This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread, and it calls for mashed potato flakes. For a milk bread version of cinnamon bread that makes one loaf, try my cinnamon raisin bread recipe. Many of the photos in this post are of that loaf.
17ozlukewarm water482 grams, or 2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons
25.5ozall-purpose flour723 grams, or 6 cups measured by the scoop and sweep method
2.5ozgranulated sugar71 grams or 6 Tablespoons
2 ½teaspoonsfine sea salt13 grams
6ozvery soft unsalted butter170 grams or 12 Tablespoons
2.5ozmalted milk powder70 grams or 1/2 cup
3ozinstant mashed potato flakes86 grams or 1 cup
1cupraisins or a mixture of raisins and chocolate chips(completely optional)
For the Swirl Using Flour
7.5ozbrown sugar213 grams or 1 cup, packed
4 ozall-purpose flour113 grams or a scant cup
8teaspoonscinnamon
pinchsalt
4ozmilk
For the Swirl, Using Egg
7.5 ozbrown sugar213 grams or 1 cup, packed
8 teaspoonscinnamon
pinchsalt
1eggbeaten
Instructions
For the Dough
Add all the dough ingredients to your mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Mix on low until the dough comes together and then knead on medium-low speed until the dough is smooth and silky and passes the windowpane test, about ten minutes. The finished dough should be soft but not sticky.
(OPTIONAL) If using mixins like nuts, chocolate chipis, or raisins, knead in on low speed on the mixer for 2 minutes, and then finish kneading them in evenly by hand.
Shape the dough into a ball and put it back in your mixer bowl. Spray the top with pan spray and then cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. I let mine rise in the microwave with the stove light on. This keeps the bottom of the microwave nice and warm and gives the bread a nice, enclosed, draft-free place to rise. You can add a mug of hot water if things seems to be progressing slowly.
When doubled, turn the dough out on your work surface and divide the dough in half. For precision, weigh the dough and divide accordingly. My dough weighed in at 56.5 oz, so I divided my dough into two 28.25 oz pieces.
Roll each piece into a smooth ball and place smooth side down on the counter. Roll or press the dough out until you have a long rectangle about 6" wide and at least 18" long. The longer you make your rectangle, the more swirls your bread will have, so it's completely up to you and how much patience you have.
To Add the Flour-Based Swirl
Whisk together all the dry ingredients (brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt.
Liberally brush each rectangle of dough with the milk, then evenly sprinkle half the swirl on each piece of dough. Press down to moisten the flour mixture to help it adhere.
Roll up each rectangle, keeping light tension on the dough as you roll. Pinch the seams well.
To Add the Egg-Based Swirl
Whisk the egg, sugar, cinnamon, and salt together into a paste.
Evenly spread half the filling on each loaf and then roll up as indicated above.
Place the finished loaves, seam side down, in an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" baking pan. You can bake in 9"x5" pans, but your bread won't be quite so tall. Again, it's completely up to you.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Spray your loaves lightly with pan spray and cover them. Let rise until the dough peeks over the tops of the pans by 1-1 1/2", about 45 minutes.
Bake on the center rack until deeply golden brown with an internal temperature of 200F, about 40-50 minutes depending on your oven. If the loaves are starting to brown too much, loosely tent them with foil for the last 20 minutes or so of baking.
Remove the loaves from the oven, carefully turn out onto rack and cool to room temperature before slicing. But do heat or toast the bread for serving. So good!
Notes
An alternative to try: Instead of brushing the dough with milk and sprinkling on dry filling mix milk with the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt into a thin dough. Spread that on the loaves.