Cinnamon Bread
Try our easy cinnamon bread recipe! This no-yeast quick bread is rich, buttery, and topped with a sweet glaze. Perfect for breakfast or dessert.
In case you’re not already aware, John and I love quick breads and we enjoy sharing them with you. Today, we’re excited to share my cinnamon bread recipe. It’s an easy dessert bread just about anyone can make.
If this recipe doesn’t strike your fancy, I encourage you to search our site. We have plenty of other options to choose from and I’m sure you’ll find something to love. For example, check out our peanut butter bread, strawberry bread, and lemon quick bread.
And if you love cinnamon as much as I do, have you tried our carrot cake cinnamon rolls, cinnamon roll cake, or cinnamon cookies? They are divine!
What is Cinnamon Quick Bread?
Cinnamon quick bread is a type of bread that doesn’t require yeast or rising time. Instead, it uses baking powder as a leavening agent, making it much quicker and easier to prepare than traditional yeast breads.
This homemade cinnamon roll bread features a rich, buttery cinnamon swirl and is topped with a sweet glaze, making it a perfect treat for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make our homemade cinnamon bread and what each ingredient does in the recipe.
For the Bread:
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the bread.
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent to help the bread rise.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and moisture to the bread.
- Large Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add richness.
- Whole Milk: Adds moisture and a tender crumb.
- Canola Oil: Keeps the bread moist and tender.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Adds a rich, warm flavor.
For the Cinnamon Swirl:
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness to the cinnamon swirl.
- Ground Cinnamon: Provides the classic warm, spicy flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Helps bind the cinnamon sugar mixture and adds richness.
For the Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the glaze and gives it a smooth texture.
- Whole Milk: Adjusts the consistency of the glaze.
How to Make Cinnamon Bread from Scratch (Step-by-Step Photos)
Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. I recommend lining it with parchment paper for easy removal and clean-up.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.
Combine Ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and gently combine with a whisk or rubber spatula until just mixed.
Prepare the Cinnamon Swirl: In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter.
Add the Swirl: Dollop the cinnamon mixture over the batter in the loaf pan and use a butter knife to swirl it throughout.
Bake: Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If the bread starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Glaze: Once the bread is completely cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the bread.
Serve: Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Storage
Store cinnamon bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator due to the glaze made with milk. It will keep fresh for 3-4 days.
For longer storage, wrap the cooled bread (without the glaze) tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge when ready to enjoy.
Tips
Tips
Glaze Timing: Don’t make the glaze too early. Otherwise, it will harden and be difficult to drizzle by the time the bread cools.
Cooling: Let the bread cool completely before adding the glaze. If not, the glaze will melt and separate.
Browning: If the top of your bread begins to brown too quickly, place an aluminum foil tent over the loaf pan until the bread finishes baking.
Other Bread Recipes You May Enjoy
Ingredients
Bread:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 6 tablespoons canola oil, or other neutral tasting oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon Swirl:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 teaspoons whole milk
Instructions
To Make the Batter:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour1 tablespoon baking powder½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.¾ cup granulated sugar3 large eggs1 ½ cups whole milk6 tablespoons canola oil1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
To Make the Cinnamon Swirl:
- In a small bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Dollop over batter in the pan and swirl with a knife.½ cup granulated sugar1 tablespoon ground cinnamon2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover with foil if browning too quickly.
- Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To Make the Glaze:
- Whisk together powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle over cooled bread.½ cup powdered sugar2 to 3 teaspoons whole milk
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1-slice of the cinnamon bread. Actual calories will vary.
- See our Nutrition Disclaimer.
Getting ready to make this and don’t have canola oil, or apparently any oil somehow! Oops! Do you recommend a substitute or should I just make the trip to town early?
Also, thank you so much for including a grouped list of ingredients as well as having them at each step that is the best thing ever! Thank you!
Hi Bre!
Oil (canola, vegetable, even lighter tasting coconut oil) is the best option for this bread. If you don’t have any on hand, try the same amount of melted and cooled butter. It will slightly alter the flavor and texture of the bread but should work in a pinch. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for the feedback about the ingredients being included with the instructions. We appreciate it! 😊
My bread is in the oven now! But I appreciate that in the recipe instructions, you put the measurements, this is very helpful and convenient that I don’t have to keep looking back at the ingredients part! Thank you! I will update when bread is done!
Thank you Cassie! Kim and I appreciate the feedback and hope you enjoy the bread. Thank you again for commenting and rating the recipe. Have a lovely day 🙂
Just made these. I made muffins and they took 30 minutes at 350. They didn’t look done, very pale and shiny tops, but when I tested them, they were done. These are delicious without the sugar drizzle but I added it anyway.
Thank you April! We’re glad they turned out well for you. Thanks again for commenting and rating the recipe. Have a lovely day 🙂
I am aways doing stuff like this, but, I completely forgot to add the eggs. Somehow I didn’t even realize it because it still tasted super good and had a surprisingly good texture! Just throwing that out there if you don’t do eggs!
Good morning Haley, I glad it work out in the end. Thank you for sharing and have a lovely day 🙂
Can I use almond milk since my family is lactose intolerant?
Will it last longer if I freeze it?
Hi Mary!
Yes, almond milk works in this recipe, and it does last longer when frozen. Have a great weekend! 🙂
Can you bake this in a muffin pan? I only have a 7.5×4 inch pan.
Hi Alexandria!
We haven’t tried this recipe in a muffin pan, but generally quick bread recipes do work as muffins. I’m inclined to say this one would work great as muffins! It has a similar texture to muffin batter.
@Kimberly,
Thanks so much! I will give it a try and let you know how it turns out. 🙂
@Kimberly,
Oh and would I need to change the cook time and it oven temperature?
I’d keep the temp at 350°F and start checking them around 20-25 minutes or so (that’s an estimate). Definitely start checking if they start to turn a little brown that way they don’t overbake. We hope they work out well! Have a fantastic evening! 🙂
@Kimberly,
Thank you so much. I baked at 350° for about 23 minutes and it turned out perfect. My boyfriend loved them!
Fantastic! We’re so happy the muffins turned out. Thank you so much for coming back to let us know. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 🙂
Love this recipe so much! I make it at least once a week and my family asks for it all of the time! My only question is how long do you suppose it lasts? I’ve noticed that after just a few days it smells and tasted rancid.
Hi Kari!
Thank you so much! We’re so happy you and your family love the recipe. At room temperature, the bread lasts about 2 days…3 days tops. In the refrigerator, it lasts 3 to 4 days. It goes bad quickly since it doesn’t contain preservatives. Have a fantastic afternoon! 🙂
Can you make this in a bread machine. Sounds delicious
Hi Juliet!
Thank you so much! The batter for this bread is more like muffin batter and requires very little stirring. A bread machine would likely overmix it. We don’t recommend using a bread machine for this recipe.
Loved this recipe! So simple to make and everyone raved about it. Will make again and again. With or without the glaze, it is fantastic. New to baking? Gotta Try this recipe.
Thank you Britt, we’re glad everyone loved the cinnamon bread. Have a lovely day 🙂
Does it have to be while milk? Thanks
Hi Brenda!
Whole milk works best because it provides the most moisture to the bread. If you have 2% or skim, that will work, too. Have a great weekend! 🙂
Love how you have the amounts of the ingredients listed in the instructions!
Thanks so much for the feedback, Jess! We’re slowly doing that for all of our recipes. It’s great to hear that it’s helpful! Have a fantastic weekend! 🙂
It’s in the oven right now and overflowed everywhere. I used the correct size pan and followed the instructions. 😔
Hi Jen! I’m so sorry this one didn’t work out. It normally doesn’t rise very high, so I’m not sure what happened that would have caused it to overflow.