"My move is to swap a quarter cup of the raisins for dried cranberries — a little tartness against the maple sweetness is something else. And if you want to go deeper, replace two tablespoons of the pure syrup in the filling with our Smoked Maple Syrup. It adds a subtle woodsy note to the swirl that makes people lean in and ask what's different. They won't be able to place it. That's the point."
Maple Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Some things are worth the wait. This is a proper yeasted loaf — the kind that makes the whole house smell like something good is happening. Pure Vermont Maple Syrup sweetens the dough just enough and keeps the crumb tender without making it cakelike. Slice it thick. Toast it. Don't apologize for eating two pieces.
INGREDIENTS
For the dough:
- 3 cups bread flour, plus a little more for kneading
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast (one standard packet)
- ¾ cup whole milk, warmed to about 110°F
- ¼ cup Sugar Bob's Pure Vermont Maple Syrup (Amber Rich)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
For the filling:
- 3 tbsp Sugar Bob's Pure Vermont Maple Syrup
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup raisins (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, then drained)
For the finish:
- 1 egg, beaten with a splash of milk for egg wash
Optional: a drizzle of Pure Vermont Maple Syrup straight from the bottle, right out of the oven
INSTRUCTIONS
- Activate the yeast: Combine warm milk, maple syrup, and yeast in a large bowl. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. If nothing happens, your milk was too hot or your yeast is old. Start again — it's worth it.
- Build the dough: Add the egg, butter, salt, and cinnamon to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. It should spring back when you poke it. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1½ hours until doubled.
- Make the filling: Stir together the softened butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon into a loose paste.
- Shape the loaf: Punch the dough down and roll it out on a floured surface into a rectangle roughly 9x12 inches. Spread the filling evenly across the surface, leaving a half-inch border. Scatter the drained raisins over the top and gently press them in.
- Roll and seal: Starting from the short end, roll the dough into a tight log. Pinch the seam closed and tuck the ends under. Place seam-side down in a buttered 9x5 loaf pan.
- Second rise: Cover loosely and let rise again for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the dough crowns above the rim of the pan.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Brush the top with egg wash. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until deep golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. If it's browning too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Finish: Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. If you have a bottle of Pure Vermont Maple Syrup nearby, a light drizzle over the top while it's still warm does exactly what you think it does.
Pro Tip: The bread slices cleanest when fully cooled, but nobody actually waits for that, and we're not going to pretend otherwise. For French toast the next morning, this loaf is the reason to make a double batch.
Maple Cinnamon Raisin Bread
INGREDIENTS
For the dough:
- 3 cups bread flour, plus a little more for kneading
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast (one standard packet)
- ¾ cup whole milk, warmed to about 110°F
- ¼ cup Sugar Bob's Pure Vermont Maple Syrup (Amber Rich)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
For the filling:
- 3 tbsp Sugar Bob's Pure Vermont Maple Syrup
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup raisins (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, then drained)
For the finish:
- 1 egg, beaten with a splash of milk for egg wash
Optional: a drizzle of Pure Vermont Maple Syrup straight from the bottle, right out of the oven
INSTRUCTIONS
- Activate the yeast: Combine warm milk, maple syrup, and yeast in a large bowl. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. If nothing happens, your milk was too hot or your yeast is old. Start again — it's worth it.
- Build the dough: Add the egg, butter, salt, and cinnamon to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. It should spring back when you poke it. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1½ hours until doubled.
- Make the filling: Stir together the softened butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon into a loose paste.
- Shape the loaf: Punch the dough down and roll it out on a floured surface into a rectangle roughly 9x12 inches. Spread the filling evenly across the surface, leaving a half-inch border. Scatter the drained raisins over the top and gently press them in.
- Roll and seal: Starting from the short end, roll the dough into a tight log. Pinch the seam closed and tuck the ends under. Place seam-side down in a buttered 9x5 loaf pan.
- Second rise: Cover loosely and let rise again for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the dough crowns above the rim of the pan.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Brush the top with egg wash. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until deep golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. If it's browning too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Finish: Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. If you have a bottle of Pure Vermont Maple Syrup nearby, a light drizzle over the top while it's still warm does exactly what you think it does.
Pro Tip: The bread slices cleanest when fully cooled, but nobody actually waits for that, and we're not going to pretend otherwise. For French toast the next morning, this loaf is the reason to make a double batch.
