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Cinnamon-Chocolate Chip Bread
American

Cinnamon-Chocolate Chip Bread

A heavenly sweet bread swirled with cinnamon sugar and studded with rich chocolate chunks that disappears within hours of baking
American

Cinnamon-Chocolate Chip Bread

A heavenly sweet bread swirled with cinnamon sugar and studded with rich chocolate chunks that disappears within hours of baking

3 hours 15 minutes

Prep Time

40 minutes

Cook Time

intermediate

Level

Serves 10

Servings

3 hours 15 minutes

Prep Time

40 minutes

Cook Time

intermediate

Level

Serves 10

Servings

There’s something absolutely magical about the aroma of cinnamon and chocolate wafting through your kitchen as this bread bakes. This isn’t your ordinary quick bread – it’s a yeasted masterpiece that combines the best of both worlds: the soft, pillowy texture of fresh bread with the indulgent flavors of cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookies. The secret lies in the gentle rise time that develops incredible flavor, while the generous swirl of cinnamon sugar and chunks of semisweet chocolate create pockets of pure bliss in every slice. Fair warning: this bread has a tendency to vanish faster than you can slice it!

Ingredients

  • active dry yeast
    2 ½
    teaspoons
  • warm water
    3
    tablespoons
  • cooking spray
  • warm nonfat milk
    1
    cup
  • unsalted butter
    5
    tablespoons
  • egg
    1
  • salt
    1
    teaspoon
  • bread flour
    3 ½
    cups
  • white sugar
    ½
    cup
  • ground cinnamon
    2
    tablespoons
  • unsalted butter
    2
    tablespoons
  • semisweet baking chocolate
    6
    ounces
  • egg
    1

Tips

  1. Try adding chopped toasted pecans or walnuts along with the chocolate for extra crunch and flavor.

  2. Substitute mini chocolate chips for chopped chocolate if you prefer smaller bursts of chocolate throughout.

  3. Make it extra decadent by adding a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and milk once cooled.

  4. For a festive twist, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough and orange zest to the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Storage

Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. Day-old slices make incredible French toast!

Steps:

Activate the yeast
Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. Meanwhile, coat the inside of a large bowl with cooking spray.
Make the dough
Add warm milk, melted butter, egg, and salt to yeast mixture; whisk for 1 minute. Gradually stir in flour until dough is no longer sticky.
Knead and first rise
Knead dough by hand on a lightly floured surface or in a stand mixer fitted with a bread hook for 10 minutes. Transfer to the prepared bowl and turn until dough is covered in cooking spray. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Prepare for shaping
Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Mix together sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.
Shape and fill the bread
Remove dough from the bowl. Punch it and fold in the sides. Flatten dough with a rolling pin into a 9x18-inch rectangle. Brush on melted butter and sprinkle with all but 3 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar mixture. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate. Roll dough carefully, starting at the short end, and pinch closed at the seam.
Second rise
Place seam-side down in the prepared loaf pan. Cover the pan and set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Prepare for baking
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Brush beaten egg on top of dough and sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Bake and cool
Bake in preheated oven until top is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Carefully tip loaf out of pan onto a work surface and let it cool on a wire rack.

Nutritions

  • Calories

    373 kcal

    Energy

    1560 kJ

    Protein

    9 g

    Fat

    15 g

    Carbohydrates

    53 g

    Fiber

    3 g

    Sugars

    18 g

    Salt

    0.6 g

Recipe Variations

This recipe is easy to adapt to your taste. Try one of the variations below to change the flavor or ingredients.

  1. Try adding chopped toasted pecans or walnuts along with the chocolate for extra crunch and flavor.

  2. Substitute mini chocolate chips for chopped chocolate if you prefer smaller bursts of chocolate throughout.

  3. Make it extra decadent by adding a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and milk once cooled.

  4. For a festive twist, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough and orange zest to the cinnamon sugar mixture.

FAQ

Absolutely! You can knead this dough entirely by hand. It will take about 10 minutes of kneading on a lightly floured surface until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Dense bread is usually caused by inactive yeast, insufficient rising time, or too much flour. Make sure your yeast foams when activated, allow full rising times, and add flour gradually until the dough is just no longer sticky.
Yes! You can prepare the dough through the first rise, then refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove from fridge, shape, and allow for the second rise before baking.
You can substitute all-purpose flour, though the texture will be slightly less chewy. Use the same amount and add an extra tablespoon of flour if the dough seems too sticky.