Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe with Pecans: Easy and No-Knead

This is the BEST cinnamon raisin bread recipe I have ever tried! It’s easy homemade bread, filled with cinnamon and raisins and pecans too! No-knead homemade bread made in a dutch oven makes it crusty on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. This cinnamon raisin bread makes yummy toast and is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or a snack!

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Cinnamon Raisin Bread

You know how when you read a really good book you’re a bit sad when you read that last page and it’s done? That’s how I felt when the last slice of this no knead cinnamon raisin bread was finished.

But I wasn’t sad for long because this cinnamon raisin bread recipe is so easy to make, I’ll just make it again.

Actually my 5 year old helped with all of it except for the hot dutch oven parts.

I added pecans to this cinnamon raisin bread recipe for the added flavor and crunch and omg it made this raisin bread even yummier.

Another recent no-knead bread recipe that’s also super yummy: this easy cheese bread recipe (you have to try it!)

If you like focaccia, try my latest recipe for easy no-knead rosemary focaccia – it’s so good!

Related post: 10 Healthy Easy Breakfast Recipes (That Cost Less Than Your Coffee Order)

No Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread

It’s no secret that I LOVE no-knead bread recipes.

I love homemade bread in general but sometimes I just don’t want to get my hands all doughy and squishy for 10 minutes kneading bread dough.

And right now I’m healing from a broken finger (winter sledding injury!) so kneading dough by hand isn’t going to happen.

If you have never made homemade bread before, I really encourage you to start with a no-knead recipe like this one. The cinnamon raisin bread is going to turn out so well that you’ll feel like a total bread-making superstar!

And if you’re really nervous about making your own bread, hop on over to Making Your Own Bread for Beginners – 5 Big Mistakes to Avoid – it’ll help lots!

Here are more of my favorite no-knead bread recipes:

• Fast no-knead homemade bread without a dutch oven
• No-knead whole wheat olive bread (yum!!)
• No-knead focaccia bread

Easy Cinnamon Raisin Bread Ingredients

They are all really simple ingredients that you probably already have at home.

flour

instant yeast (there are lots of types of yeast – make sure it’s instant, not quick!)

raisins

granulated sugar

salt

cinnamon

optional pecans

For more yummy fall-flavor recipes, check out these 50 apple recipes to celebrate the season.

Dutch Oven for Homemade Bread

One of my favorites is this gorgeous red dutch oven. The bright color is just so cheery in the kitchen, especially when you’re baking bread on a cold winter day.

I also love Le Creuset dutch ovens.

A good, sturdy, enameled cast-iron dutch oven is the way to go.

Whatever one you use, make sure the lid is tight so that you get that really crispy crust on your homemade bread.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe Tips

To make the absolute best dutch oven cinnamon raisin bread, here are a few tips that will help.

Lining or spraying your dutch oven

Some people use parchment to line the dutch oven. I have tried this before with other no-knead bread recipes and it’s not for me. This cinnamon raisin bread recipe calls for a 425F oven, which is the maximum temp that parchment paper likes before it starts smoking. Even at this temp, I have noticed a bit of smoking of the paper so I don’t use it for recipes that are over 400F.

Definitely do not use any kind of cooking spray in your dutch oven before you drop the cinnamon raisin bread dough in. It will smoke in the hot oven – you don’t want that flavor in your cinnamon raisin bread!

I have only had my no-knead bread stick to the bottom of the dutch oven once. I’m pretty sure it’s because I didn’t add enough flour after the rise and the dough was a little wet. Almost every time the no-knead bread comes out super easily and perfectly, without spray or parchment. And no smoke.

Cinnamon raisin bread rise time

After mixing the ingredients, you can leave the dough to rise for a range of time. Since we’re using hot water in this cinnamon raisin bread recipe, we cut down on the rise time so you don’t need an overnight rise.

In the recipe, I said to let it rise for 3-4 hours but this is a very forgiving bread recipe. I wouldn’t go less than a 2 hour rise, but 5 or 6 or 7 hours is totally fine.

I don’t put a lot of raisins on the top of the ball of bread dough. We’re baking at a high heat and the inside raisins will be fine, but the raisins on the top of the loaf could get a tad scorched from the heat. Just push them down into the dough a little and they’ll be fine.

I mean more than fine. Look at that gorgeous slice of cinnamon raisin bread!! Let’s get to baking!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe

Should raisins be soaked before baking in bread?

You don’t need to soak raisins before putting them in this no-knead raisin bread recipe. They are stirred in right at the beginning and have lots of time to soften up while the bread dough rises.

That being said, if you have hard little raisins that have been withering away in the back of your pantry, I would go ahead and give them a pre-soak.

Just let them soak in warm water (or even juice for extra flavor) for about 10–15 minutes, then drain and pat dry before mixing them into the dough.

Now for some answers to your most pressing questions about homemade cinnamon raisin bread!

Why is my cinnamon raisin bread bitter?

If your cinnamon raisin bread turned out bitter, there are a few reasons why this could have happened. (Don’t worry, we’ll solve this!)

The most likely culprits are too much cinnamon (it can turn bitter in high amounts), old or low-quality cinnamon, or overbaked sugar (burnt sugar = bitterness).

Also, if your raisins weren’t plump and happy (like if they were super old and you didn’t pre-soak them), they might have absorbed too much bitterness from the dough. Try adjusting the cinnamon, using fresh spices, and soaking those raisins next time.

Why is my raisin bread so heavy?

A heavy loaf usually means the dough didn’t rise enough.

This could be because the yeast is old or not working, the dough was too dense (too much flour), or the raisins weren’t well distributed (clumps can weigh it down).

Try proofing a little longer and making sure everything is well-mixed, so your next loaf of homemade raisin bread is light and fluffy.

If you like cinnamon, try these incredible oatmeal raisin cookies! I’m a total chocolate chip cookie girl, and I love these oatmeal raisin cookies.

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Let me know what you think if you try this cinnamon raisin bread recipe!