Cinnamon Swirl Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Ingredients

Hand Method: (yields 2 loaves)

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup oil
• 2 1/2 cups warm water (110°F)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp SAF Instant Yeast
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 – 7 cups fresh whole wheat flour (room temperature)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Dough Enhancer, optional
• 1/3 cup Vital Wheat Gluten, optional

Cinnamon filling

• 2 Tbsp butter (melted)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Large Mixer Method: Yields 4-6 loaves

• 2/3 cup honey
• 2/3 cup oil
• 6 cups warm water (110°F)
• 3 Tbsp SAF Instant Yeast
• 1 1/2 – 2 Tbsp salt
• 14 – 18 cups fresh whole wheat flour (room temperature)
• 2 Tbsp Dough Enhancer, optional
• 2/3 cup Vital Gluten, optional

Cinnamon filling

• 4 Tbsp butter (melted)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Directions

Hand Method

Combine the warm water, yeast, and 2 cups of fresh whole wheat flour in a large mixing bowl. Allow to sponge for 15 minutes. Add the honey, oil, dough enhancer, salt and 4-5 cups additional flour until the dough begins to clean the sides of the mixing bowl.

Knead the dough by hand 7-10 minutes or until it is very smooth, elastic and small bubbles or blisters appear beneath the surface of the dough. When hand kneading, oil your kneading surface and your hands with 1-2 tsp of oil to help reduce stickiness.

Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Roll each portion into a rectangle (approx.  10” x 8”) and brush with butter.  In a separate dish, combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over dough.

Form dough into two loaves by tightly rolling up “jelly-roll” style from the short side. Gently seal ends and place seam side down into greased bread pans. Allow the dough to rise in a slightly warmed oven (85-100°F) or other warm place until doubled in size, about 30-60 minutes.

Bake the loaves for 25-30 minutes at 350°F. Preheating the oven is not necessary. Bread is done when the top, sides, and bottom are nicely browned in color, or 180°F to 200°F is reached on an instant-read thermometer. Over baked is better than under baked.

Large Mixer Method

Combine the honey, oil, warm water, yeast, dough enhancer, and 2 cups of the whole wheat flour in the mixing bowl; sponge for 15 minutes. Add the salt and 14-18 cups additional flour, 1 cup at a time, while the mixer is running until the dough is stiff and cleans the sides of the mixing bowl.

Knead the dough for 6 minutes on speed #1 (or low speed) to develop the gluten if you are using fresh flour. Allow the dough to rise until doubled, about 30-60 minutes. This first rising is optional if you are in a hurry.

Form dough into 4-6 loaves by tightly rolling up “jelly-roll” style from the short side. Gently seal ends and place seam side down into greased bread pans. Allow the dough to rise in a slightly warmed oven (85-100°F) or other warm place until doubled in size, about 30-60 minutes.

Bake loaves for 25-30 minutes in a 350°F oven. Bread is done when the top, sides, and bottom are nicely browned in color, or 180°F to 200°F is reached on an instant-read thermometer.