Best Healthy Raisin Bread Recipes

EASY CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD

Steps:

• Whisk water, milk, sugar and yeast together. Allow to stand for 10 minutes until foamy.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the flour, spiced and salt.
• With the mixer running, add the yeast mixture and allow to knead in.
• Add the butter or oil, allow to knead in then add more flour, one third cup at a time until the dough is smooth. Add the raisins.
• Knead for another minuted until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.
• If the dough is still very sticky, add more flour and knead in.
• The dough should be smooth and soft and only a slight bit sticky.
• Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and allow to rise for 1 hour.
• Once the dough has proofed, press it into rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Press any raisins that have fallen out of the dough into the center. Roll onto its self into a log, pinch the seam then transfer to a loaf pan that has been lightly greased.
• Cover again and allow to rise for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Brush with beaten egg and place in the oven and allow to bake for 30-45 minutes until golden brown and risen. If the bread browns too quickly, loosely cover with a piece of foil and continue baking. Once baked the bread will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• Remove from the oven, brush with melted butter (optional) and allow to cool before slicing.

WORLD'S BEST CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD (NOT BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a small sauce pan on the stove until it just starts to bubble, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat.
• Let cool until lukewarm, about 120-125 degrees.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside until yeast is frothy, about 10 minutes or so (make sure your water is at the correct temperature or the yeast won't activate.) Then mix in eggs, sugar, butter salt and raisins (stir in the cooled milk slowly so you don't cook the eggs.) Add the flour gradually to make a stiff dough.
• Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until smooth.
• Place in a large, buttered, mixing bowl and turn to grease the surface of the dough.
• Cover with a warm, damp cloth and let rise (I like to let my bread rise in the oven with the light on. It has just the right amount of heat and keeps the bread out of drafts.) Allow to rise until doubled, usually about 1 1/2 hours.
• Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle 1/2 inch thick.
• Moisten the dough with 2 tablespoons milk and rub all over the dough with your hands.
• Mix together 1 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons cinnamon and sprinkle mixture evenly on top of the moistened dough.
• Roll up tightly (the long way).
• The roll should be about 3 inches in diameter.
• Cut into thirds, and tuck under ends and pinch bottom together.
• Place loaves into well greased (you can use Crisco or butter for this) 9 x 5 inch pans and lightly grease tops of loaves.
• Let rise in warm place, uncovered, again for about an hour.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped.
• Remove from oven and let cool on rack.
• Take melted butter and spread over tops of loaves.
• After about 20 minutes, lay loaves on their sides and remove from pans.
• Allow to cool before slicing.