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
Another winning recipe!!! So moist and cinnamony. Delicious!!
Thank you for sharing this recipe, have made it twice with great reviews.
When I hear the word “bread” in a recipe, I get a bit intimidated. However, the cinnamon quick bread recipe was so easy to make and tasted delicious! (I think the crispy top was my fav!)
Thanks Sally for making baking approachable each month.
Living in the hot state of Florida, I like to do everything I can to make September – October feel like Fall. Baking this bread definitely did the trick! The smell of it baking and the warm, cinnamon taste brought all the Fall feels! It was easy to make and so delicious!! I highly recommend baking this quick bread as soon as you can!
I’m so glad this recipe helped you bring fall to Florida 🙂 thank you for participating in this challenge, Lauren!
Loved this recipe! Made it with my 3 year old and we both thought it was easy and delicious.
This recipe is the perfect way to usher in the beginning of autumn. It is quick, easy, and delicious, and there’s no better smell than the scent of cinnamon filling our home. Goes perfectly with a cup of hot coffee. Thanks for another delightful challenge, Sally!
A delicious, moist, flavorful bread that is easy and quick to make! Especially good with a cup of coffee or tea!
Your cinnamon swirl bread with chocolate chips is equally scrumptious!! Thank you!
This recipe was so quick and simple to make! What I loved most was the consistency of the loaf, similar to a pound cake with delicious hints of vanilla and cinnamon. This is the perfect bread to eat while sipping on a warm cup of coffee!
This recipe was super easy and it is so yummy! My husband, who isn’t a sweets person, wanted to cut into it as soon as he got home! He loved it! We did four mini loaves – one for now and three to freeze. My daughter and I live 33 hours apart and so we don’t get to bake together. We did today!! We did the recipe over FaceTime! Thanks for putting these together! We are already looking forward to next month!
This bread was incredibly good!! I made four mini loaves and it turned out perfect!! I couldn’t be happier!!
Hi Sally, this recipe comes together super speedy. It’s a great recipe for anyone who is not so confident in their baking skills. Your detailed recipe instructions are a great inspiration to break out the flour and eggs and get going.
I made this with some orange juicy bits from KAF, and then did an orange glaze on after. It’s a wonderful snack cake. (I always appreciate your directions for freezing). I did two, 6 inch cakes, and that worked well, One for now and one for the freezer. Thanks again!
Another fantastic recipe, the whole family loved it! My kids kept eating pieces of the cinnamon sugar off the top lol. Next time I’m going to add the icing for more of a cinnamon bun bread.
Sally,All the recipes i have tried, never disappointed.
This bread turned out amazing, so moist and delicious! I added some apples to the cinnamon swirl mix. Love how easy and quick it is!
The prep for this bake was relatively easy, but the swirl and cinnamon sugar topping took presentation to the next level. Thank you, Sally, for not only publishing great recipes for these challenges, but also for incorporating teaching of kitchen skills that bakers can apply elsewhere in their cooking. I am grateful.
Thank you, Sally, for this beautiful recipe. The time to prepare was relatively short, and all your tips were very helpful. I tried this recipe for my family, and I must say it was delicious. I am learning a lot from your recipes, and you are indeed an inspiration to me. I am sending much greetings from the Caribbean.
I love your recipes sally… the best thing is that they are easy to follow and always taste so good. I have tried few cinnamon breads with twists and knots as design. But this particular recipe is so easy to make and follow. My family loved it. My 9 year old son who is not a cinnamon fan 🙂 loved it too. The crispness from melted sugar on top was absolutely divine. It melts in your mouth and super easy recipe, everyone must try and I best loved it with my evening tea.
This really is a delicious bread. The crackled cinnamon sugar topping and the cinnamon swirl are so good! The bread was delicious, moist and flavorful too. This recipe is easy to follow and laid out perfectly.
Made these into muffins! So tasty! Perfect amount of cinnamon sugar and such a moist muffin! Had to make them again! My family and friends were huge fans! Another great recipe from Sally and her team!
This recipe is so yummy and easy to make! It is a great activity to do as a family. As it bakes the cinnamon fragrance fills your home! I am excited to make it again and try adding different ingredients!
Really enjoyed making this quick bread to accompany breakfast for dinner one night. It was easy and the family approved!
This quick bread was so delicious and easy to make. I made 2 loaves so I could have one at home and bring one to work for my fellow nurses. My nurse friends devoured it within hours and everyone raved about it! I will definitely be baking this again, especially because of how quickly it comes together. I have turned so many friends to your blog and you are our go-to for baking! Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Hi! Sally & team, Just want to say I tried this recipe, and it really is a super easy & quick bread hehehe! My home smells amazing like a little bakery.
It is such a good companion to the afternoon coffee… Super cool recipe as always!
Regards!
So easy, quick and delicious! I was able to make this on a week night which was pretty impressive, I usually save baking for the weekends. I’ve made it before as is and it’s divine but due to some dietary restrictions I made 4 swaps: Oil- I used Avocado oil, Sour cream- I used plain full fat Greek yogurt, Sugar – I used Monk fruit sweetener, and Milk – I used Oatmilk. It came out equally as delicious! I didn’t put any vanilla icing on it only because I was eating this out of the pan! Thank you Sally for another incredible recipe!
Another great quick bread recipe to add to my rotation! We added some chopped pecans to the cinnamon topping / swirl and it added a nice crunch. My kids loved it – and loved helping bake it just as much!
Tasty, easy and quick. My kids are now requesting it, and it feels like it gets eaten faster than I can make it! I’ve tried loaf and muffins- both equally tasty, but the muffins are so much faster for my impatient kiddos.
Definitely a keeper. The cinnamon bread was moist, easy and delicious. My son said it tasted amazing like an apple pie in a bread. Only thing I changed was adding some diced apple(granny smith) in the cinnamon swirl. I baked mine in a tea loaf pan so baking time took less time, about 42 minutes. Great recipe Sally! Thank you!
This was a super easy recipe and had an amazing outcome. The smell of it filled the whole house. My brother (who was doing online school at the time) left his computer to see what the delicious smell was. It was so delicious. It was a perfect dessert after a family lunch picnic. I would definitely make this again.
This turned out great and was so easy. I will definitely make this again. My family are fans of quick breads in general, so this was a no-brainer. I used half whole wheat flour and half all purpose. I also used nonfat Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. Even with those substitutions the bread turned out soft and tender.
So delicious and easy. I can’t stop eating it!!
Moist and flavourful and so, so easy to make! Juggling three little kids, I was still able to whip up this amazing snack in a jiff, and with ingredients I had on hand (I opted for homemade buttermilk). The bread was loved by all. I’ll definitely make this again.
This was delicious and came together quickly. The cinnamon swirl was just right. I will try it with the apple addition next time, because that also sounds delicious!!
This came out moist and tasty. The top layer of crusty cinnamon sugar on top was the highlight. Next time I’ll add chopped walnuts for more crunch.