Cinnamon Burst Bread
This soft and tender cinnamon burst bread is a yeast bread recipe dotted with mini cinnamon chips. It is lightly sweet and delicious toasted!
If youāve had the cinnamon burst bread from Great Harvest, youāll understand the excitement of having a homemade version that is just as delicious (and so easy to make at home!).
4 Reasons Why This Bread is Amazing
Just in case the words cinnamon burst bread donāt convince you, here are a few more reasons why you should make this bread as soon as possible.
- Your house is going to smell amazing while this bread is bakingā¦and for hours after.
- This lightly sweet bread makes the most incredible buttered toast. In fact, Iām ruined on every day toast forever now because of this cinnamon bread.
- In addition to regular toast, thick-cut slices of the cinnamon burst bread transform into the best French toast youāll ever have. Whisk together two eggs + 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk + a bit of vanilla. Dip the bread slices into that mixture and cook on a hot, buttered skillet or griddle.
- This recipe is incredibly straightforward. It is perfect for beginner or expert bread bakers alike!
Key Ingredients
The ingredients for this bread recipe are really straightforward, but Iāve included a few important notes for the ingredients that need a bit of clarification. ā¬ļø
- Flour: All-purpose flour or bread flour can be used in this recipe, or a combination. The bread will have a slightly tighter crumb and fluffier texture with bread flour.
- Yeast: Instant yeast or active dry yeast can be used ā no modifications or changes needed.
- Water: Use warm water that registers 105 to 110 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer. If you donāt have a thermometer, use water that feels āvery warmā on your fingers but doesnāt cause you to yank out your hand because itās too hot.
- Oil: A neutral-flavored oil works best in this bread recipe, like avocado oil, grapeseed oil, vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Egg: The egg creates a richer, softer crumb. If you are working around an egg allergy, the egg can be left out (the bread will be slightly airier and not quite as soft).
- Mini cinnamon chips: Mini cinnamon chips or cinnamon bites work best in this bread (vs the larger cinnamon chips, like Hersheyās brand). See below for more information about the cinnamon chips.
Where to Find Mini Cinnamon Chips
My three top recommendations for cinnamon chips are as follows:
- Cinnamon chips from Orson Gygi (I love the taste of these chips)
- Cinnamon chips from Prepared Pantry (Iāve also used these with great results)
- Cinnamon chips from Amazon (I havenāt tried these ones, but a longtime reader said this store is owned and operated near where she lives, and the cinnamon chips are fantastic ā UPDATE: a few readers reported they used these chips and they melted into the bread rather than retaining their shape, so if you use this brand, Iād recommend adding the cinnamon chips the last 30 to 45 seconds of kneading time).
ā”ļø While the Hersheyās brand is likely easier to find in local stores, I recommend them with reservations. Several readers have reported that the Hersheyās brand chips bleed orange when baked, they tend to sink and/or stick together, and they have an artificial taste. If you use them, give the cinnamon chips a rough chop before using.
If you canāt get cinnamon chips online or in-stores, this homemade recipe for cinnamon bits looks promising!
Making and Shaping Cinnamon Burst Bread
How to make and shape this cinnamon burst bread:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the dough ingredients.
- Add the cinnamon chips at the end with the remaining flour.
- Let the dough rise until doubled.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly greased counter and split into two equal pieces.
- Pat each piece into a thick square, about 9-inches across. Roll up tightly without stretching the dough.
- Turn the edges under and press all the seams to seal.
- Place the dough in greased 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch loaf pans and let rise until the dough rises just above the edge of the pan.
- Bake until golden.
- Out of the oven, brush the tops with melted butter.
The recipe for this cinnamon burst bread makes two loaves. The recipe can easily be doubled for four loaves or halved for one loaf. For a half recipe, whisk one large egg in a small bowl, and use half of the egg in the recipe (about 25 grams).
A Few Additional Notes
ā”ļø This bread freezes great. Let it cool completely before wrapping well and freezing.
ā”ļø The cinnamon chips melt a bit while baking creating pockets of cinnamony-sweet yumminess throughout the bread. The cinnamon chips on the top of the crust tend to stay whole and not melt, which is why it helps to use melted butter for brushing rather than running a stick of cold butter over the top of the warm bread.
ā”ļø Donāt let the bread rise too high in the loaf pans. This dough has quite a bit of spring once it hits the hot oven, and if it rises too much before baking, it will be too tall and airy in texture.
Even though I waxed poetic about the merits of this cinnamon burst bread made into toast and French toast, rest assured that it is spectacular eaten straight from the loaf.
The little bursts of buttery, sweet, cinnamon throughout the fluffy, soft bread are pretty much the best thing to happen to my life lately. Iāve always loved the cinnamon burst bread from Great Harvest bakery, and now, with this recipe, I can have it any time I want (kind of dangerous, when I think about it more deeply). š
I am so excited for you to make this cinnamon burst bread! It is truly incredible.
Cinnamon Burst Bread
Ingredients
- 5 Ā¼ to 5 Ā½ cups (745 to 781 g) all-purpose or bread flour, divided
- 2 tablespoons (27 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
- 1 Ā¾ cups (405 g) warm water, 105 to 110 degrees F.
- Ā¼ cup (49 g) neutral-flavored oil, like grapeseed, avocado, vegetable or canola oil
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 1 Ā½ cups (270 g) mini cinnamon chips (see note)
- Butter, for brushing tops of loaves
InstructionsĀ
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add 3 cups of the flour, sugar and yeast. Mix. Add the warm water and mix until combined. Cover the bowl and let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the oil, egg, salt, 1 more cup of flour, and the cinnamon chips (READ UPDATE IN THE NOTES SECTION BELOW BEFORE ADDING THE CINNAMON CHIPS). Mix on medium speed, and continue to gradually add flour (up to another 1 1/2 cups, more or less) until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. Judge the dough by how it looks and feels, not necessarily by the total amount of flour added (humidity, elevation, how the flour is measured will all affect how much flour is needed).
- Knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, about an hour. Alternately, you can transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise.
- Lightly grease two 8 1/2-X-4 1/2-inch loaf pans with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased counter and divide into two pieces.
- Press each piece into a thick 9-inch square. Roll up into a tight log without stretching the dough. Turn the edges under and press all the seams to seal.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make sure the oven rack is in the middle position.
- Place the loaves in the prepared pans. Cover and let rise until the dough rises about 1/2 inch above the top of the bread pans. Don't let the dough rise too high in this step. It springs up quite a bit in the hot oven.
- Bake the loaves for 32 to 35 minutes until golden on top and baked through. An instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the bread should register 195 degrees F.
- Out of the oven, carefully turn the loaves out onto a cooling rack and brush melted butter on the tops of the loaves. Let the bread cool completely, before cutting into slices and serving.
Notes
Recipe Source: from Melās Kitchen Cafe
Made a batch and of course used Gygi cinnamon chips (the best ever!!). Took one to a neighbor and kept the other for us. Received a text from neighboring raving about the bread. Way better than Great Harvest. Our loaf was gone in a couple hours. This is dangerous stuff.
This was super easy to make and so good! My family downed a loaf in an embarrassing amount of time. We didnāt even wait for it to cool all the way! I used the orson gygi chips with great success!
This recipe is a winner!! It came together really easily. I made one regular loaf and with the other half of the dough made 8 mini loaves ā perfect little gifts! I used the cinnamon chips I bought from the Bosch Kitchen Center (stores in Utah) and they held up great. Iāll definitely be making this bread regularly! Thanks Mel. š
Big hit! We made it in 4 mini loaf pans, & it turned out great! We gave one to a dear lady in our church who is in hospice. It was the perfect ādessertā to go along with the dinner we delivered. Bonus: She can also toast the bread in the morning for an easy & tasty breakfast! Thanks, Mel, for another winner.
WOW! Amazing bread!
So soft and flavorful!
I had Prepared Pantry Cinnamon Chips on hand. Added them with about 2 minutes left to mix. They worked perfectly. They stayed in whole chunks while mixing and they just slightly melted into the dough when baked, which is what I expected them to do.
I made it on the dough setting in my bread machine. (But stopped/started for the first rest time, and stopped again after 5 minutes of kneading.)
Did not bake them in the bread machine. Used bread pans as indicated in recipe.
I had planned to make a half recipe (just two of us here), but goofed and added full recipe amount of water after I had added the flour, yeast, etc. . So adjusted everything and made 2 loaves.
Serendipity!! So glad I have two loaves. Will freeze some of it.
Question!?
I would like to make this for a breakfast when our kids/grandkidd come to visit. It would be so nice to have it ready to bake in the morning. Has anyone tried making the dough, shaping it, then putting it in the fridge to rise.
Take out in the morning (maybe let sit a bit?) and then bake?
Would that work?
Suggestions?
Thanks!!
Thanks for the thorough review, Erica ā and notes on using a bread machine to mix the dough! I havenāt tried making the dough the night before, but I think it should work just fine. Itāll likely puff a bit in the fridge overnight, so if youāre going to do that, you may want to reduce the yeast just slightly so it doesnāt over rise in the fridge.
Thanks, Mel!
I will try that.
Iām starting to make lists of foods to make when we have our son/daughter in law and 2 grandkids for 11 days, then just the grandkids for another 5 days.
Most of the items on my list so far are your recipes, or from Sarah at Our Best Bites. Between the two of you, I think I get most of our most used recipes! They are almost all so easy to make and delicious.
Thanks so much for all you do for us!! ā¤ļø
Well Mel youāve done it again! This one is a WINNER! Ā The bread was super simple to make and very delicious. I happen to have some cinnamon chips in my freezer left over from another recipe and have been trying to use them up with no success in tempting my family. They just are not fans of cinnamon chips! Ā Butā¦I believe this bread may have just changed their mind! It is very soft, the dough is a dream to work with and it came together and rose pretty quick. I used the cinnamon chips I had which were the ones from Amazon and waited to add them until the last minute or so of kneading per your tip. It came out of the oven and it smelled so heavenly we couldnāt wait so we ate a piece warm, but I anticipate this will be toast heaven! I will just have to hide it so we have some left to toast for breakfast. lol. Thank you for the killer recipe!Ā
Thanks for your review, Jen! Iām so, so happy this bread worked out well and that itās a good solution to use up those cinnamon chips!!
The chips melted while mixing the dough, darn. Maybe I had to wait for it to cool some more. Iām sure itāll still taste good.
Iāll add an additional note to the recipe to give people a heads up on ways to avoid the chips melting. Thanks for reporting with your results!
My teenage boys were THRILLED when I told them you posted this recipe. Maybe they can get their cinnamon burst French toast fix on more than just special occasions now š
Iām midway through my first attempt this morning, and my Orson Gygi cinnamon chips completely melted into the dough during kneading. Iām always battling my cold kitchen making my doughs rise too slowly, so I probably made the dough too warm. Next time Iāll try watching the water temp closer, and adding the chips at the end of kneading. I donāt *think* it was my Kitchenaid mixerās fault, but thatās another variable I might try tweaking in the future too (I have a Bosch-style bread mixer that I usually reserve for batches larger than my Kitchenaid can handle).
Mel, a sincere thank you for the work you put into this blog. It is one of the most useful things on the internet for me ā„ļø
Thanks for your kind words, Carolyn! Iāll go right now and add an additional note to the recipe to alert people that if their dough is too warm, the cinnamon chips may melt, so it may be a good idea to add them toward the end of kneading (especially if the dough is warm). Storing the cinnamon chips in the freezer may help, too (adding them to the dough straight from the freezer).
Hi Mel, is there any way to make this if you donāt have a stand mixer and a dough hook? Thanks.
Hi Shari! I think this dough would be very adaptable to being mixed and kneaded by hand.
I was so excited to make this! Cinnamon chips (other then Hersheyās) are hard to come by in Canada and the Amazon ones wouldnāt ship here so I turned to the homemade version. Sadly, they incorporated into the dough. Next time Iāll add them right at the end but I think they may not be sturdy enough to withstand the kneading in a mixer. My dough rose during the first step but then did not rise much in the bowl or in the pans so Iām wondering if the corn syrup in the āchipsā affected the rise? Iāll try again another time but Iām sure the recipe is foolproof, like every other one of Melās recipes!
Thanks for the feedback on the homemade chips. Do you think it would work better if those little bits were frozen first and added right at the end? Hmm, just wondering how to make them work. Thatās kind of puzzling about the rising issue. I appreciate your insight, though! Thanks for the comment, Megan. I hope it works out a bit better if you make it again.
Thanks, Mel. My impatience to get this in my belly probably played a role as well! Yes, next time Iāll freeze the bits and add them at the end and I suspect that will work perfectly. It was delicious, regardless of the issues, so all was not lost!
I had basically the same experience with homemade chips! Iām going to try again with cooking my chips longer, folding in at the last moment of kneading, and doing it on a day when I donāt have to rush the second proof lol
Here to report back! I, too, bought the cinnamon chips linked on Amazon and Iām glad I read the update. My chips were in my mailbox for a little while and had started melting, so I made sure they were solid before using, and I put them in right at the end of kneading and only long enough to be distributed thoroughly. I noticed that some of them started getting real soft but it wasnāt too bad. I just pulled the loaves out of the oven and it looks like a success! I am forcing myself to wait until theyāre totally cooled to cut, but I think if you follow the advice given then the Amazon cinnamon chips should work great! Also: Iām in NY and had to use 5 and 3/4 cup flour to get the dough to clear the sides of the bowl.
Such great feedback on all counts. Thanks, Megan!
I just popped these into the oven and canāt wait to see how they turn out. Came together super easy. Have you ever had their cinnamon swirl bread? Ā Tackle that one next please šĀ
Haha, added to my make-and-perfect list!
I did as I was told and got the mini cinnamon chips in advance. Made the bread today. WOW. Sooo good!! And the dough is dreamy to work with! My kids get home in like 5 minutesā¦ theyāre going to die of happiness!
Iām reading other comments now. I used the bulk pantry mini cinnamon chips ā bought from Amazon. Iām in NJ and they did not melt or do anything weird for me.Ā
Rikki ā thank you for reporting back!! Iām so excited for your kids to dig in (well, and you, too, of course). š Also, thatās really good to know about the bulk pantry cinnamon chips from Amazon and that they worked out for you without melting. Thanks for chiming in on that!
Thank you for this recipe! Iām excited to try it today! For people in Utah countyā¦The Bosch Store on Center street in Orem has pretty good cinnamon chips. $9 for a pound and a half, I think. (Warning: youāll want to buy one of everything when you go in that store! lol) I havenāt looked into your other recommendations, so I donāt know how the price compares, but if you feel like you need cinnamon chips RIGHT NOW, like I do, they are a good option!
Great feedback, Kodi! Thank you!
Help! My chips melted. Ā I bought them on Amazon. Ā . Ā I tested the Ā water and it was 105 degrees. Ā any suggestions? Ā Thanks
Hi BoAnne ā Iām sorry that happened, but thanks for reporting back as that is helpful feedback. I havenāt used the cinnamon chips from Amazon, but itās likely the recipe for those chips is a bit different and theyāll melt easier. I think the chips can still be used in this bread ā add them the last 30 to 45 seconds of kneading.
Made this recipe today and wow! It is fantastic! I was thinking of trying the Gigi cinnamon chips and the 5 pound bag is more economical. Just wondering if you think I could freeze the extra chips in a quart jar or freezer safe bag?
Thanks, Mel!
Glad you loved the bread, Amy!! Thanks for making it so fast and reporting back. And yes, the chips freeze great. I keep mine in the freezer.
Made this immediately since I had cinnamon chips in my cupboard. Hardest part was waiting for it to cool enough to slice. Delicious! And pretty much all gone already with two teenage boys at home.Ā
Haha, sounds like your teenagers inhale bread like my teenagers do! Happy this was well-received, Keren. Thanks for letting me know!
Hello Mel! I have been looking for a recipe like this for a while. Have you tried anything else for the cinnamon pockets besides the chips that may have worked, even a little? I have had no success finding cinnamon chips that donāt have bad oils in them.Ā
Just curious!Ā
Thank you for all the hard work you do putting out such yummy recipes! I have followed you for many years and a lot of what you have created is staples in our home ā¤ļø
Hi Lora, thereās a link up in the post (https://afewshortcuts.com/homemade-cinnamon-baking-chips/) for making homemade cinnamon bits ā that might be your best bet? Iām not sure what oils you are staying away from, but you could experiment with the homemade recipe subbing ingredients in and out and see how it goes. Good luck if you try it!
Just ate this delicious recipe for an FHE treat. Wow! So super delicious. So soft! So easy to make! Loved it!
Yay, Kim!! Thanks for taking the time to let me know you made it and liked it!
We are BIG cinnamon chip bread fans so we had to give it a try today. High ratings from the whole family! Ā My one weird thing is that the cinnamon chips didnāt hold up super well during the dough kneading. A lot of them kind of blended into the dough rather than holding their individual dots. Perhaps it was still too warm? Or my mixer just was a little too powerful for them? I think next time (because there WILL BE a next time!) Iāll add the chips later in the kneading process. Ā Either way, still absolutely delicious!
Thatās good feedback, Heather. If you happen to see my response, Iām curious to know the brand/type of cinnamon chips you used?
I am so curiousā¦I came to the comments to see if I was the only one that had my chips incorporated into my dough. Ā I purchased the bulk pantry brand on Amazon. Ā I live in warmer temperatures so I put my chips into the freezer after they were deliveredā¦.do you think that had something to do with it?
Hi Micole, BoAnne commented above that she used the cinnamon chips from Amazon and they also melted. Iāll add a caveat to the post about that brand. I havenāt experienced that with the other brands of cinnamon chips Iāve tried, but it must be that particular brand and also if the dough was warm when added. I donāt think placing them in the freezer would make a difference (I also keep my cinnamon chips in the freezer). For those cinnamon chips (the ones you got on Amazon), I think theyāll still work, but I would wait to add them until the last 30 to 45 seconds of kneading.
Yes! I also used the Amazon onesā they are SO yummy but maybe they melt easier than others. Either way, I have Orson Gygi ones arriving today to try again! Ā The bread disappeared even with melted chips the first time!Ā
I had to make this bread immediately. It looked so good. Luckily I had cinnamon chips (Orson Gygi no less) in my pantry.
The loaves came out beautiful and taste even more amazing. This will definitely be in the rotation.
Just me over here with a grin a mile wide because you and Stephanie (below!) made this bread so fast and reported back. Yay, Ellen! So fun that you already had the cinnamon chips on hand. Iām so happy you loved this!
Mel!!! This bread is amazing!!! Itās easy to make, the texture and flavor are fantastic. Yes, I am ruined for regular toast! Thank you for sharing! I may have to make more to have french toast this weekend. I donāt think either loaf will make it to the weekend.
Oh my goodness, Stephanie ā you made this so fast! I am so, so happy you loved it. Thank you a million times over for taking the time to let me know. I canāt WAIT for you to try the slices as French toast. So, so good!
Curious if you think a half recipe would work in a bread machine? I know, I know ā it wonāt be the same, but think itās worth trying?
I actually think that could work great as long as the quantity of dough ingredients fits in your bread maker.
Also wanting to try this! When do you think you would add the chips? After the flour?Ā
My regular bread machine recipe has 675g of flour. Looks like the whole recipe would be too much for my bread machine to bake, but half a loaf or maybe even 3/4 should work.
Aside: What happened? Usually you post weight measures, no?
Oh, thatās weird! Looks like the weight measures disappeared. Iāll re-add them. Thanks for the heads up!
Hi Jacy, I donāt have a bread machine, so Iām not sure what the best step is to add the cinnamon chips. Can you add ingredients after the flour has been mostly incorporated?
I just finished makes the cinnamon chips from the recipe you linked and canāt wait for them to cool so I can make this bread!!
I canāt wait to hear what you think, Erica! I bet this bread will be next-level delicious with those homemade cinnamon bits.
Erica, please share how the homemade chips work. Thank you!
The taste is wonderful! A lot of my cinnamon chips dissolved during kneading, making the whole loaf cinnamon, with not very many pockets of cinnamon burst. I may not have cooked them long enough, so Iād call it user error. My husband was raving about the loaf! I will for sure try again and wait to incorporate chips until the very end of kneadingĀ
Thanks for the report back, Erica. I think with the homemade chips, either freezing them before adding and/or adding them right at the end of kneading should help.
I love that Great Harvest bread also. Ā The closest bakery store to me is about 30 minutes away! Ā Sometimes I stop in if I am in the area. Ā I used to buy the best mini ones from KAF but they stopped selling them years ago and I just stopped making cinnamon chip recipes. Ā I tried to order the Orson chips but the shipping was $20 to CT! Ā Shipping is half that from Prepared Pantry so I will try that since you personally have used this brand also and liked it. Ā Looks like they have a larger cinnamon chip bag on sale 25% off. Ā I found a nice recipe for cinnamon chip sour cream zucchini bread on the PP website (in their digital cinnamon chip handbook) so maybe I will try that after your bread. And of course scones! Ā Thanks for the great chip sources! Ā
Iāve ordered from Gygiās for a few years now. You have to realize youāre getting 5 pounds not 11 oz. like Prepared Pantry when youāre comparing shipping cost. Also, the more bags you order from Gygiās, the less the shipping is per bag. So, if you have some friends who want to order, you can share a lesser shipping. Make sure to note the warm weather shipping warning so you want to order soon. And, lastly, I store my cinnamon chips in the refrigerator so they last longer. I hope this helps. Good Luck in your search.
Glenna, good tip on the cinnamon chips! I store mine in the freezer for freshness.
Someone from King Arthur pointed me to Nuts.com where Iāve been buying mine but will look at those other sources!
Oooh, that cinnamon chip sour cream zucchini bread sounds amazing! Iām going to go search up that recipe, too! Also, I just ordered some of the cinnamon chips from Amazon so I can give an authentic review if I like them as well as the Orson Gygi or Prepared pantry chips. Someone commented on Instagram that the Amazon ones are sold by a bakery in her area (in Green Bay, Wisconsin ā I used to live there, too!) and they are fantastic, plus the store has great ownership and products, so thatās a good testament to the Amazon ones, if that helps!
YAY. Thank you in advance!! I love the cinnamon burst bread from Great Harvest and have wanted to make it myself. Iām sure there are other recipes out there, but I trust your recipes implicitly! The question isā¦ do I pack up my littles and drive to Orson Gygi today, or just order the ones from Amazonā¦ because I want to make this bread ASAP!
Haha, good question, Beth! Iāve used the Orson Gygi cinnamon chips and love them. Someone commented on Instagram that the Amazon ones are sold by a bakery in her area (in Green Bay, Wisconsin ā I used to live there, too!) and they are fantastic, plus the store has great ownership and products, so thatās a good testament to the Amazon ones, if that helps!
I got the cinnamon chips from Orson Gygi and made the bread today. My house was a bit cold, so I let the dough rise in a slightly warm oven for the first raise to speed things up. But the cinnamon chips melted, so lesson learned about speeding up the raise. So itās cinnamon swirl bread, not cinnamon chip bread. But it still tastes amazing. So so yummy and every bit as good as great harvest!
Oh, interesting point on letting the bread rise in a warm oven! Thanks for mentioning that! Otherwise, Iām glad it worked out ok! Thanks, Beth!