I just baked a Cinnamon No Knead Bread with a shatteringly crisp crust and a pillowy, raisin-studded crumb that’ll ruin store-bought loaves for you.

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I’m obsessed with this Cinnamon No Knead Bread because it hits every note I want: a crackly crust, a moist crumb, and pockets of sweet raisins that explode with ground cinnamon in every bite. I love how the cinnamon threads through the dough without being shouty, and the raisins give it little chewy surprises.

But mostly I love the honesty of it. Rustic, messy, and seriously addictive.

This is my go-to when I want an Artisan Cinnamon Bread that satisfies and when I crave something more soulful than usual. Can’t stop, won’t stop.

Best served with butter, no apologies honestly.

Ingredients

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All-purpose flour: the comfy base, gives structure and that familiar, slightly chewy crumb.
Instant yeast: wakes the dough, makes it airy and light so slices aren’t dense.
Fine sea salt: balances sweetness and brings out the bread’s real flavor, not salty taste.
Granulated sugar: adds gentle sweetness and helps that crust brown nicely while baking.
Ground cinnamon: warm, cozy spice that smells amazing and makes each bite feel comforting.
Raisins: juicy pops of sweetness, chewy texture, and a bit of natural candy for mornings.
Warm water: basically wakes up the yeast and makes the dough easy to work with.
Melted butter or oil: adds richness and tenderness, keeps crumb soft and slightly glossy.
Optional milk or egg wash: Plus it gives a shiny, golden top you’ll want photographed.

Ingredient Quantities

3 cups (375 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1 teaspoon instant yeast (or active dry yeast)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 to 1 1/4 cups (150 g) raisins, plumped if you like

1 1/4 cups (300 ml) warm water (about 100 to 110 F / 38 to 43 C)

2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil, plus extra for brushing

Optional: 1 tablespoon milk or beaten egg for brushing top before baking

How to Make this

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1. In a large bowl whisk together 3 cups (375 g) flour, 1 tsp instant yeast, 1 tsp fine sea salt, 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon so it’s evenly mixed.

2. Stir in 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) warm water (about 100 to 110 F / 38 to 43 C) and 2 tbsp melted butter or neutral oil until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. You may need a little more or less water; it should be wet and loose, not a smooth ball.

3. Fold in 1 to 1 1/4 cups (150 g) raisins, stirring gently until distributed. If you like, plump raisins first by soaking them in a few tablespoons of warm water or rum for 10 minutes, then drain and add.

4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it rise at room temperature until doubled and bubbly, about 12 to 18 hours. This long, slow rise gives flavor and structure without kneading.

5. After the first rise, flour your work surface lightly and turn the sticky dough out. With floured hands do a quick fold or two to shape into a rough round. Dont punch all the air out, you want some bubbles left.

6. Place the dough on a piece of parchment, cover and let rest for the second rise about 1 to 2 hours until puffy. Meanwhile preheat your oven to 450 F (230 C) with a Dutch oven or heavy pot inside for at least 30 minutes.

7. If you want a shiny, darker top brush the loaf with 1 tbsp milk or beaten egg now. Carefully transfer the dough on the parchment into the preheated pot, score the top with a sharp knife and cover.

8. Bake covered for 25 to 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until deep golden and crusty. The internal temp should be about 200 to 205 F (93 to 96 C).

9. Brush the hot loaf with a little melted butter, cool on a rack at least 30 minutes before slicing. Bread is best the same day but you can store wrapped for 2 days or freeze slices.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl (for whisking flour, yeast, sugar and cinnamon and for the long rise)
2. Whisk (to evenly mix the dry ingredients)
3. Measuring cups and spoons (or a digital scale for the flour and raisins)
4. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon (to stir the wet ingredients and fold in raisins)
5. Plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel (to cover the dough while it rises)
6. Parchment paper (to hold the sticky dough for the second rise and to transfer into the pot)
7. Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot with lid (preheated in the oven for that great crust)
8. Sharp knife or bread lame (to score the loaf before baking)
9. Oven mitts or heatproof gloves (for safely handling the hot pot)
10. Cooling rack (to let the loaf cool evenly before slicing)

FAQ

Q: Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast? A: Yes, you can. If using active dry, proof it in a little of the warm water for 5 to 10 minutes until bubbly, then mix into the dough. It works the same, just takes a touch longer sometimes.

Q: Do I have to plump the raisins first? A: No, you don't have to, but soaking them in hot water or warm tea for 10 minutes keeps them juicy and stops them from stealing moisture from the bread. Drain and pat dry before adding.

Q: How long should I let the dough rise? A: Let it rise 12 to 18 hours at room temp until it’s bubbly and doubled or a little more. Shorter if your kitchen is warm, longer if it’s cool. It’s forgiving, so don’t stress if it’s off by an hour or two.

Q: Do I need to knead this dough? A: No kneading required. Just fold a couple times during shaping to build structure. The long rise and hydration do the work for you, making a soft crumb and nice crust.

Q: What if the dough feels too wet or too dry? A: If it’s super sticky add a tablespoon of flour at a time when shaping. If it feels tight and dry add a teaspoon of water at a time. It should be shaggy and slightly sticky but manageable.

Q: Can I make this ahead or freeze it? A: Yes. After the first rise, you can shape and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours before baking. Or freeze the baked loaf, wrapped well, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp and refresh in a 325 F oven for 10 minutes if you want crust back.

No Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

3 cups all purpose flour
- Use bread flour for a chewier, taller loaf (same weight)
- Or sub half with whole wheat pastry flour for nuttier flavor, expect a slightly denser crumb
- Gluten free 1:1 baking flour works if you add a tablespoon of xanthan gum or use a blend that already has it
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Replace with 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup, reduce water by ~1 to 2 tbsp to keep dough consistency
- Brown sugar adds a deeper caramel flavor, use same amount
1 to 1 1/4 cups raisins
- Swap for dried cranberries, chopped apricots or currents for a different tart/sweet note (same volume)
- Or use 1 cup chocolate chips if you want a dessert-style loaf
2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil
- Use olive oil for a savory hint, same amount
- Coconut oil adds subtle sweetness, use same amount and melt first
- Use softened butter instead if you forgot to melt it, just mix it in by hand

Pro Tips

1. Plump the raisins in warm water or rum for 10 minutes, then drain well. If they stay soggy they’ll make the crumb gummy, but if you toss them in a little flour first they’ll distribute more evenly instead of sinking to the bottom.

2. Use a kitchen thermometer for the water and the finished loaf. Yeast likes about 100 to 110 F for this dough, and the bread is reliably done at 200 to 205 F inside. Guessing leads to underproofed or doughy centers.

3. Keep the dough wet and loose like it says; resist the urge to add a bunch more flour when shaping. Lightly flour your hands and do just a couple of gentle folds so you keep those tasty air bubbles. If it’s too sticky to handle, chill it for 15 minutes rather than adding extra flour.

4. Preheat the Dutch oven or pot a full 30 minutes and bake covered for the first part. That trapped steam is what gives you a thin, crackly crust and good oven spring. When you take the lid off, watch closely so it doesn’t darken too fast; if it’s browning unevenly, rotate the pot.

No Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe

Recipe by Bob Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

I just baked a Cinnamon No Knead Bread with a shatteringly crisp crust and a pillowy, raisin-studded crumb that'll ruin store-bought loaves for you.

Servings

servings

Calories

177

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl (for whisking flour, yeast, sugar and cinnamon and for the long rise)
2. Whisk (to evenly mix the dry ingredients)
3. Measuring cups and spoons (or a digital scale for the flour and raisins)
4. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon (to stir the wet ingredients and fold in raisins)
5. Plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel (to cover the dough while it rises)
6. Parchment paper (to hold the sticky dough for the second rise and to transfer into the pot)
7. Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot with lid (preheated in the oven for that great crust)
8. Sharp knife or bread lame (to score the loaf before baking)
9. Oven mitts or heatproof gloves (for safely handling the hot pot)
10. Cooling rack (to let the loaf cool evenly before slicing)

Ingredients

3 cups (375 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 to 1 1/4 cups (150 g) raisins, plumped if you like
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) warm water (about 100 to 110 F / 38 to 43 C)
2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil, plus extra for brushing
Optional: 1 tablespoon milk or beaten egg for brushing top before baking

Directions

In a large bowl whisk together 3 cups (375 g) flour, 1 tsp instant yeast, 1 tsp fine sea salt, 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon so it’s evenly mixed.
Stir in 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) warm water (about 100 to 110 F / 38 to 43 C) and 2 tbsp melted butter or neutral oil until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. You may need a little more or less water; it should be wet and loose, not a smooth ball.
Fold in 1 to 1 1/4 cups (150 g) raisins, stirring gently until distributed. If you like, plump raisins first by soaking them in a few tablespoons of warm water or rum for 10 minutes, then drain and add.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it rise at room temperature until doubled and bubbly, about 12 to 18 hours. This long, slow rise gives flavor and structure without kneading.
After the first rise, flour your work surface lightly and turn the sticky dough out. With floured hands do a quick fold or two to shape into a rough round. Dont punch all the air out, you want some bubbles left.
Place the dough on a piece of parchment, cover and let rest for the second rise about 1 to 2 hours until puffy. Meanwhile preheat your oven to 450 F (230 C) with a Dutch oven or heavy pot inside for at least 30 minutes.
If you want a shiny, darker top brush the loaf with 1 tbsp milk or beaten egg now. Carefully transfer the dough on the parchment into the preheated pot, score the top with a sharp knife and cover.
Bake covered for 25 to 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until deep golden and crusty. The internal temp should be about 200 to 205 F (93 to 96 C).
Brush the hot loaf with a little melted butter, cool on a rack at least 30 minutes before slicing. Bread is best the same day but you can store wrapped for 2 days or freeze slices.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.