Sourdough swirled with melted red hot cinnamon candies for a playful, spicy twist on a classic loaf. Perfect for Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or any occasion that calls for something red and fun. Yes it is incredible toasted with butter.
New to sourdough? Start Here! How To Feed Sourdough Starter Beginners Guide Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe for Beginners (Artisan Loaf)
Red Hot Cinnamon Sourdough Bread
My sister suggested I try red hots candy as a sourdough inclusion and I have zero regrets! It turned into this fun, wacky loaf unlike anything else I bake. My four-year-old calls it “candy bread” and loves it, though he was surprised the first time he realized it’s spicy.
A Holiday Bread for Any Red Occasion
This loaf doesn’t stick to one holiday. Come October it’s perfect for a spooky, blood-speckled Halloween loaf. By December it’s basically dressed for Christmas already and is begging to be served with creamy hot chocolate. Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July – you get the picture. Fun installed standard.
Anywhere you want something red, a little spicy, and fun on the table, this bread shows up ready. And it’s incredible toasted with butter.
About Red Hot Candies
Red hots are those small, fire-engine-red cinnamon candies with a sharp, spicy-sweet bite. You’ve probably seen them in the baking aisle around the holidays, or sprinkled into applesauce and cookies.
The brand name is literally Red Hots, though you’ll sometimes see them called cinnamon imperials. Either way, they’re the same candy, and they’re the whole reason this bread works. They bake into the dough, they melt slightly and streak the crumb with color and sweet-spicy cinnamon flavor.
How to Make This Bread
This is an intermediate inclusion loaf, so if you’re new to sourdough inclusions, start with something simpler first. Check out my Sourdough Inclusion Ideas guide for the full lineup.
The dough itself mixes and bulk ferments like any of my other sourdough loaves, but the candy goes in during loaf shaping. Instead of folding it in during stretch-and-folds, you’ll wait until after bulk fermentation and work it in during shaping.
Tips for the Best Loaf
Adding Candy: Add the candy after bulk fermentation, not during stretch-and-folds. When I test recipes I try multiple methods and I knew adding it during stretch and folds probably wasn’t going to work but you know I had to try it for myself! (My mother say’s I’m stubborn. I say I’m committed to getting my own data…)
Just so we are all on the same page if you add the Red Hots during the stretch and folds it disintegrates into liquid sugar until you have what looks like red goo soup.
It is one of the only doughs I’ve ever made that went straight in the trash without even trying to bake it. Wait until after bulk ferment, then work the candy in during shaping.
Choose The Score Carefully: Watch how you score this one. A single straight score down the center of an oval loaf turns into something pretty unfortunate once the red candy melts and bleeds through during baking.
It is not a look you want. Stick to two scores on an oval loaf, or a simple cross-score on a round one. Either way looks festive instead of alarming. My full scoring guide is here with lots of ideas for you to try.
More Sourdough Inclusion Loaves to Try
- My Favorite Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread
- My Favorite Blueberry Sourdough Bread
- My Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread
- Chili Crisp Green Onion Sourdough Bread
- Marzipan Sourdough Bread
- Vintage Caraway Sourdough Bread
Red Hot Cinnamon Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 350 g water
- 100 g sourdough starter fed and active
- 500 g flour
- 13 g fine grain sea salt
- ½ cup 111g red hot cinnamon candies
Instructions
Autolyze – Mix and Rest:
- In a large mixing bowl, add the water, starter, flour, and salt. Mix with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until no dry bits remain — you're looking for a rough, shaggy dough, not a smooth one. That raggedy texture is exactly right at this stage. Cover and rest on the counter for 1 hour. This rest lets the flour fully hydrate.
Stretch and Folds – Build the Structure:
- Get your hands wet so the dough doesn't stick to you. Grab one side of the dough, pull gently until it resists, then fold it back over itself. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Four stretch and folds makes one set. (Full stretch and fold video guide here.) Cover and rest 30 minutes, then repeat for a total of 4 sets over about 2 hours. There's nothing to add during these folds — the candy comes later.
Bulk Ferment:
- Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature for 5-8 hours. Watch for the same signs as always: it should double in size, look smooth and pillowy like a marshmallow, show bubbles through the sides of the bowl, and jiggle a little when you nudge it. Warmer kitchens move faster, cooler ones take longer. Let the dough tell you when it's ready rather than the clock.
Add the Candy and Shape:
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press or stretch it into a rough square, keeping as much of that hard-earned gas in the dough as you can.
- Scatter half of the red hot candies evenly over the surface. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter: bring one side into the center, covering the candy, then fold the opposite side over the top of it, fully enclosing the first layer. Scatter the remaining candies over the top of the folded dough, then fold or roll it once more so the second layer is completely enclosed and no candy is exposed on the surface.
- Gently shape into a tight boule or oval, being careful not to overwork it — overworking here can tear the candy pockets and cause more color bleed than necessary. Place seam-side up in a rice-floured banneton. (I suggest lining the banneton in plastic so the candy doesn't stain it permanently.)
Cold Retard:
- Cover and refrigerate overnight, 8-12 hours. This slow, cold rise builds deeper flavor and makes the dough much easier to score straight from the fridge. This is not a loaf to leave more than overnight. The longer you leave it the more the candy dissolves.
Bake:
- Preheat your Dutch oven at 450°F for a full hour. Don't rush this part, a properly hot pot is what gives you that oven spring and crackly, blistered crust.
- Turn the cold dough out onto parchment. Score the top: use two scores on an oval loaf, or a cross-score on a round loaf. Do not use a single straight score down the center — the candy will bleed through the cut as it bakes and it is not a good look for this loaf. At all!
- Mist very lightly with water, then lower the dough into the pot. Bake at 450°F for 30 minutes with the lid on. At the 30-minute mark, carefully remove the lid, then continue baking at 410°F for 10-15 minutes, lid off, until deep golden brown. Pull the bread before the candy starts to blacken on top.
Cool:
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing, 3-4 hours. Cutting in early releases steam and leaves you with a gummy crumb — and with this loaf especially, an early cut is more likely to smear the candy instead of showing off a clean swirl.
Your Rating Matters
When you leave a comment or star rating, it means more than you might think. It helps me understand what you’re enjoying, builds trust for other readers, and supports real, tested cooking content. If you have a moment, I’d truly appreciate you sharing your experience. – Mirlandra
Nutrition Estimate
A Note on Nutrition
Nutritional info is an imperfect estimate. Please take it with a grain of salt.
New to sourdough? Start Here! How To Feed Sourdough Starter Beginners Guide Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe for Beginners (Artisan Loaf)
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