This bread tastes like a warm-from-the-oven cinnamon bun — without the fuss of rolling and cutting.
Bake the 2-pound version in a 9" x 5" pan; the 1 1/2 pound loaf fits perfectly into an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
To make this bread in your bread machine: Place all of the ingredients except the cinnamon chips into the pan of your machine, program for raisin or mixed bread, and press Start. Add the chips at the signal. (If your machine doesn't have an "add-in" cycle, program it for basic or white bread, and add the chips about 5 minutes before the end of the final kneading cycle.)
To make this bread by hand or with a mixer: Mix and knead all the ingredients by hand or mixer until you've made a soft, smooth dough.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, until it's puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes.
Gently deflate the dough and form it into an 8" log. Place the dough into a greased loaf pan. Cover the loaf, and allow the bread to rise until it's crested about 1" over the rim of the pan, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil about halfway through baking. The bread's crust will be golden brown, and the interior of the finished loaf should measure 190°F on a digital thermometer.
Remove the bread from the oven, gently loosen the edges, and turn it out of the pan. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.
Store on the counter for 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
