Whole Wheat Wednesday - Cinnamon Swirl Wheat Bread

One of my most favorite things ever is hot bread or cinnamon rolls. This cinnamon swirl bread is great straight from the oven with butter or cooled slightly and glazed for a more dessert like treat. It is also great toasted and makes wonderful French toast. You can adjust the amount of whole wheat you use, and this recipe doubles easily to make an extra loaf. This is a great way to implement using more whole wheat in your baking!

Cinnamon Swirl Wheat Bread
1 c. whole wheat flour, sifted
2-2 ½ c. bread flour, sifted
1 T. granulated sugar
¾ t. salt
½ T. (rounded) yeast
2 T. honey (can use 2 T. brown sugar)
1 c. + 2 T. water
1/3 cup milk
2 T. butter
In a large mixer bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, salt and yeast (If using brown sugar, add in now). In another bowl, combine honey, milk, water and butter, and heat to 105º in the on stove top or in the microwave. Stir liquids to melt the butter and add, all at once, to the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl. Using the dough hook, mix dough. Add more flour by the Tablespoon, as needed, until the dough comes together and cleans the bowl. Mix for 8-10 minutes with the dough hook until no longer sticky, adding flour as necessary. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Remove from bowl and roll into about a 9x13” rectangle. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, brush the top surface of the dough or you can use your hands just to make sure the dough is wet. You don’t want it wet, just damp. (We don’t use butter because it will keep the loaf from sticking together). Sprinkle the surface of the dough with sugar and cinnamon. You’ll want more cinnamon than sugar so that you have the cinnamon taste. Too much sugar will also keep the roll form sticking together. Beginning at the short end of the dough, roll up dough to form a loaf. Place in greased loaf pan, with seam side down and ends tucked under. Cover loaf with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until dough is at least 1” above the top of the pan. (Don’t be afraid to let it rise longer if it needs to so that your bread is lighter and fluffier. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 25 minutes or till golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when thumped. Remove from pans and cool on rack. For special occasions, you can glaze the cooled bread and sprinkle with sliced almonds if desired.