How to Make Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough for Toast

You want toast that tastes like a hug—crisp edges, soft crumb, warm cinnamon and plump raisins in every bite. This Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough for toast gives you just that: a loaf that toasts beautifully and keeps well for weekday breakfasts. You’ll learn the exact ingredients, a straightforward mixing and folding schedule, proofing timelines, and oven tips so you can bake a show-stopping, pin-worthy loaf this weekend.

What You'll Need — Ingredients for Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough

• 500 g bread flour
• 335 g water (67% hydration), room temperature
• 120 g active sourdough starter (100% hydration, fed 4–8 hours earlier)
• 10 g fine sea salt
• 30–50 g brown sugar (adjust sweetness)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 150 g raisins, briefly soaked and drained

Tools:

• Digital scale, mixing bowl, bench scraper, Dutch oven or baking stone, proofing basket or bowl.

Tip: weigh everything for consistent results.

Preparing Your Ingredients for Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough

1. Soak raisins in warm water or tea for 15 minutes to plump them. Drain and pat dry.
2. Mix cinnamon with brown sugar so the spice distributes evenly.
3. Feed your starter earlier so it’s active and bubbly at mixing time.

Warning: add raisins late in the mixing process. Adding them too early can tear the dough.

Step-by-Step Instructions — Making the Dough and Baking

1. Autolyse: Mix 500 g flour + 300 g water (reserve 35 g) until no dry flour. Rest 30 minutes.
2. Add 120 g starter, remaining 35 g water, 10 g salt, and cinnamon-sugar. Mix until combined.
3. Bulk fold: Over 2–3 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch-and-fold every 30 minutes. Let rest between sets.
4. Add raisins at the final fold so they distribute without crushing.
5. Shape gently into a tight boule, place seam-side up in a proofing basket, cover.
6. Cold proof: Refrigerate 8–12 hours for flavor and easier slicing.
7. Preheat oven with Dutch oven to 475°F (245°C) for 30 minutes.
8. Score and bake: 20 minutes with lid, then 20–25 minutes uncovered at 450°F (230°C) until deep golden.

Pro tip: use steam (lid or tray) for a crisp crust. Let the loaf cool 1–2 hours before slicing to set the crumb.

Serving, Storage, and Troubleshooting Tips

Serving:

• Slice thick for toast and slather with butter, honey, or cream cheese.
• For extra cinnamon punch, toast and sprinkle a little cinnamon-sugar.

Storage:

• Keep at room temperature in a linen bag for 2 days.
• Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze slices up to 3 months. Toast straight from frozen.

Troubleshooting:

• Dense crumb? Try longer bulk ferment or more stretch-and-folds.
• Too sour? Shorten cold proof to 6–8 hours or reduce starter to 90 g.
• Raisins clump? Chop half or toss with a little flour before adding.

What success looks like: a caramel-colored crust, fragrant cinnamon smell, even holes in the crumb, and toast that browns evenly without burning.

This Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough will give you toast-ready slices that smell like cinnamon mornings and hold up to spreads without falling apart. Save this guide, pin the images for your baking board, and try the cold proof—it's the easiest shortcut to deeper flavor. Which tip will you try first? Pin this guide for your next cozy breakfast and share with a friend who loves toast!