Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread – Easy, Nutritious, & Delicious

This whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread recipe is everything you want in a homemade bread — warm, soft, lightly sweet, and made with whole wheat flour. It’s the kind of bread that fills your kitchen with the coziest aroma and makes you feel like you’re baking something truly nourishing for your family.

There’s just something magical about cinnamon swirl bread made with whole grains — it’s wholesome, flavorful, and full of nutrients that are lost in store-bought flour. Paired with naturally sweet raisins and a swirl of cinnamon, this whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread recipe is perfect for cream cheese toast or slathered with peanut butter for an afternoon snack.

It’s a whole wheat bread that is sweet, but not too sweet. The soft crumb makes it a favorite for both kids and adults. (In fact, this is the only bread my kids want for French toast!)

Fresh-milled wheat means healthy breads because you’re getting all the goodness from the bran, germ, and endosperm — nothing stripped out or refined. That means more fiber, vitamins, and flavor. And paired with natural sweeteners and warm cinnamon, this is a loaf you can feel good about sharing. 

If you’re newer to milling your own flour, read up on baking with fresh wheat in my guide for beginner bakers.

What if I don’t have a grain mill?

If you don’t have a grain mill yet — no worries! You can absolutely make this whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread using store-bought whole wheat flour (I like King Arthur, but you could use a different brand). While it won’t have quite the same flavor depth or nutrient profile as fresh-milled flour, it’s still a delicious loaf. Commercial whole wheat flour absorbs liquid differently, so you may not need as much flour. Slightly adjust the amount of flour or water during mixing to get a soft, tacky dough that’s not too dry.

If you love making your own bread and are ready for some different recipes, we love freshly milled sourdough, rosemary sourdough bread, cinnamon roll pull apart bread, and sourdough pumpkin bread. For fun quick breads, try carrot apple coffee cake bread, fresh milled blueberry muffins, and banana bread with streusel topping.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Naturally sweetened: This homemade cinnamon raisin bread uses honey or maple syrup to bring out the sweetness in the raisins without added sugar highs. For even more, sprinkle a cinnamon sugar mixture onto the finished product — toasted with butter!

Fresh-milled flavor and nutrition: Freshly milled wheat gives this bread a deeper, nuttier flavor — plus more fiber and nutrients than regular flour.

Perfect texture: This bread loaf is soft enough for sandwich bread, firm enough for toasting — and not crumbly like some 100% whole wheat breads can be.

What Is Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe?

Whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread is a classic-style loaf made with whole grain flour and a generous swirl of cinnamon and raisins. Using freshly milled wheat gives this bread a heartier texture and richer taste than versions made with store-bought flour. 

This is a yeast bread recipe, not a sourdough loaf (although you could easily adapt it with your starter — see the variations below), but it still brings all the homemade, old-fashioned charm you love in a scratch-baked bread. It’s a great recipe when you want something sweet, soft, and just the right amount of wholesome.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe Ingredients

• Freshly milled whole wheat flour: Milling your own flour keeps all the nutrients intact and gives the bread an unbeatable depth of flavor. Hard red wheat yields a heartier taste; hard white is slightly milder. You can use all purpose flour but lose the whole grain aspect. You also need to add 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten per cup of white flour to create bread flour for the best results.
• Instant yeast: This gives the bread a light rise and quicker baking time. You can use active dry yeast as well.
• Melted butter: You can also use coconut oil or other neutral oil that you prefer.
• Raisins: Regular or golden raisins will work. Soak them in warm water first to keep them plump and juicy inside the loaf.
• Ground cinnamon: This spice is an essential ingredient for cinnamon bread! 

A full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.

Tools You May Need

Grain mill — You will need a grain mill if you are using whole wheat berries. I have a Fidibus, but NutriMill is a very popular brand as well.

Bread pan — Any loaf pan will work, but I prefer the cast iron ones. Look for an 8 or 9 inch loaf pan. You can also use a Dutch oven, if that is what you have! I line my dutch oven with a bread sling or parchment paper to make clean up easier.

How To Make Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Prep the dough

1. Mill your flour from hard white or red wheat berries (about 1½ cups of berries = 3 cups of flour).
2. Combine the flour, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Mix together the warm water, honey, and oil in a separate small bowl, then stir these wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Make sure to get all the flour from the sides of the bowl and mix it in well.
4. Let dough rest for 20-30 minutes to allow the fresh milled flour to soak up the liquid.
5. After the rest period, add the yeast, and knead the dough until smooth. With fresh milled flour, this can take up to 30 minutes. I knead in the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed with a dough hook attachment. You ideally want the bread to pass the windowpane test. Using store-bought whole wheat flour, you do not have to knead as long.
6. Knead in raisins until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
7. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let the dough rise for 1–1½ hours at room temperature until doubled. (If using yeast the rise does not take a long time compared to sourdough.)

Shape the dough + second rise

1. Shape into a loaf and add an optional cinnamon-sugar swirl here if desired. To add the swirl, stretch the dough out into a rectangle on your counter, about 1 inch thick. Keep the short side somewhat short so your loaf isn’t too long. Sprinkle the mix of cinnamon sugar (or plain cinnamon, if you prefer) over the dough. Leave about 1/2 inch around the edges so it will roll up well. Starting on the short side, roll into a log and pinch the dough as you go to keep the filling inside.
2. Place seam side down in greased loaf pan and allow a second rise of about 30–45 minutes until puffy.

Bake + enjoy!

1. Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes or until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom of the loaf. Internal temperature should be 190 for a finished loaf.
2. Cool the finished bread in the pan briefly, then remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• Soak your raisins: A 5-minute soak in warm water keeps the raisins from drying out or burning during baking.
• Don’t skip the rest period: Fresh flour absorbs moisture differently, so the rest period helps hydrate the dough before kneading.
• Use a thermometer: The bread is done when it hits about 190°F internally. It can be helpful to have the thermometer to be sure your bread is done baking.
• Cool completely before slicing to avoid gummy texture inside.
• Storage tips: This cinnamon raisin bread stays fresh for 3–4 days on the counter if wrapped tightly. (I like to use a beeswrap lined bread bag.) You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. We often eat half of the loaf and freeze the rest.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe Variations

This is not a hard bread to adapt to other variations! Make it according to the recipe the first time, then try one of these variations next time.

• Sourdough version: Swap the yeast for ½ cup active sourdough starter and reduce the water slightly. Increase rise times significantly.
• Nutty twist: Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans along with the raisins for texture and flavor.
• No raisins: Sub chopped dried apples or dates for a different take on the classic flavor.
• Swirl style: Roll out the dough, sprinkle with extra cinnamon and brown sugar, then roll into a tight log for a cinnamon swirl effect.
• Using store-bought whole wheat flour: Swap fresh-milled flour for 2½ to 2¾ cups of store-bought whole wheat flour. Start with the lower amount and add more as needed to achieve a soft, slightly tacky dough. You may also reduce the water by 1–2 tablespoons since store-bought flour typically absorbs less moisture. Proceed with the recipe as written.

Recipe FAQs

I hope you love this recipe!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Additional Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 4 hours

This whole wheat cinnamon riasin bread is wholesome, delicious, and slighlty sweet - perfect toasted on its own, in French toast, or slathered with your favorite topping!

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Ingredients

• 3 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour: Hard red or hard white wheat both work beautifully
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 cup warm water (105–115°F)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or melted butter
• 1 cup raisins: Soak in warm water for 5–10 minutes, then drain
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• Optional: 1 tablespoon brown or coconut sugar

Instructions

1. Mill your flour from wheat berries (about 1½ cups of berries = 3 cups of flour).
2. Combine flour, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Mix warm water, honey, and oil in a separate small bowl, then stir into dry ingredients. Make sure to get all the flour from the sides of the bowl and mix it in well.
4. Let dough rest for 20-30 minutes, to allow the fresh milled flour to soak up the water.
5. Then add the yeast, and knead until smooth. With fresh milled flour, this can take up to 30 minutes in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. You ideally want the bread to pass the windowpane test. Using store-bought whole wheat flour, you do not have to knead as long.
6. Gently knead in the raisins by hand until evenly distributed.
7. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover bowl of dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 60–90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
8. Punch down the dough and shape it into a loaf. Optional: Roll it out into a rectangle, sprinkle with coconut sugar and more cinnamon, then roll up tightly like a jelly roll for a swirl effect.
9. Place the shaped dough into a greased 9x5" loaf pan. Cover and let rise a second time for another 30–45 minutes, until puffy and about 1 inch above the rim.
10. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Option to brush the top of the loaf with an egg wash for extra browning.
11. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until golden brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped. Internal temp should be around 190°F.
12. Cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

• Soak your raisins: A 5-minute soak in warm water keeps them from drying out or burning during baking.
• Don’t skip the rest period: Fresh flour absorbs moisture differently, so that rest helps hydrate the dough before kneading.
• Cool completely before slicing to avoid gummy texture inside.
• Storage tips: This stays fresh for 3–4 days on the counter if wrapped tightly. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. We often eat half of the loaf and freeze the rest.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Beeswax Lined Bread Bag
• 
  Lodge Cast Iron Loaf Pan
• 
  NutriMill Classic Grain Mill

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• Whole Wheat Focaccia
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• Quick Cinnamon Rolls
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