Cinnamon Swirl Bread
My grandma has been making this bread for my brother and I for as long as I can remember, and at a very young age we nicknamed it "Grandma Bread". The name stuck, and now my grandma and I make it together! This delicious, sweet cinnamon bread is a delicious breakfast and it's easy to make!
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Ingredients
The Bread
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1 1/2 cups scalded milk
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1/2 cup (that's 1 stick) butter
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2 teaspoons salt
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1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon for the yeast
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4 1/2 teaspoons instant or active yeast
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1/2 cup warm water
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2 eggs, beaten
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About 9 cups all-purpose flour (this will vary depending on your dough, so add in stages)
The Filling
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1/4 cup (that's 1/2 stick or 4 tablespoons) salted butter, melted
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1/4 cup granulated sugar
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1 teaspoon cinnamon
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Instructions
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Add the butter, salt, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar to a large bowl. Pour the scalded milk over it. Allow to cool to lukewarm.
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Combine the yeast, warm water, and remaining teaspoon sugar in a small bowl. Stir gently, then set aside for 5 minutes until it's puffy.
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When the milk mixture is cool, stir in the beaten eggs and the yeast. Add the flour gradually. Start with 4 cups, then keep adding 1 cup until a shaggy dough forms.
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Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and kneed until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, then cover it with a towel and let it rest 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
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Spray two large loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Combine the 1/4 granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
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Punch down the dough, then move it to a well-floured work surface. Divide the dough in half, and roll each half out into a long rectangle. It should not be wider than your loaf pan. Use a pastry brush to spread each piece of dough with melted butter, then sprinkle them both generously with the cinnamon sugar.
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Roll up the loaf, pinching the ends shut. Place them into the prepared loaf pans, then cover them each with a clean towel and allow them to rest again for an hour.
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Bake the loaves at 425 degrees Fahrenheit or 220 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. This will ensure a good brown exterior. Then, lower the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius and bake for another 35-40 minutes. Remove and allow to cool before slicing.
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Serve plain or toasted with butter. This is the ultimate comfort breakfast food for me! It's sweet, cinnamon-y, and familiar; what more could you ask for?
Scalding Milk: How To Do It
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To scald your milk, simply heat it in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it forms a thin skin and starts to foam. There is no need to stir - in fact, try not to. Take it off the heat and voila! Scalded milk, perfect for this bread.