Best Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe + Video

Heat 1 cup of milk and 6 tablespoons of butter in microwave to 115-120°, until warm but not hot. Add warm milk mixture and 1/4 cup of sugar to the bowl of the stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the milk mixture and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to let the yeast bloom and become fragrant.

Add 2 of the eggs, flour, and salt; mix with the dough hook on low-medium until combined.

Knead on medium for 10 minutes. Place 2 tablespoons of butter in a large glass bowl, microwave for 30 seconds to melt butter.

Pull dough out of the mixer (it will still be a little bit sticky. If it is too sticky, add 2 tablespoons of flour at a time and knead by hand until it becomes tacky, meaning when you touch the dough and pull your fingers away it doesn't get stuck to your fingers). Roll the dough in the butter in the glass bowl.

Cover the glass bowl in plastic wrap and then lay a tea towel over the top and set it in a warm place for about 1 hour, until it doubles in size.

Meanwhile: in a small bowl combine the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and the cinnamon. Set aside. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan with a tablespoon of room-temperature butter. Set aside. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

Fold it like a letter in the flour and then fold in the sides to make a square. Roll dough into a rectangle about 9”x18”. If it is wider than your loaf pan, simply fold dough in and roll again. Spread 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter all over the dough, leaving a 1 inch border around the dough.

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over your butter and roll your rolling pin over the dough to help press it into butter. Begin forming a roll with your dough, start at the far end and roll the dough toward you. Keep your roll tight and try not to let the filling escape. Once the dough is in a roll, pinch the end of the dough to the roll.

Place the dough seam down in the buttered loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel and allow dough to rise for 1 hour in a warm place (until doubled in size).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Adjust racks to have one in the middle.

Mix 1 egg with 2 tablespoons milk, and beat well. Using a pastry brush, apply egg wash to the top of your bread (you will not use it all). Place bread in the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Remove bread from the oven when it is done (if the top is browning too fast, cover with aluminum foil). Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan to cooling rack and brush the top and sides with the remaining butter.

Allow bread to come to room temperature before you slice it, if you can wait!