A whole wheat cinnamon swirl bread that is delicious on its own, makes the best toast imaginable, and excellent french toast and bread pudding.
Now that it is dark before the kids get home from school, I want nothing more than to make my house warm and wintery. This time of year is when I want my house to be super cozy and welcoming. And having a fresh loaf of homemade whole wheat cinnamon swirl bread does the trick. This bread makes your house smell like heaven while it is rising and baking, and even when you toast it. This makes the BEST toast. (Be generous with the butter, it is so worth it.) If you should have any leftovers, it is also incredible in a bread pudding or used in french toast.
This bread has a few steps, but it is a very simple recipe, and a great one for young bakers wanting to try baking bread. Most of the heavy lifting is down either in an electric mixer or bread machine. I got this recipe from King Arthur Flour and it uses white whole wheat flour. If you have kids that are not quite there with you on the whole wheat bread, this must be the way to get them there. You would never know that this is a 100% whole wheat bread.
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Starter:
- 1/2 cup cool water
- 1 cup whole white wheat flour
- 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
Filling:
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
Dough:
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 5 Tablespoons melted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup dry milk
- 1/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes
- 2 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
The night before:
Make the starter. Mix the water, flour, and yeast until combined in a mixing bowl. (I like to use the bowl I am going to make my bread in, usually the bowl of my electric mixer.) Let sit overnight or up to 16 hours.
The next day:
Add the dough ingredients to the bowl. Knead until the dough is cohesive. I use the dough hook and my mixer on low speed. It takes about 7 minutes. It will not be as smooth as a dough made with all white flour.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover, and place in an extra large zip top bag. (This is my favorite way to rise dough. It creates an environment perfect for dough to rise in my super cold, drafty house.) Allow to rise until it has expanded and is puffy, about 90 minutes. (If you knead by hand, it might take longer than 90 minutes.)
While the dough is rising, make the filling by combing the sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Set aside.
Gently deflate the dough and transfer to a lightly oiled surface. Roll the dough out to a thin rectangle, about 16”x9” inches long.
Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle cinnamon sugar all over the surface.
Using the short end, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the end and side seam closed.
Pat until smooth and place in a greased 9”x5” loaf pan.
Put the dough back into the extra large zip-top bag (or cover with lightly greased plastic wrap or a shower cap.) Let rise for another 90 minutes or until it comes about 3/4” over the rim of the loaf pan. During the end of this proof, preheat the oven to 350°. Brush with egg wash.
Bake for 10 minutes, then tent with foil and bake for another 40 to 45 minutes. The center should be 190°. Remove from the oven, turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.
Slice and serve with lots of butter.
- ½ cup cool water
- 1 cup whole white wheat flour
- ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2½ teaspoons instant yeast
- ½ cup lukewarm milk
- ½ cup orange juice
- 5 Tablespoons melted butter
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup dry milk
- ¼ cup instant mashed potato flakes
- 2¾ cups white whole wheat flour
- The night before: Make the starter. Mix the water, flour and yeast until combined in a mixing bowl. (I like to use the bowl I am going to make my bread in, usually the bowl of my electric mixer.) Let sit overnight or up to 16 hours.
- The next day, add the dough ingredients to the bowl. Knead until the dough is cohesive. I use the dough hook and my mixer on low speed. It takes about 7 minutes. It will not be as smooth as a dough made with all white flour.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover, and place in an extra large zip top bag. (This is my favorite way to rise dough. It creates an environment perfect for dough to rise in my super cold, drafty house.) Allow to rise until it has expanded and is puffy, about 90 minutes. (If you knead by hand, it might take longer than 90 minutes.)
- While the dough is rising, make the filling by combing the sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Set aside.
- Gently deflate the dough and transfer to a lightly oiled surface. Roll the dough out to a thin rectangle, about 16”x9” inches long. Brush will beaten egg and sprinkle cinnamon sugar all over the surface.
- Using the short end, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the end and side seam closed. Pat until smooth and place in a greased 9”x5” loaf pan. Put the dough back into the extra large zip top bag (or cover with lightly greased plastic wrap or a shower cap. Let rise for another 90 minutes or until it comes about ¾” over the rim of the loaf pan. During the end of this proof, preheat the oven to 350°. Brush with egg wash.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then tent with foil and bake for another 40 to 45 minutes. The center should be 190°. Remove the oven, turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.
- Slice and serve with lots of butter.
Sarah says
Why mashed potato flakes? I never buy those sorts of foods, can I omit these or substitute something else? I’m trying to reduce the partially opened things in my pantry that I never use up! Thanks!
Bree says
You can use real mashed potato. It helps with moisture, which you especially need when working with whole wheat flours.
Erica Layne says
Oooh, thank you! I regularly buy the loaf of sliced cinnamon bread at Trader Joe’s that looks JUST like this, but I think it’s white bread (and I always wish it was wheat)! I think I’m gonna have to try this!
Erica Layne says
Oh and my mom makes an amazing roll recipe that used potato flakes. Super moist!
Lecy | A Simpler Grace says
What a great recipe! I never thought to use potato in my homemade bread before. Can’t wait to give this a try!