This cinnamon swirl bread is warm and gooey — filled with ribbons of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Baked until deep golden, the loaf is soft, fluffy and utterly delicious.
Cinnamon swirl bread
If you love autumn aromas and cozy flavors, this cinnamon swirl bread is for you. It smells like fall the moment it goes into the oven: spicy, warmly sweet and wonderfully cinnamony. Serve slices with a hot beverage for a comforting treat.
The dough is similar to a classic cinnamon roll dough — buttery and elastic, easy to work with and it rises beautifully. As it bakes the cinnamon-sugar ribbons caramelize and keep the inner layers tender while the outer edges get a subtle crispness.
Similar recipes you will love:
- Apple cinnamon pull apart bread
- Blueberry streusel muffins
How to create the cinnamon layers
There are several ways to make a cinnamon swirl loaf, but this method is simple and reliable even if you’re not an expert with yeast. Rollable and forgiving, the dough behaves much like cinnamon roll dough and is easy to shape.
After rolling the dough thin, brush it with melted butter and sprinkle a generous layer of brown sugar mixed with cinnamon. Cut the sheet into strips or layers, then stack, roll and fold them into a greased loaf pan. Let the assembled loaf puff up for about 30 minutes, then bake until deep golden.
During baking the butter and sugar melt between the layers, which creates tender, slightly flaky pockets of cinnamon flavor — almost like a cross between a sweet bread and a laminated pastry.
Storage and reheating
This loaf keeps well thanks to the buttery filling — stored at room temperature in an airtight container it stays fresh for about 3–4 days. To refresh the texture, warm slices in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–7 minutes, or heat briefly in the microwave for a few seconds for a quick serve.
Cinnamon swirl recipe
- Grease a baking pan and set aside. In a bowl whisk together the melted butter, warm milk, yeast, eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Add the sugar and flour and stir until the ingredients form a shaggy dough.
- Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until smooth, elastic and soft. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes.
- Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough to about 1/8″–1/4″ thickness. Brush with melted butter and evenly sprinkle with brown sugar mixed with cinnamon.
- Cut the sheet of dough into strips or layers. Roll, fold or stack the strips into the prepared pan so they form layers and swirls. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the loaf for about 60 minutes, or until the top is deep golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly before slicing.
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Cinnamon swirl bread
petro
Pin Recipe
Equipment
- small saucepan
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- baking pan
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp butter melted
- ½ Cup milk warm
- 2 Tsp dry yeast
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Tsp vanilla extract
- 4 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Cups flour
For the filling:
- 4 Tbsp butter melted
- ½ Cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
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Grease the baking pan. In a bowl beat the melted butter with warm milk, yeast, eggs and vanilla. Add sugar and flour and stir to combine.
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Knead the dough about 5 minutes until elastic and soft. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes. Roll the dough to 1/8″–1/4″ thickness, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
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Cut the dough into layers or strips.
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Transfer the strips to the prepared pan, rolling and folding to form swirls and layers.
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Let the assembled loaf rise 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake about 60 minutes or until done. Allow to cool slightly before slicing.
Nutrition
Calories: 3093kcal
Carbohydrates: 465 g
Protein: 65 g
Fat: 110 g