Cinnamon Bread is a quintessential comfort food, offering a tender, sweet quick bread experience with an irresistibly moist texture. It boasts a generous, thick cinnamon-sugar swirl running through its heart, crowned with a delightful crunchy topping. This homemade delight is truly hard to resist, making it a perfect addition to any breakfast table, brunch spread, or as a cozy snack any time of day.

If you love the simplicity and deliciousness of quick breads, be sure to explore some of our other cherished recipes. You might enjoy a seasonal Apple Cinnamon Bread, the garden-fresh goodness of Cream Cheese Swirled Zucchini Bread, or the comforting spices of Moist Pumpkin Bread!

The Best Homemade Cinnamon Bread Recipe for Every Occasion

After perfecting my Cinnamon Banana Bread, I realized a standalone cinnamon bread recipe was essential – one that didn’t rely on ripe bananas but still delivered that incredible cinnamon flavor and moist crumb. Inspired by the success of that recipe, I developed this simplified, quick, and utterly delicious Cinnamon Bread. It’s designed to be your new go-to recipe, perfect for those moments when you crave the warm, inviting aroma and taste of cinnamon without extra fuss.

This recipe achieves a perfect balance of fluffy tenderness and rich cinnamon sweetness, making it a true baking breeze. You’ll appreciate its straightforward preparation: one bowl for the batter, another for the luscious cinnamon-sugar swirl, and a simple wooden spoon – no electric mixer required! This minimalist approach makes it incredibly accessible for bakers of all skill levels, ensuring a flawless loaf every time.

Bonus Feature: This remarkably soft bread stays incredibly fresh for days, and it freezes beautifully for future enjoyment. Its ease of preparation and crowd-pleasing flavor make it an absolute must-add to your personal recipe collection!

Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Cinnamon Bread

This delightful cinnamon bread recipe relies on common pantry staples, but a few key ingredients deserve special attention to ensure the best possible results:

• Greek Yogurt: This is a secret weapon for an incredibly moist crumb! While plain full-fat Greek yogurt works perfectly, using a flavored variety like honey vanilla can add an extra layer of deliciousness without any additional effort. For the best texture, always opt for full-fat Greek yogurt or full-fat sour cream. Their richness contributes significantly to the bread’s tenderness.
• Baking Agents (Baking Soda & Baking Powder): These leavening agents are crucial for a light and airy quick bread. Ensure your baking soda and baking powder are fresh and active. Expired leavening agents can lead to a dense, flat bread. A quick test for baking soda is to mix a tiny bit with vinegar; if it fizzes, it’s good. For baking powder, mix with hot water; if it bubbles, it’s active.
• Milk: For the most luxurious flavor and the softest, most tender texture, whole milk is highly recommended. The higher fat content of whole milk enriches the dough and contributes to a wonderfully moist loaf. While 2% or 1% milk can be used in a pinch, they will result in a slightly less rich and tender bread. Avoid skim milk or non-dairy alternatives, as their thinner consistency can negatively impact the final texture and moistness of the quick bread.
• Flour: All-purpose flour is ideal for this recipe. Remember the proper way to measure flour: spoon it into your measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge. Scooping directly from the bag can compact the flour, leading to too much flour and a dry, dense bread.
• Brown Sugar: Used in both the swirl and the main batter, light brown sugar adds moisture and a deeper, more caramelized flavor compared to granulated sugar. Ensure it’s lightly packed when measuring for accuracy.
• Ground Cinnamon: This is the star of the show! Use good quality ground cinnamon for the best flavor. A fresh, aromatic cinnamon makes a world of difference.
• Eggs and Oil: The large egg acts as a binder and adds richness, while vegetable or canola oil contributes significantly to the bread’s moistness and tender crumb. These fats also help keep the bread fresh for longer.

Expert Tips for Baking Flawless Cinnamon Quick Bread

Baking quick bread is incredibly satisfying, and with a few simple techniques, you can ensure a perfect loaf every single time. Here are our top tips for achieving that wonderfully moist and tender Cinnamon Bread:

• The Gentle Stirring Method: To keep this Cinnamon Bread recipe exceptionally easy and prevent overmixing, always stir the batter using a wooden spoon and a whisk. Avoid using a hand or stand mixer. Overmixing incorporates too much air into the batter, which can lead to a tough, dry, or rubbery bread once baked. Gentle stirring ensures a tender crumb.
• Know When to Stop Stirring: This is critical for quick breads! Stop stirring as soon as you no longer see any dry streaks of flour. A few lumps are perfectly fine and even desirable; don’t strive for a perfectly smooth batter. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, resulting in a less tender texture.
• Precision in Measuring: Accurate measurements are the foundation of successful baking. For ingredients like flour and sugar, measure every cup or spoon by heaping/overfilling it slightly, then level off the top with the back of a table knife. This “spoon and level” method ensures you get the precise amount of ingredients, leading to the perfect texture and consistency.
• Always Line Your Pan: To guarantee your beautiful loaf releases easily and stays intact, always line the pan. This prevents the bread from sticking to the sides and bottom, which can cause it to break apart when you attempt to remove it. Parchment paper is ideal for this, creating a convenient sling to lift the bread out after baking. Greasing and flouring generously is also an option if you don’t have parchment paper.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: As noted in the ingredient section, ensuring your egg, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), and milk are all at room temperature is vital. This allows them to emulsify and combine smoothly with the other ingredients, creating a homogeneous batter and a superior texture in the final bread.
• Don’t Rush the Cooling Process: After baking, it’s tempting to dive right in, but allowing the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely is important. This step helps the bread set properly and prevents it from becoming gummy or falling apart when sliced. For the best slicing and serving, wait at least one hour (or until completely cool) before cutting with a serrated knife.

More Delectable Cinnamon-Inspired Recipes:

If you’ve fallen in love with the warm, comforting flavor of cinnamon in this bread, you’ll be thrilled to discover these other delightful recipes that celebrate this versatile spice:

• Cinnamon Roll Cookies with rich cream cheese frosting – all the flavor of a cinnamon roll in a convenient cookie form!
• Caramel Snickerdoodles – classic snickerdoodles taken to the next level with a gooey Rolo stuffed inside!
• Cinnamon Roll Popcorn – a sweet and salty snack featuring the irresistible taste of cinnamon rolls coated in white chocolate.
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with a generous dash of cinnamon – perfect for autumn or any time you crave cozy flavors.
• Cinnamon Banana Bread with a delicious streusel topping – a delightful way to use up ripe bananas with an added cinnamon kick.

Pin Recipe

5 out of 5 stars based on 1 vote

Cinnamon Bread

By
Chelsea Lords

This Cinnamon Bread is soft, sweet, and packed with cinnamon-sugar goodness—inside and out! Ultra-moist and easy to make, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Prep Time:

25 minutes

Cook Time:

1 hour

Cooling:

1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time:

2 hours 40 minutes

Servings:

10 slices (1 loaf)

Equipment

• 9 x 5-inch bread pan see note 1

Ingredients

Cinnamon Swirl

• 1/3 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1 large egg at room temperature, see note 2
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
• 1/3 cup Greek yogurt full-fat; or sour cream, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup whole milk at room temperature

Topping

• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar lightly packed
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Glaze optional, see note 3

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease and lightly flour (or line with parchment paper) a 9×5-inch bread pan. Set aside.
• Combine the cinnamon swirl ingredients (brown sugar, flour, ground cinnamon) in a small bowl. Stir until well combined and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt) until thoroughly integrated.
• In a separate large bowl, combine all the wet ingredients (egg, brown sugar, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, whole milk). Briskly whisk with a regular whisk (do not use a hand or stand mixer to avoid overmixing) until the mixture is well combined and completely smooth. Once smooth, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently mix with a wooden spoon, scraping the sides with a spatula as needed, until the ingredients are completely integrated and no white streaks of flour remain. As soon as you have a nice, smooth batter (a few lumps are okay), stop mixing immediately.
• In another small bowl, stir the topping ingredients (light brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon) together and set aside.
• Spread half of the prepared bread batter evenly into your greased and floured (or parchment-lined) pan, gently pressing the batter all the way to the edges. Carefully spoon the cinnamon-swirl mixture in an even layer on top of the batter. Next, spread the remaining half of the bread batter over the cinnamon swirl. Gently smooth the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon into an even layer that reaches the edges of the pan (this may require some gentle coaxing to avoid disturbing the cinnamon sugar layer too much). Finally, sprinkle the topping ingredients evenly over the top (do not press them into the bread).
• Place the bread in the preheated oven and bake for 60–75 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only moist crumbs attached. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely. It’s important to wait for at least 1 hour (or until fully cooled) before cutting into the loaf. Use a very sharp serrated knife to cut into even slices. If desired, you can add a vanilla glaze (see note 3) to the completely cooled bread.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Using the correct size bread pan is crucial for the best results. A 9×5-inch pan is essential; an 8×4-inch pan is too small and will cause overflow or an underbaked center. If you must use a smaller pan, fill it with approximately 75% of the batter and significantly reduce the bake time. Be sure to generously grease the pan with cooking spray or shortening, then dust with flour, or line with parchment paper for effortless removal.

Note 2: It is genuinely important for the egg, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), and milk to all be at room temperature. This allows them to seamlessly integrate with the other ingredients, creating a smooth, cohesive batter and contributing to the bread’s superior texture.

Note 3: Vanilla Glaze: If you’d like to enhance your cinnamon bread with a sweet glaze, simply combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon whole milk, a tiny drop of vanilla extract, and a minuscule pinch of salt in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth, then spoon or drizzle evenly over the completely cooled bread.

Storage: This bread is at its absolute best within 1–2 days of baking; many find it even more moist and flavorful on day 2. After this period, its texture may start to change slightly. For longer storage, you can keep it in an airtight container for up to a week, but we recommend refrigerating it after day 2. For best results, wrap each individual slice tightly in plastic wrap to preserve its freshness.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving

|

Calories: 220kcal

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Carbohydrates: 48g

|

Protein: 5g

|

Fat: 1g

|

Saturated Fat: 1g

|

Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g

|

Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g

|

Trans Fat: 0.002g

|

Cholesterol: 21mg

|

Sodium: 366mg

|

Potassium: 108mg

|

Fiber: 1g

|

Sugar: 26g

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Vitamin A: 59IU

|

Vitamin C: 0.02mg

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Calcium: 63mg

|

Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.