Cinnamon Bread is a tender, sweet quick bread with a moist texture, a thick cinnamon-sugar swirl, and a crunchy topping—it’s hard to resist!

Try some of other favorite quick bread recipes like Apple Cinnamon Bread, Zucchini Bread, or Pumpkin Bread!

Overhead image of Cinnamon Bread

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The Best Cinnamon Bread Recipe

After making cinnamon banana bread, I realized I needed a go-to cinnamon bread recipe for when I don’t have ripe bananas. Inspired by that recipe, I created this quick, easy, and irresistibly delicious recipe.

With a perfect texture and rich cinnamon flavor, it’s truly a breeze to make. One bowl for the batter, one for the cinnamon-swirl filling, and a wooden spoon—no mixer required.

Bonus: this soft bread stays fresh for days and freezes beautifully. It’s a must-add to your recipe collection!

Quick Tip

Love cinnamon-sugar desserts? You’ll love this Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread, no-knead Cinnamon Roll Recipe, or simple Cinnamon Roll Cake!

Process shots-- images of the dry ingredients being mixed together

Cinnamon Bread Ingredients

This recipe uses basic pantry staples but a few ingredients to talk about:

  • Greek Yogurt: Flavored yogurt, like honey vanilla, makes it taste even better without extra work. Use full-fat Greek yogurt or full-fat sour cream.
  • Baking Agents: Make sure your baking soda and baking powder are fresh.
  • Milk: Whole milk gives the best flavor and softest texture, though 2% or 1% milk works too. Avoid skim or non-dairy milk—they’re too thin.
Process shots of Cinnamon Bread-- images of the wet ingredients being mixed together

Quick Bread Tips

  • To keep this Cinnamon Bread recipe easy, stir the batter using a wooden spoon and whisk. Don’t use a hand or stand mixer—it can mix in too much air.
  • Stop stirring when you don’t see any dry flour.
  • Measure every cup or spoon to heaping/overfilled then level off the top with the back of a table knife for the perfect measurements.
  • Always line the pan to keep the bread from sticking or breaking apart when take it out.
Process shots-- images of the wet and dry ingredients being mixed together

Variations

Switch Things Up

  • This cinnamon bread is amazing on its own. To make it more like a cinnamon roll, add cream cheese frosting or a simple vanilla glaze on top.
  • If you like buttered bread, spread some honey butter on top for extra flavor.
  • For a raisin bread, mix 1 cup of raisins with 1 tablespoon of flour, then stir them into the batter.

Process shots of Cinnamon Bread-- images of the cinnamon swirl ingredients being mixed together

Storage

Leftover Cinnamon Bread?

At room temp, this bread keeps fresh and tasty for 2 days (it’s even better on the second day!). To store longer, wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge.

Freezing

  1. Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack.
  2. Cover the whole loaf in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. Press out the extra air before sealing.
  3. Defrost and eat within 3 months.

Process shots-- images of the batter being layered into a pan

Quick Tip

Use the correct size of bread pan! This Cinnamon Bread recipe won’t bake up properly in other loaf pan sizes. Be sure to use a 9×5-inch (1 pound) pan. By the way, here’s my fave loaf pan!

More Cinnamon Goodness:

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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

  • 1-pound 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 full-fat Greek yogurt 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. Generously grease and lightly flour (or line with parchment paper) a 9×5-inch bread pan. Set aside.
  • Combine the cinnamon swirl ingredients in a small bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients until integrated.
  • In a separate large bowl, combine all the wet ingredients. Briskly whisk (with a whisk; don’t use a hand/stand mixer) until well combined and completely smooth. Once smooth, pour wet into dry and gently mix with a wooden spoon, scraping the sides with a spatula as needed until completely integrated and no white streaks remain. Once you’ve got a nice smooth batter, stop mixing.
  • Stir topping ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Spread half the bread batter into prepared pan, pressing batter to the very edges of the pan. Add cinnamon-swirl mixture in an even layer on top. Spread remaining half of bread batter on top and smooth the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon into an even layer that touches the edge of the pan (this will take some gentle coaxing to not pull up the cinnamon sugar layer). Sprinkle topping ingredients evenly on top (don’t press into bread).
  • Place bread in oven and bake for 60–75 minutes or until a toothpick when inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Remove and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting and letting fully cool on a cooling rack. Wait for 1 hour to cut into the loaf; then use a very sharp serrated knife to cut into slices. If desired, add a glaze (see note 3) to completely cooled bread.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Use the right size bread pan for the best results—an 8×4-inch pan is too small! If you use it, fill it with 75% of the batter and reduce the bake time. Be sure to grease the pan with cooking spray or shortening, then dust with flour, or line with parchment paper for easy removal.
Note 2: It’s really important the egg, yogurt/sour cream, and milk are all at room temperature to integrate smoothly.
Note 3: Glaze: If you’d like to add a glaze, combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon whole milk, a drop of vanilla extract, and a tiny pinch of salt. Mix, then spoon over completely cooled bread.
Storage: This bread is best enjoyed within 1–2 days, as it’s more moist and flavorful on day 2. After that, it starts to lose texture. You can store it for up to a week in an airtight container, and I recommend refrigerating after day 2. Wrap each slice tightly to keep it fresh.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 220kcal | 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 | Vitamin A: 59IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

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

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Meet Chelsea

Hello, and welcome to Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. I’m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping by—I hope you find something delicious to make!

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