The most delicious homemade cinnamon raisin bread baked to perfection in a hot dutch oven! It has a doughy inside with sweet raisins and cinnamon, and a crunchy outer crust.
There is nothing quite like homemade bread. Especially this perfectly sweet cinnamon raisin bread. It has a light and crunchy crust, with a doughy inside, and it’s of course studded with perfectly sweet raisins. We love toasting this bread with butter or our recommended cinnamon honey butter for complete perfection!
For this recipe, all you’ll need is 1-bowl for mixing, a dutch oven pot, and a little over 30 minutes for the bread to bake. It’s EASY, so so tasty, and freezer-friendly.
Let’s get baking!
How to Make Cinnamon Raisin Bread
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1
Activate the yeast with warm water.
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2
Add rest of ingredients and stir until dough is sticky.
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3
Place the dough on a floured surface then shape with hands into a ball. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel in a warm place and let rise for 3+ hours or until doubled in size.





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4
Remove risen dough and use just enough flour on your hands and on the surface to form it into a ball.
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5
Place on parchment paper then use edges of the paper to lift into the dutch oven. Cover and bake at 450F for 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake until golden brown on top (another 5-10 minutes).
Tools You’ll Need
- Kitchen Aid electric mixer with a dough hook (optional, but recommended)
- Cast iron pot

Our favorite dutch oven pot
We recommend a 6 Qt dutch oven pot for this recipe because it creates high & stable temperatures that are ideal for bread making. We love Lodge cast iron because they are quality cast iron and affordable! We use it with bread making, soups, popcorn, and so much more.
If you click this link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.Tips for Success
- Use your oven to proof the dough: whenever dough needs to rise, it’s best to let it sit in a consistent and controlled climate. I prefer using my oven with the light on (oven settings are off). This creates a consistent temperature while the oven light develops a small amount of warmth to encourage the dough to rise.
- Freeze it: Let the bread cool and store in a freezer-friendly bag (press all the air out) and freeze for 1-2 months. Let thaw at room temperature and reheat in the oven at 350F until warm.
- Tips if preheating dutch oven: this recipe doesn’t call for preheating your dutch oven, but if choose to do this I recommend doing a double layer of parchment paper to ensure the bottom of the bread doesn’t get too brown.
- Easy cinnamon honey butter recipe: Make delicious and slightly sweet honey butter to spread on your homemade bread. You’ll need 1 tsp honey, a pinch of cinnamon, 3 tbsp room temperature butter – mix together in a small bowl and spread on your bread when done. SO good.
Baking with Yeast
Active dry yeast: You’ll need to take different steps when baking bread with different yeasts. If you have active dry yeast on hand, you will need to activate it in water before adding flour (this step is included in the instructions).
Instant yeast: If you have instant yeast, you can skip dissolving it in water and stir it into your dry ingredients before adding water. Instant yeast has super small granules compared to active dry yeast so it does not need to be activated in water first.
If you love this cinnamon bread, you might also be a fan of our cranberry walnut bread! Equally as delicious and just as easy to make.
Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup raisins
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the dough: In an electric mixer add warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes for yeast to activate tip: sugar feeds yeast so I include it in this process. Add raisins, cinnamon, flour, and salt. Use bread mixing attachment and mix together until dough forms. If dough is too wet or dry, add water/flour 1 Tbsp at a time until right consistency.
- Let it rise: Toss dough on lightly floured surface, place in lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp dish towel and let sit in a warm area for 3+ hours. Dough should be doubled in size. Tip: I like placing my dough in the oven with the light on (oven is off). This helps create a consistent climate for the dough while the light creates a small amount of warmth to help it rise.
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Transfer dough: Place dough on lightly floured surface and form into ball again (keep lightly flouring your hands to prevent sticking). Lay dough on parchment paper, lightly dust paper to prevent sticking, and lift edges of paper to transfer dough into dutch oven.
- Bake: Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for 5-10 more minutes until golden brown.
- Let it cool: Remove and let bread cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
Update to my previous post. I made it a second time using the correct amount of yeast and again it was pretty flat on top. So now I wonder if it is because I use a 7 qt Dutch oven and it spread out to fit? Would appreciate any feedback.
I think you have figured out the problem. Try using a smaller Dutch oven
My bread flattened in the Dutch oven. I realized I used a whole package of yeast so I’m assuming that was the issue? It was delicious though. I look forward to trying again with the correct amount of yeast.
Hi there I’m looking forward to making this. Can I use hone as the sweetener in the bread mix instead of the sugar
Super délicieuse love it
I love the recipe. I made the changes recommended by others that made it before me. Definitely 1 cup of raisins, extra tablespoon of brown sugar and extra cinnamon 1-2 teaspoons extra!
My question is what would be the downside to adding 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast as most bread recipes call for… I would like to see it rise more. Again I love the recipe and will continue to make it forever. I will make it for myself, neighbors, and surprise others! This recipe is a winner! Thank you so much.
I doubled the recipe, used 2c. Raisins and 2Tbp of cinnamon, preheated Dutch oven and is exquisite, thanks for the recipe, my husband surely will like it
Can you do this in the instant Dutch oven? If so what setting would you do the rising on?
Hi Ashley, unfortunately, I am not familiar with instant dutch ovens. So I don’t have an answer, so sorry!
I may have reviewed this before, but if I did, it warrants a second five stars because it just never fails to disappoint! Just made another loaf where I also added chopped walnuts and I’ve already eaten half the loaf! Thank you so much! excellent use of a Dutch oven.
Hi, this bread is AMAZING! and so is the butter! One question; can I let it rise overnight?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Joan! I’m actually making it as we speak. 🙂 Yes, you can let it rise overnight in the fridge! The cold will slow down the yeast so it can properly rise over an extended period. Hope that helps!
Thank you for the recipe! It is super easy! Delicious! Will definitely make again!
We love this bread. I made it the night before and let it rise in fridge , also made it and didn’t let it rise and put right in the freezer then did the rise later. It is amazing also with a 10x sugar and butter glaze.
Let rise in the fridge overnight, let sit for about an hour at room temp and Followed the advise to lower the temp to 400 degrees added a tad more cinnamon and raisins. This is delicious and can’t wait to make French toast with it.