How to Make Easy Einkorn Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread

You ever crave that hint of sweet mixed with the oh so tangy sourdough flavor? Or that delicious smell of cinnamon and baking bread wafting through the kitchen? Well look no further my friends, because this Einkorn Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread is mouthwateringly good and will have even your picky eaters coming back for seconds!

Why Sourdough?

Why sourdough you might ask? What’s wrong with a traditional loaf of cinnamon raisin bread leavened with activated dry yeast from the store?

Sourdough, in addition to possessing a combination of wild, non GMO yeasts, also breaks down the phytic acid contained in your wheat flour.

Phytic acid is generally known as an anti-nutrient, due to its inability to be broken down by humans because of the lack of the phytase enzyme in our digestive tracts.

Because of its ability to break down the phytic acid, sourdough makes the grain product (bread) more digestible. This is a great feature you don’t get from conventional activated dry yeast products!

Not only that, but Einkorn, being an ancient grain, is typically gentler on the digestive system than modern wheat strains.

For me personally, I’ve been able to eat Einkorn wheat (if it’s been long fermented as sourdough) without aggravating my gluten sensitivity.

I’ve heard a lot of people share similar experiences. That said, if you struggle with Celiac disease, using an ancient grain like Einkorn isn’t likely going to make a difference!

Tools for the Job:

Mixing Bowl – if you have a large mixing bowl, that works best for mixing the dough. However, a medium sized bowl would also work just fine.

Spatula – having a spatula to both scrape the sourdough starter out of the jar and mix the dough is a plus.

Two Bread Pans – I usually use glass, but cast iron or any other type of metal bread pan would work just as well.

Metal Soup Spoon – this comes in handy for sprinkling flour onto your rolling surface as well as for sprinkling the cinnamon/sugar mixture onto the rolled dough. Any old spoon will do!

Basting Brush – this makes spreading the butter over the prepared dough much easier. However, drizzling it over the dough with a small spoon works too.

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients for Easy Einkorn Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread:

For the dough:

4 & 1/2 cups all-purpose einkorn flour – or 2 cups all-purpose and 2 & 1/2 cups fresh ground

1 Tbsp. salt

1/2 Tbstp. sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 & 1/2 – 2 cups water

2 cups sourdough starter

For the filling:

3 Tbsp. sucanat or brown sugar

1 & 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon

4 Tbsp butter, melted

1/4-1/2 cup raisins

How to make Easy Einkorn Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread:

The first step is to add all of your dry ingredients and the sourdough starter to the mixing bowl and stir until they are incorporated before adding in the sourdough starter.

Alternatively, you could mix the dry ingredients before adding the starter, just to give things a little extra blending. But that’s not necessary.

Once you’ve added all of the dry ingredients and the starter, you will want to add the water and mix thoroughly.

I like to start with 1 & 1/2 cups of water and adding a little at a time from there based on need.

Some days I use 1 & 3/4 cups of water, and others I use 2 or 2 & 1/2 cups.

It really just depends on your starter’s hydration as well as humidity and whether or not you are using a mix of all-purpose flour and fresh ground or just all-purpose.

The more fresh ground Einkorn flour I use, the less water I tend to need.

Read your dough and use that to determine exactly how much water to add. It’s better to err on the side of caution and add slowly than saturate your dough and have it be too sticky!

The goal is to have it stick together in a ball, but not be too dry or sticky. Now, with the Einkorn flour, it will be somewhat tacky and that’s okay.

When I say sticky I’m talking slick, shiny surface of the dough and water trying to run off in small drops. That’s what we don’t want.

If there’s a small amount of dry flour on the surface of the dough, don’t worry too much, that shouldn’t be an issue!

Fermenting and Rolling out Einkorn Dough:

Once the dough has been thoroughly mixed and formed into a cohesive ball, cover the bowl with a towel and let it sit for 5-8 hours.

I tend to prefer the texture when it has sat closer to 5 hours, but that’s all personal preference.

Do what works best for you!

After the bulk ferment, you will want to generously flour your counter (or other working surface).

Then, divide the dough in half.

Working with one half at a time, you will want to knead the dough for a few minutes until it is stretchy and less tacky.

It is generally fairly tacky when it’s done bulk fermenting. Once it is workable, roll it out into a small rectangle.

Pro-tip – Be careful not to over knead the dough. Einkorn doesn’t take long to get where you need it to be, and it is really easy to take it too far and make it tough.

After you’ve rolled out the dough into a small rectangle, slather the surface with melted butter. You can utilize a basting brush for this, or just drizzle it on the dough with a spoon.

Next, mix the cinnamon and sucanat in a small bowl until well combined and sprinkle the mixture over the top of the dough, spreading evenly.

Then, add your raisins! If you like a lot of fruit in your bread, use 1/4 cup per loaf.

If you like things a little less raisiny, split the 1/4 cup between the two.

Personally, I think 1/4 cup per loaf is just about perfect!

Once this is done, carefully roll the dough over itself (like you would with cinnamon rolls).

Then tuck the ends to ensure that none of your cinnamon raisin goodness spills out as it rises and cooks!

After that, you will want to put the loaf into a bread pan.

Repeat the process for the other half of the dough!

Once both halves are tucked safely in their bread pans, you will want to cover them with a towel and let them rise for about 30-45 minutes.

My preferred way of doing things is setting a timer for 30 minutes.

Once the timer goes off, I start preheating my oven. Once it’s to temperature, I will stick the loaves in and begin baking.

This gives me a little extra time if I don’t think they’ve risen enough. That said, even if you don’t notice a huge rise after 30-45 minutes, I would go ahead and bake them. You will get a decent oven spring!

Pro-tip – If you are utilizing fresh ground Einkorn flour, know that it won’t rise nearly as well as the all-purpose. That said, Einkorn sourdough products in general won’t rise to quite the same degree as sourdough products made with modern wheat flour.

Baking Your Einkorn Sourdough Bread:

You will want to bake your Einkorn sourdough cinnamon raisin bread at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Once it is finished, let the loaves cool either in the pans, or on a cooling rack before cutting into them. This helps preserve the texture of the crumb, and makes it less crumbly!

Notes:

While the classic cinnamon raisin loaf is delicious, there are a few other fun flavor spins you could try to mix things up a bit!

• Add some chocolate chips in with the raisins or omit the raisins alltogether.
• Add crushed pecans in with the raisins (or the chocolate chips).
• Try utilizing other dried fruit in place of or with the raisins: cranberries, appricots, etc.

The flavor combinations are as endless as your imagination! Get creative, and let us know what you’ve tried!

For more homestead kitchen staple recipes, connect with us on Pinterest and Facebook! We’d love to hear from you! 🙂

Other Homestead Kitchen Recipes You Might Enjoy:

The Best Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe

Easy and Hearty Sweet Potato and Beef Chili

Easy From Scratch Oxtail Soup with Soaked Einkorn Wheat Berried

Sweet and Simple Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce

Easy Einkorn Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Yield: 2 loaves

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Additional Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes

This homemade Einkorn sourdough cinnamon raisin bread is deliciously sweet and buttery, with a hint of spice that is irresistible.

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Ingredients

• For the Dough:
• 4 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sourdough starter
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 & 1/2 - 2 cups water
• For the Filling:
• 4 Tbsp. sucanat (or brown sugar)
• 1 & 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 4 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup raisins

Instructions

1. Add dry ingredients and sourdough starter together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Slowly add water and stir until a solid dough ball forms. Be careful not to over-saturate the dough.
3. Cover with a towel and let sit for 5-8 hours to ferment.
4. Then, knead half the dough on a well floured surface until workable.
5. Roll out the dough into a small rectangle about 12" by 6".
6. Using a basting brush (or small spoon), spread half of the melted butter over the surface of the dough.
7. Mix the cinnamon and sucanat for the filling and sprinkle half of the mixture over the buttered dough.
8. Sprinkle the raisins over top of the dough.
9. Gently roll dough into a loaf, tucking both ends to ensure no leakage of filling.
10. Carefully set loaf into a well buttered loaf pan.
11. Follow steps 4-10 for the other half of the dough.
12. Cover both loaf pans and let rise for 30 minutes.
13. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until cooked through.
14. Set out on a cooling rack or counter and let cool before cutting and enjoying!

Notes

For a fun flavor change, you could add chocolate chips and pecans. Or try adding other dried fruit, such as cranberries or apricots.

Store in an airtight container and it will last for 4-7 days, especially if refrigerated.