This recipe makes a delicious, country-style loaf of Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread without any added sugar. Even though I love cinnamon raisin swirl bread with a sweet, buttery dough, that’s not what this recipe is about. This is a grown-up cinnamon raisin bread.
The process is as simple as making a standard sourdough bread dough with some whole grain rye added for flavor (optional). Then you’ll fold in some plump raisins and warming cinnamon during the stretch and fold process. The cinnamon and raisin mixture in this bread adds a surprising amount of natural sweetness, so there’s no need to add any sugar or additional sweeteners.
Below you’ll find all of the ingredients you’ll need.
Ingredients for Sourdough Starter Feeding
- Sourdough Starter (from the fridge) 25 grams
- Bread Flour 50 grams
- Water 50 grams
Dough Ingredients
- Bread Flour 425 grams
- Whole Grain Rye Flour 25 grams
- Water 325 grams
- Sourdough Starter 100 grams
- Salt 10 grams
Inclusions
- Raisins 100 grams
- Cinnamon 5 grams (1 tsp)
Step-by-Step Instructions: Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread (No Added Sugar)
Feeding Your Starter
In the evening, take 25 grams of leftover sourdough starter out of the fridge. Add 50 grams of bread flour and 50 grams of water to the jar. Mix everything together until there aren’t any dry bits of flour left. Cover up the starter loosely with a lid, and let the starter rise at room temperature overnight (for 8-12 hours. The starter should double in size overnight and be ready to use the next morning.
Mixing the Dough
The next morning, when the starter has doubled in size, you can mix the entire dough together. Start by adding 325 grams of water to a mixing bowl. Then add 10 grams of salt and 100 grams of the active sourdough starter. Mix everything together so that the starter and salt dissolve into the water.
Next comes the flour. First, add 425 grams of bread flour to the mixing bowl, and then add 25 grams of whole grain rye flour.
Note: The rye flour adds a complex, nutty, and wholesome flavor to this loaf of bread that pairs very well with the cinnamon. If you don’t have rye, you can use any other whole grain flour. You can also just use 450 grams of white bread flour if you don’t want to include any whole grain.
Stir all of the dough ingredients together thoroughly with your hands or a spoon. When a shaggy dough is formed without any dry bits of flour left, cover up with mixing bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
The First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)
After 30 minutes, uncover the dough and perform the first set of stretch and folds. Grab an edge of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over the top of the dough. Work your way around the dough, stretching and folding each corner of the dough until the dough starts to tense up and resist stretching. This should be about 6-10 folds in total. Then, cover up the mixing bowl again and let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.
For the second set of stretch and folds, you’ll begin adding in the cinnamon and raisin mixture. Uncover the dough and add half of the cinnamon and half of the amount of raisins directly on top of the dough. With damp fingertips, spread the raisins and cinnamon around and begin pressing them into the dough. When all of the raisins are spread around and stuck to the dough, perform the second set of stretch and folds. This time, just fold the dough a total of four times. All of the cinnamon and raisins should now be trapped in a few layers inside of the dough. Cover up the mixing bowl again and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
For the third set of stretch and folds, uncover the dough and do the same thing you did during the second set of folds. Add the remaining cinnamon and raisins on top of the dough and give the dough four folds. All of the cinnamon and raisins should now be incorporated in layers inside of the dough. Cover the dough up again and let it rest for 30 minutes on the counter.
30 minutes later, take the dough out of the bowl and transfer it seam-side-down onto an un-floured surface. Shape the dough gently into a ball with your hands. This will distribute the raisins evenly throughout the dough and give the dough strength and structure as it rises. Place the dough back into the mixing bowl with the smooth side facing up. Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature for 3-6 hours, or until it almost doubles in size.
Shaping
When your dough has doubled in size, take it out of the bowl and transfer it onto an un-floured counter with the smooth side facing up. Gently preshape the dough into a ball with your hands. Let the ball of dough rest on your counter uncovered for 30 minutes. If there are drafts in your kitchen, you can cover up the dough with a kitchen towel.
After the 30 minute rest, give the dough its final shape. Dust an oval banneton basket liberally with rice flour or whole grain flour. Then dust the top of the dough ball with a little bit of bread flour.
Flip the dough over on the counter so that the floured side is facing down and the sticky side is facing up. Gently pull the dough into a square shape. Fold the right third of the dough over the middle third, and then fold the left third of the dough over the middle third as well. Press the seam down in the middle. Then take the end of the dough that is further away from you and roll the dough toward you so that the dough forms an oval-shaped log. Squeeze the ends of the dough to close them up, or follow my easy shaping process in the video.
Proofing
Next, flip the dough over into the banneton basket with the seam side facing up. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise on the counter for 1 hour at room temperature. Then, move the dough into the fridge to continue proofing overnight. Let it proof in the fridge for around 8-12 hours, but up to 24 hours is also fine.
Baking
The next day, 30 minutes before you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a Dutch oven inside.
When the oven is preheated, take the dough out of the fridge and flip it out of the banneton basket onto a sheet of parchment paper. Remove any excess flour from the top of the dough and score one long slash across the top of the dough with a razor blade or bread lame.
Note: If you want to use the same bread lame I used in the video, use my affiliate link HERE. You will receive a 10% discount on bread lames from Wire Monkey Shop by using my affiliate link.
Transfer the dough, parchment paper and all, into the hot Dutch oven. Close the Dutch oven lid to trap the steam and bake at 500°F (260°C) for 20 minutes. Then, remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top of the bread achieves a color that you like.
Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Let the bread cool for at least one hour before slicing.
Flavor
Enjoy this delicious cinnamon raisin sourdough bread plain or with a slather of creamy butter. The raisins on the inside of this loaf are plump, juicy, and packed with sweetness. They really do provide a sweet flavor to the bread without adding any additional sugar.
The cinnamon also imparts sweet notes to the bread. Perhaps that is mostly because I associate cinnamon with sweet baked goods, but either way, a sweet flavor comes through. The cinnamon also gives a warmth and wholesomeness that pairs very well with the whole grain rye flour in the bread.
I hope you enjoy this recipe.
Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread (No Added Sugar)
A naturally-sweet loaf of cinnamon raisin sourdough bread without any added sugar. The cinnamon and raisins add all the sweetness you need for this grown-up version of cinnamon raisin bread.
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter Feeding
- Leftover Sourdough Starter - 25 grams
- Bread Flour - 50 grams
- Water - 50 grams
Main Dough
- Bread Flour - 425 grams
- Whole Grain Rye Flour - 25 grams
- Water - 325 grams
- Active Sourdough Starter - 100 grams
- Salt - 10 grams
Inclusions
- Raisins - 100 grams
- Cinnamon - 5 grams (1 tsp)
Instructions
Feeding the Starter
- In the evening, take 25 grams of leftover sourdough starter out of the fridge. Add 50 grams of bread flour and 50 grams of water to the jar. Mix everything together until there aren't any dry bits of flour left. Cover up the starter loosely with a lid, and let the starter rise at room temperature overnight (for around 8-12 hours). The starter should double in size overnight and be ready to use the next morning.
Mixing the Dough
- The next morning, when the starter has doubled in size, you can mix the entire dough together. Start by adding all of the water to a mixing bowl. Then add the salt and the active sourdough starter. Mix everything together so that the starter and salt dissolve into the water.
- Next, add all of the bread flour to the mixing bowl, and then add the small amount of whole grain rye flour.
Note: The rye flour adds a complex, nutty, and wholesome flavor to this loaf of bread that pairs very well with the cinnamon. If you don’t have rye, you can use any other whole grain flour. You can also just replace the rye flour with an equal weight of white bread flour if you don’t want to include any whole grain.
- Stir all of the dough ingredients together thoroughly with your hands or a spoon. When a shaggy dough is formed without any dry bits of flour left, cover up with mixing bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Bulk Fermentation
- After 30 minutes, uncover the dough and perform the first set of stretch and folds. Grab an edge of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over the top of the dough. Work your way around the dough, stretching and folding each corner of the dough until the dough starts to tense up and resist stretching. This should be about 6-10 folds in total. Then, cover up the mixing bowl again and let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.
- For the second set of stretch and folds, you’ll begin adding in the cinnamon and raisin mixture. Uncover the dough and add half of the cinnamon and half of the amount of raisins directly on top of the dough. With damp fingertips, spread the raisins and cinnamon around and begin pressing them into the dough. When all of the raisins are spread around and stuck to the dough, perform the second set of stretch and folds. This time, just fold the dough a total of four times. All of the cinnamon and raisins should now be trapped in a few layers inside of the dough. Cover up the mixing bowl again and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- For the third set of stretch and folds, uncover the dough and do the same thing you did during the second set of folds. Add the remaining cinnamon and raisins on top of the dough and give the dough four folds. All of the cinnamon and raisins should now be incorporated in layers inside of the dough. Cover the dough up again and let it rest for 30 minutes on the counter.
- 30 minutes later, take the dough out of the bowl and transfer it seam-side-down onto an un-floured surface. Shape the dough gently into a ball with your hands. This will distribute the raisins evenly throughout the dough and give the dough strength and structure as it rises. Place the dough back into the mixing bowl with the smooth side facing up. Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature for 3-6 hours, or until it almost doubles in size.
Shaping
- When your dough has doubled in size, take it out of the bowl and transfer it onto an un-floured counter with the smooth side facing up. Gently preshape the dough into a ball with your hands. Let the ball of dough rest on your counter uncovered for 30 minutes. If there are drafts in your kitchen, you can cover up the dough with a kitchen towel.
- After the 30 minute rest, give the dough its final shape. Dust an oval banneton basket liberally with rice flour or whole grain flour. Then dust the top of the dough ball with a little bit of bread flour.
- Flip the dough over on the counter so that the floured side is facing down and the sticky side is facing up. Gently pull the dough into a square shape. Fold the right third of the dough over the middle third, and then fold the left third of the dough over the middle third as well. Press the seam down in the middle. Then take the end of the dough that is further away from you and roll the dough toward you so that the dough forms an oval-shaped log. Squeeze the ends of the dough to close them up, or follow my easy shaping process in the video.
Proofing
- Next, flip the dough over into the banneton basket with the seam side facing up. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise on the counter for 1 hour at room temperature. Then, move the dough into the fridge to continue proofing overnight. Let it proof in the fridge for around 8-12 hours, but up to 24 hours is also fine.
Baking
- The next day, 30 minutes before you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a Dutch oven inside.
- When the oven is preheated, take the dough out of the fridge and flip it out of the banneton basket onto a sheet of parchment paper. Remove any excess flour from the top of the dough and score one long slash across the top of the dough with a razor blade or bread lame.
- Transfer the dough, parchment paper and all, into the hot Dutch oven. Close the Dutch oven lid to trap the steam and bake at 500°F (260°C) for 20 minutes. Then, remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top of the bread achieves a color that you like.
- Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Let the bread cool for at least one hour before slicing.
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