Recipe by Sarah Jampel and Molly Marzalek-KellyThis towering loaf is plenty impressive from the outside but even more stunning when you slice it open. That's thanks to a two-step shaping technique inspired by baking legend Maida Heatter, that we call “the super swirl”. The filling — a simple mixture of brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and dried fruit — gets sprinkled over the dough in two stages, a small extra step that produces hypnotic layers of flavor. (Choose a traditional cinnamon-raisin combo or go with Medjool dates for a sweeter, gooier filling.)More than just great-looking, this loaf is soft and fluffy with a perfect balance of flavors — the cinnamon filling is sweet enough to stand out but not so bossy as to overpower the subtle sourdough tang. Whether you enjoy it as toast, French toast, or a sandwich, we predict you'll make it through the whole loaf faster than you expect. And if you don't, no problem — the loaf stays fresh for days, and slices can go straight from the freezer to the toaster.
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King Arthur Baking | 2026-08-28
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