The best cinnamon raisin bread is sweet, savory, spiced, and has all the qualities of great, standard bread. It should mesh perfectly with butter and toasting it should unlock additional caramelized flavors (from the bread and the raisins). In short, the best cinnamon raisin bread is deliciously sweet and savory.
The perfect taste test, for me, is when I walk in muttering under my breath and then leave remembering, “Oh yeah, I actually forgot that I love this food.” That happened with cinnamon raisin bread. I haven’t had it in years, so long ago that I think I completely forgot about its existence, but cinnamon raisin bread is damn delightful. I think you could even argue that it’s the best bread to butter. I’ve got fond memories of using a flat knife to swipe a pad of rich, luxurious butter on slices of sweet Sun-Maid bread packed with raisins as a kid. It’s a sweet treat in the morning that holds up.
For this taste test, I tried each bread toasted and untoasted. I also counted raisins, while paying particular attention to their size and taste. I looked for sugary—but not saccharine—raisins that had a delightfully fruity flavor. I also wanted good quality bread with a solid crumb and toothsome bite. What’s the best raisin bread? Peep the list.
The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.
- Sun-Maid Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread
-
I’m Danny Palumbo, and if elected, every raisin bread will include an amount of raisins equal to or exceeding the amount of raisins in Sun-Maid’s cinnamon swirl raisin bread. For real, they don’t skimp on the raisins. And those raisins are deliciously sweet and fruity. The cinnamon swirl is fragrant and spiced and accentuates the lovely raisins, too. This bread is substantial but tears nicely. It toasts great and just absolutely begs to be spread with some deliciously creamy butter. It’s absolutely the best cinnamon raisin bread.
Credit: Merc/Instacart
- Thomas’ Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread
-
This bread is quite porous. It’s got a rustic quality to it that I expect from sourdoughs and the like. As a result, it’s quite chewy and has an excellent texture. The crust on it is flaky and tastes smoky and kind of nutty. Thomas came in here with a cinnamon raisin swirl bread that feels homemade, and it blew me away. It’s 90 calories per slice, but as Mythical Kitchen’s Josh Scherer just told me, most of the calorie listings on food products are purposefully listed wrong and nothing matters and we’re all gonna die. Thanks, Josh!
Credit: Merc/Amazon
- Dave’s Killer Bread Raisin’ the Roof
-
Dave’s always makes great quality bread (we like their wheat bread, their white bread, and even ranked their bagels number one), and their multi-grain organic cinnamon raisin bread is a solid effort. It’s made with rolled oats, rolled wheat, flax, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds. I love the earthy, nutty, grain flavors, and the bread itself is wonderfully chewy and dense. It’s not quite as sweet as Sun-Maid or Thomas’, but I still think is worthy of a buy, just don’t expect to get that sweet, sweet hit of sugar you might be craving. This is the best cinnamon raisin bread for the pure bread-heads not the sugar freaks (I mean freaks in the good, sex positive way).
Credit: Merc/Amazon
- Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Raisin Bread
-
Broooo, this bread is THICC. I love how dense and delicious it is—it’s got that porous, sourdough vibe to it, as well. The outer crust is dark and tastes malty, and the raisins are in the form of big ol’ chunks, so they’re meaty and extra sweet. This bread is crusty but also soft and chewy, which makes me think of French toast. I would gladly batter this, fry it, and eat it with a ton of maple syrup—the cinnamon and raisin will shine even brighter.
Credit: Merc/ProductShot
- Simple Truth Sprouted Cinnamon Raisin Bread
-
Simple Truth’s sprouted cinnamon raisin bread is soft, chewy, and contains 15 grams of whole grains. That means it’s got a really great grain flavor that’s earthy and nutty. In my old age (37) I’ve begun to appreciate the grain forwardness of such breads. This bread also has five grams less sugar than most of the other brands, too. The wheat flavor is really nice, and when you pair it with the sweet raisins and the cinnamon, you get a really well balanced taste.
Credit: Merc/Instacart
Best of the Best
Best Chewy
Best Multi-Grain
Best for French Toast
Best Wheat
Other products we tried: Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Bread, L’Oven Fresh Cinnamon Raisin Bread, Sprouts, Carbonaut, Little Northern Bakehouse, Chompie’s.
Share your favorite butters with us using #SporkedTasteTest for a chance to be featured on our social pages!
