Cinnamon swirl bread is an easy quick bread that’s made with 10 common ingredients! It only takes 10 minutes to prep. The cinnamon sugar mixture makes a beautiful swirl inside. This is a family favorite cinnamon roll bread recipe!

cinnamon swirl quick bread with 1 slice cut on striped blue linen

Quick breads and muffins are some of my favorite baked goods because you can eat them any time of the day. Morning. Afternoon. Snack. Dessert. Yum.

This is an easy quick bread recipe that doesn’t require yeast. The end result is a gooey cinnamon bread! 

hands holding cinnamon bread in metal loaf pan

The key to cinnamon swirl quick bread is the swirl. Everyone wants to see that perfect swirl when you cut into the bread. 

I’ve found that layering the batter and cinnamon mixture produces a better swirl than adding all the batter at once and swirling in the cinnamon mixture at the end. 

I add the batter and cinnamon mixture in 3 parts, swirling after the first and second parts. I don’t swirl after the third part because I like having cinnamon on top of the bread. 

Swirl Cinnamon Bread ingredients

  • all purpose flour: flour is necessary to build structure
  • granulated sugar: adds sweetness
  • baking powder: helps to leaven and lift the batter
  • salt: just a pinch to balance the sweetness and enhances the other flavors
  • cinnamon: adds warmth and bold cinnamon flavor 
  • vegetable oil: makes the bread tender and moist
  • milk: makes the bread tender and moist
  • eggs: binds the batter together by providing structure
  • vanilla extract: adds flavor
  • brown sugar: adds sweetness, flavor, and moisture
cinnamon swirl quick bread with 1 slice cut on striped blue linen

How To Make Cinnamon Swirl Bread

  1. In a large mixing bowl combine the oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract.
  2. In a separate bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
  3. By hand, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula, just until combined.
  4. In a small bowl combine the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  5. Spray a loaf pan. Add 1/3 of the batter, sprinkle with 1/3  of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Use a knife to swirl together. 
  6. Add another 1/3 of the batter and another 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar mixture, gently swirl with a knife. 
  7. Add the remaining 1/3 batter and 1/3 cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake.
how to swirl cinnamon roll bread collage

How to make Gluten Free Cinnamon Swirl Loaf Cake

I’ve made this cinnamon roll bread with both regular and gluten free flour with awesome results on multiple occasions. I recommend King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Use it as a one for one substitute for regular flour.

How to store Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread

Store the bread in an airtight container on the counter. To keep the bread extra moist, wrap in plastic wrap then place inside the container. 

cinnamon swirl bread with 2 slices cut on striped blue linen

How to freeze Cinnamon Swirl Bread

To freeze the whole loaf: allow it to cool completely, then wrap well in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Place inside a ziplock bag. To thaw, place the wrapped bread in the fridge overnight.

To freeze individual slices: allow the loaf to cool completely and slice. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap then in aluminum and place inside a ziplock bag. To thaw, place a slice in the fridge overnight. Or unwrap and microwave for 30 second intervals.

2 pieces of cinnamon bread on a white plate on blue striped linen

Cinnamon Swirl Loaf Cake Tips

• Do not over mix the batter

I have been guilty of this myself and I am learning to be okay with lumps in my batter. For quick bread, do not use your electric mixer to beat in the dry ingredients, using a spatula and mixing by hand will give you more control. “Mix just until incorporated” means mixing the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until you can just no longer see any flour streaks. Yes, you should still scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl, but do that as you’re mixing in the flour.

• Be careful to not over bake the bread

Sometimes the bread can trick you, it can look done on the outside but still be doughy in the middle. That’s when tenting the bread with aluminum foil comes in handy. It protects the top from becoming too brown, overcooked or crusty. 

• Know what size loaf pan you have

There’s two popular loaf pan sizes – 9×5 and 8.5×4.5. Even though the numbers are similar, the pans actually differ in size by 15%. The 8.5×4.5 pan will yield a tall, more domed bread and will take 5-10 minutes longer when baking. The total suggested bake time for a 8.5×4.5 inch pan is 60-70 minutes and 9×5 inch pan is 55-65 minutes.

More Bread & Muffins Recipes

Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe FAQs

Why is my cinnamon bread hard?

Baking the bread for too long can lead to excessive moisture loss, resulting in a dry and hard texture. Follow the recommended baking time in your recipe and check for doneness with a toothpick or cake tester.

How long does Swirl Cinnamon Bread last?

Cinnamon swirl bread can last 2-3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. It can stay fresh for up to a week in the refrigerator and up to 2-3 months in the freezer when well-wrapped. Check for spoilage signs before consuming stored bread.

Cinnamon Swirl Loaf Cake

4.56 from 9 ratings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
Cinnamon swirl bread is an easy quick bread that’s made with 10 common ingredients! It only takes 10 minutes to prep. The cinnamon sugar mixture makes a beautiful swirl inside.
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Ingredients

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup milk, I used 1%
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the vegetable oil, milk, eggs and vanilla extract with a spatula.
  • In a separate bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. By hand, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula, just until combined.
  • In a small bowl combine the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Spray a loaf pan (either 9×5 or 8.5×4.5) with non-stick cooking spray. Add 1/3 of the batter to the pan. Sprinkle with 1/3 cinnamon sugar mixture. Use a knife to swirl together. Add another 1/3 of the batter and another 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar mixture, gently swirling with a knife. Add the remaining 1/3 batter and 1/3 cinnamon sugar mixture
  • Place in the center of the oven and bake for 50 minutes. After 50 minutes, place aluminum foil over the bread and bake for 10-20 additional minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total suggested bake time for a 8.5×4.5 inch pan is 60-70 minutes and 9×5 inch pan is 55-65 minutes. Be sure to know what size your pan is. 

Notes

I’ve made this cinnamon roll bread with both regular and gluten free flour with awesome results on multiple occasions. I recommend King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Use it as a one for one substitute for regular flour.
Cuisine: American
Course: Breakfast
Author: Beth
Calories: 187kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 227mg, Potassium: 77mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 80IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 105mg, Iron: 1mg
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