Imagine coming into the kitchen and smelling the warm aroma of a loaf of bread being cooked to perfection.
Mmm…nothing beats the luscious smell of fresh bread baking, especially yummy cinnamon swirl bread with plump raisins.
For those of use who have given up gluten, this may sound like a dream from days long past, but it doesn’t have to be! With this easy gluten-free cinnamon raisin bread recipe, you can have all the fresh bread you could ever want!
To be honest, making gluten-free breads, can be downright tricky. But because this recipe is formulated for a bread maker, it really takes the guess-work out of the equation and baking gluten-free cinnamon raisin bread becomes a breeze.
Promise!
Before we jump to the recipe, let’s take a look at some important information about making gluten-free bread, and the bread machine I use and recommend.
Table of Contents
Why Choose the Cuisinart Bread Maker?
For this recipe, I am using the Cuisinart Bread Maker. I received this bread machine last Christmas and absolutely love it for gluten- free baking. Here are a few reasons why I recommend it specifically:
- It has a special gluten-free cycle. This is huge because most traditional bread machines do not have this option.
- It is a very affordable price compared to other bread machines on the market (especially ones with a gluten free setting).
- This machine’s compact size allows you to store it in a cupboard when not in use.
- Finally, it has great reviews online. People who have purchased this bread maker seem to really love it.
The main benefit of buying a bread machine with a specific gluten free setting is that gluten-free bread with yeast requires an extra mixing cycle and only one rise cycle.
On settings for bread with gluten, the mixing time is shorter and it will pause for a second rise – not ideal for gluten-free bread. This is why the best bread machines for GF baking have a specific gluten-free setting, like the affordable Cuisinart.
Of course, this specific bread maker is not required for this recipe and other brands will work as well. If your bread maker does not have a gluten-free setting, use the setting for quick bread instead.
Is Cinnamon Raisin Bread Gluten-Free?
Although raisins are made from grapes, and grapes are naturally gluten-free, the process of making raisin bread often adds wheat flour to the dough. As a result, most raisin breads contain gluten and are not safe for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
However, there are a few brands that make gluten-free raisin bread, some good choices for store-bought GF cinnamon raisin bread are Udi’s and, my favorite, Canyon Bakehouse.
The easiest way to ensure your cinnamon raisin bread does not contain gluten, of course, is to make it yourself. And with a bread maker, the process is really really easy.
Next, let’s take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to gluten-free bread baking.
FAQ
Can I use measure for measure flour instead of all-purpose?
Nope! When baking gluten-free bread, it’s important to use an all-purpose GF flour without added xanthan gum. Not a 1:1 GF baking flour.
The reason is gluten-free bread requires an exact ratio of xanthan gum. The xanthan gum in “measure for measure” GF flour is not enough to yield good results.
Why is my gluten-free bread so dense?
The ingredients were not mixed well enough. While the gluten-free setting on the bread maker does have two cycles, it is still not enough.
Solution: Here is the best way to solve this issue. When the machine beeps after the first kneading cycle, pause the machine and mix gently by hand, making sure to scrape the sides, and then replace the dough into machine to finish the process.
Do I Need Xanthan Gum for Gluten-Free Baking?
The simple answer is yes. xanthan gum is needed for adding structure and maintaining moisture in gluten-free bread.
Xanthan gum is easy to find at Walmart, Target, and many grocery stores.
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe for Bread Machine:
The first step to making awesome cinnamon swirl raisin bread at home is to gather the ingredients. For best results, make sure they are all at room temperature before starting.
*Note – Because the amount of flour needs to be more exact than a measuring cup, it’s best to measure the flour on a food scale. Different flours have different weights, however. For this recipe, I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour. For this flour 3 1/4 cups = 442 grams. Make sure to check the conversion rate for whatever flour you are using.
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread: Bread Maker Recipe
Yield: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup water, warm
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons active yeast
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 1/4 cups gluten-free, all-purpose flour (442 g if using Bob's Red Mill Flour)
- 1 tablespoon xanthan gum *if you do not have xanthan gum, you can substitute 3 tablespoons of psyllium husk powder instead.
For the cinnamon sugar mixture:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup raisins (if you are not a fan of raisins feel free to leave out)
Instructions
- Prepare the yeast - mix the warm water, yeast and sugar together in a small bowl. Set aside until the mixture becomes frothy. About 5 minutes.
- Making sure all ingredients are room temperature, add the butter, eggs and yeast mixture to the baking pan of the bread machine.
- Dump in the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, and finally salt on top.
- Turn the bread machine to the gluten-free setting and press start.
- When the paddle signal sounds, press start/stop, open the lid and dump the dough onto a piece of floured plastic wrap or parchment paper. Form the dough into a square (flour your hands well, as this produces a very wet dough).
- Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and raisins in a small bowl and then sprinkle over the bread dough.
- Lifting up one side of the plastic wrap, gently pull up so that they dough forms a log.
- Taking both sides of the plastic wrap, dump the dough log directly into the bread maker's baking pan.
- Press start again and let the bread maker finish it's magic.
- Once done, slide the bread from the bread pan onto a wire rack and let it cool before slicing.
Voila! Your homemade, gluten-free cinnamon raisin bread is ready to enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 336Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 76mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 3gSugar: 14gProtein: 9g
What More Gluten-Free Recipes for Your Bread Maker?
I love making my own gluten-free bread, it’s fun and so delicious! If you love it too, you’ll want to try this highly-rated, gluten-free sandwich bread maker recipe. It’s perfect for morning toast, afternoon sandwiches or anything else you can imagine!
Easy Gluten Free Sandwich Bread
I hope you find this recipe easy to follow and fun to bake! If you have any questions, leave a comment below. I am happy to help!
Until next time friends 🙂
Rebekah
