Cinnamon Rolled Bread Recipe

This is my homemade whole wheat cinnamon spice swirl bread. This isn't my usual sugar-sweet recipe, but it is still worth the share. This recipe is actually incredibly low in sugar and very healthy for you. A glaze made of powdered sugar, butter and milk can be added to the top of the loaf if you're serving it at a party and want it to be a sweet treat instead of a good breakfast or less-sweet treat.
*Pictured is the plain cinnamon bread -- however raisins, walnuts, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, pumpkin pie spice, orange juice (spritz orange instead of water on the cinnamon).

I also add very (very) thinly sliced apples and roll it up in the swirl to make some very good and moist bread.

When I use orange juice instead of water, I also add orange zest to the actual bread dough, to make a lovely winter bread that friends and family will love. **

Here is the recipe:
Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Ingredients
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
2 cups warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups raisins **

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon **
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water**

Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, 1/3 cup sugar, oil, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add raisins and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours.
2. Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, divide in half. Roll each into a 15-in. x 7-in. rectangle. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over dough. Sprinkle with water.Roll and Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.




Photographs are © Copyright to me (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from me.

Cinnamon Soft Pretzel

This is a very tasteful and pleasing soft pretzel to either make as a breakfast dish, or share with friends at parties. I like to make these for breakfast becuase they are basically replacing a morning cinnamon roll. This recipe, you may notice, is nearly identical to a cinnamon roll recipe, they taste very similar.

Soft Pretzels
(makes between 18-30 pretzels)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. warm water
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
3 tbsp active yeast
2 beaten eggs (*or 2 egg whites)
1 1/2 tsp salt
5 1/4 c. flour

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Set warm water in mixer and evenly sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the water. Let that proof for about 10 min in the mixer.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients adding flour last. Mix for 10 min.
3. Take dough and place on a well oiled surface, then cover the dough with a towel. Let rest for 10 min.
4. Divide dough in half, and then half again. Take one of the quarters of dough and separate it into small round dough balls.
5. Roll one of the small dough balls out on a counter top covered with cinnamon sugar. Roll the dough into a long thin snake.
6. Fold into the shape of a twisty pretzel. Sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar and place on baking sheet.
7. Bake at 400 Degrees for 7-15 min. The time may vary depending on the size of your pretzels, so be watchful.
8. Place pretzels on a cooling rack and then generously coat with glaze. Enjoy!

**nutrition: If you make 13 large soft pretzels there is 8.6 grams of fat in each one. If you make 20 pretzels then there is 5.6 grams of fat in each one. If you make 32 small pretzels there is only 3.5 grams of fat in each one.**


Photographs are © Copyright to me (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from me.

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Crasin Cookies

Ingredients
1 c. soft butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. white sugar
2 large eggs (or 4 egg whites)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (*I used 1 tsp)
3 c. rolled oats (I used the quick bake variety)
1 c. raisins or craisins
1 c. dark chocolate chips (or semi sweet)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugars until creamy and smooth. Add eggs, beating very well. Beat in the vanilla extract.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon, and beat until incorporated. Stir in the rolled oats, craisins (or raisins) and chocolate chips. (*do not add extra flour, even if you think it needs it*)
4. Place a medium-sized spoonful of batter on a cookie sheet and smooth edges with your fingers. Flatten the round dough ball until it‘s only about a ½ inch thick. Bake the cookies for about 10 - 16 minutes (depending on the size of your cookies, your cooking time may vary).
5.The cookies are done when golden brown around the edges but still a little soft in the centers. (The longer the cookies bake the more crispy they will be.)


Seriously, these are the best oatmeal cookies, ever!


Photographs are © Copyright to me (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from me.

Layered Spiced Applesauce Bread

This bread is the perfect type of bread to make during the autumn.  While the bread bakes the aroma of cinnamon and sweet apples will fill the air and everyone in the house will want to eat the bread as soon as it is out of the oven!  This bread is a show stopper when topped with a drizzle of apple spice caramel sauce (recipe at the end of this post).

 Recipe:

Layered Spiced Applesauce Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon all spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup granulated sugar

1.5-2 c chopped (or sliced) apples

½ c water plus pinch cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 by 4 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, all spice, and cloves. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs and beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add in oil, applesauce, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Next, add the sugar and mix until well combined.

4. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until flour is barely combined.

5. Pour ½ of the batter into prepared loaf pan.

6. Heat chopped or sliced apples in a medium saucepan with a bit of water and cinnamon.  Cook until apples are almost all the way soft.

7.  Spread partially cooked apples over the batter in the loaf pan.  Pour the remaining batter on top.

8. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until loaf is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

9. Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes. Loosen sides and remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

The caramel sauce I like to sue for drizzling over cakes, cookies, and for dipping is as follows.

Spiced Caramel Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
2 c granulated sugar

½ c (1 stick) good quality salted butter, cut into chunks

¾ c half and half or heavy cream (can use fat free half and half)

2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground ginger

(Can substitute the last spice with pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or allspice)

Directions

1. Place 2 cups granulated sugar into medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until it starts to melt and form clumps.  Make sure to use a whisk and stir constantly. 

2. After the sugar has reached about 345 °F (using a candy thermometer will give you the exact temperature), or when it appears dark and caramelized in color remove from heat and slowly add butter.

3. Stir the butter and sugar until smooth.  Add half and half (or cream) and spices, stir until smooth.

4.  Allow caramel sauce to cool to room temperature and it will thicken naturally.

Photographs are © Copyright to me (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from me.