Adapted from my orange cranberry bread, this vanilla-flavored cinnamon swirl quick bread is moist and soft with a thick ribbon of cinnamon-sugar swirled inside. You only need a handful of very basic ingredients and there’s no mixer required. This cake-like bread will remind you of cinnamon rolls, but takes a fraction of the time to prepare!
One reader, Nikki, commented: “I never leave reviews on anything, but this bread is phenomenal! It came together really quick and easy, but looks so impressive! And the flavor is a dream. I cannot recommend this enough! ★★★★★”
Do you ever get the baking itch? (Of course you do, why am I even asking?!) But what about the desire to make something truly warm, cozy, and comforting? Where not only that first bite soothes the soul, but the smell of it baking is satisfying too. My cinnamon swirl quick bread checks all those boxes.
This recipe is such a fan favorite, that it deserved a spot in print! You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
This Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread Is:
- Melt-in-your-mouth soft & moist
- Vanilla & cinnamon flavored (even better with vanilla icing on top!)
- Very easy to make, no mixer needed
- Layered with an extra thick cinnamon swirl
- Covered with a crackly cinnamon sugar crust
In terms of texture, it’s not quite as dense as pound cake, but it’s definitely heavier than vanilla cake. I like to compare it to apple cinnamon bread and cinnamon swirl banana bread, only without the apples or bananas.
I used to make a version of this bread with buttermilk, but for today’s recipe, I swapped the 1 cup of buttermilk for sour cream and milk. I wanted a slightly denser crumb, while keeping each bite totally tender and soft. Sour cream is a magical ingredient in cakes, cupcakes, breads, muffins, and more. I found that 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup milk made the bread a little too dry and dense, but 1/3 cup sour cream and 2/3 cup milk was perfect. Brown sugar can weigh down the bread, so I used all regular white sugar. I also increased the vanilla extract and the amount of sugar in the cinnamon swirl. (Thicker swirl!) All of these small changes made a very big difference and you can see similar variations with my orange cranberry bread and peach bread recipes!
Best Ingredients to Use & Why
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of this quick bread recipe.
- Salt & Baking Soda: Flavor & rise.
- Vanilla Extract: You’ll appreciate the simple, yet unbeatable flavor of vanilla in the bread itself. If you have homemade vanilla extract on hand, use it here.
- Egg: One egg binds everything together.
- Sugar: You need sugar for both the bread batter and the cinnamon swirl.
- Sour Cream: We use sour cream for moisture and tenderness, but also because its lactic acid helps the baking soda do its job. This powerhouse ingredient plays the same important role in coffee cake, too (which you’ll love just as much as this bread!).
- Milk: Whole milk is best, but you can use a lower fat or nondairy milk in its place.
- Oil: While butter provides unbelievable flavor, nothing beats the moisture that oil provides. We use oil in this quick bread recipe (and others like strawberry bread, pumpkin bread, and lemon poppy seed bread) to produce a moist bread. Plus, the cinnamon sugar swirl and vanilla extract both provide a lot of flavor.
Extra Thick Cinnamon Swirl
To assemble the cinnamon swirl, layer half of the bread batter into your greased loaf pan. Top with almost all of the cinnamon sugar (as noted in the written recipe below, reserve 2 Tablespoons for the topping). Pour and gently spread the remaining batter on top. Sprinkle with remaining 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon sugar, then use a knife to swirl.
As you layer in all that cinnamon sugar filling, you’ll question the amount. Really? This much cinnamon sugar? Yes! For an extra thick cinnamon sugar swirl inside, we need an extra amount layered in. There’s A LOT. If you’re looking to spice up the flavor, try using a chai spice blend instead. Check out my white chocolate chai snickerdoodles and use the sugar/chai spice “topping” as the filling here. (Still reserving 2 Tablespoons of it for this bread’s topping.) There are more flavors and variations listed in the recipe notes below.
One of my favorite parts is the cinnamon sugar around the edges. Some of the cinnamon sugar from the center may seep out, creating an irresistible crisp/chewy crust.
Looking for a yeasted cinnamon swirl bread? See my homemade cinnamon swirl bread.
How to Freeze Quick Bread
Freezing quick breads is a lot like how to freeze cakes.
- Step 1: Bake and completely cool quick bread.
- Step 2: Once the bread cools completely, wrap it in Press & Seal or plastic wrap. From one baker to another—Press & Seal is the best product for wrapping baked goods. I find regular plastic wrap too thin, clingy, and frustrating. It definitely works, but Press & Seal is easier to use and I’ve honestly found that it keeps my food fresher. (Not working with this brand, just really love it.)
- Step 3: Write the type of bread and use-by date on a large piece of aluminum foil. For best taste and texture, don’t freeze quick bread for longer than 3 months. You could stretch it to 4 or 5 months, but the sooner you serve it, the fresher it tastes.
- Step 4: Wrap the bread in the aluminum foil and place in the freezer. You could place the wrapped bread in a freezer container or freezer-friendly zipped top bag, but I often just freeze it after wrapping in aluminum foil.
- Step 5: Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer the frozen bread to the refrigerator one day before serving. Sometimes I forget and just let the bread thaw at room temperature for several hours, but it’s better to thaw at a slower rate in the refrigerator. Make sure you thaw bread while it’s still in the wrapping. Don’t unwrap before thawing.
Baker’s Tip: Two layers of wrap is key! The first layer keeps the bread fresh and the aluminum foil ensures no condensation will seep in. Double layer = maximum freshness and no freezer burn. Moisture is the enemy, so don’t be afraid to add another layer of Press & Seal or aluminum foil.
Print
Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This vanilla-flavored cinnamon swirl quick bread is moist and soft with a thick ribbon of cinnamon-sugar swirled inside. Feel free to turn this recipe into muffins or mini loaves. See recipe Notes below. This recipe is also in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Swirl
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Bread
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk, at room temperature*
- 1/3 cup (75g/80ml) vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup (80g) full-fat sour cream (or plain yogurt/Greek yogurt), at room temperature*
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- optional: vanilla icing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 9×5-inch or 8×4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
- For the Cinnamon Swirl: In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Set aside.
- Make the Bread: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, milk, oil, sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then whisk just until combined. Avoid over-mixing. The batter should be thick and creamy.
- Pour/spread about half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle almost all of the cinnamon-sugar evenly on top (reserve about 2 Tablespoons for topping). It’s a very thick layer of cinnamon-sugar. Carefully pour/spread the remaining batter evenly on top. The top layer of batter will try to stick to the cinnamon-sugar filling, making spreading a little more difficult, but use a spoon to carefully spread it out as best you can. Sprinkle the remaining 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon-sugar on top. Using a knife, make a large swirl down the loaf pan, as shown in the video tutorial. Avoid over-swirling, which will mix the layers together too much.
- Bake the bread for 50–65 minutes, tenting loosely with foil about halfway through to prevent the top from over-browning. Bread baked in an 8×4-inch pan takes closer to 65 minutes. Poke the center of the bread with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the bread is done. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan set on a cooling rack for 1 hour. After that, remove the bread from the pan and let it finish cooling directly on the rack.
- Drizzle with icing, if using. Slice and serve. Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, you can freeze the glazed or unglazed bread for up to 3 months. See details above the recipe. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before glazing (if needed) and serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×5-inch Loaf Pan or 8×4-inch Loaf Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cooling Rack
- Sour Cream & Milk: I use a mix of sour cream and whole milk here. The crumb is tighter and more tender—you’ll love it. Using all milk creates a thinner batter that can overflow and take much longer to bake. That being said, feel free to use 1 cup of buttermilk instead of the sour cream and whole milk option here. You can make your own DIY version of buttermilk if needed. Add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1 cup. (In a pinch, lower fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the bread won’t taste as rich and moist.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Optional Additional Flavors: Feel free to use the chai spice swirl noted above. Or add 1 cup of peeled, chopped apples to the bread batter or even 1 cup of raisins, chopped walnuts or pecans, or dried/fresh/frozen (do not thaw) cranberries. You can also add 1 Tablespoon of fresh orange zest to the bread batter OR cinnamon sugar swirl. Also, the orange glaze from this cranberry bread would be delicious on this bread.
- Muffins: Grease a 12-count muffin pan or line with liners. You will need a 2nd pan for 2 additional muffins as this recipe yields around 14. (Or bake in batches.) Prepare cinnamon swirl and batter in steps 2 + 3. Spoon batter evenly into liners, filling each halfway. Sprinkle each with a heaping spoonful of cinnamon sugar. Top with more batter, filling to the top. Sprinkle each with a dusting of cinnamon sugar. Use a knife to swirl the batter/cinnamon sugar in each. Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C) then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 20-22 minutes, give or take. Cool muffins for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Makes 14 muffins.
- Mini Loaves: Grease a mini loaf pan. Prepare cinnamon swirl and batter in steps 2 + 3. Spoon batter evenly into greased cups, filling each halfway. Sprinkle each with a heaping spoonful of cinnamon sugar. Top with more batter, filling to the top. Sprinkle each with a dusting of cinnamon sugar. Use a knife to swirl the batter/cinnamon sugar in each. Bake at 350°F (177°C) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake time and yield depends on the size of your mini loaf pan.
Reader Comments and Reviews
One of many recipes my family has loved – you are my ‘go to’ for new baking ideas. I love the way you explain things and provide lots of options for variety.
Just a note that the milk ingredient for this recipe is listed twice 🙂
This quick bread lacked flavor. I won’t be making again.
I made this and added 8oz of Apple Cinnamon Jammy Bits (from King Arthur Baking). Came out delicious!
Brilliant and flavourful bread! Made it for breakfast today for my daughter’s birthday and it was a big hit! Step by step instructions, makes you confident and the end result was amazing. Thank you Sally for another great recipe.
Made the cinnamon bread last night and it is already gone this morning! The hubs has asked for another batch. I may try to make it into muffins today. Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is so good! Moist and flavorful. I made a double batch. One I made the cinnamon swirl, the other I made with grated zucchini and Ghirardelli large chocolate chips. Both were excellent!
Amazing recipe, the cake was so moist, not overly sweet yet cinnamony enough! I love all your recipes and non of them have failed me so far! This will become a staple treat!
Could I make it with bread flour instead ?
Hi Kylee, we don’t recommend bread flour for this quick bread recipe, but some readers have used it and reported success. The bread may be a bit chewier.
Hi Sally and team! Any chance the vegetable oil could be substituted with butter or a different oil? I don’t love the taste of the vegetable oil! Thanks!
Hi Hayden, you could use olive oil in place of the vegetable oil, but expect the taste to be slightly different. Enjoy!
I’m sure this will be a hit as everything is from you so 5 stars but do you think avocado oil would be an ok sub? I don’t typically buy vegetable or canola. Thanks!
Hi Alex, we prefer a more neutral flavored oil, but avocado oil will work in a pinch. Hope you enjoy the bread!
Hi Alex,
I use avocado oil as a substitute for all vegetable oil in any recipe, and I’ve always had great success. I haven’t made this exact recipe, but I just made pumpkin bread from Sally’s recipe using avocado oil, and it was an enormous hit. My co-workers raved about it, and family devoured it. It was super moist and I couldn’t taste the oil at all.
I have made this bread dozens of times, mostly without the glaze cause it never makes it long enough to put it on and if it does (cause I make three at a time) it truly does not need it. Hands down the best loaf ever.
Hi, just wondering what temp for a fan oven please?
I usually bake my cakes on the lowest shelf.
Hi B., We always recommend conventional settings for baking (not convection/fan). The flow of air from convection heat can cause baked goods to rise and bake unevenly and it also pulls moisture out of the oven. If you do use convection/fan settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake.
Interesting, thank you.
I baked it on 160 fan and it did nearly overspill but was great anyway.
I will try using conventional settings next time.
I made 2 of these…one as written, and the second as an almond version. I substituted 1 cup of almond flour for the ‘cake’, the same amount of almond extract instead of vanilla and then for the filling used the same amount of sugar plus almond flour in lieu of the cinnamon. I then added slivered almonds on top. Ohhhh, my! If you like almonds, this is it. Make sure to use an almond extract instead of flavoring. It makes a world of difference.
I love this idea! Thanks for sharing!
I find myself searching your recipes when wanting to impress family or friends. I’m wanting to send a loaf of your sweet bread to friend in NM, I’m in Ohio it will be going on plane so arriving in one day. I have no apples for it so am debating on the cinnamon swirl or cranberry. Which would you recommend best
Hi Sally, this recipe should travel well over a day. Hope it’s a hit!
Hi this recipe looks amazing! I was just wondering is the bread very sweet? Especially after the cinnamon and sugar swirl? My family doesn’t like breads or cakes that are very sweet, they like it more mellow. Just curious 🙂 thanks!
Hi Sherina, yes, this is a sweeter quick bread.
Hi Sally,
The bread is delicious! This is my first time making cinnamon flavor desert! I thought my family may not like it, but they LOVE IT!
Would you use monkfruit sugar substitute for this recipe?
Also, do I bake 50-60 mins under 350F?
I’m still learning my oven, I found that if I use 350 for 60 mins, the bottom will be a little burn.
I think next time I might move the rack higher or use lower temp with less time to see
Thank you for all the great recipes❤️
Hi Phoenix, we’re so glad the bread was a hit! We have not tested this bread with any sugar substitutes, so we’re unsure of the results. The bread will be different than intended. You can certainly try reducing the bake time a bit if your oven runs hot. You can also reduce the temperature, but you may need to extend the bake time that way. Keep a close eye on it and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
So 350F should be a good start, right?
Thank you
Great recipe, except for using Canola or any vegetable oil, they are toxic oils, I react violently to them, I use organic coconut oil, organic avocado oil would also be a great substitute, turns out really great, so only 4 stars instead of 5
Also, organic bread flour works real well, giving a fluffy, mellow taste
Can I use almond milk?
Hi Aj, The bread won’t taste quite as rich and moist, but a non dairy milk like almond milk will work in a pinch.
Wow, this is great. I followed the recipe using sour cream, but 1% milk. I don’t think I’ll ever make it again because it’s so good I can’t stop eating it.
Thanks.
What do you suggest next?
Hi Steve, we’re so glad you enjoyed it! Here are all of our quick bread recipes if you’d like to browse, or if you want to venture into yeast recipes, you might enjoy this cinnamon swirl bread or cinnamon crunch bread. Let us know what you try!
Made this Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread for the first time this morning — Happy Mother’s Day to me! I used 1 c room temp buttermilk (as suggested by Sally rather than 1/3 c sour cream + 2/3 c milk) and followed the rest of the recipe precisely! Perfect bake at 52 minutes. Deliciously moist and soft with a lovely cinnamon sugar swirl! A definite repeat!
Amazing first thing I do when I make a cake is go to Sally’s baking edition, you inspire me and I’m 12 I want to be like you
Hi Sarahi, thank you so much for trusting our cake recipes and for the sweet note!
Hi Sally!
looks awesome! can’t wait to try this recipe
but I gotta ask-is there any way to make it dairy-free?
pls I want to try it but some of us ar allergic…
Also, for the cinnamon swirl, do you use that stickey brown sugar? or the normal sugar?
Hi Loka, we haven’t tested a dairy-free version of this bread, but you could try using a non-dairy yogurt and non-dairy milk. Let is know if you try it!
Where did you get the square baking pan used for this quick bread?
Hi Marilyn, the loaf pan used here is linked in step one of the instructions on the recipe card. It’s available on Amazon!
Hi Sally, I made this for the first time today. As you recommended, I covered it with foil after the first half hour. When I removed it from the oven, there was a fair amount of loose sugar on top. Does that mean I covered it too soon or is there another reason? Thank you for so many wonderful recipes. I am also making your rosemary garlic pullapart bread for Easter!
Hi Susan, some loose sugar is normal here!
This bread is delicious!!!! Everyone raves over it. I make it all the time now!
Currently making this for a second time in 2 weeks because the first one was so delicious! I doubled the recipe and used a bundt pan. Also used gluten free flour (King Arthur brand) for my celiac husband. It turned out perfectly!
I’m out of granulated sugar – would brown sugar work?
Hi Erika, We don’t recommend using brown sugar in the bread batter, but you could use it in the swirl if you prefer. Though the brown sugar will be a little clumpy and hard to sprinkle neatly on top. Let us know what you try!
April 9/25
The bread is so delicious. Made 3 mini loaves. I did cut back Abit with the sugar also didn’t put glaze on. I will be making again. Thank you
What would the baking times and temps be for using this recipe in mini loaf pans?
Hi Heather, temperature will be the same, but baking time will vary depending on the exact size of your mini loaf pans. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
My husband made this 2 days ago and it is almost gone. Delicious! Our only question is about the cinnamon sugar topping. It didn’t incorporate into the top of the bread and so it mostly fell off when he took it out of the loaf pan. Would it work to brush the top with egg or melted butter to make the topping stick? He didn’t use the glaze. Otherwise, he said it was so easy to make!
Hi Eden, we’re so glad the bread was a hit! You can certainly try melted butter with the topping, or just gently press it down onto the top of the loaf before baking.
Making this lovely loaf for a breakfast with friends this morning. Made just as recipe called for and it is wonderful. As always, love your recipes, they always turn out to be so delicious.
I came home today with the urge to bake something simple, but delicious, and am so glad I made this one. It really couldn’t be easier to make. The texture is wonderful with it being soft and moist inside with the thick cinnamon ribbon, and the exterior all crispy with cinnamon sugar. Without the glaze, it’s not too sweet, which is how we like it. If you’re looking for it a bit sweeter, just add the vanilla glaze. I’m sure that’s delicious, too.
Hi Sally, can I use olive oil instead of vegetable? 🙂 thanks
Hi Princess, yes, you could use olive oil in place of the vegetable oil, but expect the taste to be slightly different. Enjoy!