Cinnamon Bread

Today was so rainy and gross. Dave and I decided to stay in pretty much all day (we only left the house to pick up some Taco Bell for lunch...haha). With our time at home, we decided to do some baking. Dave made Rice Krispie treats with chocolate chips on top, and I made this cinnamon bread.

This was only my second attempt at making bread ever. My first try ended horribly, because it never rose. Did I kill the yeast? Was it too cold when I left it to rise? I'll never know, but what I do know is that this loaf was a success.

Enjoy the recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup Milk
6 Tablespoons salted Butter
2-½ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast (for me that was just under 2 packets)
2 whole Eggs, room temperature
⅓ cups Sugar
3-½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
⅓ cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
Egg And Milk, Mixed Together, For Brushing
Softened Butter, For Smearing And Greasing

Directions:

1. Melt butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but don’t boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch, but not hot. I was aiming for 110-120F. Sprinkle yeast over the top, stir gently, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

2. Combine flour and salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and eggs with the paddle attachment until combined. Pour in milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add half the flour and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the other half and beat until combined.

4. Switch to the dough hook attachment and beat/knead dough on medium speed for ten minutes. If dough is overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour and beat again for 5 minutes.

5. Heat a metal or glass mixing bowl so it’s warm. Drizzle in a little canola oil, then toss the dough in the oil to coat. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and set it in a warm, hospitable place for at least 2 hours. (I actually turned my gas oven on to about 350 for a min or 2, covered the bowl/plastic wrap with a tea towel, turned off the oven, put the dough in, and closed the door. It was the perfect warm- but not hot- environment).

6. Turn dough out onto the work surface. Roll into a neat rectangle no wider than the loaf pan you’re going to use, and about 18 to 24 inches long. Smear with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the butter-smeared dough. Starting at the far end, roll dough toward you, keeping it tight and contained. Pinch seam to seal.

7. Smear loaf pan with softened butter. Place dough, seam down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

8. Mix a little egg with milk, and smear over the top. Bake for 40 minutes on a middle/lower rack in the oven.

9. Remove from the pan and allow bread to cool. Slice and serve, or make cinnamon toast or French toast with it.

(sorry there are so many pics- I recently got new lamps for my light tent, so the lighting is soooo much better than before! I went a little shutter-happy)


Recipe from the Pioneer Woman