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.
Oh my… Averie, this bread looks mouthwatering!!! Delicious!! Beautiful pictures :) You make me wanna re-bake it immediately!
xox Amy
Wow! This looks delicious. I LOVE the crust on coffee cake, the more cinnamony (new word?) the better!
OMG that cinnamon sugar crusted bread….I’ve been trying to lay off baking recently in an effort to be healthier but I think I might just have a relapse tonight. I just need to buy some brown sugar!
If you try it, LMK! It’s worth breaking your no-bake streak for!
love love anything with cinnamon!
Yes! The crust is always my favorite part and this cinnamon master piece is calling out to me.
cinnamon master piece <-- thanks!
Oh my goodness, I *heart* cinnamon bread and this one looks so delicious Averie! Will have to try making this soon since you mentioned it’s quick and easy – my kind of bread:)
Buttermilk? Light brown sugar? Cinnamon crust on top? It’s like I’ve been waiting for you to make this bread for my whole LIFE! Absolutely GORGEOUS!!
Thanks, Meagan! I know you’d love it given your love for cinnamon or cannela as you use!
I love quick breads like this – simple, easy to throw together, and crazy in the flavour department. This looks amazing, Averie. It’s so moist and dense inside and that crispy, cinnamon-sugary topping is the perfect pickable crust. I’m buying a carton of buttermilk for another recipe this weekend and thanks to this recipe, now I know what I’m going to be using the leftovers for!
Oh I can’t wait to hear if you make this! I know you’re going to love it! And also buttermilk and whatever else you’re making, I’ll stay tuned b/c I always have some on hand to use, too!
Thank you for explaining the secret of the cinnamon sugar ribbon, hehe. Great idea! If It were me I would totally make cinnamon sugar STRIPES throughout the thing… but I go overboard, a lot.
Stripes sound great!
I just died and went to heaven. Pinning, making, I don’t care what anyone says I will eat this for the rest of my life. The photos, the recipe, the CRUST (!!!!), I think I might faint at how perfect this is. Buttermilk, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, Tbsp of vanilla – girl you are speaking my language. Literally making this this weekend. My mom will be in town and she is going to LOVE it. Averie, you rock. Period.
Thanks for pinning it! And are you really making it? If you do, LMK! Seriously girl the easiest batter ever. Takes 5 mins and dump it in a pan. So un-fussy! I was quite pleased with the photos as you can see I posted a few more than I usually do, but I was having so much fun shooting this bread. One of my fave things to shoot (when I’m having luck with it) is white-ish breads. Sometimes banana breads can give me a little trouble but white breads I tend to have fun with!
I’d probably love it! I don’t normally go right for the crust of anything, but since cinnamon-sugar pie crust is a favorite of mine, this sounds totally to die for! My mom would always save as much pie crust scraps as possible to bake up with cinnamon and sugar, and it was something special that we would share. I may have to make her a loaf of this :)
Pie scraps with cinn-sugar…my grandma used to do that! :)
Yes, I know I could eat an entire loaf in one sitting too, looks great! The sugary crust, Yum!
My husband did manage to eat most of this loaf in one sitting :)
I’m fairly certain I could eat this entire loaf in one sitting… absolutely love!!
mmmmm that CRUST! I actually love crusty breads, but a cinnamon sugar crusty bread?! To die for!
This is the best crust ever :)
YUM. Have you seen those cinnamon chips at the store? My mom uses them in beer bread all the time and they are great – you could skip the ribbon step, and just add chips. Of course, its more dessert than bread at that point, but why split hairs, right?
This bread looks so rustic and delicious! The moist bread with that beautiful crust is more than I can stand right now!