Cinnamon Sugar Bread — This brown sugar cinnamon bread is light and fluffy in the middle, with a crusty cinnamon-sugar exterior that’s reminiscent of a streusel topping! The ribbon of cinnamon sugar that runs through the middle is a perfect touch! Easy, one-bowl, no-mixer recipe!!
Table of Contents
Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread Recipe
This brown sugar cinnamon bread is so fast and easy to make and comes together in 5 minutes with a whisk, in one bowl. I love it when I don’t have to drag out my mixer because it would seem to defeat the purpose of calling a bread a ‘quick bread’ if the ingredients need to be creamed, creating more dishes. Nothing quick about that!
The same cinnamon-sugar mixture that’s sprinkled on top before baking is also sprinkled into the batter, creating a cinnamon-sugar swirl in the middle of the loaf. The only way to create that thick, delectable, wall of sweet crust on top is to sprinkle cinnamon-sugar generously over the surface before baking.
Not all of it adheres to the bread and you’ll have to remind your kids and husband to ‘Please, eat over your plate.’ And remind yourself, too, so that you’re not recreating a sandy beach on your kitchen floor with the stray cinnamon-sugar granules.
The ribbon of cinnamon-sugar that floats through the interior provides another pop of flavor. The cinnamon flavor is present and notable, but it’s not overwhelming. Feel free to add more if you’re a true fiend.
The bread is flavorful enough that it doesn’t need butter, but if you’re so inclined toasting it and smearing liberally with butter takes it from really good to gobble-the-whole-loaf supremely good. Our toaster got a workout and has the cinnamon-sugar bits stuck in the crumb tray to show for it.
Such an easy bread to make with great results, no kneading and no fuss. From start to finish, this should go from cupboard and into your mouth in under an hour.
Cinnamon Sugar Bread Ingredients
For this cinnamon sugar quick bread recipe, you’ll need:
- Granulated sugar
- Cinnamon
- Unsalted butter
- Egg
- Light brown sugar
- Canola oil
- Vanilla extract
- Buttermilk
- All-purpose flour
- Ground nutmeg
- Baking soda
- Salt
Can I Use a Buttermilk Substitute?
If you don’t normally keep buttermilk on hand, you can cheat and make some with regular milk by adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of milk and waiting for about 10 minutes.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Bread
This cinnamon swirl quick bread is super simple to make! Here’s a look at how the bread is prepared:
- In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla, followed by the buttermilk.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Turn HALF the bread batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and sprinkle three-quarters of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over top. Top with the remaining batter and sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over top.
- Bake your cinnamon swirl bread until the top is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Tips for Making Cinnamon Sugar Quick Bread
When making the quick bread batter, it’s important that you give the melted butter a couple minutes to cool down before mixing it in with the other wet ingredients. If you mix everything together all at once, you might wind up accidentally scrambling the egg with the hot butter.
The cinnamon bread batter will be a little lumpy, and that’s totally normal. Don’t try to stir out all the lumps, otherwise you’ll over work the batter and your bread won’t be as fluffy once baked.
Lastly, for easier cleanup I recommend inverting the bread over your kitchen sink or a paper towel since some of the cinnamon-sugar topping will fall off when you remove the loaf from the pan.
Recipe FAQs
No, an 8×4-inch loaf pan will be too small for this cinnamon quick bread recipe. You must use a 9×5-inch pan for this recipe.
Yes, cinnamon sugar bread freezes really well. Let it cool to room temperature, then pop it into a freezer bag or wrap it in multiple layers of plastic wrap. When you’re ready to eat the frozen loaf, set it on the counter overnight to thaw.
Most likely, yes! Raisins or chopped nuts would both be great in this cinnamon swirl bread. You’d only want to add about 3/4 cup of mix-ins total, otherwise your bread will overflow in the oven.
Yes, I’ve made this into muffins before and they turned out beautifully! You’ll want to check your muffins around the 18-minute mark and bake a minute or two more at a time until you figure out the exact amount of time they should be in the oven. You’ll know your muffins are done baking when they’re golden and springy to the touch.
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Swirled Cinnamon Sugar Bread
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Bread
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside (don’t use an 8-by-4-inch pan; it’s too small)
- In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar with the cinnamon and stir to incorporate; set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute. After the butter has cooled momentarily (so you don’t scramble the egg), add the egg, brown sugar, oil, vanilla, and whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the flour, nutmeg, baking soda, optional salt, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix. Batter will be thick and lumpy. Don’t try to stir the lumps smooth.
- Pour half the batter into prepared pan, smoothing it lightly with a spatula. Sprinkle three-fourths (75%) of the cinnamon-sugar mixture (just eyeball it), distributed evenly over the surface of the batter. This creates the cinnamon ribbon.
- Top with remaining half of the batter, smoothing it lightly with a spatula. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture, distributed evenly over the top. It looks like a lot, but it’s necessary to form the crust, and not all of it aheres.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes (mine took 50), or until top is set and firm, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before inverting.
- Invert bread over the sink or a paper towel to catch some of the non-adhered cinnamon-sugar and sprinkle it back on the bread. Place bread on wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Cinnamon Sugar Desserts:
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Twists – Baked in a muffin pan and made with refrigerated dough to save time, you’re going to LOVE how FAST and EASY these finger-lickin’ sweet pretzel bites are!
Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Bread — Super soft, tender, moist pumpkin bread with a slightly crunchy cinnamon sugar topping!
Snickerdoodle Bread — Between the cinnamon-sugar on top, cinnamon in the batter, and the cinnamon chips, the bread is full of wonderful and prominent cinnamon flavor without being overpowering.
Cinnamon Coffee Cake — Between the cinnamon-sugar crust AND the cinnamon-sugar swirled through the center, this EASY coffee cake is IRRESISTIBLE!! Soft, fluffy, light, and of course it’s perfect with coffee!!
Honey Bun Cake — Tastes like a Honey Bun in cake form!! Sweet, rich, decadent, and reminds me of the Honey Buns I used to eat as a kid! Fast and EASY!!
Glazed Cinnamon Roll Cake — The flavor of cinnamon rolls in a soft, tender, EASY cake!! One bowl, no mixer, and you’re going to love the tangy-sweet GLAZE!!
Originally published April 24, 2013 and republished October 2, 2020 with updated text.
Okay, every time you post a new recipe I just want to stop what I’m doing and make it right then and there. This bread is no exception! Cinnamon sugar is just the best!
You’re so sweet and hope you try this one! It’s a keeper!
This looks amazing. Love the idea of the caramel undertones as well. I love cinnamon bread period. I know i’ve mentioned before, but cinnamon raisin break always reminds me of my godmother.
The brown sugar and butter get all melty and the caramel undertones come thru while baking…so good!
Love a quick bread that isn’t banana bread! This would be so good toasted. With cinnamon sugar and butter on top. Not that it wouldn’t hold its own, but you know, you only live once ;)
And I love cinn-sugar & butter, too. And yes, nice to give banana bread a break (this week) :)
I love a title that has cinnamon twice. My family complains I put too much most if the time! Your line “’ And remind yourself, too, so that you’re not recreating a sandy beach on your kitchen floor with the stray cinnamon-sugar granules” cracked me up! Sounds all too familiar! Licking the floor might he acceptable in this situation? Eh, probably not.
What amazes me is that I can SEE the crunchy top and soft middle through your pictures. That is hard – and completely won me over. I can just imagine the sugar and cinnamon crusting the melt in your mouth bread. Ahhh …
Thanks for noticing the details in the photos. To literally capture cinn-sugar, I had my work cut out for me. lol And the sandy beach…well, havent licked the floor but have licked a plate or two :)
There is a specialty food store near us that sells the best homemade cinnamon bread. It’s flakey and sweet with loads of cinnamon sugar on top. I just bought two loaves and was thinking how nice it would be to make it at home. Now I can! Oh happy day!
This looks amazing! It reminds of me starbucks “light cinnamon coffee cake”, but I’m thinking yours is definitley a whole-lot lighter, and easier to make for that matter. One bowl to make this? yes please, can’t wait!
Ive never had that coffee cake of theirs b/c I always just want to make my own – but now I kinda want to try theirs, just to see!
Mmm…need this with my morning coffee, like right now! I bake a similar loaf and it is so easy and quick…a nice alternative to coffee cake. Mine is topped with a streusel. But, I’m loving your lighter “shingles of sweetness” crust. I’m starving right now and need this in my life, LOL! Thanks for sharing, Averie! (You could so easily write a quick breads cookbook!) Pinning to our group board… xo
Thanks for the pin and the vote of confidence on my quickbread skills. I appreciate both :)
I was looking for a recipe just like this. Last week I made your cinnamon role coffee cake again. I had a craving and it is so good (and easy)! This week, I want to try this recipe. :)
Glad to hear you’re a fan of the cinn roll coffee cake! If you try this, LMK! :)
I want this RIGHT NOW!!!
Me too. It’s all gone. Sniff :)
The crust on this caught my attention–it looks sooo good! I also thought it was a yeast bread at first glance because of all the little air pockets. I think this would be a great recipe to use my Vietnamese cinnamon in. I didn’t realize that stuff was pricey–my mom gave it to me last month. I love a good crust, but not if it’s hard and dry…and I know this loaf is quite the opposite. This will have to go on my weekend project list!
It almost behaved like yeast bread. Really light, fluffy, soft, with some air pockets..but no yeast! Vietnamese cinnamon is like gold…I have some but never use it b/c I don’t want to ‘waste’ it, always thinking something better will come along :) If you try this bread, LMK!
I am a cinnamon lover! There’s no such thing as too much cinnamon. :) Cinnamon bread, as long as there’s lots of ribbons of cinnamon, is one of my favorite breakfast breads. Looks delicious, Averie!
I knew that about your cinn loving ways and glad you saw these!
This looks so easy but so delicious. I’m a cinnamon addict and so I think I’ve found another recipe to try!
It is both easy & delish! LMK if you try it!
I’m in love with cinnamon toasts and this cinnamon bread should be on my list to make.
And I just saw one of your recipes, a little loaf of bread, on one of the food sites…maybe FG or TS? I’ve been on a few tonite :)
Best cinnamon bread ever! I love that texture and that swirl is just — amazing! I’m not much of a bread-making person but that’s about to change soon! After Big Potluck, I am making this next weekend!
If you try it after BPL, lmk how it goes! I am in such a quandary of what to bring! I thought I was all set..but now, I dunno. I’m supposed to bring cake. But I kinda wanna bring bars :)
Me too! I’m supposed to bring coffee cake but now I want to bring cookies!
I believe we’ve discussed a mutual love of cinnamon before. I do enjoy crust, partly because I am a hands on play-with-my food sort of nibbler who likes to peel the crust off and eat it separately sometimes.
If you like crust AND cinnamon, this is your dream bread :)
Is it strange that I randomly smell cinnamon bread (in my imagination) and want it? This is the stuff that my dreams are made of! I don’t know how you can stand photographing it and not just devouring it instead. :)
This was a hard one to NOT pick at. I force myself to NOT start eating during photo shoots. The sweet rewards come at the end :) I loved this bread, Jenn. And I bet you would too if you say it’s the stuff your dreams are made of :)