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There’s nothing quite like this cozy cinnamon swirl bread —a tender, buttery loaf with ribbons of cinnamon sugar baked throughout and a golden, sugary crust on top. Simple ingredients and perfect for breakfast or as a gift. Make it in one bowl and 1 hour!
You’ll also love my orange cranberry bread, cinnamon snap cookies, and pear cake.
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45–50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Servings: 8–10 slices
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian
- Method: Baked
- Technique: Swirled loaf
- Flavor & Texture: Sweet, buttery, soft crumb with caramelized cinnamon sugar edges
Why you’ll love this Costco-Inspired Cinnamon Sugar Bread!
My friend sent me a photo of the Costco version and said, “You have to try this!” Naturally, I recreated it from scratch with simple, wholesome ingredients (Shh! It tastes even better than the Costco version!). It’s buttery, soft, and perfectly sweet with ribbons of cinnamon sugar in every bite. The aroma alone makes your whole kitchen feel like home!
It’s the perfect loaf for breakfast, a sweet afternoon snack, or a thoughtful homemade gift during the Christmas holidays. Wow, it is so good!
Made With Amore,
Table of Contents
Ingredients in Cinnamon Bread
Better than store-bought, this cinnamon swirl quick bread is soft, buttery, and made with simple, trusted pantry ingredients. You’ll have this loaf on your table in one hour with minimal clean-up!
Cinnamon Swirl:
- Granulated sugar and cinnamon: the sweet, spiced duo that creates the irresistible swirl and caramelized top.
Batter:
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt: the base for a soft, tender loaf with the perfect rise.
- More white sugar and cinnamon: for gentle sweetness and warmth throughout the bread.
- Egg, whole milk (buttermilk also works well), and vanilla: add richness, moisture, and that comforting bakery aroma.
- Oil and melted butter: create a buttery, tender texture with a hint of golden crust. Use a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable oil, avocado oil, or canola oil.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add a glaze: Drizzle with a simple icing (powdered sugar + milk) once cooled. You’ll love my chocolate chip ricotta cake to try next time.
- Nutty twist: Stir in ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter. Make your own candied pecans!
- Mini loaves: Divide batter into smaller pans for easy holiday gifting.
How To Make Cinnamon Bread
This is a step-by-step photo overview of the cinnamon quick bread recipe; the full instrcutions are in the recipe card below.
Step #1: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
Make the Batter: In a large bowl, beat the egg and sugar together until light and pale yellow.
Make the cinnamon swirl: In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup sugar and 3 teaspoons cinnamon. Stir together and set aside.
Step #2: Whisk in the milk, vanilla, oil, and melted butter until smooth and fully combined.
Step #3: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Combine wet and dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined — do not overmix. The batter should be thick and smooth.
Step #4: Assemble the loaf: Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the top.
Step #5: Make the Swirls. Add the remaining batter and smooth gently. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top.
Use a butter knife to make gentle figure-8 swirls through the batter.
Bake. for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step #6: Cool and Eat! Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Slice and enjoy!
Perfect for gifting: Wrap in parchment and twine for a cozy, homemade treat during the holidays.
My Pro Tips
Tips For Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Use room temperature ingredients for even mixing and a soft texture.
- A few gentle swirls are enough — overmixing will blur the cinnamon layers.
- For extra sparkle, sprinkle coarse sugar (like turbinado) on top before baking.
- Slice and freeze for a quick grab-and-go breakfast.
FAQ’s
Layer the batter and cinnamon sugar, then make gentle figure-8 motions with a butter knife — just enough to create ribbons without blending the layers
Yes. It tastes even better the next day as the cinnamon flavor deepens. Wrap tightly once cooled and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Overmixing or overbaking are the usual culprits. Mix only until combined and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
This loaf stays moist for 2–3 days at room temperature, up to 5 in the fridge, and freezes beautifully for up to 2 months.
More Dessert Recipes
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Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Swirl
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk, slightly warmed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup neutral oil, avocado or canola
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Make the cinnamon swirl: In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup sugar and 3 teaspoons cinnamon. Stir together and set aside.
- Make the Batter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg and sugar together until light and pale yellow.Whisk in the milk, vanilla, oil, and melted butter until smooth and fully combined.Place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon.Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined — do not overmix. The batter should be thick and smooth.
- Assemble the loaf: Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the top. Add the remaining batter and smooth gently. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top.Use a butter knife to make gentle figure-8 swirls through the batter.
- Bake: Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Finish: Remove from oven. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for the softest, most tender crumb.
- Don’t overmix the batter — a few gentle folds keep it light and fluffy.
- Swirl lightly! Over-swirling will blend the cinnamon layer instead of creating ribbons.
- Brush with melted butter right after baking for that glossy, bakery-style top.
- Sprinkle a little coarse sugar on top before baking for a sweet crunch.
- Wrap leftovers tightly — it stays moist for days and freezes beautifully!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
