A naturally leavened sourdough bread swirled with warm cinnamon and sweet raisins—perfect for breakfast or toasting.

Scale

500g bread flour

100g active sourdough starter (100% hydration)

325g water

10g salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

150g raisins

1 tbsp honey (optional)

Butter or oil for greasing

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour and water until just combined. Let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).

2. Add the sourdough starter and mix thoroughly.

3. Add salt and honey (if using) and mix until fully incorporated.

4. Stretch and fold the dough every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours, covering between folds.

5. After the final fold, gently knead in the cinnamon and raisins until evenly distributed.

6. Let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 4–6 hours depending on ambient temperature.

7. Shape the dough into a round or oval loaf and place into a floured proofing basket.

8. Cover and refrigerate overnight for 8–12 hours (cold proof).

9. The next day, preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) with a Dutch oven inside.

10. Transfer the dough to parchment paper, score the top, and place into the preheated Dutch oven.

11. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for another 20–25 minutes until golden brown.

12. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

For extra flavor, soak the raisins in warm water or rum for 15 minutes and drain before adding.

Add a cinnamon swirl by layering the dough with cinnamon sugar before final shaping.

Store sliced bread in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.

Keywords: sourdough, cinnamon raisin, artisan bread, naturally leavened