A soft and fluffy vegan Japanese-style milk bread studded with raisins and marbled with a cinnamon sheet. Egg and dairy-free!

This is vegan cinnamon raisin bread but with a Japanese/Asian-style milk bread base! I took my easy shokupan base recipe and added juicy raisins and sweet cinnamon for a cozy, spiced flavor profile. It’s soft, fluffy, and lightly sweet – perfect for breakfast plain or toasted with butter or peanut butter (my favorite). Leftovers would also make delicious French toast! Check out my chocolate marble milk bread if you’re in the mood for chocolate instead 🙂

How to Make

Note, this is an abbreviated method. For full details see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Knead the dough until it passes the windowpane test. This is a higher hydration dough and requires lots of kneading to achieve a soft, fluffy bread. I highly recommend using a stand mixer if you can, it will be much easier than kneading by hand.
Proof the dough for 1-3 hours at room temperature. If it’s particularly cold in your kitchen, you can put the dough in a turned off oven with a small pot of boiled water. Or leave in your oven with the light on (but oven turned off).
Prepare the cinnamon sheet while the dough is proofing. Whisk the dry ingredients together first, then whisk in the soy milk. Microwave in 20-second intervals until a thick dough forms, then fold in the butter.

Roll the dough out into a vertical rectangle and place the cinnamon sheet in the center.
Laminate the dough and cinnamon sheet to create layers of cinnamon throughout the dough.

How to Laminate Dough

Fold the dough into thirds over the cinnamon sheet – you will now have a horizontal rectangle.
Rotate the dough 90 degrees so it’s vertical to you.
Roll it out into another large vertical rectangle.
Repeat folding, rotating, and rolling two to three more times.

Finally, roll the dough out into a rectangle the length of your bread pan.
Cut into three strips, but leave the top 1/2-inch of dough connected.
Braid the strips together.

Proof in bread pan until doubled in size.
Bake 30-40 minutes in preheated 385°F oven.
Cool to room temperature before slicing.

Tips for Success

Knead until windowpane ⟶ If you stop kneading before your dough passes the windowpane test, it will rip more easily and the resulting bread won’t be as soft and pillowy.
Tip: If you’re having trouble getting the dough sufficiently kneaded, let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.

Use a stand mixer ⟶ Kneading the dough with a stand mixer will save you a lot of time and effort. This is a looser dough and will stick to your hands a lot in the beginning if you knead by hand. I use a Kitchen Aid mixer but there are more affordable stand mixers* that should do the trick (be sure you get a dough hook with yours!).

Cinnamon sheet vs cinnamon sugar filling ⟶ To achieve the cinnamon swirls in the bread, we make a cinnamon sheet which has a firm dough texture. This is different from the typical American cinnamon raisin bread which uses a basic cinnamon sugar filling. The cinnamon sheet requires slightly more effort (still pretty easy!), but it’s much less messy and very tasty! Plus you can create a beautiful marbled pattern in the bread instead of just swirls.

Laminate the dough ⟶ To achieve the beautiful marbled look, we laminate the dough after adding the cinnamon sheet. I like to do about 3 laminations. Don’t overdo it or you will overwork the dough and it won’t rise as well.

Cool before slicing ⟶ I know it’s tempting to cut into it right after you take it out of the oven, but patience is key to a good bread! If you cut into it too early, your bread can lose a lot of moisture and may shrink.

Transfer to wire rack immediately ⟶ Don’t leave the bread in the pan after baking or moisture will pool on the bottom and sides and make your bread soggy. Immediately take it out of the pan (it should come out easily if you thoroughly greased your pan) and place on a wire rack to cool.

Cinnamon Raisin Milk Bread FAQ

Yes but you must proof it first. To do this, warm the plant milk to 100°F (do not exceed 110°F or the yeast will die) and add the yeast and a teaspoon of the sugar. Mix and then let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until it foams and bubbles. Then add the rest of the dough ingredients and continue with the recipe.

I always make this bread with soy milk (I love the subtly sweet flavor), but I think it should work with other milk alternatives. Try to use a creamier milk like oat milk or pea milk.

I included a method for kneading by hand since not everyone has a stand mixer. However, a stand mixer will produce the best results. It’s hard to sufficiently knead such a wet dough by hand. If you knead by hand and can’t reach the windowpane stage, your bread can still turn out tasty, it just won’t be as soft and pillowy and will tear more easily. Knead until the dough is at least smooth and elastic (poke it with your finger and see if the dough springs back).

Bread will rip easily when the gluten isn’t developed enough. This can happen from not enough kneading or using the wrong flour(s). If you decide to make this bread with the whole wheat flour but not the vital wheat gluten, your bread will rip more easily. Using whole wheat flour also requires extra kneading. Kneading by hand will take longer especially if you are not used to it, which is why I highly recommend using a stand mixer if you can. Keep in mind, it is also possible to over-knead and over-proof dough, which can break down the gluten structure and cause your bread to rip.

This is typically a sign of excess moisture, which can be from adding too much milk or water, or extra humidity in the air. Keep in mind, the dough will be quite sticky at first, but should become smoother and less sticky as you knead. However, if you find your dough to be too sticky to knead, you can add some flour, a bit under a tablespoon at a time, until it doesn’t feel so sticky anymore. It’s also helpful to let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes as the flour will soak up moisture.

The most accurate way to test is with a food thermometer*. Insert it in the center of your loaf about halfway in. The bread is done when it reaches 195°F/90°C. If you don’t have a food thermometer, you can use some sensory cues:
-The bread should be golden brown on the edges and top. Be aware that the top may brown more quickly, especially in a smaller oven (like a toaster oven), before the rest of the bread is cooked.
-It should sound hollow when you tap it.
-Gently push down on the bread, and if it springs back, it’s ready.

This cinnamon raisin bread is delicious plain (especially when fresh), toasted, with butter, nut butter, or use it for a PB&J! If your bread is getting stale, turn it into French toast!

This bread can be stored at room temperature for about 3 days. For longer storage, I recommend slicing and freezing them. I typically store mine in plastic Ziplock bags.

More Vegan Yeast Breads

If you try out this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!

Prep Time:45

Cook Time:40

Proof Time:3

Servings: 1 8″x4″ loaf

Equipment

1 1 lb (1斤) Japanese rectangular loaf pan**1

Ingredients

Bread

100 ml soy milk
80 ml water
18 grams (1½ tbsp) sugar
240 grams (2 cups) bread flour*²
½ tsp (3g) salt
1 tsp (3.5g) instant yeast*
⅓ tsp cinnamon optional
20 grams (1½ tbsp) unsalted vegan butter³ cut into small cubes
⅓ cup raisins

Cinnamon Sheet

20 grams (3 tbsp) bread flour
30 grams (2½ tbsp) granulated sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
70 ml soy milk
10 grams (1 tbsp) vegan butter

Instructions

Make Dough (Stand Mixer – Recommended Method)

Add soy milk, water, and sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer. Add bread flour, wheat flour, and vital wheat gluten on top. Add salt to one side of the bowl and instant yeast to the other side.
Attach a dough hook to your stand mixer. Turn it on at low speed to combine the ingredients, then gradually increase speed to medium as the dough comes together. Knead on medium for about 5 minutes. The dough should come together into a ball and loose some of its stickiness. Turn off the stand mixer, cover with a towel, and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Turn the mixer back on at low speed and gradually add in the butter cubes. Increase the speed to medium as the butter gets incorporated into the dough. Continue kneading on medium speed (4-5) for about 10-15 minutes. You can stop to scrape down the dough every 5 minutes or so if needed. If your mixer gets too hot, turn if off, cover the dough, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.

Make Dough (By Hand)

Clean a work surface or set out a large pastry mat and lightly dust with bread flour.
Whisk together flours, vital wheat gluten, sugar, salt, and yeast. Pour in soy milk and water and use a wooden spoon to mix until a dough starts to form. Gather the dough into a loose ball and transfer to your work surface.
Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes until a tight dough forms and it looses some of its stickiness. If the dough is too sticky, you can sprinkle some flour on top but try not to add too much flour or your bread will turn out dense. Dough will stick to your hands during kneading but just keep kneading! Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Stretch the dough out into a long rectangle and add the butter pieces on top. Roll up the dough and continue kneading. It will be very messy and greasy at first but keep going! After a couple minutes the dough will become smooth and easier to work with.
Continue kneading for another 10-15 minutes.

Windowpane Test

Use the windowpane test⁴ to check if the dough is sufficiently kneaded. Tear off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it into a square, pulling at the four corners. You should be able to stretch the dough out into a very thin membrane that light can pass through. If the dough tears easily, it needs to be kneaded longer.

First Proof

Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large bowl (you can use the bowl of your stand mixer). Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and set on the counter to rise for 1-3 hours until doubled in size.

Cinnamon Sheet

While the dough is proofing, prepare the cinnamon sheet. In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together bread flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Whisk in soy milk.
Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until a thick dough forms and no liquid is left (about 1 minute total). Add butter and stir until butter is incorporated in the dough (it will melt in the residual heat).
Place dough on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the dough into a rectangle, then use a rolling pin to roll out the cinnamon sheet into the rectangle. (This will go in the center of the bread dough after the first proof.) Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Laminate Dough

Punch down the dough and transfer to your work surface.
Roll dough out into a vertical rectangle. Unwrap cinnamon sheet and place it horizontally in the center of the bread dough.
Fold dough into thirds over the cinnamon sheet.
Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll it out again into a vertical rectangle. Fold dough into thirds and rotate 90 degrees. Repeat the process (roll out, fold into thirds, rotate) two more times.
Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Finally, roll the dough out into a rectangle the length of your bread pan. Cut into thirds about a 1/2-inch down from the top of the rectangle (leave the dough connected at the top), and braid the strands together.
Grease your bread pan generously with vegan butter.

Second Proof

Place the braided dough into your greased bread pan. Cover and let the dough proof until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
When the dough has risen a little over halfway (after about 40-60 minutes), preheat oven to 385°F/195°C (or 360°F/180°C for convection oven).

Bake

Uncover the dough and place into the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 195°F/90°C. It should be nicely browned on the outside and spring back when you push on it. Tent with foil if the top is browning too quickly (check after 15 minutes).

Cool

Tap the pan on the countertop 1-2 times to let water vapor escape (this prevents the bread from shrinking).
Turn the pan on its side and give it a few thrusts to slide the bread out. Place the bread on a wire rack to cool completely.
Let the bread cool completely before slicing so the structure can set. If you cut into the bread too soon, it may shrink and lose moisture.

Notes

1) If you don’t have a Japanese loaf pan*, you can use a regular 8″x4″ bread pan, but your loaf will be shorter and rounder.

2) For a whole wheat milk bread, you can use 120 grams bread flour + 115 grams whole wheat flour + 2½ grams (1 tsp) vital wheat gluten.

3) If your butter is salted, reduce salt by ⅛ tsp.

4) See this post from The Kitchn for more information on the windowpane test.

Nutrition Facts

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Vegan Cinnamon Raisin Milk Bread (Shokupan)