This homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread is a time-honored favorite among many. The cinnamon flavor springs to life in this tender and fluffy bread. You will be returning for another slice, so you might as well make two to start! It is great toasted, my favorite.
Do you love homemade bread? Bread making is such a fun hobby. Try our Homemade Brioche Bread, Homemade Whole Wheat Bread, or Walnut Wheat Bread.
Cinnamon Swirl Bread is a bread that incorporates a buttery, sugary, and cinnamon swirl into the bread itself. This is accomplished by rolling the dough out flat and then rolling it into a log with the cinnamon mixture on the inside.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Huge cinnamon fan
- Reminds me of my childhood
- Love it toasted with butter
- The family loves it
- Kid-friendly
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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Loaf Pan Bread Pan, Ceramic, Nonstick Bread Pans for Baking
10-Inch Wide Wavy Edge, Bread Knife
Bread Slicer for Homemade Bread – Bamboo Bread Cutter with Knife, Foldable
Ingredients for Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Recipe Ingredients
Bread
All-purpose flour – I have not tested this recipe with bread flour; all-purpose is what I have always used.
Sugar – Just regular granulated sugar is needed.
Cinnamon – I always use a good quality cinnamon from a spice merchant, not a bulk cinnamon that you would get in large grocery stores, etc.
Instant yeast – This makes the bread rise, and the instant works great for this recipe.
Salt – Always needed to bring out the flavor of other ingredients.
Milk – I use a heavy milk, like 2 or 3%, for this recipe. I don’t recommend a light, lower-fat milk.
Water – You need water to bind all the ingredients for bread making. You don’t want to use all milk for a bread recipe.
Large egg – An egg will add richness to your bread and also help to make the perfect texture.
Unsalted butter – The butter will add richness to the loaf, and no extra salt is needed.
Filling
Cinnamon and Sugar – This is the combination that is needed for the cinnamon swirl.
Butter – You paint the inside of the bread dough with butter so the cinnamon mixture will adhere.
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Bread
In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, yeast, and salt. Then, attach the bread hook and add to the mixture the milk, water, egg, and butter. Mix on medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until the dough comes together, about 1 min. Turn the speed up to medium-high and continue to beat for about 5 minutes until the dough sticks to the hook.
Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on the counter covered with a linen towel or plastic wrap, and let it proof for about 30 min. until it is slightly puffy.
Fold the dough over twice and return it to the bowl. Cover with a clean dish towel and set in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes.
Mix together the cinnamon and sugar for the filling and set aside.
Flour the counter, punch the dough down, and lay the dough out. Roll out a rectangle 8″ by 20″ that is 1/4″ thick. Paint the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Start with the short side and roll up. Then place in the 9×5″ loaf pan. Let dough rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in the pan, covering loosely with plastic wrap.
Bake the loaf in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes or until browned. You may want to loosely cover with foil at this point if it is getting too brown, then bake for another 25 minutes.
Toasted or not, buttered or honeyed, jammed or jellied. Anything goes with this delicious bread that you can have at any time of the day!!
Recipe Pro Tips!
How to Eat Cinnamon Swirl Bread
This bread in our house is enjoyed in a few ways. First off, when it is still slightly warm, you can slice and butter it. Heavenly!
We also love to toast it, and again with just butter or use honey, jam, or apple butter.
Cinnamon Swirl Bread makes the best French toast.
Can I Make the Dough Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can make the dough up to the second 30-minute rise, and instead of letting it rise in a warm place, cover well and refrigerate overnight; it will rise slowly in the refrigerator.
Then, in the morning, remove from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Punch the dough down and continue with the recipe, rolling out and adding the cinnamon mixture, etc.
Can I Freeze Cinnamon Swirl Bread?
Yes, bread freezes very well. Make sure the bread is completely cooled, wrap well in plastic wrap, and then in foil or a freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator or counter overnight. The next day, warm or slice and serve.
DO YOU LOVE THE FLAVOR OF CINNAMON?
We adore the flavor of cinnamon and love it in so many recipes. Here are some of our favorites.
Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour more for dusting
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
- 2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast 1 package
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3/4 cup water room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Filling
- 2 Tbsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 Tbsp. butter melted
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, yeast, and salt. Then, attach the bread hook and add to the mixture the milk, water, egg, and butter. Mix on medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until the dough comes together, about 1 min. Turn the speed up to medium-high and continue to beat for about 5 minutes until the dough sticks to the hook.
- Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on the counter covered with a linen towel or plastic wrap, and let it proof for about 30 min. until it is slightly puffy. Fold the dough over twice and return it to the bowl. Cover with a clean dish towel and set in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes.
- Mix together the cinnamon and sugar for the filling and set aside.
- Flour the counter, punch the dough down, and lay the dough out. Roll out a rectangle 8" by 20" that is 1/4" thick. Paint the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Start with the short side and roll up. Then, place in the 9×5" loaf pan. Let dough rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in the pan, covering loosely with plastic wrap.
- Bake the loaf in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes or until browned. You may want to loosely cover with foil at this point if it is getting too brown, then bake for another 25 minutes.
- Recipe adapted from Chef Mona Pinder
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Comments & Reviews
Liz says
Hi, I’am about to attempt making this bread. I make bread all of the time in my bread machine. Do u think I could make the dough in the
machine? Also, instead of 4 loaves I want to make 2 larger loaves? Is that possible? Thanks, Liz
Tara Noland says
I would think you can make the dough in the machine and definetly you can make two larger loaves!!
Ashley Deavers says
Hello! I am new to the bread baking world. So with this recipe you don’t dissolve the yeast in the water first before you add it in with other ingredients?
Noshing with the Nolands says
As long as it is instant yeast you are okay.