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
Hi Sally
This recipe looks fantastic!! was wondering can a combo of granulated and light brown sugar be used for the filling or even all light brown sugar??
thank you!
Michele
Hi Michele! You could definitely use a combination of brown sugar and white granulated sugar in the cinnamon swirl. Or ALL brown sugar. Though the brown sugar will be a little clumpy and hard to sprinkle neatly on top. Let me know what you try!
Sally
Thanks…I made it with all granulated white and it was perfect wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks for another perfect recipe!
Michele
So good! Best part is that it’s also easy and quick to make! The frosting is literally the icing on the cake for this recipe!
Wow! This was so good! It was moist on the inside and had a nice crust on the outside. The smell was so incredible as it was biking, I couldn’t wait to get it out of the oven. I did reduce the sugar quite a bit out of personal taste. I am sure adding walnuts will take this one step further. Thanks for the recipe!
This was easy and quick to prepare and very delicious. I love how Sally’s recipes are always foolproof. This was a big hit with my kids and husband. I did add some chocolate chips to the batter.
my loaf tin is 12×5 coudl I try doubling the ingredients
Hi Amanda, we haven’t tested this recipe in a 12×5 pan. You could certainly try doubling the recipe but depending on how tall your pan is, you might not need a full double batch.
I made 3 loaves, one of which I used the buttermilk alternative instead of the sour cream/milk combo and it was just as delicious. Great recipe for these cooking fall temps!
Delicious! I made this for my two boys. My five year old said, this is so good! You know, Sally must work hard, maybe we should make her a cake too!
This recipe was easy and used ingredients I already had in my kitchen!!
Made this for September baking challenge with my 4 year old daughter. Easy to make and very yummy. Thank you Sally!
I made this cinnamon bread with dairy free ingredients and it was delicious, especially with a cup of coffee. Having a cinnamon-loving family it didn’t last the day! I’m saving the recipe to do it again.
Loved it!
This had all the best things I would want in a quick sweet bread! The texture was wonderful, and the swirl was visible all throughout the loaf. Plus, the addition of the icing on top made it an extra delicious treat. Fun and easy to make (especially with friends!) this is a definite win.
5 STARS! This is my first recipe from your site and it won’t be my last! I did sub olive oil and did 1 cup white whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup almond flour and 1/2 white flour.
The best! We didn’t even put the vanilla icing on it. It still tasted so good:)
Great recipe! With the icing it’s incredible and feels much more like a cake (which is perfect for me!)
This recipe is easy but fun! And it is SO delicious! I used melted butter in place of oil and vanilla flavored yogurt in place of sour cream. You have to use what you’ve got in today’s circumstances! This recipe is a keeper!
This bread is amazing!!! I love cinnamon and this bread is full of cinnamon goodness!
Sally,
What great recipe! I am a hero at work thanks to you, lol. EVERYONE loved it. I made muffins as we are aware of not touching communal bread.
Just FYI. Gluten-free flour (King Arthur Flour) works fabulously well in this recipe.
Delicious recipe, easy to put together and my family loved it.
I was skeptical because I have tried a simple cinnamon bread before that was “blah.” But this, this is waaaayyyy different! My 3 boys are busy eating it now. It is not dry, the flavor is awesome and if I don’t hurry with this review, it’s going to be gone!
Delicious, screams fall! My toddlers loved it; I didn’t even have time to put the vanilla icing on. My house smelled great while it was baking. Great directions.
I didn’t expect this to be anything special, but oh my word! The crunchy crust, soft bread, and sugary, cinnamon-y swirl was just delightful. It was almost gone within an hour. It is evidence that sometimes, the simple things are the best.
This was so delicious and I was surprised how quickly it came together! Big hit with the whole family!
This was easy and yummy! I overbaked just a touch but it was still tasty. 🙂
Super easy, turned out great despite many substitutions!
Changes I made (based on what I had at home and my family’s preferences): added nutmeg and ginger to the cinnamon swirl, reduced the sugar in the batter to 50g, substituted 1/3 cup applesauce for the oil, and substituted 1 cup 2% milk plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for the sour cream and whole milk (since I didn’t have either).
I think this bread would be amazing toasted with butter or cream cheese.
This came out so well. I took a quick photo for the challenge and meant to take another when it was cooler and I could get better light (raining) – but little elves ate it in the meantime. I added the icing and was not sorry. Perfect cold rainy day treat.
This is tasty, I only wish it was a teeny bit healthier. I swapped half of the flour for whole wheat pastry flour and reduced the sugar in the loaf by 1/4 cup. It turned out yummy. I baked it after putting my three children to bed and they all said the next morning “What were you baking last night? It smelled so good!”
Absolutely delicious and soooo easy to make!!! I added walnut pieces to the cinnamon sugar and sprinkled a few on top. Came out absolutely brilliant!
Thanks Sally!
Quick and easily doubled. Delicious!
Absolutely delicious! I made the recipe first with monk fruit sweetener, Lakanto- what a fail- it was very dry, had an “off” taste. Then, I made recipe exactly as written—it was perfect! Moist, tight crumb, the swirl was exceptional! And the crispy baked cinnamon edges and top-oh my! I’ll be making again, in small loaf pans for giving!
Great recipe. Simple, fast and delicious! I love all your recipes but this was one we will make over and over. The ingredients are always on hand so it is a perfect recipe. Can make it anytime without planning, which is always helpful.