Butternut Squash Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Scald milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not boil and take care not to burn the bottom. Allow to cool.

In a measuring jar, combine warm water, yeast and about 1 teaspoon maple syrup. Allow to proof for about 10 minutes or until yeast is foamy. If it hasn’t foamed, you’ve killed your yeast. Begin again.

When milk is cool, combine milk, peanut butter, squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, remaining maple syrup, butter, salt and yeast mixture in the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment until fully combined.

Replace the paddle with the dough hook and begin to add flour, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be fully incorporated before adding the next. After 5 cups of flour, add in ¼-cup additions until dough no longer sticks to the side. Dough will feel slightly sticky and will still be slightly sticking to the bottom of the bowl. Turn dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Lightly grease a large, clean bowl and place dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about 2 hours (until dough has doubled).

Turn risen dough onto floured surface, cut in half and roll each out with your rolling pin into rectangles. Wet dough with additional milk, shake 1/3 cup coconut sugar over each rectangle, and liberally sprinkled cinnamon all over.

Roll each rectangle up from the short side. Working with one log at a time, cut dough diagonally down the center and flip to reveal each cinnamon sugar layer. Twist dough into a tight braid, making sure layers are exposed on the top. (See related blog post for photos.)

Grease two 8 1/2 x 4 inch loaf pans and carefully place each loaf inside. Cover with pastic wrap and allow to rise for an additional hour.

Preheat oven to 350ºF and set your rack on the middle of the oven. When hot, add loaves and bake for 35 minutes. Loaves should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom when cooked.

Do your best to allow them to cool completely before slicing (yeah, right) or attack them like I did. Bread will have a better consistency the longer you allow it to cool, so try to keep that in mind.

Eat with butter, peanut butter, cream cheese, toast it, french toast it, grill it, whatever. Just eat it!