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I recently bought a bread machine and have been experimenting with different recipes. I am still playing around to find the perfect whole-wheat sandwich loaf, but in the meantime, I hit the jackpot with this raisin cinnamon bread for bread machines.
Whole Wheat Raisin Cinnamon Bread for Bread Machines
The first time I made this bread the entire loaf (pictured) was gone in just under 24 hours. And no, we did not have any house guests…it was just my family of four chowing down like it was our jobs. At one point I had to cut the children off mainly because I wanted my loaf to last us longer than a day!
I finally made more though and have been using it to make sandwiches - with organic cream cheese in the middle - for my daughters’ snacks at school. They even love this bread enough for it to serve as a “dessert” after dinner.
What's the Best Bread Machine for Whole Wheat Bread?
If you don’t have a bread machine I think it’s worth the investment since it’s nearly impossible to find decent whole-wheat bread at a typical grocery store. I bought a Panasonic (this one is similar)machine that was recommended by several friends, but I’ve also heard from readers who found a machine they love from their local Goodwill store.
The only complaint I have about my machine is that I wish I didn’t have to wait an hour or two for it to beep before adding the raisins (since you don’t put them in with the rest of the ingredients). Other than that though I’ve been very happy with it! Here's a quick tip: make sure to select the whole wheat setting on your bread machine for the best results!
If you have a machine that you love please tell us about it in the comments below.
Whole-Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread (for Bread Machine)
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole-wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water (warmed (I heat it in glass measuring cup in microwave for 1 minute))
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Follow your bread machine’s directions for making a whole-wheat raisin loaf.
I like to take my bread out 10 minutes before the standard end time for a lighter crust.
Katrina humphries says
Is the cinnamon raisin bread a 2 pound loaf. I used it for the wheat but wanted to check before i made it.
Katrina humphries says
Just made this whole wheat bread and it is so good. I was do glad to find a bread that was made with only whole wheat flour. I can't wait to try the cinnamon raisins. Thank you so much
Courtenay says
For those of you without a bread machine (like me) who really, really wanted to make this recipe, I was able to make a loaf so tasty that my kids want it for dessert, plain, it's just that good!
Here is how I made mine (all the amounts are the same from Lisa's original recipe):
Combine water (110 degrees) with yeast and honey, then mix with 1 and 1/2 cups of the flour. I let this sit for 30 minutes until it was nice and bubbly.
Then I added the remaining ingredients in a Kitchenaid with a dough hook. The raisins were last and I think that made them more difficult to incorporate, so I will change that for next time, but I didn't do anything special to them first.
I let the dough knead for 10 minutes in the mixer, 5 minutes on low, then 5 minutes on one setting higher.
I placd the dough in a greased bowl (lightly greased the dough as well) and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
Then, punched it down, placed it in a greased loaf pan and let it rise again, this time until it was even with the sides of the pan.
I baked the loaf for 28 minutes at 350 degrees and it is Perfect!
thank you Lisa for another great recipe!
I hope this helps others eager to make this bread.
Cheri says
Courtenay, Thank you so much for posting this. I received a new Cusinart Bread Maker a few months ago and unfortunately every bread I have made from the bread maker turns the outside very hard and the inside doughy (appears half done). I don't think it mixes enough. I have made the honey whole wheat with the bread maker and without. With the bread maker, it is dense and hard on the outside. If I make it on my own, it is so much better. I have a Kitchen Aid mixer, so I will re-attempt making this later in the week. I do think it makes a big difference on the type of bread maker you have. I am giving mine up. Thanks for posting.
Diane says
Thank you for this - I don't use a bread machine so I am always hoping I am not the only one.
Heather says
Thank you Courtenay! I needed the guidance!! And except for needing more water than you, this was perfect!
Tim says
Just made this bread the other day. Turned out amazing. I used almond oil and twice the cinnamon, and a heaping cup of raisins (I have seen other comments on the raisins clumping, and so I was careful to sprinkle them into the pan and not just dump the whole cup in. I used boxed organic raisins for this recipe - I normally get my raisins in the bulk food section, but those seemed to be too sticky for this.) I use a Zojirushi 2lb bread maker, and this loaf came out about half height, but was incredibly soft. I used the basic wheat setting, and my machine includes an indicator for when to add the raisins. Thanks for developing this, I am four for four with respect to recipes on this site. Keep up the great work!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Shannon. Your answer is within this post:https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/12/09/real-food-tips-my-favorite-kitchen-tools-and-appliances/. Scroll down to the Small, But Necessary Tool section. ~Amy
Shannon says
I once read on your blog about a recommended bread knife. I cannot find the post again. I just took the leap and bought the bread machine...now I need a proper knife to go with it. What was your recommendation?
Shawna says
Hi. What kind of yeast? Instant of Active Dry?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Shawna. We use active dry. ~Amy
Gretchen says
Curious what your concerns are with the bake pan in the bread machine that is non stick? The chemicals that are released when heated any concern? Thanks! Looking forward to hearing back from you!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Gretchen. This is not an issue we have explored. If you are concerned about teflon being heated, you could use your machine to mix and knead the dough and bake it in the oven. ~Amy
Gretchen says
Thank you :) So I am assuming my kitchen aid stand mixer with the hook attachment would work then bake it?! My daughter loves raisin bread. Can't wait to try it! Thanks Amy!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Yes, Gretchen. It should work just fine. : ) ~Amy
Lisa says
I dont own a bread machine, nor do i have the funds to purchase one at the moment. Can the bread recipes be mixed by hand and just baked in the oven?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Lisa. Other readers have had luck baking this bread conventionally. If you have a chance to share your results, please do. Good luck. ~Amy
Lindsey says
I found a bread machine at Goodwill for $5, then found the owner's manual online. Goodwill has lots of small kitchen appliances for around $5.
Dee says
I also have a problem with the raisins being incorporated into the dough (bread machine) I found that If I microwave the raisins for 5 minutes in water,drain,then raisins are then plumped up and easily blend into the dough.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Kristen. Lisa often uses King Arthur's White Whole Wheat: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/king-arthur-white-whole-wheat-flour-5-lb. I don't know if it is available in bulk. ~Amy
Kristen Espino says
I see she uses hard white whole wheat for her breads. is that right?? does she get this in bulk! And, if so, where?
Thank you,
Kristen
Angie says
Made this yesterday and just started my second loaf sans the raisins. I plan to use it for French toast for dinner tonight! Thanks so much this recipe :)
Megan says
I just bought the same bread machine and would like to know which setting you used for this recipe (whole-wheat?) and when did you add the raisins? I am really wanting to try this recipe because it looks delicious but don't want to mess it up :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Megan. Lisa suggests: "Follow your bread machine’s directions for making a whole-wheat raisin loaf.
I like to take my bread out 10 minutes before the standard end time for a lighter crust." And to avoid the raisins settling a reader suggests: "Maybe try one of these: chop the raisins so they are smaller or soak them a little until they are softer...or I had to help my machine and took the bread while it was kneading and smooshed it into the seeds or raisins." And finally, I found this reference as well: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/26760/raisin-bread-bread-machine. Hope this helps. ~Amy
Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food says
Megan - There is a specific setting for raisin bread...it beeps part way through baking and that is when you add the raisins. Check your manual for details and good luck!
Anthony says
what can you substitute for the coconut oil? i'm not a big fan of coconut. Thanks. Love your website.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Anthony. Butter should work. ~Amy
Stephanie says
Cold or expeller pressed coconut oil doesn't have coconut flavor. It's just a bit more processed than the other kind.
Mags says
Just made this and the whole house smells like a bakery! Its still hot so I cant slice it. I pulled off a piece from the bottom :-) Wow, delish! I love my breadmaker!
Kelly says
Love this bread, and the honey whole wheat one, too.... But, mine seem to come out REALLY dry and crumbly... is that normal or is there an adjustment I can make to avoid that and get a moister end result?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Kelly. Perhaps you could try reducing the baking time? Jill
Mandy says
I have the same machine as Lisa. What size of loaf is this recipe for?
Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Mandy - It's a 2lb loaf. Jill
Lynn says
What is the best way to store homemade bread?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Lynn. I would just store it in a bread bag. I know they sell them at Harris Teeter if you happen to be from North Carolina. Jill
timothymc says
This came out as good as they said it would...
We subsituted one cup of White Whole Wheat Flour for one of the cups of regular Whole Wheat Flour and added 4 tsp of Gluten to help with leavening. Also added 1/4 cup of Flaxseed and 1/4 cup of Pecan slivers, and subbed Maple Syrup for the Honey to make it Vegan. We used the "Sweet Bread" setting on our Hamilton Beach Bread Machine on light crust and 2 lb loaf settings and pushed "start"...when the 3rd rise cycle started we Sprinkled Roasted Pumpkin Seeds on top so they'd bake into the crust, 2 hours later, we were already planning on making another loaf! (15 hours later, the first was almost gone!)
timothymc says
Note: Flaxseed was 1/8th cup, in case you want to recreate this version...
dkaj says
Hi timothymc,
Just curious, I just put my ingredients in my new Hamilton beach bread machine. This is the first batch I am making ever in my life in a bread machine. I milled my own wheat flour made out of red wheat berries and used 2 cups of this flour and then 1 cup of Wheat Montana white/wheat flour. I did not add the 4 tsp of gluten, so I am hoping it comes out ok. Time will tell. Thanks for the tip on the maple syrup as I had no honey at my house. I do have Agave Sweetener and I am wondering if a person can sub that for honey, tsp for tsp, for future reference. Since I am so new to this bread machine bread making, I need as many tips as possible. Also, anyone have any tips on which brand of yeast works best in bread machines. There are so many different brands, quick rising active yeast, regular active yeast, ect it is confusing. I do plan to make mostly whole wheat bread that I plan to grind up myself from wheat berries, so I am wondering if I should be using the Hodgson mill active dry yeast instead. it says it has more yeast in the packet for higher loaves. not sure what this all means.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi dkaj. We do not use agave and here is why...http://www.foodrenegade.com/agave-nectar-good-or-bad/. In terms of yeast, we just use active dry yeast. Jill
Anna says
Sounds great. I'll try it soon. At what point do you add the raisins?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Anna. I think it will depend on your machine. Lisa notes in the article that she can't add hers in for an hour or two into the cycle. Hope you enjoy it. Jill
Deena says
Help! I have made this twice today in my bread machine and both times it failed to rise and is just a bunch of clumps! All products are fresh. I used stone ground whole wheat flour...does that make a difference instead of whole wheat? My bread machine says to add all liquids first then dry ingredients which is what I did. So disappointed and wondering what I'm doing wrong:(
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Deena. That wheat should not be affecting it. Are you using the whole wheat setting on your bread machine? Another reader said that made a difference for her. Jill
mub says
This didn't turn out for me, I think it was far too wet of a dough to bake up well in my machine. Tasted good though!
Cindy says
I tried this in a Panasonic bread machine and it did not come out at all! I read the instructions again and I followed them on here and on the machine. I added the dry ingredients, then added the wet ingredients, and I used the yeast dispenser on the top. I set the machine for a Large loaf to bake a whole wheat raisin bread (the default timer went to 5 hours) and when I checked it at 40 minutes left, It just looked like clumps of raisin dough balls all stuck together. I used plain whole wheat flour and coconut oil (had to melt this in a pot of warm water first to make it liquid), and something went wrong somewhere. I heard the machine kneading for a while, then it beeped to add the raisins, kneaded some more and then started baking. Any idea what could've happened? I'm totally confused and disappointed :(
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Cindy. I'm sorry but I'm not sure what may have happened. Were all of your ingredients fresh? Sometimes that can affect things. Hope it turns our better next time. Jill
Rae says
bark spices can cause yeast to be less effective. Add a small amount of extra yeast. (2 tsp is a little less than normal anyway. The normal amount of yeast is 2 1/4 tsp) Also, humidity in the air can cause the dough to be too moist. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time while the bread is kneading. Another thing to try is adding an egg and/or vital wheat gluten as dough conditioners. It makes the dough more elastic so the yeast is able to work "better". Good luck! I haven't tried this recipe, but I have been making bread in a bread machine for several years.
Deepa says
This recipe is for keepers. Loved the flavour and texture...a great tip that was to remove the bread 10 mins before end time!
Kim says
Just came out of the bread machine... YUM!! I have a larger machine (2-2.5 lb loaves) so I upped everything slightly - extra cup of flour, little extra oil, honey, and cinnamon - and another 1/4 teaspoon of yeast. Turned out great!
For added nutrition, I also added some chia seeds (about a half cup or so).
Claire says
I second Cliffor'd question- what size loaf does this make? I don't want to overload my machine!
Lisa says
I have not weighed the finished loaf (my machine does not specify), but I would guess between 1.5 and 2 pounds.
Clifford says
Is this recipe for a 2 pound machine? I have the 1 lb mini Zojirushi and was wondering if simply halfing this recipe would do the trick.
Lisa says
My machine can make a 2 pound loaf, but this one comes out smaller. I hope that helps!
Nikki says
Has anyone tried this recipe with the addition of apples? I was looking for a bread I could toss some of our organic apples into and this looks like it just might work!
juli says
We just started following the "rules" and let me say it is hard :) but this recipe was an amazing hit with the kids. I would LOVE if you could list more bread maker recipes. I don't even know where to start. I would love one that might come close to this applesauce one http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Applesauce-Spice-Bread. Thank you beyond words for doing the hard work of coming up with recipes and giving us a place to come to and learn!!
Liz Stewart says
oh my - we just love this one. I had to leave out the raisins, because I love my husband. I added 1/2 t more of cinnamon because we love it so much. I took it out 10 minutes early just like you said. Oh my this was good. Thank you so much.
Christin says
Some how only half my raisins made it into the bread. The rest were stuck to the outside of the bread or to the bottom of the bread machine pan. I followed the directions... any suggestions?
Liz Stewart says
Christin - that happens with my seed bread. Maybe try one of these: chop the raisins so they are smaller or soak them a little till they are softer. Or I had to help my machine and took the bread while it was kneading and smooshed it into the seeds or raisins. Hope this helps.
Gigi says
Just made this yesterday. Thanks for such an amazing recipe! Sadly, I think I've eaten half the loaf myself. My husband loves it too and he's a bit harder to convince about the whole foods. We're switching over little by little, but there's no denying when something tastes delicious! Thank you again.
Andrea @ No Doubt Learning says
Thanks for the recipe, it's in the machine now!
E says
totally made this without a bread machine, just with our hands! it was great!
Mieke says
I'd love to make this, but do not have a bread machine. Can you tell me how you made it without the bread machine? Thanks!
Heather says
how do you make it without a bread machine? as i do not have one, but love making bread by hand.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Heather. I know someone had commented early on in this post that they had made this recipe without a bread machine and that it turned out great. Good luck. Jill
Dawn says
When making these bread recipes, she uses coconut oil. Should it be melted or can it be in the solid (but soft) form?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Melted.
Jennifer Grumet says
I successfully made this with a kitchen aid mixer according to the following protocol. Mix together flour, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Combine warm water, oil, and honey in a second bowl. (Mixture was just under 110 degrees.). Mix in yeast and stir occasionally for 8 minutes. Pour the liquid-yeast mixture into the bowl of the mixer. Add about 2/3 of the flour mixture and mix with dough hook on speed 2 for 1 minute. Then slowly add the rest of the flour mixture while it's running. After all added, run for 2 more minutes. Then add the raisins and let them mix in for 1 min. Grease a big bowl with olive oil. Collect the dough from the mixer and roll it into a rough ball in the greased bowl so all sides are minimally greased. Cover with plastic wrap and put in warm place. (I put in a 100 degree oven.) let it rise for 45 min, until it's about double in size. Then collect the dough from the bowl and roll it quickly around in your hands to form into a rough loaf shape. Put it in a loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap again, and put back in the warm spot for 30-40 min, until it's about double in size again. Remove the plastic wrap and turn on oven to 375. I left the loaf in the oven while it preheated because I was short on time. I ended up baking for 30 minutes total, including the 5-7 minutes it took to reach appropriate temperature. It turned out great! The only substitutions that I made were subbing oat flour for about 25% of the whole wheat flour, and subbing 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter and 1/4 cup olive oil for the coconut oil. Everyone is gobbling it up!
Veronica B. says
Mine did not rise as much as yours did (based on the picture) and its a good thing I took it out 10 min early bc it was a little burnt on the sides, but my daughter still loved it! She could not stop raving about it and she had two generous slices in a row! I had to put it away so that she would stop asking me for more! I think next time I'll try putting it on the medium setting (I have the same bread machine that you do). Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Veronica B. says
Ok, I just realized that I put 1/4 cup of coconut oil instead of 1/2. Maybe that had something to do with the different results!
Veronica B. says
I'm making this again right now due to popular demand! I am trying the 1/2 cup of coconut oil and the L setting instead of XL... we'll see what happens!
rhyann says
Any chance you know of a good variation to use without a bread machine?
Danielle says
I just made this today and it is so good! Thanks for the great recipe!
Christina says
What kind of yeast do you use? Active dry, bread machine?? Thanks!
100 Days of Real Food says
We use active dry yeast.
amy says
Sorry if I've missed this...how do I make this without a bread machine? Thank you!
100 Days of Real Food says
I haven't tried it w/o a bread machine yet myself so I don't have specific instructions I can share.