Soft, fluffy, and sweet with cinnamon, this dairy free cinnamon bread is perfect! An easy to make recipe to make any morning better.
This light and fluffy cinnamon bread is so good! You are going to love how easy it is to make this homemade bread recipe that uses only simple ingredients. Toast it up and top with dairy free butter, make some french toast, or just enjoy a slice warm from the oven.
Free from: dairy, casein, fish, shellfish, soy, sesame, peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, corn, celery, and more
There is something so wonderful about this bread. It almost tastes like a cinnamon roll but with half the work!
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Ingredients
What is great about this bread is how simple it is to make with ingredients found in your pantry. Nothing here is weird or hard to find at the grocery store. Here is a quick rundown of what you will need:
Bread
- Flour - I always use all purpose flour but you can make it with bread flour. I wouldn't make this with whole wheat flour or gluten free flour.
- Sugar
- Salt
- Egg
- Vegetable oil
- Yeast
- Dairy-free milk - I make this with rice milk because I love the flavor. Soy or almond milk would also work great here.
Filling:
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
Optional ingredients for icing
- Powdered sugar
- Water
- Vanilla extract
Active dry yeast vs instant yeast
No matter which type of yeast you have in your pantry you can make this bread. Both types of yeast work well for making high rising bread with a crusty loaf.
If using active dry yeast, you need to proof the yeast before adding it to the dough. This means to mix the yeast in warm milk and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to wake up, essentially.
If using instant yeast, no need to proof! You can mix the yeast in with the other dry ingredients and the yeast wakes up while mixing.
Making the dough
The full instructions with all the recipe measurements are written in the recipe card below! Be sure to check that out before making this recipe. This is where I go into extra details so that you can make the best loaf of dairy free cinnamon bread.
I like to make this bread in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. It is possible to make this dough by hand, it will just take a little extra work! I have not made this in a bread machine so I can’t speak to if this recipe will work in one or not.
Begin by mixing your dry ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. If you are using instant yeast, also add the yeast to these ingredients.
If you are making this with active dry yeast, add the yeast to warm non-dairy milk that is heated to between 100 and 110F. Any warmer and you risk killing off the yeast and any colder and the yeast won’t activate properly. Give it a stir and let proof for 10 minutes or until nice and foamy.
Now add the egg, oil, and warm milk to the dry ingredients. If you made active dry yeast, add this now as well.
By this point, all ingredients for the dough should be mixed together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl so that everything can mix together.
Leave the mixer on low speed and let it knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should form into a soft, smooth, and supple dough ball in the bowl.
If mixing by hand, you will turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will again be smooth and supple; not sticky at all.
Place the dough ball into a lightly oiled large bowl and let the dough rise for one hour in a warm environment. I like to place mine next to the tea kettle after making a cup of tea. You can also boil a small pot of water and let it chill next to the bowl.
While the dough is rising, mix up the cinnamon sugar mixture. Combine 1 tablespoon of cinnamon with 2 tablespoons of sugar. To this, also mix in 1 teaspoon of flour. The flour helps the mix stick to the dough and helps prevent large air bubbles. Set this aside until the dough is done with the first rise.
Shaping the dough
After the dough has risen and doubled in size, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. I like to use parchment paper on the countertop and then sprinkle a bit of flour on top to make sure that nothing sticks.
Using a rolling pin or just your hands, shape the dough into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and 14 inches long.
Now sprinkle the premixed cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the bread. Leave a small half inch gap along the edges so that none of the cinnamon escapes while rolling!
Starting from a side that is 8 inches wide, roll the dough into a log.
Tuck the ends under and place the dough into a lightly greased loaf pan. Let this dough rise, lightly covered with a towel, and in a warm spot. This will take about an hour to rise up again.
Baking the bread
Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oben. To get the best bake, you want the top of the bread to be in the middle of the oven while cooking.
After the dough has risen for the second time, place the dough into the oven.
Let the bread bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes, or until a dark golden crust has appeared and the dough has an internal temperature of 190F. Remove the bread from the oven.
Let the bread cool in the hot loaf pan for 10 minutes before removing the loaf and letting it cool completely on a wire rack.
While the bread is cooling, you can mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and water to make the icing, if you want. Once the bread is 90% cool, you can pour the icing on top and let it drip down the sides.
Slice and enjoy!!
Tips
How to make the best cinnamon bread every time!
Use room temperature and warm ingredients. Let the egg be room temperature before mixing the dough and make sure the milk is heated to 110F.
Try to work the dough but don’t overwork the dough. The more you roll it out and press it, the tougher it will be as more gluten develops. That’s why it’s important to not knead for more than 10 minutes.
FAQs
Can I make this with a bread maker?
I’m sure you could, however, I have not tested this recipe for making in a bread machine. I suggest trying another recipe if you are making bread with a bread maker.
What is the best flour to use?
My favorite flour to use is King Arthur All Purpose flour; it bakes beautifully. The brand itself is dedicated to making safe products for all consumers to use, and the flours are made in a facility where wheat is the only top 9 allergen present. That makes it safe for everyone not allergic or avoiding gluten!
You can make this recipe with bread flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, making for the development of more gluten. This results in a heavier or heartier loaf of bread.
Can I make this gluten free?
No, this was not made to be a gluten free bread. The requirements for gluten free are totally different. For a great gluten free bread recipe, click here!
How to store
This bread is best the day you make it. To store for a few days, wrap it in an airtight container and store on the countertop or in the fridge. Since it has no preservatives, it is best to enjoy it within 3 to 5 days. However, mine never lasts that long as we eat it all up before that!
Can I freeze this bread?
Yes! You can freeze this bread both before and after baking.
To freeze after baking, wrap it up well in cling film or another airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
To store this bread in the freezer before baking, follow these steps:
- Allow the bread to finish the first rise.
- Punch down the dough and roll out. Shape as instructed. Place into a bread loaf pan that has been lined with cling film and lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
- Freeze dough for up to 10 hours.
- Remove the dough from the pan and rewrap in more cling film. Place in a freezer safe container and keep frozen until ready to use.
- You can keep this bread dough in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.
- To make from frozen, allow the dough to have a second rise in the fridge overnight. Bake as directed.
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Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer (optional)
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Large bowls
- mixing bowls
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- mixing spoons
- Loaf Pan
Ingredients
Bread
- 3 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
Filling
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
Icing
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- Splash vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Make the filling by combining the cinnamon, sugar, and flour. Mix well and set aside.
- Warm the non-dairy milk to between 100 and 110F.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients of flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Give a quick mix.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the warm non dairy milk, egg, and oil.
- With the dough hook attachment, mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients together. Let the dough mix for 2 minutes as you scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Let the dough mix on low speed for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be ready when it has formed a dough ball and is smooth and supple to the touch without being overly sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling film or a towel and let rise for one hour, or until doubled in size.
- After rising, turn the dough out onto a well floured surface. Using a rolling pin or your hands, roll into a rectangle that is 8 inches wide and about 14 inches long. Sprinkle the filling mixture evenly over the surface, leaving about a half inch gap on the edges.
- Starting from the side that is 8 inches long, roll the dough until you have a log shape. Tuck the ends under and place the dough in a well oiled bread loaf pan. Let the dough rise, covered, for one hour or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the bread is a golden brown color and the internal temperature reaches 190F.
- Let the bread cool on a wire rack in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before removing the bread from the pan. Let the bread continue to cool on the wire rack while you make the icing.
- To make the icing, combine the sugar with vanilla. Slowly add 1 tablespoon of water until you reach the viscosity you like. Pour the icing over the cooled bread. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Allow the bread to finish the first rise.
- Punch down the dough and roll out. Shape as instructed. Place into a bread loaf pan that has been lined with cling film and lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
- Freeze dough for up to 10 hours.
- Remove the dough from the pan and rewrap in more cling film. Place in a freezer safe container and keep frozen until ready to use.
- You can keep this bread dough in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.
- To make from frozen, allow the dough to have a second rise in the fridge overnight. Bake as directed.
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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