There’s something magical about the smell of cinnamon raisin bread baking—it instantly takes me back to my grandma’s kitchen. Her homemade bread, swirled with sweet cinnamon and plump raisins, was a family treasure, and I’ve been hooked on recreating it ever since. Today, I’m sharing a no-knead version of her classic recipe, made extra special with buttermilk for a tender, flavorful loaf. Whether you’re a bread-baking newbie or a seasoned pro, this easy recipe is for you—no kneading required! Let’s dive in with some tips and the recipe that’s sure to become your new favorite.

Why You’ll Love This No-Knead Bread

Make-Ahead: The dough rises overnight, so you can bake fresh bread in the morning.
Effortless: No kneading means less work, but you still get that bakery-style result.
Buttermilk Magic: Adds a soft texture and subtle tang that pairs perfectly with the sweet swirl.
Beginner-Friendly: Simple steps make this doable for anyone.

Baking Tips for Success

Before we get to the recipe, here are my top tips to ensure your cinnamon raisin bread is a triumph. These are lessons I’ve learned from years of baking (and a few pointers I wish Grandma had known about no-knead dough!).

Weigh Your Flour: For consistent results, weigh your flour instead of scooping with cups. A digital kitchen scale is a small investment that makes a big difference (I use one that handles up to 10 lbs). Cup measurements are included if you don’t have a scale, but weighing is my go-to, inspired by Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.
Check Water Temperature: Yeast is picky! Water that’s too hot (above 120°F) kills it, and too cold slows it down. Use lukewarm water (90-100°F) and check with a digital thermometer to be sure.
Baking & Doneness: This enriched dough (with eggs and buttermilk) bakes at 350°F. For non-enriched dough, use 450°F. To confirm doneness, check the internal temperature: 190°F for enriched dough like this, 210°F for lean dough.
Why Buttermilk? Buttermilk tenderizes the dough, giving it a soft, pillowy texture and a slight tang that elevates the flavor. No buttermilk? You can swap in regular milk, but I highly recommend cultured buttermilk for the best results. (Check my guide to making your own cultured buttermilk)

Essential Tools to Make No-Knead a Breeze

Digital Thermometer: This is useful to make sure your water is cool enough (not more than 100 degrees) when you are mixing your yeast in it. You may also use this for testing the internal temperature of your baked loaf (190°F).
Food Container – I prefer this larger container which has a loose-fitting lid and is large enough for the dough to expand. I can fit enough dough in this container to make 6 loaves of bread, (this recipe for no-knead cinnamon raisin bread makes 3 loaves in an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan).

Bread Dough Whisk: This is my favorite way to mix the dough, especially no-knead dough.
Pastry Scraper: A pastry scraper is needed to roll up your dough for the cinnamon raisin bread.
Bread Pans:
- Photographed in this post is the longer bread loaf pans that are 12 x 4 1/2-inch pans. They have a capacity of about 800 grams and you can bake 2 loaves of no-knead cinnamon raisin bread with this size pan.
- I LOVE these USA Pans that are 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches. This size pan has a capacity of 600 grams of dough and you’ll get about 3 loaves of this bread with this loaf pan size.
Pastry Brush: A simple pastry brush works perfectly for applying your egg wash to your finished loaf.

Prep Time:10

Cook Time:45

Total Time:2 55

Yield: loaves

Ingredients

2 cups warm water, less than 100°F/38°C 480g
1 cup buttermilk 240g
1 tbsp active dry yeast 9g
½ cup granulated sugar 100g
2 eggs
6½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour 920g
1½ tbsp sea salt 27g
1½ cups raisins 240g

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

⅔ cup sugar 133g
2 tbsp cinnamon 16g

Egg Wash

1 egg
1 tbsp water

Instructions

Mix Dough: In a large (4-quart) container, combine water, buttermilk, yeast, sugar, eggs, and salt. Stir in flour with a dough whisk until just combined (no kneading). Add raisins; mix gently.
Rest Dough: Loosely cover and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours. Use immediately or refrigerate up to 24 hours.
Prepare Pans: Grease three 8½x4½-inch loaf pans or save some dough to make into loaves later.
Shape Loaves: On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into three equal portions. Roll each into a ½-inch-thick rectangle (~8×12 inches). Sprinkle each with one-third of the cinnamon sugar mix. Roll tightly along the long edge, pinch seam to seal, and tuck ends under. Place seam-side down in prepared pans.
Second Rise: Cover and let rise until doubled, ~1 hour.
Bake: Preheat oven to 350° F (175°C). Whisk egg wash ingredients; brush over loaves. Bake 45 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped (190° F internal).
Cool: Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Video

Notes

The recipe makes 3 loaves (8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch pans) and can be divided if desired

Nutrition

Servings: loaves

Calories: 195kcal

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No-Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe – With Buttermilk

Why You’ll Love This No-Knead Bread

Baking Tips for Success

Essential Tools to Make No-Knead a Breeze