This recipe for my absolute favorite quick bread is here to help you this holiday season. Mom’s Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread is easy and delicious, filled with buttery cinnamon goodness! It is perfect for brunch, toasted up for a snack, or wrapped up as a gift. You need only a few staples to make this and I’m confident you have them all on hand already. As a bonus, this works well with gluten free flour, too!
This recipe is one our Mom made all the time. The smell of this bread baking takes me straight back to all the best parts of childhood and growing up with a Mom who is an amazing baker. We’ve switched up the original recipe to add even more cinnamon flavor and to replace margarine – all the rage in the 1970s and 1980s when we were kids – with real butter, which has better flavor and will add richness to your bread. After a few more tweaks, our best-ever version of Mom’s Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread was born.
Quick bread is just as it sounds: quick to mix together and bake so you have a delicious treat in less than an hour from start to finish. It’s so simple with a mixing method you have probably used a million times.
Mix together your dry ingredients in one bowl, then whisk your wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then mix them together gently. Make a quick streusel and swirl it into the bread batter, top with cinnamon sugar, then bake!
The streusel bakes into the bread to create a rich swirl of cinnamon. The cinnamon sugar on the top bakes into a lightly crunchy crust. Cut this bread while it is still warm and slather with butter. Or toast a slice the next day if you happen to have any left. You may want to double the recipe just so you can have it toasted with butter the next day!
These would be so pretty baked into small loaves, then wrapped up with a pretty ribbon to give as a gift. Tie the recipe on the tag and you’re all set!
Need other homemade, edible gift ideas? Try putting together a package, tin, or tray of cookies! Our Dark Chocolate Pecan Cookies are perfect because they keep and freeze really well. The same goes for our Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies. Our Soft Cinnamon Almond Cookies and Soft Pumpkin Cookies are delicious and have the best seasonal flavor that everyone will love!
Are you hosting for the holidays? Try making this bread ahead of time and freezing it to serve for breakfast. Simply thaw it at room temperature, then add more cinnamon sugar topping and warm it in a low oven or slice and toast it instead. If you have the time, whip this up in the morning so your guests awaken to the amazing cinnamon smell of this bread baking. Serve it alongside a bowl of fresh fruit, some Buttery Maple Almond Granola and Instant Pot Vanilla Yogurt. Egg Casserole with Bacon and Spinach is the perfect way to round out breakfast, especially since it can be made ahead of time and warmed just before serving. It is all so simple and so delicious!
Enjoy!
Mom’s Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 9 ounces (2 cups) all purpose flour
- 7 ounces (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)
- 2 eggs
- 5 ounces (2/3 cup) whole milk
- 3 ounces (1/4 cup) plain yogurt (I use homemade vanilla yogurt)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
For the Cinnamon Swirl Streusel:
- 1-3/4 ounces (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 ounce (1-1/2 tablespoons) unsalted butter room temperature
For the Topping:
- 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick baking spray (or grease with butter and dust with flour). Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a separate small bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then whisk in the milk, yogurt, and vanilla. Slowly whisk in the melted butter. Pour the egg mixture over the flour mixture and whisk just until combined.
- In a small bowl, combine all of the streusel ingredients with a fork until crumbly. Pour one third of the batter into your prepared pan, then sprinkle half of the streusel on top. Add another third of the batter and then the rest of the streusel. Finally, add the remaining batter.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping, then sprinkle over the top of your batter. Place in the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until it is golden brown and springs back when touched gently in the center. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs attached. Let cool on a wire rack before removing from the pan and serving.
Notes
- Serve while warm for the best texture and flavor. Baked and cooled loaves will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 3-5 days. Try it sliced, toasted, and spread with butter!
- This bread freezes well. Allow it to cool, then wrap with plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag (or wrap with aluminum foil over the plastic wrap. Thaw completely at room temperature, then warm in a low oven (250-30 degrees F.) before serving.
- Feel free to substitute the whole milk with your favorite milk or milk substitute!
- This recipe works well with gluten free all-purpose flour, such as Measure for Measure flour by King Arthur Baking.
