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Sweet Honey Cinnamon Butter Bread

Featured in: Homemade Bread

Elevate plain sourdough into something special with this honey cinnamon butter twist. The method blends typical sourdough fermentation with a sweet, aromatic filling of cinnamon-honey butter, making tasty flavor pockets throughout your loaf. The extended fermentation builds deep character in the bread, while the butter mixture creates soft, delicate layers similar to pastries. It's ideal for anyone who enjoys sourdough's tang but wants a sweeter touch - you get the best of both tastes. Though it needs time and gentle handling, you'll end up with a gorgeous loaf that looks and tastes amazing, even better than those famous Texas Roadhouse rolls.
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punchofyummy
Updated on Wed, 16 Apr 2025 16:41:08 GMT
Warm sourdough bread topped with smooth cinnamon honey butter, a breakfast treat. Pin it
Warm sourdough bread topped with smooth cinnamon honey butter, a breakfast treat. | pinchofyummy.com

Mixing rustic sourdough with sweet cinnamon honey butter gives you a loaf that's down-to-earth yet fancy. Every bite shows off beautiful butter swirls inside properly fermented dough, giving you loads of flavor layers to enjoy.

Key Ingredients

  • Bread Flour: Go for flour with 12-13% protein to get good gluten formation, which gives you that nice chewy bite.
  • Active Sourdough Starter: Make sure it's at its bubbliest point for the best lift and complex flavor.
  • Raw Honey: Brings sweetness and helps keep your bread moist longer.
  • European-Style Butter: Contains more fat than regular butter, making everything creamier and tastier.
  • Fresh Ground Cinnamon: Grind it yourself for stronger smell and taste that works great with the honey butter.
  • Fine Sea Salt: Boosts all the flavors without taking over, keeping everything in check.
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: Adds another layer of sweetness with a smooth, complex background note.
  • Filtered Water: Keeps your dough consistent and doesn't add any weird flavors from tap water.
  • Powdered Sugar: Get the good stuff for a smooth butter mixture with no lumps.

Baking Steps

Get Your Starter Ready:
Feed it 8-12 hours ahead of time. Mix equal amounts of starter, water, and flour. Keep it between 70-75°F. It's ready when it doubles and looks bubbly.
Start The Dough:
Mix flour and water and let sit 30 minutes. Add your bubbly starter and salt, mix until rough-looking. Cover and rest 30 minutes at room temp.
Build Dough Strength:
Stretch and fold every half hour for two hours. Your dough will get more stretchy each time. Check that it's getting stronger between each set.
Let It Grow:
Let dough rise 4-6 hours till it's almost twice as big. Look for a rounded top and bubbles. Try to keep the temperature steady.
Make Your Butter Mix:
Whip soft butter until fluffy. Add honey while mixing constantly. Mix in cinnamon and powdered sugar slowly until smooth. Cool it a bit if it's too runny for spreading.
Shape With Butter:
Roll dough into a big rectangle on a lightly floured counter. Spread butter mix evenly, leaving edges clean. Roll it up from the long side, pinching to seal. Shape it how you want.
Final Rise:
Put your shaped loaf in a banneton with the seam facing up. Cover and put in the fridge 8-12 hours to develop flavor.
Bake It Up:
Heat a Dutch oven at 450°F for at least 45 minutes. Get parchment paper ready. Cut the dough with firm, quick slashes. Lower it carefully into the hot pot, cover, and bake 25 minutes. Take the lid off and bake another 15-20 minutes until golden brown. The inside should reach 205°F.
Sliced sourdough loaf with a swirl of cinnamon honey butter on top. Pin it
Sliced sourdough loaf with a swirl of cinnamon honey butter on top. | pinchofyummy.com

Cooling Tips

Put bread on a wire rack right after baking. Let it cool completely for at least 2 hours. The crackling sound means your crust turned out right. Don't cut it while hot or you'll get a gummy texture.

Keeping It Fresh

Keep the whole loaf at room temp in a cloth bag for up to 3 days. For longer keeping, cut into slices and freeze with parchment paper between them. Heat frozen slices in your toaster or oven until warm. Don't put it in the fridge as it'll get stale faster.

Serving Ideas

Cut bread after it's totally cool using a serrated knife with a gentle back-and-forth motion. Serve it on a wooden board or in a cloth-lined basket. You might want to offer extra cinnamon honey butter on the side. For special times, warm the slices slightly before bringing them to the table.

Mix It Up

You can change this bread while keeping its sourdough character. Try a fall version with added nutmeg and cloves. Make a chocolate twist by adding cocoa to your butter mix. Some folks throw in dried fruits, while others like adding toasted nuts for some crunch. You can also swap the honey for pure maple syrup for a different flavor.

Warm sourdough bread slathered with homemade cinnamon honey butter. Pin it
Warm sourdough bread slathered with homemade cinnamon honey butter. | pinchofyummy.com

This cinnamon honey butter sourdough brings together old-school bread-making and comfort food tastes. The combo of well-fermented dough and sweet butter makes a loaf that'll wow everyone and taste amazing too. It works great for breakfast or as a snack, always looking good and tasting even better.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Why should my dough ferment so long?
The extended fermentation (10-14 hours) builds the tangy sourdough taste and creates the right texture for a good lift.
→ Can I swap in regular yeast instead of sourdough?
This bread was made specifically for sourdough starter and would need completely different amounts and steps to work with regular yeast.
→ Why must I cool the dough?
Cooling makes the butter layers firm up and lets you work with the dough more easily, giving you prettier layers in your finished bread.
→ What if I don't own a Dutch oven?
A Dutch oven traps steam for a nicer crust, but you can use any bread pan plus a dish of water in your oven to make steam.
→ Can I prepare this earlier?
Sure, you can keep the dough in your fridge for up to 24 hours during the cold proof to match your timing.

Honey Cinnamon Butter Bread

Enjoy a wonderful sourdough creation packed with swirls of honey cinnamon butter that perfectly balances sweet and tangy notes.

Prep Time
60 Minutes
Cook Time
40 Minutes
Total Time
100 Minutes
By: Amelia

Category: Homemade Bread

Difficulty: Difficult

Cuisine: American

Yield: 12 Servings (1 loaf)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

→ Country Bread Base

01 Plain flour, 500g (3½ cups)
02 Lukewarm water, 350g (1½ cups)
03 Bubbly sourdough culture, 50g (¼ cup)
04 White sugar, 50g (¼ cup)
05 Table salt, 10g (1½ teaspoons)

→ Sweet Spiced Spread

06 Unsalted butter, 114g (1 stick)
07 Pure honey, 15g (1 tablespoon)
08 Icing sugar, 30g (¼ cup)
09 Cinnamon powder, 2g (1 teaspoon)
10 All-purpose flour, 9g (1 tablespoon)

Instructions

Step 01

Throw together your flour, water, starter, sugar, and salt until you get a rough, messy dough. Just wrap it up and let it sit at room temp.

Step 02

When 30 minutes pass, grab and stretch the dough in all directions. If you've got time, do this once or twice more, waiting half an hour between each round.

Step 03

Cover your dough and leave it out (keep it under 72°F) for about 10-14 hours total, until it's puffed up by 75%.

Step 04

Stir butter, honey, icing sugar, cinnamon, and flour together until smooth.

Step 05

Flatten dough into a rectangle, smear half the butter mix on top, then fold like a letter. Add the rest of your butter, roll it up, and pop into a floured basket.

Step 06

Stick it in the fridge for at least 8 hours.

Step 07

Warm your oven and dutch oven to 450°F. Cut the top of your dough, bake with the lid on for 25 minutes, then take the lid off for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Step 08

Let it cool on a wire rack. Mix up more cinnamon honey butter (skip the flour this time) to spread on each slice.

Notes

  1. When butter starts oozing during shaping, take a break and let your dough sit for 10-15 minutes before you seal it up
  2. Put a sturdy cookie sheet on the bottom rack so the base doesn't burn
  3. How long it takes to rise really depends on how warm your kitchen is

Tools You'll Need

  • Loaf tin
  • Food scale
  • Bread proofing basket
  • Cast iron pot with lid

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Has dairy products (butter)
  • Contains wheat products (flour)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 194
  • Total Fat: 6 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 30 g
  • Protein: 4 g