This Cinnamon Swirl Bread is a super-simple sweet bread loaf made with only 6 ingredients and a moist, fluffy vanilla crumb, filled with a sweet cinnamon sugar swirl, and topped with a crunchy cinnamon layer.
I love making sweet bread but this one is by far the prettiest with it’s sweet cinnamon layer in the middle and crunchy cinnamon topping.
While the full recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips and tricks further down, including step-by-step pictures.
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Cinnamon Swirl Bread
This Cinnamon Swirl Bread is a super-simple sweet bread loaf made with only 6 ingredients and a moist, fluffy vanilla crumb, filled with a sweet cinnamon sugar swirl, and topped with a crunchy cinnamon layer.
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Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 211.9 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups Self-Rising Flour - (note 1)
- ¾ cup Sugar - (note 2)
- 1 cup Almond Milk - (note 3)
- ¼ cup Dairy-Free Greek Yogurt - (note 4)
- ⅓ cup Light Olive Oil - (note 5)
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Use cooking oil spray to oil the paper and sides of the pan. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, prepare the cinnamon sugar: stir the sugar and cinnamon until well combined using a fork. Halve this batch, and place each half in a small bowl for the layers. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add sugar, almond milk, yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
- Fold in the self-rising flour and use a rubber spatula to combine and form a smooth batter. Divide the batter in halves.
- Place the first half of the batter in the prepared loaf pan, sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar made before on top of this batter. You want to evenly cover the batter with the cinnamon sugar.
- Add the remaining batter and finish by evenly sprinkling the remaining cinnamon sugar on top of the bread.
- Grab a thin skewer and insert it vertically into one end of the loaf pan all the way to the bottom of the loaf pan. Swirl in an S shape until reaching the other end of the pan. Swirl again in the other direction – it should look like you are forming number 8 shapes in the batter. Don't over-swirl. One go in both directions is enough. Remove the skewer from the pan.
- Bake the bread for 50-55 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C) until a pick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. After 40 minutes, I recommend adding a piece of foil on top of the pan to prevent the bread from darkening too fast.
- Cool the bread in the pan for 5 minutes, then pull the hanging parts of parchment paper to release on a cooling rack.
- Cool for at least 3 hours before glazing.
Notes
Note 1: You can make your own 2 cups of self-rising flour at home. Simply stir 2 cups of all-purpose flour with 4 teaspoon baking powder. The recipe doesn’t work with all-purpose gluten-free flour, the bread come out too dense.
Note 2: Any granulated sugar works like brown sugar, coconut sugar, or unrefined cane sugar.
Note 3: Any milk work, I like almond milk, or oat milk to keep the crumb light and fluffy.
Note 4: Any plain yogurt type works, I tested it with coconut yogurt and cashew yogurt, but if you use dairy in your kitchen plain Greek Yogurt work as well.
Note 5: Any low flavor oil works like canola oil.
Storage: Store the bread in an sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days, slice just before serving to keep the bread fresh and moist. Freeze it for up to 1 month, thaw at room temperature the day before serving.
Equipment
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 211.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.3g | Protein: 3.5g | Fat: 6.8g | Saturated Fat: 0.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.5g | Cholesterol: 0.2mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 57.3mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 18.8g | Vitamin A: 78.9IU | Vitamin B12: 0.2µg | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Vitamin D: 0.2µg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 0.4mg | Magnesium: 5.9mg | Phosphorus: 26.1mg | Zinc: 0.3mg
Ingredients and Substitutions
This paragraph gives you all my tips about picking the right ingredients. For the full recipe with measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!Go to Full Recipe
You only need a handful of wholesome ingredients for this recipe. Here’s how to pick them.
- Self-Rising Flour – With its included baking powder, this flour makes the bread’s crumb fluffy and airy. You can also make your own by whisking all-purpose flour with baking powder (about 4-5 teaspoons per 2 cups). I haven’t tried all-purpose gluten-free blends.
- Sugar – To sweeten the batter and contribute to the tender crumb while adding some crispness on top. You can swap it for brown sugar, coconut sugar, or unrefined cane sugar if you prefer a different flavor, but steer clear of liquid sweeteners that can upset the texture. I also use it for the cinnamon sugar.
- Almond Milk – This brings a nutty flavor and helps with the fluffy crumb. You can use any plant-based milk like oat or soy milk.
- Dairy-Free Greek Yogurt – This brings some tang, creaminess, and extra moisture to the loaf. You can use any dairy-free yogurt such as coconut or cashew yogurt while keeping the recipe dairy-free. Using a thicker yogurt is key for the right texture. If you eat dairy, classic yogurt should work as well.
- Light Olive Oil – Contributes healthy fat and moisture, keeping the bread tender without the saturated fat of butter. Canola or avocado oil are good substitutes as long as they have a neutral flavor.
- Vanilla Extract – For a delicious vanilla crumb.
- Cinnamon – For the cinnamon sugar.
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Bread
This recipe is really easy to whip up. Here are all the critical steps in pictures.
Combine the liquid ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients.
Stir the batter until it’s smooth and soft with no lumps.
Pour half of the batter in a pan line with parchment paper.
Combine the sugar and cinnamon and pour half of it on the batter.
Pour the rest of the batter into the pan.
Pour the rest of the cinnamon sugar on the batter.
Swirl a skewer in an S shape twice, not more.
Bake the bread for 50-55 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C).
Carine’s Baking Tips
Let me share a few more tips for a perfect bread.
- Let the parchment paper overhang on the side to make it easier to pull the whole bread out after baking.
- Gently fold in the self-rising flour with a rubber spatula to keep the batter light and avoid overmixing, which would make a denser crumb.
- If the top of your loaf begins to darken too quickly, cover it loosely with a piece of foil after about 40 minutes of baking.
- Let the bread cool completely (about 3 hours) before slicing to maintain a moist, fluffy texture throughout.
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