Soft Cinnamon Loaf Bread made ultra special with a flavorful Natural Delights Medjool Date Filling, this is your nutritious indulgence any time of the day! This post is sponsored by Natural Delights Medjool Dates. It is a delicious, healthy product that I genuinely love.
Hi bakers! It is the holiday season again, and like you, baking is a major part of my holiday routine. Since I know how much you loved the Cinnamon Roll Bread loaf here on the blog, I thought I’d share another version of it but this time with another delicious twist: Medjool Date filling.
Instead of the traditional butter and sugar filling, we are using Natural Delights Medjool Dates to fill this delicious cinnamon bread. In our household, it is given that Medjools are a delicious, clean snack to eat on their own- but these nutritious gems are so much more than that.
They are also a versatile ingredient in cooking and baking and I am so excited to share this delicious bread recipe using Medjool dates with you.
How To Make Cinnamon Loaf Bread with Medjool Date Filling
The Bread Dough First, we make the bread dough. Proof the yeast in a bowl with warm water and about a teaspoon of sugar. Once this is foamy ( about 5-8 minutes), stir in the egg, warm milk, softened butter, sugar, and salt. Stir everything together then add 3 and ½ cups of flour, once cup at a time as you stir.
The dough should form into a shaggy mass in the center, but if not, add more flour but sparingly, about 1-2 tablespoons at a time just to allow the dough to come together.
It should not be dry though. So the key is to add sparingly. Knead the dough on a clean surface until it is smooth and elastic. Let the kneaded dough rise in a bowl, covered for 1 and ½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Make the Medjool Date Filling. In a bowl, pour enough hot water over the Medjool dates to cover them. Let this mixture stand for 10-15 minutes. The Medjools will be soft and mushy.
Drain the mixture and transfer the Medjools to a food processor or a blender. Add 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon to the food processor and process the mixture until it turns into a paste. Some bits and chunks of the Medjools will be present and that is okay.
Shape the Bread Next, we shape and assemble the Cinnamon Bread Loaf. Once the dough has risen, deflate and roll it into a rectangle that is ¼ inch thick.
Spread the Medjool Date Filling over the dough. You can sprinkle a tablespoon or two of brown sugar over the filling but it is completely optional.
Roll the dough into a tight log starting on the long edge. Pinch the ends to seal and position the log with the seams down. Starting from 1 inch below the top of the log, cut the log in half to split it into two flaps.
Rotate the flaps so that the cut sides are facing up, then braid away!
Let Rise and Bake! Let the Loaf bread rise for another hour, then bake at 350 F for 20-22 minutes, or until golden. Drizzle sugar glaze over the warm bread and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Tips:
- You can use the leftover Medjool Dates in the tub as an energy booster at any time.
- Natural Delights Medjool Dates are great as savory snacks. Pair them with a handful of nuts or some smoked cheese.
- Sweet tooth? Eat them with a piece of dark chocolate, or with a cup of greek yogurt. Either way, you get a nutrient-dense pick-me-up snack handy at all times.
- Medjool dates do not contain processed sugar, no pesticides and additives. They are high in fiber and have a low glycemic index. They are filling, quick sweet fix that does not leave you crashing after.
More Recipes to Try
Cinnamon Loaf Bread with Medjool Date Filling
Soft Cinnamon Loaf Bread made ultra special with a flavorful Natural Delights Medjool Dates Filling, this is your nutritious indulgence any time of the day!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup warm water (105-115 F)
- 2 and ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ¾ cup warm milk
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (57 grams), softened
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups all purpose flour
Medjool Date Filling
- 1 and ½ cup packed Natural Delights Medjool Dates (290 grams)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- Hot water, just enough to cover the dates
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar, optional
Sugar Glaze and Toppings
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 5-10 tbsp heavy cream
- ½ cup flaked almonds, for toppings
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, pour the warm water. Sprinkle yeast and about one teaspoon of the sugar and let this mixture sit until it is foamy, about 5-8 minutes. Add the milk, softened butter, egg, sugar, and salt. Stir everything with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add 3 cups of flour, one cup at a time while stirring, until the dough gathers into a shaggy mass. If the dough is still too wet, sprinkle a few more tablespoons of flour and stir until the dough comes together.
- Turn the dough over on a lightly floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a ball. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and allow it to rise for 1 and ½ hours or until the size is doubled.
- Meanwhile, make the Medjool Date Filling. In a bowl, pour hot water over the Medjools so that they are fully submerged. Allow the mixture to sit for 10-15 minutes, or until the Medjool dates are soft and mushy. Drain the mixture and process the Medjools in a food processor or blender into a paste-like consistency. It is okay for some bits and chunks of the Medjools to be present.
- Gently deflate the risen dough and using a rolling pin, roll it into a rectangle that is ¼ inch thick. Spread the Medjool dates paste over the dough. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of brown sugar if you are using it. Starting on the long edge, roll the dough into a tight log. Press the ends to seal and position the log with the seams side down.
- Starting 1 inch below the topmost part of the log, slice the log through the middle up to the other end, forming two open flaps. Rotate the flaps so that the cut sides are up. To braid the log, put one flap over the other and repeat the process until you reach the end of the log. Tuck the ends underneath to seal.
- Let the shaped cinnamon loaf rise for another hour, then bake at 350 F for 20-22 minutes, or until golden. Let the loaf cool slightly. Drizzle with sugar glaze and sprinkle flaked almonds on top.
- To make the sugar glaze, stir together heavy cream and powdered sugar using a whisk until smooth. Add more cream as needed until the consistency is pourable.
Notes
When mixing the dough, be careful not to add too much flour as the dough will dry out and strain during kneading. The consistency of the dough for kneading should be shaggy, gathered together but slightly loose and some parts are still moist and sticky.
You can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the Medjool date paste for added flavor.
Store the bread in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 2 days, then refrigerate for longer storage.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 576Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 256mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 3gSugar: 34gProtein: 9g
Values are approximate and may vary slightly depending on the ingredients used.
I made this. Amazing and very impressive looking.
Hi Paula! I am so happy you love this!