Homemade Cinnamon Bread

It's Jess, your friendly resident baker!  Last week, we had a surprise snow day so I found myself with an extra day at home.  I decided to bake one of my favorite recipes, the Pioneer Woman's Homemade Cinnamon Bread.  Much like my favorite Honey Oat Bread, it's not challenging, just time consuming.  It's great for any beginning bread baker!  Also, the method for the two breads is mostly the same, so once you master one, you'll have the other down quickly, too.

To get started, you'll need to gather some ingredients.  Just like Honey Oat, I usually substitute one cup of whole wheat flour because I like the taste and crumb it provides:

Heat the butter and milk together, either in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.  Make sure it cools off a bit before you add yeast, as it'll be too hot if it's just melted the butter.  Let the yeast bloom for 10-15 minutes.  While you wait, you can mix the flour and salt in one bowl and the sugar in the bowl of your mixer.

Once the yeast has done its thing, add the eggs to the sugar in your mixer.  Slowly, stream in the milk mixture (not too fast--you don't want to curdle your eggs).  You'll want your paddle attachment for this part.  Once it's mixed together, switch to your dough hook.

Knead on a medium setting for 10 minutes.  The recipe mentions what to do if the dough is too sticky, but it's never happened to me and I've made this a bunch of times.  After the 10 minutes are up, roll it into a ball.  Add a little vegetable oil to a large bowl (you can use your mixer bowl, too) and the let it rest at least two hours.  Make sure you've got a warm spot for this to happen.  In my freezing January kitchen, I preheated my oven to 200 degrees, turned it off and then let it rise in there.

After the time, here's what we had.

Roll it out into a rectangle that is about as wide as your loaf pan is long.  Brush on some more melted butter.  Hopefully, you have an adorable sous chef like I do.

Then mix up your cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it all over the dough.

Start on one end and roll up the dough.  I like to try to pat the ends together a little as I roll, to keep it in shape.  You might have a little cinnamon-sugar falling out on the ends, but not much.  Place the dough seam-side down in your buttered loaf pan.  Brush even more butter on top (Clearly, this isn't health food) and cover for another rise.  Don't rush this.  You really need at least an hour and a half, but I prefer two hours.

Beat an egg with a little milk and brush it on top.  It's into a preheated 350 degree (or 325 convection) oven for 45-50 minutes.  I usually set a timer for 20 minutes to rotate it half-way through for a more even bake.

You'll know it's done when the top is golden brown and the internal temperature is between 190-200 degrees.  You can also tap the bottom of the loaf and hear a hollow sound.  After a time or two, you'll start to get the hang of this.

There you have it!  This stuff is delicious right out of the oven, toasted, as French Toast or any other way!

Will you give this bread a try?  If you do, let us know in the comments below!