Description
This Sourdough Cinnamon Sugar Bread is a deliciously fragrant and tender loaf combining the tangy depth of sourdough with a sweet, warmly spiced cinnamon-sugar filling. Perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack, it features a soft, fluffy crumb wrapped in a golden, caramelized crust. Made with a combination of bread and all-purpose flours and slowly fermented for rich flavor development, this loaf is baked to a perfect golden brown for a satisfying cinnamon-sugar treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 220 grams water
- 175 grams bread flour
- 175 grams all-purpose flour
- 110 grams active sourdough starter
- 20 grams sugar
- 10 grams neutral oil
- 7 grams salt
Filling
- 12 grams ground cinnamon
- 65 grams light brown sugar
- Splash of heavy cream (approximately 1-2 tablespoons)
Instructions
- Mix Dough: In a mixing bowl, combine water, bread flour, all-purpose flour, active sourdough starter, sugar, neutral oil, and salt until well-hydrated and the dough forms a shaggy mass. Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the water.
- Stretch and Fold: Over the next 2 hours, perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes. To do this, wet your hand, grab one edge of the dough, stretch it upward gently, then fold it over the rest. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3-4 times per session, which helps develop gluten and create structure. The dough will become smoother and more elastic.
- Bulk Fermentation: After the stretch and folds, allow the dough to bulk ferment at room temperature for about 6 hours until it becomes noticeably puffier and aerated. Then place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to slow fermentation and improve flavor and crumb texture.
- Prepare Filling & Shape: In a small bowl, mix the ground cinnamon and light brown sugar for the filling. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and gently roll it out into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Brush the surface with a splash of heavy cream to help the filling stick, then evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the dough. Fold the dough over and roll it into a tight log, sealing the edges to encase the filling.
- Final Proof: Place the shaped log seam side down into a greased loaf pan. Cover and let it proof at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours until it looks puffed and nearly doubled in size.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the loaf in the oven and bake for about 50 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- Using both bread flour and all-purpose flour balances gluten development and tenderness.
- Stretch and folds help strengthen the dough without kneading.
- Chilling the dough improves flavor and makes shaping easier.
- Brush the dough with cream rather than butter to avoid interfering with gluten development.
- Make sure your sourdough starter is active for best rise.
- Let the bread cool fully to set the crumb before slicing.
