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!
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 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.
Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread Video Tutorial
Have you ever made my cinnamon swirl chocolate chip bread? Today’s recipe is a lot like it, only minus the chocolate chips.
Gasp! I know! But hear me out.
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.
See Your Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread!
Feel free to email or share your recipe photos with us on social media. 🙂
PrintCinnamon 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.
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
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup (80g) sour cream (or plain yogurt/Greek yogurt), at room temperature*
- 2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk, at room temperature*
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- optional: vanilla icing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 9×5-inch or 8×4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
- Cinnamon Swirl: Mix the 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar and 1 Tablespoon of ground cinnamon together.
- Bread: Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar together until combined. Whisk in the oil, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then whisk to completely combine. Avoid over-mixing. You will have about 3 cups of batter.
- Pour/spread half of the batter into 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 remaining batter evenly on top. The top layer of batter will want to stick to the cinnamon sugar filling, making spreading a little tougher to do, but use a spoon to carefully spread it out as best you can. Sprinkle with the rest of the cinnamon sugar. Using a knife, make a large swirl down the loaf pan, as shown in the video tutorial below. Avoid over-swirling, which will mix the layers together too much.
- Bake the bread for 50-65 minutes, covering 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. Bake time varies between ovens. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 1 hour. After that, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool directly on a wire rack.
- Drizzle with icing, if using. Slice and serve. Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 2 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 adapted this recipe from my cinnamon swirl chocolate chip bread recipe. Instead of 1 cup of buttermilk as I do in that batter, I used 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. See recipe notes in the chocolate chip bread about using a DIY sour milk option. I don’t recommend a lower fat or nondairy milk here, though you can use it in a pinch. The bread won’t taste as rich and moist.
- 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.
AMAZING!!! My family ate all of it while it was still warm, so I never got to put the vanilla icing on! Thank you Sally for another great recipe.
I was inspired to make this because it is this month’s baking challenge and it was so delicious and easy and quick!! Our house guest raved about it and it was gone within 2 days!! Highly recommend everyone trying it if you love cinnamon and a nice dense moist bread ❤️
This bread smelled soooo good, I felt like my house was transformed into a bakery! Very easy to make. Loved the cinnamon taste!
What an awesome recipe! Not only was it so quick and easy, but it tasted and looked great too! I made it for the first time yesterday and it was long gone before dinner! Highly recommend this recipe!
Just sampled in muffin form. Is very yummy. I only got 10 muffins for some unexplained reason. Was going to add apple but after I had it all peeled and cut up I spaced and forgot. Thank you for a relatively easy challenge this month.
Hi Melody, Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try- I’m thrilled you enjoyed them! This recipe yields around 14 muffins. If your muffin pans are slightly larger than ours or you filled them a bit more, it’s completely fine if yours made 10 instead of 14. Hope you’ll make them again!
Super easy and turned out beautifully! My husband was so excited even as it was baking 😛
This recipe was so easy to follow and the bread turned out delicious with an amazing texture and just the right amount of sweetness!
Great recipe! Very yummy-my family loved it.
LOVE! I made this for my family and my husband is devouring it!!! I’ve also made this for treats to give to my aunt, cousin, grandparents and my parents! They go crazy for it. So simple to make and looks so amazing!
Hi Sally – I made this recipe and emailed you my entry. I divided the batter to make 2 loaves –
1) Cranberries and Orange zest in the cinnamon sugar swirl topped with your orange juice icing glaze.
2) Chai spice swirl with elderflower cordial icing glaze
Thank you for your helpful notes and recipe! Delicious! Safe kind wishes!
This recipe was another home run! Easy and fast! I didn’t do the optional vanilla icing, but I would try it next time to sweeten it up a bit more…even though it doesn’t need it. I don’t think this will last more than 2 days! 🙂 Thanks Sally!
Fantastic times 5 !!! My family love it!!!! Added some golden raisins. Have sent the photo in for your challenge!! You are the best and so enjoy making your recipes.
So easy to make! I love that it’s made with ingredients that I always have on hand and comes together so quickly. I was able to gather ingredients, assemble, and bake all within my toddlers’ nap time
Huge hit with the kids too!
Thank you Sally!
I love your recipes. Share all the time. Just made Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread into muffins. The printed recipe I worked from said the recipe would make 18 muffins and to use two muffin tins to accommodate the batter. The recipe also said there would be 3 cups of batter. That would equal 1/3 cup of batter for each of 12 muffins. Definitely not 18! Perhaps a misprint?
12 muffins is perfect for 3 cups of batter! Delicious!
Hi Nancy, This recipe yields around 14 muffins. If your muffin pans are slightly larger than ours or you filled them a bit more, it’s completely fine if yours made 12 instead of 14. We are glad you enjoyed them!
Today is a cold rainy morning in Michigan and it was the perfect weather to make this bread! I added one diced granny smith apple to the batter, it’s the perfect fall treat.
Easy, delicious , will definitely add to my list of favorite recipes!
Delicious even though we totally forgot the sour cream . I plan to make it again, maybe with fruit of some kind. Two thumbs up!!!
I’ve made these once and am already planning to remake a double batch for 4 mini loaves. It’s so easy.
Could I replace the oil with browned butter gram for gram? The recipe is wonderful as is but let’s face it….brown butter.
So glad you enjoy this! Yes, you can use the same amount of brown butter instead of the oil. The loaves may not taste as moist though.
I made this bread yesterday as the weather was perfect for baking (rainy and cold!!). The house smelled like heaven and this quick bread was simply awesome. The cinnamon-sugar on top was life-changing after it baked into a golden brown crispy layer that I couldn’t stop eating. I kept trying to even out the end of the bread with a knife ( you know!!) and ended up eating about half the bread!! Thank you Sally for an easy, but stellar recipe!!
Very easy to make and turned out delicious! Going to try making again with some additions 🙂
This is such a wonderfully easy and delicious recipe! My family loved it.
This recipe was alarmingly simple to execute for something so delicious (and moist! my main objective in baking cakes and loaves). Definitely a flex if you have guests. I like when recipes don’t skimp on the flavours; if you’re going to use cinnamon sugar, go crazy… the result is mouth watering.
Hubby loved it right out of the oven.
If I make mini’s in this should I use the muffins directions or the mini loaf?
Hi Miswel, 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.
This recipe was so easy to follow and the bread turned out great! It wasn’t too sweet and the top gave a nice crunch while the bread itself was very soft. Wonderful recipe!
Absolutely loved this one and it was the PERFECT way to greet my twin fourth graders as they cane walking in the door from their first day of in-person school. I wish they made a candle that smelled like this Thanks as always for your amazing recipes!
My whole family loved this! Simple, easy recipe and the results are excellent. I didn’t make the vanilla frosting and we truly didn’t miss it. We’ll definitely be making this again!
This bread was reminiscent of a cinnamon roll and was a gone in a couple of days! Thanks for the great early fall go to!
This is amazing! You had me at cinnamon. It finally cooled down enough to use the oven and I’m so glad it did. I’ll be making this on repeat for sure! No icing needed.
So easy and so quick! delicious!
I made two loaves to bring to work – one regular and one gluten free. Both turned out so yummy!