Cinnamon cardamom swirl bread is a yeast bread with a ribbon of cinnamon and cardamom spice swirled throughout. Try the leftovers toasted!
Cinnamon Cardamom Swirl Bread
Cinnamon cardamom swirl bread is a soft, tender yeast bread with a ribbon of cinnamon and cardamom spice swirled throughout. The swirl throughout this loaf allows each slice of this bread to have the sweet, cinnamon cardamom spice flavor. Recipes for versions of this timeless yeast bread have appeared in many classic old-fashioned cookbooks. The 1951 version of Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook describes their version of cinnamon swirl bread as “that wonderful fragrance you whiff” and they are right: this bread has an amazing smell while baking! This cinnamon cardamom swirl bread can be glazed with a sweet powdered sugar icing after baking and the leftovers are great toasted as a special breakfast treat.
How to Make Cinnamon Cardamom Swirl Bread
This version of cinnamon cardamom swirl bread was adapted from the classic cinnamon swirl bread; cardamom spice adds an additional spice profile. Cardamom is a traditional spice in chai flavor, but if you are not a fan, you can simply omit the cardamom from the recipe.
After several trial and errors with this recipe, my biggest question was: how do you keep the cinnamon cardamom swirl layer from separating from the rest of the bread? After researching several recipes, I found that using an egg wash worked best. I also added a little flour to stabilize the cinnamon cardamom filling, as I do with my potato cinnamon rolls. Be sure to read the tips below for freezing and storage tips.
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 3-3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 – 0.25 oz package active dry yeast
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
For the filling:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Powdered Sugar Icing (optional):
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted or whisked
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 Tablespoons water
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 ½ cups of the flour, sugar and the yeast.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk, butter and salt to 110°-115°F. Remove from heat and add to the flour mixture; beat on low speed with electric mixer. Add in the egg, mix well and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat the mixture for a total of 3 minutes on high speed, until smooth. Stir in the remaining flour by hand, adding enough of the flour to make it a soft, but not sticky, dough.
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 5-8 minutes. Alternately, use the dough hook on the stand mixer and knead the mixture 2-3 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl; cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm but not hot place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
Punch down the dough and allow to rest 10 minutes. On a large floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 15-7” in size. Whisk together the egg and water; brush onto the dough using a pastry brush. Combine the ground cinnamon, cardamom and flour; sprinkle evenly on top of the dough. Roll the dough, starting at one edge to the other and seal; place in a greased 9x4x2 in loaf pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, but not hot, place until doubled in size (about 45 minutes – 1 hour).
Bake at 375°F 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when gently tapped (alternately, bake until the rolls reach an internal temperature of 190°F on an instant read thermometer). Gently remove the bread from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack; combine ingredients for icing and drizzle over top of loaf if desired.
Tips for Cinnamon Cardamom Swirl Bread
- If desired, add 1/4-1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries or nuts to the cinnamon cardamom filling
- This bread is best if eaten within 2 days of baking, however store in an airtight container for up to 3 days
- Can you freeze cinnamon cardamom swirl bread? Yes, this bread freezes well! This bread will keep frozen up to 3 months
- You can easily double this recipe to make 2 loaves
- This bread is great toasted the next day!
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Cinnamon Cardamom Swirl Bread
Equipment
- wire rack
- 1 8 1/2" x 4 1/2 "loaf pan
- mixing bowls of various sizes or stand mixer
- small saucepan
- clean kitchen towel
- pastry brush
Ingredients
For the bread dough
- 3-3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 – 0.25 oz package active dry yeast
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
For the filling
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 teaspoons flour
Powdered Sugar Icing (optional)
- 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- 2-3 Tablespoons water
Instructions
For the dough
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 ½ cups of the flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 – 0.25 oz package active dry yeast.
- In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup milk, ¼ cup unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon salt to 110-115°F.
- Remove from heat and add to the flour mixture; beat on low speed with electric mixer. Add in 1 large egg, mix well and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat the mixture for a total of 3 minutes on high speed, until smooth.
- Stir in the remaining flour (1 to 1 1/2 cups) by hand, adding enough of the flour to make it a soft, but not sticky, dough.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 5-8 minutes. Alternately, use the dough hook on the stand mixer and knead the mixture 2-3 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl; cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm but not hot place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
- Punch down the dough and allow to rest 10 minutes. On a large floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 15″-7” in size.
For the filling
- Whisk together 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon water; brush onto the dough using a pastry brush. Combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom and 2 teaspoons flour; sprinkle evenly on top of the dough.
- Roll the dough, starting at one long edge to the other and seal; place in a greased 8x4x2 in loaf pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, but not hot, place until doubled in size (about 45 minutes – 1 hour).
- Bake at 375°F 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when gently tapped (alternately, bake until the bread reaches an internal temperature of 190℉ on an instant read thermometer).
- Gently remove the bread from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.
For the icing (optional)
- Combine ingredients for powdered sugar icing (1 cup sifted powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon vanilla, 2-3 Tablespoons water) if using and drizzle over top of bread loaf.
Notes
- If desired, add 1/4-1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries or nuts to the cinnamon cardamom filling
- This bread is best if eaten within 2 days of baking, however store in an airtight container for up to 3 days
- Will keep frozen up to 3 months
- You can easily double this recipe to make 2 loaves
- This bread is great toasted the next day!
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