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Bread machine cinnamon raisin bread is a soft, moist, buttery loaf with plump raisins and just enough cinnamon. A hidden handful of old-fashioned oats gives it the tender crumb that makes it the best cinnamon raisin bread for toasting with butter.
The smell of freshly baked cinnamon raisin bread will draw just about anyone into the kitchen. This is one of those recipes that looks simple on paper but has a few small tricks that make it consistently good, most of which came out of testing it dozens of times to figure out why it sometimes came out dense and sometimes came out just right.
The biggest of those tricks: a small amount of old-fashioned oats in the flour. You can’t really see them in the finished loaf (the oats get absorbed into the dough and soften as it bakes), but they give the bread its signature soft, moist crumb. It’s the difference between a cinnamon raisin bread that stays tender on day three and one that gets dry and crumbly overnight.
This recipe is a natural next step after you’ve made my Bread Machine White Bread and Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread, and it’s the one my toddlers ask for on repeat. I’ve tested it in my Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme, in a budget Cuisinart bread machine, and in smaller vertical-loaf machines. The recipe card has 2-pound and 1 1/2-pound amounts with notes for 1-pound machines. See the Variations section below for whole wheat, cranberry orange, walnut, and plain cinnamon bread versions, or browse my full collection of bread machine recipes.
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
Bread machine baking is a daily event in my household, and with two bread-loving little ones, a soft cinnamon raisin loaf was the obvious next step after our weekday sandwich bread. What surprised me wasn’t that my toddlers ate it up (they’d eat cinnamon raisin anything), but that my husband polished off the first loaf in a day and asked me to bake another. That’s a manly seal of approval if I’ve ever seen one.
Over the years I’ve tweaked this recipe into its current shape by adjusting the cinnamon (more flavor means less rise, so 1 1/4 teaspoons is the sweet spot), adding oats for moisture, and sorting out when to add the raisins so they stay intact instead of getting mashed by the paddle. The current version is a loaf we make at least twice a month, and it’s the bread my kids specifically request the morning after a grocery run. If you’ve been looking for an everyday cinnamon raisin bread that’s soft, moist, and actually holds up for toast through the week, this is the one.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Makes: 1 loaf, about 10 slices
- Active prep: 5 minutes
- Total time: about 3 hours (basic white cycle)
- Loaf size: 2 lb (1 1/2 lb and 1 lb amounts in recipe notes)
- Machine setting: Basic White cycle, light crust (the brown sugar and cinnamon will darken the crust faster than plain white bread)
- Flour: 4 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus 2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- Yeast: 2 1/2 tsp SAF instant yeast (also sold as bread machine yeast), added to the dry ingredients
Ingredients for Bread Machine Cinnamon Raisin Bread
A good cinnamon raisin bread needs enough cinnamon for real flavor (but not so much it stalls the yeast), enough raisins to hit one in every bite, and enough fat and sugar to give a soft, moist crumb that holds up to toast. A small amount of rolled oats is the quiet ingredient that makes the crumb genuinely tender.
The recipe is written for a 2-pound loaf, the default on most modern bread machines, with 1 1/2-pound amounts in the recipe notes. To make a 1-pound loaf on a small machine, cut the 2-pound amounts in half.
Add the ingredients in two batches: liquid ingredients first into the bottom of the pan, then dry ingredients on top. This keeps the yeast dry until the cycle starts, which matters especially if you’re using the delay timer.
- Milk: The main liquid. Gives the bread its soft, tender crumb and helps it stay fresh longer. Whole milk produces the richest result, 2% is fine, skim works but the crumb is slightly less tender. Evaporated milk can be substituted 1:1. For dairy-free, replace the milk with additional water (see Variations).
- Water: Part of the liquid base. Use lukewarm water, warm to the touch but not hot (over 110°F starts killing the yeast).
- Butter: Adds tenderness and flavor, and helps the crumb stay soft. Softened butter incorporates more easily than cold, but melted butter also works. Any neutral oil (canola, grape seed, avocado oil, etc.) can be used in place of butter and gives a slightly lighter texture; it does sacrifice some of the buttery flavor.
- White flour: All-purpose or bread flour both work. I usually use King Arthur All-Purpose for this one because the gentler gluten gives a more tender crumb, which works well with the raisins. See the flour notes below for more detail.
- Raisins: Use regular dark raisins, golden raisins, or a mix. Dried cranberries, chopped dates, or dried cherries can be substituted 1:1 (see Variations for a cranberry orange version). Soak very dry raisins in warm water for 10 minutes and drain before adding if they feel hard; otherwise use them as-is.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: The secret to the soft, moist crumb. Use old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick oats or instant oatmeal. Unlike my Bread Machine Honey Oat Bread where the oats stay visible in the crumb, here they soften and blend in, adding moisture and tenderness rather than texture. If you need to skip the oats entirely, add 1 tablespoon of extra flour and the bread will still work (just slightly less moist).
- Brown sugar: Sweetens the loaf and pairs beautifully with cinnamon. Light or dark brown sugar both work; dark brown gives a slightly deeper molasses flavor. Can substitute white sugar plus 1 teaspoon molasses, or an equal amount of honey (add the honey with the other liquids).
- Salt: Essential for flavor, and it regulates the yeast so the bread rises steadily instead of over-rising and collapsing. Do not skip or reduce.
- Cinnamon: Just 1 1/4 teaspoons. This is intentional. Cinnamon has compounds that inhibit yeast, so more cinnamon means a denser, less-risen loaf. This amount delivers real cinnamon flavor without fighting the rise. Use fresh-smelling cinnamon; old, dusty-smelling cinnamon from the back of the cupboard will taste flat.
- SAF instant yeast: The rising agent. SAF instant yeast is what I use. Bread machine yeast is the same product as SAF instant and uses the same amount. For active dry yeast, see the notes below.
In terms of flour choice, all-purpose and bread flour both work. All-purpose gives the softer, more tender crumb that pairs best with the raisins and cinnamon. Bread flour (higher protein) gives a fluffier, taller loaf but slightly chewier crumb. If you use bread flour, you may need to add 1 tablespoon of extra water during kneading. For a heartier, more wholesome loaf, swap up to half the flour for whole wheat; see the Variations for exact amounts, and my Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread for a full 100% whole wheat base recipe if you’d rather start there.
For yeast, SAF instant yeast and bread machine yeast are the same type of yeast, placed in a well on top of the flour with the dry ingredients (they do not need to be dissolved). If you only have active dry yeast, use an extra 1/2 teaspoon and dissolve it in the water first; wait 10 minutes until foamy, then proceed with the rest of the recipe. Do not use the delay timer with active dry yeast because it will die sitting in water. Instant yeast and bread machine yeast are both fine for the delay timer when placed on top of the flour. If you run into rise issues or a collapsed loaf, check the Bread Machine Troubleshooting Guide; cinnamon-laced doughs are among the most common to have rise problems.
How to Make Bread Machine Cinnamon Raisin Bread
This is a true “set it and walk away” recipe. The one small decision to make upfront is whether to add the raisins at the start or at the mix-in beep, if your machine has one; see Step 3 for details.
Step 1. Add the liquid ingredients to the bread pan first. Milk, water, then softened butter. Cold butter can be cut into pieces and added as-is; the machine will work it into the dough.
Step 2. Add the flour on top of the liquid, covering it completely. Think of the flour as an island floating on top of the water. This keeps the yeast dry until the machine starts kneading.
Step 3. Add the raisins, oats, and brown sugar on top of the flour. If your bread machine has a mix-in beep (a pause in the kneading cycle for adding ingredients like nuts, raisins, or dried fruit), you can hold the raisins back and add them then; that keeps them whole and intact. If your machine doesn’t have that feature, add them now. They’ll get partially chopped by the paddles, which some bakers prefer because it distributes the raisin flavor more evenly.
Step 4. Make a small well in the center of the flour and add the salt, cinnamon, and yeast. Keep the salt on one side of the well and the yeast on the opposite side; direct contact between salt and yeast can slow the yeast down. The cinnamon can go in the middle.
Step 5. Select the Basic White cycle and light crust. The brown sugar and cinnamon will brown the crust faster than plain white bread, so the light setting typically produces a medium-brown crust. If your machine doesn’t have a crust-color option, don’t worry about it.
Step 6. Press start. The machine will knead, rise, and bake in one continuous cycle (about 3 hours, varies by machine).
Step 7. Remove the loaf when the bake cycle finishes. Turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing, ideally at least an hour. I know the smell is hard to resist, but slicing hot cinnamon raisin bread tears the crumb and crushes the raisins.
Recipe Tips
Expect a slightly denser crumb than plain white bread. Cinnamon, oats, and raisins all weigh down the rise, so this loaf is naturally denser than my Bread Machine Honey White Bread or other plain loaves. This is a feature, not a bug; the denser crumb is what makes it so good for toasting. If your loaf comes out too dense or doesn’t rise enough, see the “Fluffier version” note in the Variations section below.
Use the light crust setting if your machine has one. The brown sugar and cinnamon in this bread brown faster than plain white sandwich bread, so the light setting typically produces a medium-browned crust. If your loaf comes out too dark on top, drop to light crust next time, or consider covering the top loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes of the bake cycle (only works on machines where you can open the lid during baking; don’t do this during the rise or the loaf will deflate).
Add raisins at the mix-in beep if your machine has one. Raisins added at the start get partially chopped by the kneading paddles, which some bakers actually prefer because it distributes the raisin flavor through the whole loaf. If you want whole, intact raisins throughout, hold them back and add them at the mix-in beep (typically about 20 to 30 minutes into the cycle). The Zojirushi has a distinct beep for this; most Cuisinart and Breadman machines do too.
Watch the first 2 to 3 minutes of kneading on your first loaf. The dough should form a single smooth ball that pulls cleanly away from the sides of the pan. If it looks dry and shaggy, add water a tablespoon at a time. If it looks wet and sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time. Cinnamon doughs sometimes look slightly stickier than plain white doughs; that’s normal.
Cool completely before slicing. A full hour on a wire rack makes a real difference in how the slices hold together. Cutting warm cinnamon raisin bread crushes the raisins and tears the crumb, and the slices end up gummy.
Variations
This recipe is the baseline for several easy variations. Each is a simple tweak from the base recipe:
- Plain cinnamon bread (no raisins): Omit the raisins entirely for a simple cinnamon bread. Keep everything else the same. The loaf will rise slightly more without the weight of the raisins and will have a soft, tender crumb perfect for breakfast toast or French toast. This is also a good base for adding your own mix-ins (chocolate chips, chopped dates, or shredded apple).
- Plain raisin bread (no cinnamon): Omit the cinnamon for a pure raisin bread. Without the cinnamon holding back the yeast, you’ll actually get a taller, fluffier loaf. Pairs well with peanut butter or cream cheese.
- Old-fashioned cinnamon raisin bread: For a more assertive, old-fashioned cinnamon flavor, increase the cinnamon to 2 teaspoons and add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of yeast (3 tsp SAF total) to compensate for the yeast-inhibiting effect. The bread will taste closer to the cinnamon bread your grandmother made and will still rise well.
- Whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread: Swap 2 cups of the white flour for King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour. Keep the other 2 cups as white flour. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra water if the dough looks dry during kneading. Do not go over half whole wheat in this recipe; combined with the cinnamon and raisins, full whole wheat will make the loaf too dense. For a milder whole wheat flavor that’s easier on kids, try King Arthur Golden Wheat Flour (their white whole wheat) instead.
- Cranberry orange bread: Swap the raisins for dried cranberries and replace the cinnamon with 2 teaspoons of orange zest. Omit the oats if you want a cleaner, simpler crumb. The resulting loaf is a beautiful brunch bread that’s excellent lightly toasted with butter. A longtime reader request, and one of my favorite ways to use up leftover holiday cranberries.
- Walnut or pecan cinnamon raisin bread: Add 1/2 cup of chopped toasted walnuts or pecans along with the raisins. Several readers have made it this way and report it takes a good recipe over the top. Toast the nuts in a dry skillet for 3 to 5 minutes first for best flavor.
- Dairy-free cinnamon raisin bread: Replace the milk with an equal amount of water, and swap the butter for canola oil (or another neutral oil). The loaf will be slightly less tender than the dairy version but still moist and flavorful.
- Fluffier (less dense) version: For a lighter, taller loaf, reduce the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon, reduce the raisins to 1/2 cup, and increase the yeast to 3 teaspoons. This gives you a more classic sandwich-loaf height at the cost of a slightly milder cinnamon flavor and fewer raisins per slice.
- More bread machine recipes to try: If you enjoy this one, try my Bread Machine Apple Cinnamon Bread for another fruit-and-spice option, Bread Machine Challah for the best French toast bread on the site, or Bread Machine Brioche for a rich, buttery loaf.
I’ve made this twice now and LOVE it. I make the smaller loaf, and it comes out just perfect. I love how adding the raisins at the beginning incorporates the pieces into the loaf, making it moist and sweet. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
FAQs
The main recipe makes a 2-pound loaf, which is the default size on most modern bread machines. The recipe card notes include 1 1/2-pound amounts for smaller or vertical-loaf machines. For a 1-pound machine, cut the 2-pound amounts in half. Set your machine to the loaf size you’re actually baking (not just to the biggest option) so the bake time matches.
Cinnamon and raisins both weigh down the rise, so this loaf will naturally be denser than plain white bread. This is part of why it’s so good for toast. If it came out noticeably more dense than expected, the most common causes are: old yeast (replace if more than 3 to 4 months past the package date), water too hot and killing the yeast (use lukewarm water under 110°F), salt in direct contact with yeast, or too much cinnamon. Try the “Fluffier version” in Variations for a taller loaf.
Yes. The oats give the bread a softer, moister crumb, but the recipe works without them. Add 1 tablespoon of extra flour to compensate for the lost volume, and the loaf will still turn out well, just slightly less tender on day three. This is a good adjustment if you’re sensitive to oats or just don’t keep them around.
You can add them at the start with the other dry ingredients, or wait for the mix-in beep if your machine has one (typically a distinct beep about 20 to 30 minutes into the cycle, after the first knead). Raisins added at the start get partially chopped by the paddles, which distributes the raisin flavor more evenly. Raisins added at the beep stay whole and intact. Both ways give good results; it’s a matter of preference.
Yes. Bread flour will give a slightly taller, fluffier loaf with a chewier crumb. If you use bread flour, you may need to add 1 tablespoon of extra water during the first minutes of kneading; watch the dough and add if it looks dry. All-purpose is what I usually use for this recipe because the softer crumb pairs better with the raisins and cinnamon, but bread flour is a good choice if you prefer a loaf with more structure.
About 4 to 5 days at room temperature in a bread bag or wrapped in a clean dish towel. The oats and raisins help keep this loaf moist longer than plain sandwich bread. Do not refrigerate; refrigeration actually speeds up staling in bread. For longer storage, slice the whole loaf and freeze in a zip-top bag; frozen slices toast straight from the freezer and come out beautifully for breakfast.
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Bread Machine Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
Liquid Ingredients (add first)
- 1 cup milk, Lukewarm
- 3/8 cup water, or 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp., lukewarm
- 3 tbsp butter, softened
Dry Ingredients (on top of wet)
- 4 cups white flour, All Purpose or Bread
- 2/3 cup raisins
- 2/3 cup rolled oats, old-fashioned, not instant
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 1/2 tsp SAF Instant Yeast, or 3 tsp. Active Dry Yeast
Instructions
- Add the liquid ingredients to the bread pan first: milk, water, then softened butter.
- Add the flour on top, covering the liquid completely so the yeast stays dry.
- Add the raisins, oats, and brown sugar on top of the flour. (If your machine has a mix-in beep, you can hold the raisins back and add them then to keep them whole.)
- Make a small well in the center of the flour. Place the salt on one side and the yeast on the opposite side. Add the cinnamon to the middle.
- Select the Basic White cycle and the light crust setting.
- Press start. Watch the first 2 to 3 minutes of kneading. The dough should form a smooth ball. Add 1 tablespoon water if dry; 1 tablespoon flour if wet.
- Let the machine complete the full cycle (about 3 hours).
- Remove the loaf onto a wire rack. Cool completely (at least 1 hour) before slicing.
Notes
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk, lukewarm
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water, lukewarm
- 2 Tbsp (28 g) butter, softened
- 3 cups (360 g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup (75 g) raisins
- 1/2 cup (45 g) rolled oats, old-fashioned (not instant)
- 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp (9 g) salt
- 1 tsp (2 g) cinnamon
- 2 tsp (6 g) SAF Instant Yeast (or 2 1/2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast)
- SAF instant yeast or bread machine yeast: 2 1/2 tsp (same product; interchangeable 1:1). Placed in a well on top of the flour.
- Active dry yeast: 3 tsp, dissolved in the water first (wait 10 minutes until foamy, then proceed). Not compatible with the delay timer.
- Dense loaf: cinnamon, oats, and raisins all weigh down the rise, so this loaf is naturally denser than plain white bread. If it came out much more dense than expected, check for old yeast, water over 110°F, or salt touching yeast.
- Collapsed top: too much yeast or too much liquid. Try reducing yeast by 1/2 tsp next time.
- Dark crust: brown sugar and cinnamon brown fast. Use the light crust setting.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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A bit dense, I think from the oats. Didn’t rise much despite following the recipe exactly and using fresh yeast. Delicious bread though. Great aroma!
I’ve made this recipe a couple times and it is delicious This last time I added toasted walnuts that pushed a good recipe over the top!
That’s such a good addition! I’m going to have to try that =)
Looking for a cranberry orange bread recipe for my bread maker. Have you done one?
I don’t, but I really should develop one, that sounds delicious. My mom made the best cranberry orange bread, I’ll have to try to see if I can make one for the bread machine.
Absolutely delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I just made the Cinnamon Raisin Bread and it taste great wish I could post a picture of it
I’ve made this twice now and LOVE it. I make the smaller loaf, and comes out just perfect. I love how adding the raisins at the beginning incorporates the pieces into the loaf, making it moist and sweet. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Came out much denser than I would have liked, didn’t even cover the whole base of the tin and only rose about halfway up. Not sure what I did wrong as I followed the recipe to a T.