Frugal Foodie Friday: Simply Cinnamon Spelt Bread, Whole Grain Recipe

Ah, it had seemed like forever since I baked a fresh loaf of bread. My husband had some toast cravings, so I eagerly walked to the store for the necessary supplies. That is when I spotted the spelt flour. I have always loved the taste of whole grains, but something about the light sweetness of spelt always wins me over. Combined with a touch of cinnamon, this Cinnamon Spelt Bread is a lovely loaf of subtly sweet bread.

Though we both loved my Hearty German-Style Spelt Bread, I was craving something a bit lighter in taste for this week’s breakfast bread. I opted to adapt the very simple recipe from Arrowhead Mills Spelt Flour, but since I had just purchased a 1 lb bag of good organic cinnnamon, I also decided to spike the loaf with a touch of spice.

The recipe came out nicely. I topped my husband’s toast with his favorite, nut butter and jelly, and mine with a homemade honey spread. It would also make incredible french toast for a weekend brunch!

Special Diet Notes: Cinnamon Spelt Bread

By ingredient, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.

Simply Cinnamon Spelt Bread

 

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Prep time

1 hour 40 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

2 hours 20 mins

 

Author: Alisa Fleming

Serves: 1 8×4 loaf or 1 squat 9×5 loaf

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 teaspoons or 1¼-ounce package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons honey, agave nectar, or sweetener of choice (I used honey)
• 2 tablespoons extra-light olive oil, grapeseed oil, melted coconut oil, or light-tasting oil of choice (I used olive)
• 3 to 3-1/2 cups whole grain spelt flour, divided
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Combine the yeast, warm water, sweetener and oil in a large mixing bowl, and let it sit and “proof” for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Add 1.5 cups of the flour, plus all of the cinnamon and salt. Mix for a minute (I used a hand mixer) until it is well combined.
3. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the loose dough sit for 30 minutes to an hour in a warm place to rise. It should double in size.
4. Beat in the flour gradually, and begin kneading it with your hands as the dough gets stiff. The original recipe called for 3-1/2 cups of flour, but I only used 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons, and the dough was a good consistency – smooth, just a touch sticky, but not sticking to my hands and easy to knead (the full amount would have made it too tough). So I suggest adding 1-1/2 cups and then adding in the final ½ cup as needed.
5. Shape the dough into a loaf shape that will fit nicely into a greased loaf pan (preferably 8×4-inch!). Cover it with that damp cloth and let it rise for about an hour in a warm place (I tend to make bread when I am in the kitchen cooking or doing prep anyway, so I place the loaf on top of the oven if it is on – this is a nice warm spot).
6. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and bake the loaf for 30 to 40 minutes. Once done, the crust will have a nice deep brown hue, but not burnt.
7. Let it cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing it to cool completely on a wire rack.

BREAD MACHINE INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add ingredients to machine according to manufacturer’s instructions [since I haven’t tested it, I would suggest using the full 3.5 cups of flour as recommended in the original recipe]. Bake on shortest cycle (NOT quick bread cycle). If loaf falls and craters during baking cylce, decrease water slightly next time.

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