Zvi’s Cinnamon Swirl Bread (and a giveaway!)

Cinnamon Swirl Bread
To be honest, I’m a little sad as I write this post. The 12 Days of Christmas Treats series is officially over. But I meant what I said in my last post – I’m already planning next year’s treats!  So, to overcome my melancholy I decided to post another fun recipe….plus a giveaway! Hopefully this will help cheer anybody up who is also already missing the daily Christmas treats.
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
This recipe comes from the Tate’s Bake Shop cookbook. I got an email asking me if I’d like a free cookbook, (plus some sample cookies) and the chance to offer a giveaway to my readers. A cookbook and cookies? Of course I said yes! Unfortunately the cookies weren’t quite my style – they’re more of the crispy variety, while I prefer soft and chewy cookies. But I’ve greatly enjoyed looking through the cookbook. It’s full of recipes for cookies, breads, and cakes. And with a foreward by Ina Garten, you know there are some good recipes in there. For my first recipe I decided to make cinnamon swirl bread. The description in the book made me think it would make a great breakfast, and after making it I would have to agree.
The bread is fairly easy to make.  It’s more of a sweet bread than I expected, but the sweet flavor pairs perfectly with the cinnamon swirl. I was initially disappointed when I cut into it and took my first bite. It somehow seemed a little dry;. (I probably added too much flour while kneading – a common problem of mine). But I decided to toast some for breakfast and add some butter and it was delicious! The sweetness of the bread really came through and the texture was perfect for toast. All of a sudden I was very thankful that this made 3 loaves of bread. I foresee some tasty breakfasts in our future. Plus Mike is already looking forward to using it to make some french toast!
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Scroll down for the giveaway!

Zvi's Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Yield: Makes 3 loaves

Ingredients:

Bread:
3 1/4-ounce packages of active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (about 105 degrees)
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 cup salted butter
4 large eggs lightly beaten, at room temperature
8 cups all-purpose flour (You may use 3/4 cup more when kneading).

Swirl filling
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
3/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

*Note: You can double the filling if you'd like it to be gooey inside.

Dissolve the yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl with a pinch of sugar. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the milk, sugar, salt, and butter until warm to the touch. Do not boil.

Add the eggs, 4 cups of flour, and the milk mixture to the yeast. Mix using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment (or stir by hand with a wooden spoon). Grdually add the remaining flour, mixing until it forms a stiff dough.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flour dusted work area. Knead the dough until it springs back when you press it with your finger and it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Roll it around once to coat it all over with oil. Cover it with a towel and let it rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Make the filling: Cream the butter, sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

Punch down the dough and grease 3 9x5 inch loaf pans. Divide the dough into three equal portions, roughly 1 1/2 pounds each. Roll out each piece into an 8x12 rectangle. Spread the filling evenly onto each rectangle, spreading it over the entire surface, leaving a half-inch border. Roll from the 8-inch side like a jellyroll. Pinch the edges and ends together. Tuck the ends under slightly and place seam side down in the prepared pans. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350. Bake the bread for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

This giveaway is now closed. The winner (via random number generator) was comment #5 – Cara! Congratulations Cara 🙂
***GIVEAWAY***
You have a chance to win this fun prize back – a Tate’s Bake Shop cookbook and 3 sample packs of cookies! For a chance to win, leave a comment letting me know your favorite Christmas cookie of all time.
For an extra entry, “like” Tate’s Bake Shop on facebook, then come back here and leave a comment letting me know.
I’ll choose a random comment on Friday morning and notify the winner via email.  (Make sure I have a way to contact you if you win.) Good luck!
p.s. If you don’t win, you can still get 15% off any Tates Bake Shop purchase until December 31 by using the discount code “cookie”!
*Note: The cookbook, sample cookies and giveaway prizes were provided by Tate’s Bake Shop. As always, all opinions are my own.
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76 comments

  1. I'm sad it's over too – I just made the chocolate cookie dough truffles yesterday (and I definitely just ate 2 with my breakfast 🙂 – I think that is my new favorite holiday cookie 🙂

  2. This bread looks amazing! My favorite Christmas cookie is Gingerbread men…yum.

  3. I just blogged about my favorite christmas cookies…snickerdoodles! 🙂

    BTW – That bread looks delicious.

  4. I love love love cranberry and pistachio cookies! The red and the green in the cookie makes them very festive and they aren't too crazy sweet. 🙂

  5. Your bread looks perfect. Wish I could have a slice!

  6. The bread looks delicious! You had an amazing round-up for your 12 days of cookies too–can't wait till next year's! 🙂 My fav cookie of all time is definitely a spritz, small and buttery 🙂

  7. Mmm I might have to try this one! Favorite christmas cookie of all time – mint chocolate chip cookies! Mmmm!

  8. My favorite Christmas cookies are Venetians. They are an almond paste cookie with the three layers of green, yellow, and red. I love them!

  9. my fave christmas cookie isn't really a cookie-my aunt always make buckeyes at christmas -LOVE THEM!

  10. I love Gingersnaps! Soft chewy ones with a maple glaze on top – yummy!

  11. I also “like” Tate's Bake Shop on FB!

  12. I love a chocolate chip with toffee bit in it that a bakery near my house made.
    msgb245 at gmail dot com

  13. I love Mexican wedding cookies!

  14. So hard to choose just one. My favorite is probably almond joy coconut balls. Must put on my to-make list!

  15. I love chow mein noodle no bakes..! Thanks for a chance to win and awesome job (as usual!) on the 12 days line-up! (melis415@yahoo.com)

  16. My Swedish grandmother used to make “russian teacakes” and its just not Christmas with out them! I believe they are pretty close relative to the mexican wedding cookie! Just tender and buttery and delicious!
    Iammaggiewilliams@hotmail.com

  17. My favorite cookie on christmas is Snicker Doodles.

  18. My favorite cookies are Russian Tea cakes. Ever since I learned how to make them when I was in 7th grade cooking class I've loved them. Over the years I have used walnuts instead of pecans (sometimes) and even rolled some in regular granulated sugar instead of confectioners sugar. It seems no matter what nut you use or the sugar you roll in, the delicate melt in your mouth texture of this cookie never fails.

    Debbie
    dkal85@aol.com

  19. My favorite cookie of all time is Grandma's Fruit Cocktail cookies. Yum.
    gourdsrmylife(at)yahoo(dot)com

  20. That bread looks yummy!

  21. How do you pick one favorite cookie? I love all the different ones…even the decorated ones that don't taste so great, but give me great memories of decorating with my mom and sister. My favorite holiday treat is probably our family candy corn, but that isn't a cookie….what a hard question! But I'd love the cookbook 🙂

    Heather

  22. Great job, this loaf is perfection

  23. Cream cheese cookies. It's a family tradition and we make them every year. Only at Christmas, though. It's one of those things you want to keep for sacred.

    jennifer.lyn.lawson@gmail.com

  24. My favorite cookie is a spicy chewy ginger cookie.

  25. i liked Tate's Bake Shop on facebook too….

  26. Sour cream with caramel icing

  27. Looks delish! My favorite holiday cookie is a toss up between thumbprints and butter cookie cutouts with chocolate frosting!

  28. Love the pecan wedding cake snowball things!

    karenreichmann@hotmail.com

  29. I love the soft molassas cookies my aunt makes for Christmas! She uses my great grandmother's recipe 🙂
    jessika_leonard@yahoo.com

  30. My grandma's Spicy Sugar Cookies with Eggnog Icing. YUM!

  31. I love the classics: Gingerbread.

  32. My favorite are snickerdoodles. Thanks.

    Chris

    zekks at yahoo dot com

  33. oh, i bet this is good. I love your blog by the way.

  34. I love gingersnaps or corn flake christmas wreaths. Nom nom.

  35. I love applesauce raisin cookies. Yum!
    mommastaci33 at yahoo dot com

  36. I like them on Facebook. Thanks!
    mommastaci33 at yahoo dot com

  37. My favorites have to be chewy oatmeal raisin. 🙂

  38. pecan balls.

    jacquieastemborski AT comcast DOT net

  39. only one? pb temptations i guess, but really i'm a cookie fiend and love them all 🙂

  40. I will always love the Sugar Sugars with sprinkles best.

    melodyj(at)gmail(dot)com

  41. My favorite Christmas cookie is my grandmother's anise cookies 🙂

  42. Jam thumbprints rolled in coconut.

  43. Chocolate Espresso Chews!

  44. Definitely my grandma's sugar cookies with icing! The decorating is the best part!

  45. My favorite cookie is a snickerdoodle 🙂 Kate @ kateiscooking

  46. I liked Tate's on Facebook

  47. I love Cowboy Cookies…raw and cooked! The mixture of oats and pecans and chocolate chips is wonderful!

  48. The bread looks amazing, Megan!
    Thanks for hosting this giveaway… my favorite Christmas cookies are Swedish Creme Cookies. It's a sandwich cookie that my mom always made at Christmas!

  49. That bread looks yummy! Gingerbread cookies are my favorite Christmas cookie!

  50. Please don't include me in the giveaway, I just wanted to comment on your bread! The bread looks absolutely gorgeous and sooo good. 🙂 You did an amazing job, it looks perfect!

  51. My favorite cookie is a snickerdoodle! My mom's specialty! yum yum yum
    kaycrayola@gmail.com

  52. fan of tate's bake shop too! hooray!
    kaycrayola@gmail.com

  53. Well, if you're strictly talking about cookies I think I would have to say one of my favorites is Jam thumbprints. I don't think they have another name… not sure on that. Anyway, they're delicious. Another high-ranking favorite would be peanut butter balls…. but those aren't technically a cookie :o)
    Sarah from GNBC

  54. i like almost any cookie, but a warm chocolate chip cookie out of the oven works for me any time of the year!

  55. My favorites are lace cookies, i had a coworker who would bring them in every year, they were SO good!

  56. my moms homemade shortbread… the best! nobody makes it like she does!

  57. Growing up, we always bought those sugar cookies shaped like trees and sprinkled with green or red sugar sprinkles. That or those glazed ginger cookies 😀

  58. Spritz cookies are my fav Christmas cookie. I've enjoyed trying many of your Christmas cookies this year….lots of fun.
    Rayn@aol.com

  59. My fav is Biscotties, we started doing them with my husband last year and decide we will make it a tradition.
    We do White Chocolate Chips & Cranberries and Orange Zest with Dark Chocolate chips.

    🙂

    Happy holidays everybody 🙂

  60. Macaroons! I usually only eat them at the holidays and love how light & fluffy they are!

  61. Fav christmas cookie of all time? You have got to be joking! You want me to choose one?

    How about top 5, in no particular order: Corn Flake Wreaths, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Krumkake, Chewy Ginger snaps

  62. And I already “Like” Tate's… Yum!

  63. Gorgeous swirl in that bread! I don't think I have a favorite holiday treat just yet. Sad, I know, but I'm open to suggestions!

  64. you can't go wrong with a pumpkin cookie with cream cheese frosting for the holidays!

  65. *liked tate's bake shop on facebook.

  66. chocolate chip with pecans are my favorite

  67. Megan — the bread was yummy! The first loaf is almost gone already. It was great toasted with butter, as suggested!

  68. Sharon – I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to comment and let me know 🙂

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