This bread is always a holiday favorite in my house. You can't wake my brothers up by screaming "Santa came!!!" but once my mom pulls this bread out of the oven, they are there before the oven door has even shut. Yes, I know that it is mid-April, that the last thing many of you want to think about is the winter and snow, all you want to see are beautiful flowers and feel the warm sun, so lucky for you, this cinnamon bread is perfect for any season.
Somehow I have a million hilarious stories in which this homemade cinnamon bread plays a large roll. Like that time my brother got his wisdom teeth out, was feeling a bit loopy, and told me on the way home that he couldn't wait to eat an entire loaf of mom's cinnamon bread. Funny thing--my mom hadn't even planned on making it, but my very silly brother argued that she had made it and that the whole loaf was his.
Or how every time it is made, we all cut right from the middle because we swear that has the most cinnamon sugar, the gooiest part of the bread. Skip over that crust and just give us the buttery, sugary, cinnamon swirl in the center!
To me, this bread is basically home! As my fiancé and I are currently about a 12-14 hour drive from our families in New England, my mom's cinnamon, buttery bread puts me right back at the kitchen counter in Maine.
So whether you're craving bread, sweetness, or just something warm and delightful, look no farther! This is one of my favorite breads, I swear by it, and luckily there are only 4 short hours between you and the yummiest thing you'll ever taste!
ingredients
Milk (110 degrees F)—8 oz, or 1 cup
Butter (melted)—3 oz, or 6 TBL
Yeast—1 packet, or 2 ¼ tsp
Eggs—2
Sugar—2.75 oz, or 1/3 cup
Flour—16 oz, or 3 ½ cups
Salt—1 tsp
process
In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warmed milk and melted butter. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm liquids and mix. Let sit for 10 minutes.
During these 10 minutes, the yeast will begin to activate, which you will be able to clearly see—the yeast will bubble.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar.
After the 10 minutes have passed, put your dough hook onto the mixer and turn on low.
Slowly stream in the sugar/egg mixture.
Once combined, slowly add the flour and salt.
Turn your mixer up to medium speed and allow to mix for 10 minutes.
At the end of the 10 minutes, if your dough is still sticky, add in anywhere from ¼ cup to ½ cup of flour.
Once your dough has formed a ball around the dough hook and is slapping the sides of the bowl while mixing, transfer into an oiled bowl.
*Make sure that the bowl is large enough so that it can double in size!*
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours/until it has doubled.
filling ingredients
Butter(softened)—2 oz, or 4 TBL
Brown Sugar—2.75 oz, or 1/3 cup
Cinnamon—2 TBL
final process
Once the dough has risen, put onto a floured work surface.
Roll your dough into a rectangle that is approximately 18”x24”.
Smear with your softened butter.
Mix together the cinnamon and sugar, sprinkle evenly over the butter.
Roll the dough up into a log so that the cinnamon sugar is on the inside.
Put seam-side down into a loaf pan, which has been either sprayed with nonstick spray or coated with butter.
Cover in plastic and allow to rise for another 2 hours.
When you are ready to bake the bread, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Make an egg wash by beating an egg with just a splash of milk and brush on the bread.
Bake on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes, until bread is light golden brown.
Bon Appétit!