Cinnamon Bread Recipe (Plain or Raisin)

Homemade cinnamon bread is soft and buttery with a sweet swirl of the gooiest cinnamon sugar in every slice. My recipe is topped with more cinnamon and a thick blanket of buttery vanilla glaze to make it extra special.

Be sure to read to the end where I share how to get your bread to rise into the big, soft billowy loaves you love.

Shopping List

Let’s face it, most bread recipes have the same basic ingredients – I don’t think any of these will be a surprise.

• Active dry yeast helps the bread to rise. If you want to use rapid rise you can – just add it to the flour instead of proofing it first.
• Powdered ginger wakes the yeast up and gets it moving. I learned this trick from a cookbook that had been published in the 1800s.
• Sugar gives the yeast something to feed on and is also used in the filling.
• Buttermilk adds an acid that makes the bread soft and light. You’ll see that I use it a lot in my bread baking. I’ve added a note for how to substitute regular milk for the buttermilk.
• Vanilla isn’t usually in bread but I add it because it gives the cinnamon bread a sweeter flavor. You can omit it if you like.
• Kosher salt is what I use. If you are using table salt use about 1/4 less than the recipe calls for.
• Bread flour is higher in protein that all-purpose flour and the bread rises better and has a nicer crust. You can substitute all-purpose flour but your results may be a little different.
• Baking soda reacts with the acid in the buttermilk to add a little more lift to the rise on this bread. It also helps it from being too tangy. Don’t use too much – just a scant 3/4 teaspoon. If in doubt use just a 1/2 teaspoon.
• Butter adds flavor and richness to bread plus it’s used to “glue” the filling to the dough before baking AND in the glaze. You can never have too much butter.
• Cinnamon is necessary because it’s cinnamon bread! Did you know there are a variety of different kinds of cinnamon that all have different spice levels and cinnamon-y-ness? I use Vietnamese cinnamon but whatever you normally use is fine.
• Confectioner’s sugar is used for the glaze. You can omit it if you want.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread Is Better than Cinnamon Rolls

I love a good cinnamon roll (especially buttermilk cinnamon rolls!) as much as anyone but…

I have to say that a thickly sliced piece of cinnamon bread, toasted until it’s hot with just a little crunch, and then slathered with a copious amount of drippy yellow butter makes me go weak in the knees.

The sweet spiciness, the crunch, the buttery ooze? I don’t know — I just know that I am an addict. Totally can’t resist the stuff.

What do you think? Are you team cinnamon bread or team cinnamon roll? Let me know in the comments!

Tips for Perfect Cinnamon Swirl Bread

This is a simple yeast bread – it looks much more difficult than it actually is.

If you’ve never worked with yeast dough before I suggest reading my complete guide to working with yeast doughs before you start this recipe. It has a ton of information that will make you an experienced baker in no time!

• If you’d like to add raisins to this recipe you can knead 1/2 cup or so of raisins right into the dough. If you prefer them to be in the cinnamon swirl just sprinkle them on top of the sugar mixture before rolling up the loaf.
• Substitute brown sugar for the white sugar in the filling for a sweeter flavor.
• This is a very similar dough to my “never fail Buttermilk bread recipe“. If you follow the instructions it will work – period.
• It’s important to roll the bread tightly when you are shaping the loaf. If you roll it too loosely it will separate as you slice it – it’ll still be good, though.
• Sometimes the bread and the swirl separate just because life happens. Don’t worry about it – it’s still delicious and, look at you, you’ve created bread!
• You can mix an egg yolk and a teaspoon of water and brush it lightly on the dough before adding the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Sometimes that helps the layers stick together better.
• If the crust seems to be browning too fast cover it lightly with aluminum foil.
• You can also make cinnamon rolls out of this recipe, just follow the instructions until you’ve rolled the dough and cinnamon up. Then cut the loaf into about 8 slices horizontally, let rise, and bake them for about 15 minutes.

Cinnamon Bread Recipe FAQs

Here are the most commonly asked questions about this recipe. If you don’t find the answer to yours here leave a comment below or email me – I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

Do you have to use buttermilk in this recipe?

It’s not hard to find a cinnamon yeast bread recipe on the Internet. There are plenty of them and they are good but when you add buttermilk the texture of the crumb becomes pillowy soft and it just takes the cinnamon swirl bread right over the top. Really, you have to try this!

Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?

Yes. Omit the baking soda and substitute the milk in equal measure for the buttermilk.

What do you eat with cinnamon raisin bread?

I like cream cheese on mine. Sometimes I spread some orange marmelade on top – but honestly just butter is perfect.

What is the best cinnamon for baking?

I really like Vietnamese cinnamon but if you can find Korintje it is really deliciously flavorful.

Can I freeze cinnamon swirl bread?

Yep! Don’t glaze it, though. Let it cool to room temperature then wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. I like to slice it before freezing and add parchment paper between the slices to keep them from sticking together. That way when I want a slice of toast I don’t have to thaw the entire loaf.

More Great Bread Recipes from Restless Chipotle

Once you start making this cinnamon bread you’ll be hooked! I love, love, love making bread. Here are some of my family’s favorite recipes.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Big, fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls with toasted pecans and a thick, gooey icing – they rise overnight in the refrigerator so they’re perfect for weekends!

Check out this recipe

Pain de Mie (Pullman Loaf)

A mild bread with a delicate flavor and velvety crumb. It is baked in a special pain de mie pan so that is is perfectly squared off and has the thinnest crust possible. Great for French Toast.

Check out this recipe

Multigrain Muesli Bread

A hearty, peasant style loaf that's studded with fruit and sunflower seeds. It is absolutely delicious toasted for breakfast.

Check out this recipe

English Muffin Bread

An easy, no knead loaf with the texture and flavor of an English muffin. Perfect toasted and served warm with butter and honey.

Check out this recipe

Homemade Yeast Donut Recipe

Yeast donuts are a  lot easier to make than you may think. These rise light and fluffy with just a hint of lemon flavor and a sweet glaze.

Check out this recipe

You May Need…

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What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you’ll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness!  Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!

Learning to bake bread can seem very intimidating and many would-be bakers quit in frustration. My book, Bread Bootcamp: It’s Not a Cookbook…It’s an Adventure, teaches you to create tall, fluffy loaves of bread using an incremental approach – learning the techniques step by step so that by the end of the book you’ve mastered it. More importantly, you’ve had fun doing it!

How to Get Your Bread to Rise

The one thing that gives people the most trouble is getting bread to rise properly. Usually it’s something simple. Here are my favorite ways to get those big, puffly loaves –

• Make sure the dough is in a warm spot (at lest 75F) with no drafts.
• You can put it in a cold oven with a bowl of boiling water on the rack beneath it and leave the light on.
• Check out one of these ingredients that will help your bread rise, too.

Cinnamon Bread Recipe

Get ready to wow your family! This bread is so good! It makes any day a special one.

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars!

Need to adjust for high altitude? Check out the instructions from Utah State University.

4.75 from 4 votes

Old Fashioned Cinnamon Bread

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Sweet, tender cinnamon bread with a gooey swirl and buttery vanilla glaze is just right for breakfast or as a snack anytime. Full of old fashioned goodness. Raisins optional.

Course Bread

Cuisine Amercian Heritage

Keyword buttermilk,cinnamon,homemade bread,sweet,weekend breakfast

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Rising 2 hours 15 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes

Servings 24 slices

Calories 234

Author Marye Audet-White

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

• Bosch Stand Mixer
• Glass Bread Pans
• insta-read thermometer

Ingredients

• 2 packages active dry yeast, I usually use 2 tablespoons because I buy in bulk
• Pinch of powdered ginger
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water, (110F)
• 2 cups warm buttermilk, (110F)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 cups white bread flour, divided use
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled so that it is warm to the touch but not hot.
• 1/2 cup raisins, optional – more or less – see notes below

Filling

• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon, more or less, to taste. I like A LOT of cinnamon!

Glaze

• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Cream , as needed for consistency

Instructions

• In a medium sized bowl mix the yeast, ginger, sugar, and warm water.
• Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy.
• Whisk the buttermilk, vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, and baking soda together and add it to the yeast mixture.
• Add three cups of flour and mix until smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes on low of a stand mixer.
• Pour in the lukewarm butter until it is totally mixed into the batter.
• Add the rest of the flour, one cup at a time, keeping mixer on low speed.
• When dough pulls from the sides of the bowl remove it from the mixer to a lightly floured surface. Knead until elastic and smooth.
• You can also knead in your mixer according to manufacturer’s directions.
• Place in greased bowl, turn to grease the top, and cover with a clean tea towel.
• Allow the dough to rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until double.
• Punch down.
• Divide into two equal sized balls.
• Roll each out into a 8-inch wide rectangle about 10 inches long.
• Brush each with the 1/4 cup melted butter.
• Mix the 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon together until evenly colored.
• Spread over the dough rectangles, reserving about 2 tablespoons of the mixture.
• Roll each loaf tightly and place into greased loaf pans.
• Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with the reserved cinnamon mixture.
• Cover loosely with a clean tea towel and allow to rise for 45 minutes, or until it is just about the tops of the bread pans.
• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Bake for 30 minutes. You can cover the tops with foil if they brown too fast.
• Remove loaves from oven.
• Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes.
• Gently run a knife around the edge between the bread and the pan to loosen it.
• Turn out and top with the glaze.
• Cool completely on a rack.
• Cover the loaves as they cool if you want soft crusts.

Glaze

• Mix the confectioners sugar, melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
• Add a little cream or milk to thin it if needed.

Notes

• If you’d like to add raisins to this recipe you can knead 1/2 cup or so of raisins right into the dough. If you prefer them to be in the cinnamon swirl just sprinkle them on top of the sugar mixture before rolling up the loaf.
• Dried cranberries are delicious in place of the raisins above.
• This is the same basic dough as my “never fail Buttermilk bread recipe“. If you follow the instructions it will work – period.
• It’s important to roll the bread tightly when you are shaping the loaf. If you roll it too loosely it will separate as you slice it – it’ll still be good, though.
• Substitute brown sugar for the white sugar in the filling for a sweeter flavor.
• Sometimes the bread and the swirl separate just because life happens. Don’t worry about it – it’s still delicious and, look at you, you’ve created bread!
• You can mix an egg yolk and a teaspoon of water and brush it lightly on the dough before adding the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Sometimes that helps the layers stick together better.
• If the crust seems to be browning too fast cover it lightly with aluminum foil.
• You can also make cinnamon rolls out of this recipe, just follow the instructions until you’ve rolled the dough and cinnamon up. Then cut the loaf into about 8 slices horizontally, let rise, and bake them for about 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 213IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

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