It seemed like forever since I had baked a fresh loaf of bread. Tony had some toast cravings, so I eagerly walked to the store for the necessary supplies. That’s 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 lightly sweet bread.
Cinnamon Spelt Bread for a Delicious Whole Grain Breakfast
Though we both loved my Hearty German-Style Bread, which is also made with spelt, we often crave something a bit lighter in taste for breakfast. So more than a decade ago, I started adapting a very simple spelt bread recipe from Arrowhead Mills. I usually buy organic cinnamon in bulk, so this cinnamon spelt bread has become a favorite variation.
I shared this recipe more than a decade ago on my old blog, but am updating it and moving it to our recipe section today. Tony likes it topped with nut butter and jelly. I usually top mine with nut butter and honey or even a homemade honey spread. Leftover cinnamon spelt bread also makes a deliciously healthy French toast for a weekend brunch!
This is a “by hand” recipe, but don’t worry, in my update of this recipe, I also updated my Bread Maker Recipe for spelt bread.
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.
- 2¼ teaspoons or 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons honey, agave nectar, or sweetener of choice
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3 to 3½ cups whole grain spelt flour, divided
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan (for a taller loaf) or a 9x5-inch loaf pan (for a wider, shorter loaf).
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the warm water, sweetener and yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes. It should become a little foamy or bubbly. If it doesn't, your yeast might be inactive. Start again with fresh yeast.
- Stir in the oil, followed by 1½ cups of the flour, the cinnamon, and salt. Mix until it is well combined.
- 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.
- Gradually mix in another 1½ cups of the flour, kneading it with your hands as the dough gets stiff. Continue adding more flour, as needed, until the dough is smooth, and just a little sticky, but no longer sticking to your hands. Knead the dough for a few minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
- Shape the dough into a loaf shape that will fit nicely into your prepared loaf pan.
- Cover it with that damp cloth and let it rise for about 1 hour in a warm place.
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
- Remove the cloth and bake the loaf for 30 to 40 minutes. Once done, the crust will have a nice deep brown hue.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing it to cool completely on a wire rack.
More Dairy-Free Bread Recipes
40-Minute Wheat Hamburger Buns
Buttermylk & Honey Quick Bread from Grandma
100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
2 Comments
What if you don’t have a bread machine?
This isn’t a bread machine recipe Sisi – it just has a bread machine option. Just follow the recipe with the regular instructions and you’re good!