Cinnamon-Sugar Crust Cinnamon Swirl Bread — This cinnamon swirl bread is light and fluffy in the middle with a crusty cinnamon-sugar exterior that’s reminiscent of a streusel topping! The ribbon of cinnamon sugar that runs through the middle is a perfect touch! Easy, one-bowl, no-mixer recipe!!
Easy Cinnamon Swirl Bread
I have six other recipes for cinnamon bread on my site. But this one’s different. Really, it is. It has a cinnamon-sugar crust that’s so good. I find myself wanting to eat the crust and that never happens.
Normally I am not into crust or crusty breads. Although I like texture, I prefer soft and fluffy to crusty and hard. I would never cut off the crust like a 7-year-old, but I don’t go out of my way to eat it, either.
But this crust is like shingles of sweetness on a big fluffy white house, flaking off in big chunks that are so nice to nibble on. It’s reminiscent of streusel topping, which I enjoy picking off unsuspecting coffee cakes and muffins.
The bread is so fast and easy to make and comes together in 5 minutes with a whisk, in one bowl. I love it when I don’t have to drag out my mixer because it would seem to defeat the purpose of calling a bread a ‘quick bread’ if the ingredients need to be creamed, creating more dishes. Nothing quick about that!
The same cinnamon-sugar mixture that’s sprinkled on top before baking is also sprinkled into the batter, creating a cinnamon-sugar swirl in the middle of the loaf. The only way to create that thick, delectable, wall of sweet crust on top is to sprinkle cinnamon-sugar generously over the surface before baking.
Not all of it adheres to the bread and you’ll have to remind your kids and husband to ‘Please, eat over your plate.’ And remind yourself, too, so that you’re not recreating a sandy beach on your kitchen floor with the stray cinnamon-sugar granules.
The crust reminds me of sweet bark that’s slightly hardened, firm, and full of intense flavor. After peeling away the bark, the soft, light, fluffy interior is revealed thanks to the buttermilk.
A bit of oil is used for softness because oil produces softer, springier cakes, muffins, and breads than butter. And this bread sure is bouncy soft. As to not miss any buttery flavor, I used a little butter, too. While baking, the butter and brown sugar caramelize, creating subtle caramel undertones.
The ribbon of cinnamon-sugar that floats through the interior provides another pop of flavor. It’s a bit like classic Cinnamon Swirl Bread, minus the work of kneading or rolling the dough into a cylinder.
The cinnamon flavor is present and notable, but it’s not overwhelming. Feel free to add more if you’re a true fiend.
The bread is flavorful enough that it doesn’t need butter, but if you’re so inclined toasting it and smearing liberally with butter takes it from really good to gobble-the-whole-loaf supremely good. Our toaster got a workout and has the cinnamon-sugar bits stuck in the crumb tray to show for it.
Such an easy bread to make with great resutls, no kneading and no fuss. From start to finish, this should go from cupboard and into your mouth in under an hour.
What’s in Cinnamon Swirl Bread?
For this cinnamon bread recipe, you’ll need:
- Granulated sugar
- Cinnamon
- Unsalted butter
- Egg
- Light brown sugar
- Canola oil
- Vanilla extract
- Buttermilk
- All-purpose flour
- Ground nutmeg
- Baking soda
- Salt
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Bread
In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla, followed by the buttermilk. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until just combined.
Turn half the cinnamon swirl bread batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and sprinkle three-quarters of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over top. Top with the remaining batter and sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over top.
Bake your cinnamon swirl bread until the top is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It’ll need to cool in the pan for roughly 15 minutes before it can be removed and placed on a wire cooling rack.
Can I Use a Smaller Loaf Pan?
No, an 8×4-inch loaf pan will be too small for this cinnamon quick bread recipe. You must use a 9×5-inch pan for this recipe.
Can I Freeze This Bread?
Yes, cinnamon swirl bread freezes really well. Let it cool to room temperature, then pop it into a freezer bag or wrap it in multiple layers of plastic wrap. When you’re ready to eat the frozen loaf, set it on the counter overnight to thaw.
Can I Use a Buttermilk Substitute in This Recipe?
If you don’t normally keep buttermilk on hand, you can cheat and make some with regular milk by adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of milk and waiting for about 10 minutes.
Can I Add Mix-Ins to the Batter?
Most likely, yes! Raisins or chopped nuts would both be great in this cinnamon swirl bread. You’d only want to add about 3/4 cup of mix-ins total, otherwise your bread will overflow in the oven.
Can I Make This Recipe Into Muffins?
Yes, I’ve made this into muffins before and they turned out beautifully! You’ll want to check your muffins around the 18-minute mark and bake a minute or two more at a time until you figure out the exact amount of time they should be in the oven. You’ll know your muffins are done baking when they’re golden and springy to the touch.
Can I Make This Bread Gluten-Free?
I haven’t made this bread with a gluten-free flour before, so I can’t offer any tips on how to do so. Just try making it with your favorite gluten-free baking blend and see how it turns out!
Tips for Making Cinnamon Swirl Bread
When making the quick bread batter, it’s important that you give the melted butter a couple minutes to cool down before mixing it in with the other wet ingredients. If you mix everything together all at once, you might wind up accidentally scrambling the egg with the hot butter.
The cinnamon bread batter will be a little lumpy, and that’s totally normal. Don’t try to stir out all the lumps, otherwise you’ll over work the batter and your bread won’t be as fluffy once baked.
Lastly, for easier cleanup I recommend inverting the bread over your kitchen sink or a paper towel since some of the cinnamon-sugar topping will fall off when you remove the loaf from the pan.
Pin This Recipe
Cinnamon-Sugar Crust Cinnamon Swirl Bread
This cinnamon swirl bread is light and fluffy in the middle with a crusty cinnamon-sugar exterior that's reminiscent of a streusel topping.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside (don’t use an 8-by-4-inch pan; it’s too small)
- In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar with the cinnamon and stir to incorporate; set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute. After the butter has cooled momentarily (so you don’t scramble the egg), add the egg, brown sugar, oil, vanilla, and whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the flour, nutmeg, baking soda, optional salt, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix. Batter will be thick and lumpy. Don’t try to stir the lumps smooth.
- Pour half the batter into prepared pan, smoothing it lightly with a spatula. Sprinkle three-fourths (75%) of the cinnamon-sugar mixture (just eyeball it), distributed evenly over the surface of the batter. This creates the cinnamon ribbon.
- Top with remaining half of the batter, smoothing it lightly with a spatula. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture, distributed evenly over the top. It looks like a lot, but it’s necessary to form the crust, and not all of it aheres.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes (mine took 50), or until top is set and firm, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before inverting.
- Invert bread over the sink or a paper towel to catch some of the non-adhered cinnamon-sugar and sprinkle it back on the bread. Place bread on wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days, or may be frozen for up to 3 months. Makes wonderful toast.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 249Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 140mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 1gSugar: 21gProtein: 3g
More Quick Bread Recipes:
The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread — This pumpkin chocolate chip bread is truly the best homemade pumpkin bread you’ll ever make. It’s moist, packed with chocolate chips, and tastes like fall!
Cinnamon Spice Applesauce Bread with Honey Butter — This applesauce bread is packed with fall flavors and comes together quickly. I serve mine with homemade honey butter, because why not?
Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Bread — Super soft, tender, moist pumpkin bread with a slightly crunchy cinnamon sugar topping!
Carrot Apple Bread — This apple carrot bread tastes like carrot cake that’s been infused with apples. It’s a no mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes!
Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread — This is the BEST homemade banana bread recipe! This banana bread tastes like it has cheesecake baked in! Soft, fluffy, easy and tastes ahhhh-mazing!
Browned Butter Buttermilk Banana Bread with Strawberry Butter — This homemade banana bread recipe is made with buttermilk and browned butter, which makes it super flavorful. Top it with a schmear of strawberry butter and dig in!
Snickerdoodle Bread — Between the cinnamon-sugar on top, cinnamon in the batter, and the cinnamon chips, the bread is full of wonderful and prominent cinnamon flavor without being overpowering.
Originally published April 24, 2013 and republished October 2, 2020 with updated text.
I made this recipe tonight. My house smelled so good. Just had a piece and it was delish. I added 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts to the sugar and cinnamon. So good. The nutmeg was just perfect. Will be making this again. Next time I will try making muffins. Was so easy. Thanks for the quick reply on baking time for muffins.
Sandra
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Good luck with the muffins and LMK how it goes!
Can you make muffins with this recipe? How long should you bake them?
I haven’t tried so cannot say for sure but most muffins bake from 18-23 minutes, depending on oven and size of muffin tin. But that’s just a guesstimate. Bake until they’re springy and set in the center.
Just so you know I make several of your pancake recipes over and over. Finally made this bread today and it is incredible! Thanks again for all your recipes. Going to try one of your cookie recipes next.
Jean
Thanks for trying the bread recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad the pancakes are a hit too! LMK how the cookies go!
Oops!! That would be sucanat!! Crazy auto correct.
I came across this recipe this morning not sure how. HA!! I made it and it looks like yours. HA!! That doesn’t happen much. Then I decided to make it into muffins like I also saw. I used white whole wheat and scant. I did put some of the cinnamon and sugar in the middle of the muffins too. Oh my goodness, they are delicious. We really like whole wheat foods.
I just sliced the loaf and going to take some up to my husband and son while they are weed eating. Good snack!! Ha!! It is very good and moist too. I made it exactly by your recipe. So easy!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! Both as the loaf and as muffins with white whole wheat!
I made this yesterday and did three mini loaves. So good. I don’t know how you do it. Thank you for sharing the deliciousness!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and as mini loaves – how cute! I want one :)
I like home-made bread, but your loaf looks more like a cake than bread. Is it the photo?
This is a quickbread; not true ‘sandwich bread’. Texture of a muffin meets bread, baked as a loaf.
Made this for breakfast today & followed recipe almost as written. The only change was I reduced the nutmeg just a tad (1/2 tsp not the full tsp). I like nutmeg but not too much and I think that amount was perfect for my taste. Came out wonderful, I baked the bread 47 minutes total. My bf loved it and already ate 2 thick slices with some I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter and coffee. My whole house smells amazing too :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and good call on adjusting the spices to your taste! So glad it’s a hit with both you and the boyf!
Hi i really love your recipe although i haven’t tried it as yet the visual is lovely. Keep up the excellent baking and i wish you all the success.
I took this heavenly-smelling bread out of the oven about an hour ago and now I’m enjoying the first slice with a cup of hot cocoa. So good, especially with the autumn in full swing outside! It look so pretty with the cinnamon ribbon in the centre. The only thing I changed was reducing the amount of sugar that goes in the batter to 1/2 cup, and the result is spot-on. Thank you for this great recipe!
So glad it worked out great for you and you’re enjoying it!
I tried commenting and my daughter hit my phone, so I apologize in advance if this posts twice.
Anyway, I made your candy corn cookies today to give as a gift on a Halloween plate. They were so good that my husband and I couldn’t stop eating them and I needed something else to make. So now this bread is baking and it smells amazing. I know where to go for recipes from now on. Thank you!
Glad the candy corn cookies turned out great and that you guys couldn’t stop eating them :) And yes this bread smells ahh-mazing while it’s baking! Enjoy! Thanks for LMK that you’ll be back to try more recipes – keep me posted how they go!
Looks Delish!! Just curious…Can you add raisins to the batter, and if so, how much do you suggest? Maybe a half cup, as in your raisin muffin bread?
I’d say about 3/4 cup, give or take. Enjoy!
I’ve tried this recipe and the bread was excellent. It was so moist and the crust is really good. Thank you for the recipe
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad you’re so pleased!
I am getting ready to make some of this yummy looking bread. I have a problem though. I only have the smaller size bread pans. Should I leave out a portion of the batter? Help!
You’d want to fill the pans no more than about 2/3 full to prevent an overflow.
Thank you! We made the bread and it is wonderful!!
So glad to hear it came out wonderfully!
I can’t see the recipe and i need to bake this now!!!
Not sure why…I can…just tested in Chrome and Safari and it’s fine and present! Restart your computer and try again :)
So odd, I can see the ingredients on pinterest, which is where i found you, but no method . :(
S’ok I found it, YAY thanks!!
This looks delicious! Do you know if replacing the all purpose flour with bread flour will make it softer/fluffier?
Bread flour will make it stiffer. Don’t do that!
Ah okay! Thanks for the quick response! And thanks for sharing the recipe, will try it this weekend :)
Made this as a loaf and it was delicious. Thank you!
I saw you tried it as muffins also. I was thinking of doing that.
How many does it make? And how long should you cook them for?
It’s this recipe https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/04/salted-caramel-buttermilk-brown-sugar-muffins.html and you can follow along and read all about the directions, yield, etc.
Thanks for trying the bread and glad you loved it!
Ahhhh thank you! I thought those looked good too but didn’t realize they were the same recipe! I’ll be making them soon…..
Yummy! Thanks for sharing. What a great breakfast bread!
Thanks for trying it! Glad you’re enjoying!
Thank you for this easy recipe. Made it last week and we all love it. However I thought the cinnamon-sugar sprinkle was a bit too much so I only put 2/3 , it turned out great!
Glad you loved the bread and did as much of the topping as you saw fit for your tastes :)
Thanks for a great recipe! It was so easy to make, and produced such a moist tender bread. I had to stop my daughter from picking off the whole top crust, which she says is the best part!!
That’s exactly what I think about the crust – that I want to pick it all off (and do!). Glad you enjoyed the bread and found it easy, moist & tender!
I saw this on pinterest this morning, saw buttermilk in the ingredients and closed the page. BUT I couldn’t stop thinking about it so I made it with a few alterations because I’m temporarily dairy free. I used vegetable ghee instead of butter and war water mixed with a tbsp of white vinegar instead of buttermilk. OOOOHH it’s soooo yummy it’s dangerous. It jusst came out of the oven a little while ago and my husband and I have finished half already! I’m gonna save this recipe as the “diet saboteur” … But it’s so worth it! Thanks
Glad the vegetable ghee and DIY dairy-free buttermilk worked well for you! So proud of your for being resourceful! And glad you and your hubby have polished off half already! Thanks for the glowing feedback!
I made this for breakfast this morning after finding it on Pinterest. It’s fabulously good, not too sweet and very easy. I am not sure that any will be left for this toasty goodness of which you speak. ;) Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe & glad you’re loving it!
Hi Averie. Fabulous recipe as always. The ‘ribbon’ is lovely and makes this bread memorable. I made this for my man and I and we pretty much devoured the whole loaf. *blush* haha It has a muffin-y texture which we enjoyed very much. The nutmeg flavour was excellent. Thanks for sharing.
And I’ve now made the recipe as muffins :) https://www.averiecooks.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=46500&action=edit
Glad you guys devoured it!
I was a pro crust remover when I was a kid. No joke. I couldn’t stand it! Now I’m not so fussy about it, as long as it’s soft and fluffy. Or topped with cinnamon sugar. This looks amazing, Averie! Pinned.
Thanks for pinning and this is my fave crust, EVER!
I made it today and OMG its delicious! My family really loved it and I did too :D the cinnamon swirl is the best part ^_^
And it took so little work to prepare- the perfect recipe when you don’t have much time and crave cake. Thanks for posting this recipes I’ll definitely make it again!
So glad it’s a keeper for you and that it was easy to prepare in a hurry! :)
I just tried this recipe. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! It will become one of my staples.
Thank you for not keeping it to yourself :)
So glad you love it so much and it’ll become a staple! And I’ve never understood recipe hoarding. If I have a great recipe, I blog about it! That’s the point of a food blog, right! But I know not everyone shares this mentality!
This is absolutely delicious and so easy to make. I couldn’t wait for it to cool completely – had to steal a slice. Not too sweet, moist, and that crust is such a nice contrast. Tragically, when I inverted it over the sink, I lost one nice corner of the crust. What a waste! I do have one question. After the 15 minute cool time, my bread settled a bit so it’s not as tall as yours appears to be nor as it was when I removed it from the oven. But it is completely done and the toothpick came out clean when I tested it (45 min was plenty of time). Any idea why? Thank you for this great recipe! It’s a keeper.
Glad you are a big fan and enjoying it! Regarding the height, maybe you pan was fractionally larger than mine, thus a shorter loaf. Also sometimes food on camera/pics looks MUCH larger than it really is. I wouldn’t worry about it too much :)
Thanks so much. I’ll just enjoy it then!
Oh my goodness- this looks SO delicious. I need some this morning! Thanks for the pin-fest and kind words on my site yesterday! Totally made my day :)
Yes totally pinned like 20 things of yours. Love your style & images and thanks for stopping by saying it made your day :)
I am always looking for sweets with cinnamon, this one looks delicious, just printed it looking forward to trying it this weekend. Thanks for another good one. Rosemary @anitalianinmykitchen.com
Wonderful – LMK how it goes!
Averie, it looks fabulous. My picky 6yo is in love with cinnamon sugar (muffins, coffee cake, snickerdoodles, cinnamon toast crunch cereal, and cinnamon toast, which he’s eating right now), and he will LOVE this recipe. I plan to bake it later this morning, but I have no oil; therefore, I’ll have to be a rebel and use a stick of unsalted butter (oh, the shame). I’ll let you know what he and my girls (and I… since I simple must do a quality check… What kind of mommy would I be otherwise?) think about it. I’m always excited to try a new recipe. (SN: I will have to replace the egg with a “flaxseed egg” per my son’s food allergies.)
Ok I hope everything goes well & that you love it!
It is PERFECT!!!! moist! delicious! and I even used 1/2 AP and 1/2 white WW… My son just finished eating a slice, with turkey sausage, and he LOVES it! winner! winner! chicken dinner! Thank you for an awesome recipe!!!
Glad you and your son are loving this one! Thanks for trying it and LMK!
OAN: You might not remember, but you and I bonded over our shoe size a while back. #Sisters4Life LOL
The whole family loves it so much that I had to bake a second one. It’s just as PERFECT as the first.
Oh yumm! I baked two loaves of your Cinnamon Ribbon bread this afternoon and am delighted to find another “keeper” recipe. I did not have buttermilk so I used powdered buttermilk culture that I picked up the last time I was in the States. That stuff is another keeper – brilliant!
The texture is unexpected from such an easy recipe. My loaves are also darker inside than yours and I used light brown sugar. Instinct tells me it is my nutmeg and I will try using 1/4 tsp. less the next time I make it. And there will be a next time as it is an absolutely delicious recipe. Thank you, Averie!
Love the powdered buttermilk. It works great and I always have it on hand! If you ever have Greek yogurt, you can cut that with about half water/half greek yog to get the total amount of buttermilk you would have needed. Not a perfect shortcut or method, but it totally works :) Just tossing that out there.
Anyway, darker inside. You have to remember that when I photograph things, I have to have all kinds of light reflectors bouncing light to make the food pop. Sometimes with light colored food, it picks it up too much and I can’t account for it in editing. So, in reality, maybe your loaves are darker than mine; maybe my food is under the influence of light bounces. Hard to say but try the nutmeg, too. Keep me posted!
I am so so impressed with this presentation. May I use your recipe as a link to my webpage? It is not something that will compete, but I do like to use a link which people will be interested in. I love this recipe and would be honoured to share it since you have had such beautiful photos and comments.
Thank you.
Thanks for the compliments but I do not allow my recipes or photography to be reprinted on other sites. I work very hard on my recipes and photography and if people want to view them, they will need to come to my site to do so.
You are welcome to link back to my site. But no reprinting of my images or recipe. Thank you for understanding.
Hi Averie, this looks delicious! I’m just wondering if you have any suggestions on how to make this gluten free? Thank you!
I would probably just use your fave GF baking blend, i.e. Bob’s Red Mill or similar.
Thank you Averie! I just finished making this with gluten free flour and it is SO good.
Oh that is GREAT to hear that GF flour worked well for you! This comment will help others who are GF and curious, I’m sure. Glad you love it! :)
The cinnamon bread looks amazing Averie, I will have to try this recipe.
Oh my goodness. I’m pinning this right this second, and I am totally going to make this for my family over Thanksgiving next week!
Thanks for pinning and I know you’re family will love it. LMK how it goes!
I made this today, and it was delicious! Soft, moist and loaded with cinnamon. The crunchy crust was a perfect contrast to that fluffy interior. My kids and I gobbled it right up! I will be making it again, for sure!
I am so happy to hear that you and your kids loved it. I love the contrast too of the crunchy cinn/sugar crust to the fluffy interior. Glad you’ll make it again!
If I wanted to try pudding mix in this bread, would I decrease a quarter cup of flour? I am definitely making it as is (love the oil/butter combo) and the crust, but I am just curious.
Since I haven’t tried it with pudding mix, I don’t know. But I think reducing the flour by 1/3 to 1/4 cups sounds about right. See how the batter is looking and tinker with it slightly as needed. LMK how it goes!
It is so simple and so yummy! Great recipe, I’ll do it once again, for sure ;)
Thanks for trying it and so glad you enjoyed & plan to make it again!
Hi Averie! I made this bread this morning right after breakfast, as I realized I ran out of your delicious blueberry muffins, which by the way, became part of my breakfast routine! :) Oh my, that crust! Is it possible to bake a whole batch of just crust? lol I mean, the whole thing was delicious and the bread was so moist, but that crust…wow! And also, it was so easy and quick to make, I love baking but quick recipes are always good! ;) Thank you for the recipe Averie, hope you have a lovely day :)
So glad you love those bb muffins as much as I do and they’re part of your routine! I wish they were part of mine :)
I love the crust on this, too, and I’m not even into crust! So glad you enjoyed this one! Have a great week!
I made this delicious bread and it came out fabulous! I blogged about it today: http://www.tinaschic.com
Thanks for a great recipe, Averie!
That was quick. Thanks so much. I’ll try that suggestion next time.
I made this bread. Deeeelicious. The only comment I have is that the top of mine came out very dark too. I noticed another person had the same issue and you said you used Quaker oats. I’d didn’t see that ingredient in the recipe.
I just went back and re-read my old comment to that other woman and yes, not sure how that part about Quaker Oats snuck in there but I took it out! haha!
Anyway – if your bread is browning a bit quickly, just place a sheet of foil over the top of the bread about 15 mins or so before you think it will be done. The reason that it’s getting dark is because sugar is prone to caramelizing so just tent it with foil and you’ll be all set!
I love the fact that you put ‘…remind your kids and husband to “Please, eat over your plate”!! Haha, my husband is the messiest eater. I always find crumbs on the couch! This bread looks absolutely gorgeous. I found it via Sally’s link on her latest post… argh, I want to make both breads from your gorgeous blogs! Thanks for the recipe Averie!
Thanks for saying hi from Sally’s post. She and I are always making similar things and we don’t plan it…we both posted yeast recipes on the day last week AND this week.
And yes, eating over the plate is so key. And lots of reminders to do so! :)
Hi Averie!
I made your cinnamon bread this morning, and it is delicious! BUT, I have one question. Why is mine brown and yours white? I followed the recipe exactly, and didn’t do anything crazy like use whole wheat flour or anything. What could be up with my brown bread?
Also, I’ve pinned several of your recipes and follow a couple of your boards, but I’ve never scrolled way down here to the bottom. What a nice, conscientious person you must be to respond to so many of these comments!
Thanks for your time! (Oh, and that blueberry coffee cake!)
I have no idea why yours is brown. Could be the lighting in the pics but in person, mine is pretty darn white. I used King Arthur AP flour (red bag). I baked for exactly how long I wrote in the post and just took it out. I did sprinkle on maybe a tbsp of white sugar to the crust just for the pics so that the white would reflect in the light, but such a minute detail and that was only on the crust, not on the bread.
You could always put a sheet of foil over the top of the bread in the future about 15 mins before the end of the baking time.
Thanks for the pins!
And thanks for noticing all my comment replies. Yes, it takes awhile :)
Just a thought….did you happen to use dark brown sugar instead, of light brown sugar? That would definitely make it darker.
This bread is seriously calling my name! Look so so good, Averie!
I gave this a try over the weekend and love it! You have so many yummy quick bread recipes and it’s hard to pick a favorite, but the crust on this is to die for! I used my Vietnamese cinnamon and it was worth the splurge.
So glad that you made this one and I agree, the crust on this one is just very special :) Glad you agree! And the Vietnamese cinn on here would be worth it, you’re right!
Oh wow, I must try this :) your photos are wonderful!
OMG. YUM!!! I waaaaaas going to make banana bread this morning. . . again. But THIS! Wow. It’s happening in about 2 hours. What a great recipe – I LOVE things that come together so quickly. Perfect! :)
Made it! Dee-lish! ;) Thanks for the “keeper” recipe! Love baked things that don’t require a mixer in the morning!
I am so glad to hear you made it and that it’s a keeper! I agree :) Thanks for the field report!
Lovely bread and I would scarf down that bread in no time because of that yummy looking crust!
I’m a total fan of a good crusty bread. The crust is actually my favorite part. I always end up eating the kid’s crust from their sandwiches. I’m sure that’s not the best thing for my waistline, but a good crust is so worth it. This crust and bread looks amazing. I love a nice crunchy crust especially when it’s coated in cinnamon and sugar. In high school my friends and I actually put took our pizza crusts and put sugar in them. We loved it because it tasted like fried dough. I told my kids that story, and they were grossed out.
Whenever I make something with cinnamon and sugar, I know I’m going to be wiping the floor down after the kids. It’s too hard for them not to get sugar crumbs anywhere! Have a great night girl :)
Cinn-sugar on yeasted dough…wouldn’t that be a mini-donut! Or donut! Not weird at all! That’s what cinnamon-sugar breadsticks are or mini donuts from the MN State Fair or any sweet dough. I could gobble those things like crazy :)
You can never have too many recipes for cinnamon bread!! I can smell this now – I want a piece!
Cinn bread or banana bread…I have plenty of each. But half of blogging is trying new recipes, even when you just want to remake what you know works. And sometimes you get lucky & it’s better than the others!
I bet this made your house smell like heaven! This looks delicious – I’m already having visions of enjoying several slices with my morning (and afternoon!) coffee. (Crusty breads are my fav!) :D
Like heaven on earth. Bread, cinnamon-sugar, it was…just divine!
Well, as I mentioned over on my blog, I am a crust lover (except when it comes to pie!), but I think this recipe could get me to love crust even more.
OMG that cinnamon sugar crust! To die for!
THAT CRUST!!!! OMG Averie, this is a MUST make!
It’s like I always say, you can never have too many recipes for cinnamon bread :D
I say the same thing about banana bread!
I love cinnamon sugar anything. This is amazing!
I am in love with this crust!
I love cinnamon and this looks delicious! Love your photos too, great post!
Thanks for the photography compliments!
OMG.. I wanna make everything you make. Looks soooooooooo delicious and yum. I love cinnamon!
The texture in this bread looks so unexpected, with so much more character than other cinnamon breads. It´s so tempting! And I´ll gladly eat just the crust and leave all the insides of the breads to you!
It’s the buttermilk I think that gives it that texture; so nice in comparison to other bread recipes without that tend to be that coarse, dry, bland crumb that I loathe. Glad you’re tempted!
I love breakfast recipes that you can whip up quickly on a Saturday morning!
This one definitely fits the bill! It looks so amazing! That cinnamon crust and the swirl? Heaven! Can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks Averie!
Definitely an easy one to whip on a weekend morning!
bread is MY thing, and cinnamon bread is my go -to. Averie – that crust is crazy good – I have to make this
I know you’re a bread maker and this is such an easy one. If you try it, LMK!
A slice of this and an extra strong cup of black coffee is exactly how I want to start my day tomorrow! What a delicious sounding quick bread!
Yup, I’m a streusel picker too! I’m loving this cinnamon bread with a double espresso would be awesome right now :)
I majorly need to stay awake, too! Trying to get so much done before Friday and BPL! Not enough hours in the day!
Ooo, I love a nice streusel like topping too.
This looks truly awesome and so simple!
Oh my goodness, what AM I waiting for? This reminds me of my husband’s cardamom bread, which is my favorite sweet bread ever. This cinnamon bread looks mad delicious and it’s definitely going on my list of “must makes”!
cardamom bread sounds wonderful and if you try this, LMK!
I love quick breads like this! And especially the cinnamon sugar crust AND the swirly-ness inside…I’m in love! I need to bake this asap! I just remembered, our milkman (company) delivers quick breads like this. And when I was in a hurry I ordered one…and let me just say– you can always taste when something’s been baked in a factory! I think that’s why I’m all about making things from scratch. Love this recipe, Averie! (pinning on my “Gain A Pound Cake” board…bcz that’s what it’s all about! hehe)
Thanks for the pin (love the board title..lol) and yes, there is no need for storebought when you can make something in no time. Certain recipes, like an angel food cake with a dozen egg whites and whipping them…I’ll gladly pay 3.99 for a storebought cake but for something like this, nothing beats homemade!
That is so funny that you say that because I hate crust too! My mom and I have a system when we have bread. She takes the crust and hands me the soft fluffy middle. I think, by the looks of it, this bread might just covert me to a crust lover (sorry mom). :)
At least you have a crust lover to pawn it all off on :)
WOW! This is so up my alley! I am cinnamon obsessed so I am salivating from this recipe! Cant wait to try it out!
Oh my… Averie, this bread looks mouthwatering!!! Delicious!! Beautiful pictures :) You make me wanna re-bake it immediately!
xox Amy
Wow! This looks delicious. I LOVE the crust on coffee cake, the more cinnamony (new word?) the better!
OMG that cinnamon sugar crusted bread….I’ve been trying to lay off baking recently in an effort to be healthier but I think I might just have a relapse tonight. I just need to buy some brown sugar!
If you try it, LMK! It’s worth breaking your no-bake streak for!
love love anything with cinnamon!
Yes! The crust is always my favorite part and this cinnamon master piece is calling out to me.
cinnamon master piece <-- thanks!
Oh my goodness, I *heart* cinnamon bread and this one looks so delicious Averie! Will have to try making this soon since you mentioned it’s quick and easy – my kind of bread:)
Buttermilk? Light brown sugar? Cinnamon crust on top? It’s like I’ve been waiting for you to make this bread for my whole LIFE! Absolutely GORGEOUS!!
Thanks, Meagan! I know you’d love it given your love for cinnamon or cannela as you use!
I love quick breads like this – simple, easy to throw together, and crazy in the flavour department. This looks amazing, Averie. It’s so moist and dense inside and that crispy, cinnamon-sugary topping is the perfect pickable crust. I’m buying a carton of buttermilk for another recipe this weekend and thanks to this recipe, now I know what I’m going to be using the leftovers for!
Oh I can’t wait to hear if you make this! I know you’re going to love it! And also buttermilk and whatever else you’re making, I’ll stay tuned b/c I always have some on hand to use, too!
Thank you for explaining the secret of the cinnamon sugar ribbon, hehe. Great idea! If It were me I would totally make cinnamon sugar STRIPES throughout the thing… but I go overboard, a lot.
Stripes sound great!
I just died and went to heaven. Pinning, making, I don’t care what anyone says I will eat this for the rest of my life. The photos, the recipe, the CRUST (!!!!), I think I might faint at how perfect this is. Buttermilk, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, Tbsp of vanilla – girl you are speaking my language. Literally making this this weekend. My mom will be in town and she is going to LOVE it. Averie, you rock. Period.
Thanks for pinning it! And are you really making it? If you do, LMK! Seriously girl the easiest batter ever. Takes 5 mins and dump it in a pan. So un-fussy! I was quite pleased with the photos as you can see I posted a few more than I usually do, but I was having so much fun shooting this bread. One of my fave things to shoot (when I’m having luck with it) is white-ish breads. Sometimes banana breads can give me a little trouble but white breads I tend to have fun with!
I’d probably love it! I don’t normally go right for the crust of anything, but since cinnamon-sugar pie crust is a favorite of mine, this sounds totally to die for! My mom would always save as much pie crust scraps as possible to bake up with cinnamon and sugar, and it was something special that we would share. I may have to make her a loaf of this :)
Pie scraps with cinn-sugar…my grandma used to do that! :)
Yes, I know I could eat an entire loaf in one sitting too, looks great! The sugary crust, Yum!
My husband did manage to eat most of this loaf in one sitting :)
I’m fairly certain I could eat this entire loaf in one sitting… absolutely love!!
mmmmm that CRUST! I actually love crusty breads, but a cinnamon sugar crusty bread?! To die for!
This is the best crust ever :)
YUM. Have you seen those cinnamon chips at the store? My mom uses them in beer bread all the time and they are great – you could skip the ribbon step, and just add chips. Of course, its more dessert than bread at that point, but why split hairs, right?
This bread looks so rustic and delicious! The moist bread with that beautiful crust is more than I can stand right now!
just pinned this!! LOVE
Thanks for the Pin :)
I think I might faint, this is beautiful! 100% adding this to the “must make” list. I love cinnamon sugar anything – I can only imagine how many hearts this would win if I took it to a friends dinner.
Tons of hearts would be won. And it’s ridic easy, the best kind of recipe! LMK if you try it!
Where was this when I was rooting through my cabinets looking for the perfect breakfast this morning?! Amazing, Averie!
I know those mornings all too well.
Averie, this bread looks like a dream!! Yum!
I love this Averie! My mom always buttered and sugared her banana bread pans, and the sides and bottom would be delightfully crunchy. I never thought to put it on the top too!! And the sandy beach comment. OMG, it’s like you live with me. :)
buttered and sugared her banana bread pans = I’ve never actually sugared a pan out of fear that it would caramelize and turn dark/possibly a little on the burnt side, but now I wan to try!
sandy beach….yea, us moms can all relate :)
Cinnamon-sugar is one of my favorite flavors; I love how much of it is in this bread!
I need to remind myself to never look at your photos when I’m even the slightest bit hungry. Oh em gee. You are so crazy talented!
That is the highest compliment ever coming from you. I think the same of you! :)
Ahh, this reminds of a boxed mix quick bread(Pillsbury, I think?) that my mom used to make all the time! If it’s anything like that, the crust on it must be killer! The bread itself looks really moist as well, and I’m sure the extra large dose of vanilla extract gives it great flavor!
That’s too funny that you have boxed mix memories…there’s a mix for everything, isn’t there!
Oh my, the cinnamon sugar crust is to die for!! Gorgeous bread, Averie!
I want this SO much! What a seriously delicious idea to coat the entire bread with cinnamon and sugar omg. Yummm!
Can’t go wrong with all that coating :)
This is beautiful!! Oh that crust looks perfect!! It is a lot like the bagels I just posted! I must make this bread, it looks killer!
Remember in the comments to you i said I had my Wed. post written and that it was cinn sugar bread? Yes, well here it is! :)
Sweet breads are one of my favorite things! I make them all the time! I’m pinning this one and making it asap! Looks fab!
Thanks for the pin & LMK how it goes!
What a beautiful cinnamon bread, Averie! Adore the sugar topping. What I wouldn’t do for a slice right now with my coffee!
It’s so easy, too! :)
This looks so yummy! I’m totally with you on crust. I don’t cut it off but I usually eat it first, leaving me with the yummy center as my last bite. I love cakes and things that are dusted with cinnamon sugar – so yummy!
Who would choose crust (normally) over yummy center bites..not I!
This look wonderful…. some butter and a cup of coffee and I’m good to go!
Whoah, this looks like streusel topping in bread form! That’s definitely something that I could eat a whole loaf of!
It totally reminds me of streusel topping – yes!
Okay, every time you post a new recipe I just want to stop what I’m doing and make it right then and there. This bread is no exception! Cinnamon sugar is just the best!
You’re so sweet and hope you try this one! It’s a keeper!
This looks amazing. Love the idea of the caramel undertones as well. I love cinnamon bread period. I know i’ve mentioned before, but cinnamon raisin break always reminds me of my godmother.
The brown sugar and butter get all melty and the caramel undertones come thru while baking…so good!
Love a quick bread that isn’t banana bread! This would be so good toasted. With cinnamon sugar and butter on top. Not that it wouldn’t hold its own, but you know, you only live once ;)
And I love cinn-sugar & butter, too. And yes, nice to give banana bread a break (this week) :)
I love a title that has cinnamon twice. My family complains I put too much most if the time! Your line “’ And remind yourself, too, so that you’re not recreating a sandy beach on your kitchen floor with the stray cinnamon-sugar granules” cracked me up! Sounds all too familiar! Licking the floor might he acceptable in this situation? Eh, probably not.
What amazes me is that I can SEE the crunchy top and soft middle through your pictures. That is hard – and completely won me over. I can just imagine the sugar and cinnamon crusting the melt in your mouth bread. Ahhh …
Thanks for noticing the details in the photos. To literally capture cinn-sugar, I had my work cut out for me. lol And the sandy beach…well, havent licked the floor but have licked a plate or two :)
There is a specialty food store near us that sells the best homemade cinnamon bread. It’s flakey and sweet with loads of cinnamon sugar on top. I just bought two loaves and was thinking how nice it would be to make it at home. Now I can! Oh happy day!
This looks amazing! It reminds of me starbucks “light cinnamon coffee cake”, but I’m thinking yours is definitley a whole-lot lighter, and easier to make for that matter. One bowl to make this? yes please, can’t wait!
Ive never had that coffee cake of theirs b/c I always just want to make my own – but now I kinda want to try theirs, just to see!
Mmm…need this with my morning coffee, like right now! I bake a similar loaf and it is so easy and quick…a nice alternative to coffee cake. Mine is topped with a streusel. But, I’m loving your lighter “shingles of sweetness” crust. I’m starving right now and need this in my life, LOL! Thanks for sharing, Averie! (You could so easily write a quick breads cookbook!) Pinning to our group board… xo
Thanks for the pin and the vote of confidence on my quickbread skills. I appreciate both :)
I was looking for a recipe just like this. Last week I made your cinnamon role coffee cake again. I had a craving and it is so good (and easy)! This week, I want to try this recipe. :)
Glad to hear you’re a fan of the cinn roll coffee cake! If you try this, LMK! :)
I want this RIGHT NOW!!!
Me too. It’s all gone. Sniff :)
The crust on this caught my attention–it looks sooo good! I also thought it was a yeast bread at first glance because of all the little air pockets. I think this would be a great recipe to use my Vietnamese cinnamon in. I didn’t realize that stuff was pricey–my mom gave it to me last month. I love a good crust, but not if it’s hard and dry…and I know this loaf is quite the opposite. This will have to go on my weekend project list!
It almost behaved like yeast bread. Really light, fluffy, soft, with some air pockets..but no yeast! Vietnamese cinnamon is like gold…I have some but never use it b/c I don’t want to ‘waste’ it, always thinking something better will come along :) If you try this bread, LMK!
I am a cinnamon lover! There’s no such thing as too much cinnamon. :) Cinnamon bread, as long as there’s lots of ribbons of cinnamon, is one of my favorite breakfast breads. Looks delicious, Averie!
I knew that about your cinn loving ways and glad you saw these!
This looks so easy but so delicious. I’m a cinnamon addict and so I think I’ve found another recipe to try!
It is both easy & delish! LMK if you try it!
I’m in love with cinnamon toasts and this cinnamon bread should be on my list to make.
And I just saw one of your recipes, a little loaf of bread, on one of the food sites…maybe FG or TS? I’ve been on a few tonite :)
Best cinnamon bread ever! I love that texture and that swirl is just — amazing! I’m not much of a bread-making person but that’s about to change soon! After Big Potluck, I am making this next weekend!
If you try it after BPL, lmk how it goes! I am in such a quandary of what to bring! I thought I was all set..but now, I dunno. I’m supposed to bring cake. But I kinda wanna bring bars :)
Me too! I’m supposed to bring coffee cake but now I want to bring cookies!
I believe we’ve discussed a mutual love of cinnamon before. I do enjoy crust, partly because I am a hands on play-with-my food sort of nibbler who likes to peel the crust off and eat it separately sometimes.
If you like crust AND cinnamon, this is your dream bread :)
Is it strange that I randomly smell cinnamon bread (in my imagination) and want it? This is the stuff that my dreams are made of! I don’t know how you can stand photographing it and not just devouring it instead. :)
This was a hard one to NOT pick at. I force myself to NOT start eating during photo shoots. The sweet rewards come at the end :) I loved this bread, Jenn. And I bet you would too if you say it’s the stuff your dreams are made of :)