Bulk Ferment)

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until doubled in size. This typically takes 4–12 hours, depending on how active and bubbly your sourdough starter is. It also depends on the temperature, I often mix it before bed and allow it to raise overnight.

3. Shape + Add the Cinnamon Swirl

Once risen, roll the dough into a rectangle. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon, sugar, and raisins, leaving a slight border around the edge about an 1/8 of an inch. Slightly roll the edges onto themselves to creates a seal. Then roll the dough tightly into a loaf shape, keeping the swirl snug.

4. Final Rise

Place the shaped loaf into a greased loaf pan. Let it rise until puffy and slightly crowned above the pan — usually 1–2 hours.

5. Bake

Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden and your kitchen smells like a cozy cinnamon bakery.

6. Cool + Slice

Let the loaf cool at least 20 minutes before slicing so the swirl stays clean and the crumb sets properly.

Serving Ideas

• Toasted with butter

• With cream cheese or honey

• As French toast (unreal!)

• Made into cozy breakfast sandwiches

• Warm straight from the oven — no judgment

Tips for Perfect Cinnamon Raisin Bread

• Make sure your sourdough starter is active, bubbly, and recently fed for the best rise.

• For extra-soft bread, use room-temperature ingredients.

• Soak raisins in warm water for 10 minutes if you want them extra plump.

• Don’t slice the loaf early — cooling keeps the swirl neat and prevents a gummy center.

I Hope You Love This Sourdough Loaf!

This is one of those recipes that feels nostalgic, cozy, and so rewarding to bake. If you make it, tag me on Instagram @weeknight_homemaker — I love sharing your homemade breads!

With Love,

Lauren Morgan