This easy Cinnamon Bread is a soft, tender loaf with a sweet cinnamon swirl running through the center. It’s inspired by the classic Amish Friendship Bread, without all the fuss! Just two loaves of cozy cinnamon-sugar goodness you can bake and share today.
One reader raved: “I made the Cinnamon Swirl Bread and as predicted, it is amazing! I followed the recipe using the buttermilk substitute with no problem. My bake time was 50 minutes and they turned out lovely. The crumb is moist and tender and the swirl and topping are perfectly sweet and cinnamon forward. We loved it!” – Adrienne
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
You know that great Amish Friendship Bread that made the rounds for years – kind of like a chain letter? Where someone gives you a starter, you nurture it like a sourdough baby, and eventually bake a sweet cinnamon loaf with pudding mix inside? Well, this cinnamon bread recipe is all the best parts of that, but streamlined, simple, and pudding-free.
It’s rich and moist, with a thick ribbon of cinnamon-sugar inside and a crunchy top that gives way to a buttery crumb. I’ve tested it at high altitude, and my recipe testers across the country baked it at sea level with great success. I even reduced the sugar slightly and included extra swirl options if you like your cinnamon bread super sweet and spiced.
Why You’ll Love This Amish Cinnamon Bread Recipe
- It’s easier than Amish Friendship Bread – No starter. No sharing. No pudding mix. Just classic cinnamon quick bread made from pantry ingredients, like a coffee cake in quick bread form!
- Customizable swirl – Want more cinnamon? Add more sugar to the swirl. Prefer it subtle? Stick to the base version. It’s flexible.
- Freezer-friendly and gift-worthy – Makes two loaves so you can keep one, freeze one, or share with a friend.
What My Recipe Testers Are Saying
I bake at high altitude (5280 ft), so I work with recipe testers around the country to ensure this loaf turns out wherever you bake it!
“I made this bread. It was very good. I made it exactly as written. I would have liked some walnuts in the cinnamon mixture. As usual, my grandkids love it! – Susan
“I followed your directions exactly as written and my bread came out great. It was moist and the cinnamon swirl and topping were just right. I did not do the heavier swirl. I need to work on my swirl technique though. My one loaf looks like a sad face.” – Melanie
If you love Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread try these recipes
If you are a fan of cinnamon anything, try these Baklava Cinnamon Rolls or my crazy popular Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls. And if you really want to play with a starter, make your own sourdough starter and then bake up some sourdough bread!
Cinnamon Bread Recipe Ingredients
- Salted butter: Adds flavor and richness. If using unsalted, add ¼–½ teaspoon salt.
- Granulated sugar: I use all-natural cane sugar in most of my baking, but white sugar may also be used.
- Eggs: Large eggs at room temp, pretty please!
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavors with warmth.
- Buttermilk: The secret to a moist and tender crumb. (See notes for a DIY substitute!) Bring it to room temperature while you get your ingredients out.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the batter; use unbleached if possible.
- Baking soda: Gives the bread lift! Reduce slightly at high altitude.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Brown sugar (for swirl): Dark brown gives a richer flavor, but you can use light brown sugar if preferred.
- Ground cinnamon: Well, it wouldn’t be cinnamon swirl bread without it!
- More granulated sugar (for swirl): Creates a sweet cinnamon ribbon throughout.
Pro Tip: Make your own buttermilk! Add 4 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar to a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, pour in whole milk, stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes before using.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make Cinnamon Bread
Step 1 – Preheat & Prep Wet & Dry Ingredients
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans.
Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
Step 2 – Make the Batter
Add half the flour mixture to the wet ingredients followed by half the buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk.
Step 3 – Make the Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
Stir sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
Step 4 – Assemble & Swirl
Spoon half of the batter evenly into the two prepared loaf pans.
Sprinkle each with the cinnamon sugar filling. Top with the remaining batter and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar on top of the batter. Swirl gently in a figure 8 pattern with a butter knife.
Step 5 – Bake
Place pans on a baking sheet. Bake for 45–65 minutes in a preheated oven, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and finish cooling completely on a wire rack.
Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe Tips
- Room temperature ingredients = better texture. Room temp butter, eggs, and buttermilk mix more evenly.
- Don’t overmix! This is always important for quick breads like this one. Once you add the flour to the batter, be sure to gently combine and not overmix!
- Use a skewer or knife to swirl. A butter knife is perfect for creating a figure 8 pattern. Don’t overdo it—too much swirling can muddy the swirl.
- Check for doneness with a skewer. Every oven is different. Start checking at 45 minutes and look for moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Tent with aluminum foil if browning too fast. If the tops are getting too dark but the center needs more time, loosely tent with foil.
- Let it rest before slicing. Cooling completely helps the crumb set. Slice once it’s no longer warm for cleaner cuts.
How to Enjoy Amish Cinnamon Bread
There are so many ways to serve this homemade cinnamon swirl bread! Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy it:
- Serve it warm with a pat of butter for breakfast or brunch.
- Toast slices and smear with cream cheese, Irish butter, apple butter or almond butter – you’ve also got to try this Granola butter!
- Enjoy as a mid-afternoon dessert with a cup of tea or coffee.
- Slice and serve alongside a holiday brunch spread.
How to Store Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Once cooled completely:
- Room Temperature: Wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap or an airtight container. Keeps well for 2–3 days. I don’t recommend refrigerating breads or quickbreads as the refrigerator tends to dry them out; instead, keep them on the counter or freeze for best results.
- Freezer: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and if you have a Ziploc bag, place it in a baggie. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter.
How to Gift Amish Friendship Bread
This bread was made for gifting, literally! Wrap a cooled loaf in parchment or wax paper, tie it with baker’s twine or ribbon, and add a handwritten note or recipe card. You can also slice the loaf and pack it in a small treat box or cellophane bag for individual gifting. Be sure to try these free gifts from the kitchen tags.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cinnamon bread is more of a treat than a health food—it contains butter, sugar, and flour for that soft, rich texture. While cinnamon does offer some health benefits, like helping regulate blood sugar, this version has slightly reduced sugar overall and is best enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Amish Friendship Bread gets its name from the tradition of sharing a sweet sourdough starter with friends. The idea is to bake one loaf for yourself and pass along the starter so others can bake and share, too, creating a chain of homemade bread and connection.
Nope! I wanted to take the work out of gifting this beautiful bread, so no starter, still same great tang from the buttermilk and extra vanilla extract takes care of the vanilla pudding!
Variations & Substitutions
Dairy-Free: Use vegetable oil or plant-based butter in place of regular butter, and make a dairy-free buttermilk using your favorite non-dairy milk with a little vinegar or lemon juice. To make it vegan, swap the eggs for flax eggs.
Gluten-Free: Use a good gluten-free flour blend (I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure), and for the best flavor and texture, replace a portion with almond and oat flour. The batter will be a bit thicker, but it bakes up beautifully. Just be careful not to overbake. This is how I adapt all of my recipes for my family and friends who are gluten-free.
Other Variations
- Top with a quick streusel before baking for a sweet crunch.
- Stir in chopped walnuts, pecans, or raisins for extra texture.
- Add mini chocolate chips for a fun twist.
- Fold in diced apples for a cozy fall version.
High Altitude Adjustments
- Add 2 tablespoons of flour
- Reduce sugar to 1 ½ cups
- For altitudes above 7,000 feet, add an additional egg
- Add 1–2 tablespoons extra buttermilk or Greek yogurt/sour cream if batter feels too thick, but batter should be thick, not super “pourable”
- Reduce baking soda to 1 ½ teaspoons
- Bake at 350°F (175° C) for altitudes 5-7,000 ft, above 7,000 increase oven temperature to 375°F (190°C)
- Check for doneness 5-10 minutes early and avoid overbaking
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Equipment
Ingredients
Bread Batter
- 1 cup salted butter softened (if using unsalted, add ¼ – ½ teaspoon additional salt)
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar reduce to 1 ½ for high altitude, I use all natural cane sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature (see notes for altitudes above 7,000 feet)
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups buttermilk room temperature (see note for substitute)
- 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour add 2 TBL for high altitude, regular AP flour may be used
- 2 teaspoons baking soda reduce to 1 ½ for high altitude
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Cinnamon-Sugar Swirl
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar packed (increase to ½ a cup for heavier swirl) light brown may also be used
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and move rack to middle of oven. Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans, or see variations below.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt) in a separate bowl.
- Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, followed by half the buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk. Do not overmix.
- Make the cinnamon-sugar mix: Stir sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
Assemble the bread:
- Spoon half of the batter evenly between the two prepared pans (¼ of total batter per pan).
- Sprinkle each with about ⅔ of the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Top with remaining batter and smooth. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon mixture on top. Swirl gently in a figure 8 pattern with a butter knife.
- Place pans on a baking sheet. Bake for 45–65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- If browning too quickly, lay a piece of foil over the tops of the quickbread. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and finish cooling completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- Add 2 tablespoons of flour
- Reduce sugar to 1 ½ cups
- For altitudes above 7,000 feet, add an additional egg
- Add 1–2 tablespoons extra buttermilk or Greek yogurt/sour cream if batter feels too thick, but batter should be thick, not super “pourable”
- Reduce baking soda to 1 ½ teaspoons
- Bake at 350°F (175° C) for altitudes 5-7,000 ft, above 7,000 increase oven temperature to 375°F (190°C)
- Check for doneness 5-10 minutes early and avoid overbaking
- Bake one loaf at a time. Refrigerate half the batter and cinnamon-sugar mix while the first loaf bakes and cools.
- Wash, cool and re-grease the pan before using it again. Or use one of the other baking options below.
- 9×9 Square Pan: Pour half the batter into the greased pan, swirl in half the cinnamon-sugar mix, top with remaining batter and cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- 8 x 4” loaf pan: Proceed as described above for the 9×5-inch loaf pan, but plan on it taking an additional 10-20 minutes to bake.
- Muffins: Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
Fill each cup halfway with batter, sprinkle in cinnamon-sugar, then top with more batter and a pinch of cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 400°F (205° C) for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350°F for 13–17 minutes.
- Butter: Use dairy-free butter, I like Earth Balance or Myokos. Or you can try using a neutral oil (like vegetable or avocado), but the texture will be different..
- Buttermilk: Mix 2 cups non-dairy milk (almond, oat, or coconut) with 4 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice. Let sit 5–10 minutes before using.
- Vegan Egg-Free: Swap the eggs with two flax eggs (2 tablespoon ground flax + 6 tablespoon water; let sit 5 minutes) for a fully egg- and dairy-free version.
Gluten-Free Version
- Use 3 cups King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour
- Plus ½ cup almond flour + ½ cup oat flour or replace 1 cup using oat flour, almond flour or other gluten-free flour. (or try ¾ cup almond + ¼ cup oat for a slightly richer loaf)
Notes on the Gluten-Free Version: No need to add xanthan gum; King Arthur’s blend includes it. Batter may be slightly thicker than usual; don’t add extra liquid unless it’s very dry. Check doneness at 45-50 minutes; gluten-free loaves will become dry when overbaked.
Storage Tips
- Wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap. Keeps well on the counter for 2–3 days.
I don’t recommend refrigerating breads or quickbreads as the refrigerator tends to dry them out; instead, keep them on the counter or freeze for best results. - Freezer: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and if you have a baggie, place it in a baggie. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter.
Nutrition
Heidi
We made this bread and it turned out very well! Love the slightly crispy top with all the cinnamon and sugar.
So glad you loved it, Heidi! Thanks!!