If you love the warm, cinnamon-sugar goodness of homemade cinnamon rolls but don't always have the time to wait for yeasted dough to rise, this cinnamon roll quick bread is about to become a new favorite.
This tender, buttery loaf is swirled with brown sugar and cinnamon, then finished with a simple vanilla glaze that melts into all those little cinnamon swirls. It has all the flavors I love about a classic cinnamon roll, but without all the fuss, and honestly, I'm not mad about it!
Serve a slice with your morning coffee, add it to a weekend breakfast spread, or make a loaf to share with family and friends. For more sweet breakfast ideas, try our cinnamon swirl banana muffins or cranberry coffee cake recipes next!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- All the cinnamon flavor without the yeast. No kneading, rising, or waiting around for dough to cooperate.
- Plenty of cinnamon sugar flavor. Brown sugar and cinnamon are layered throughout the loaf for a little sweetness in every bite.
- Easy enough for a weekday morning. Mix, swirl, bake, and drizzle.
- Perfect with coffee. Especially when you're sitting around the kitchen table enjoying a slow morning.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the Cinnamon Swirl
- Granulated sugar. Add sweetness to the cinnamon mixture.
- Brown sugar. Gives the swirl a deeper, caramel-like flavor.
- Ground cinnamon. The star of the show!
For The Quick Bread
- All-purpose flour. Provides the structure for the loaf.
- Baking powder and baking soda. Help the bread rise and become light and tender.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness and brings out the other flavors.
- Granulated sugar. Sweetens the bread itself.
- Whole milk. Adds moisture and richness.
- Salted butter. Adds that rich, buttery flavor we all love in a cinnamon roll. Let it cool slightly after melting.
- Vegetable oil. Helps keep the bread extra moist.
- Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. Either works beautifully here and helps create a soft, tender crumb.
- Egg. Helps bind everything together and adds richness.
- Vanilla extract. Rounds out all those warm flavors.
For the Vanilla Glaze
- Powdered sugar. Creates the base of the sweet glaze.
- Milk. Thins the glaze to the perfect drizzling consistency.
- Salt. Just a tiny pinch helps balance the sweetness.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Quick Bread
Step 1. Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
Step 2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Step 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted and slightly cooled, butter, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, sugar, egg, and vanilla.
Step 4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently makes until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
Step 5. Pour half the batter into a greased 8-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle about ⅔ of the cinnamon mixture evenly over the batter. Spread the remaining batter over the cinnamon layer, then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon mixture over the top.
Step 6. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the cinnamon mixture through the batter. A few passes are all you need. You want those pretty ribbons of cinnamon rather than mixing it completely into the bread.
Step 7. Bake at 350°F for 5265 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
Step 8. While the bread cools, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and a small pinch of salt. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread and let it settle into all those cinnamon sugar ribbons.
Ashley's Tips for Success
- Do not overmix the batter. Once the wet and dry ingredients come together, mix just until you no longer see dry flour. Overmixing can make the bread dense.
- Let your melted butter cool slightly. You don't want hot butter going into your egg mixture. Slightly cooled melted butter is perfect.
- Use room temperature ingredients. The egg, milk, and Greek yogurt will incorporate more easily and help give you a nice, even batter.
- Do not over-swirl. A few gentle passes with a butter knife will give you beautiful cinnamon ribbons without completely blending the cinnamon mixture into the batter.
- Check your bread early. Baking times often vary depending on your oven and loaf pan. Start checking around the 50 minute mark.
Variations
- Add chopped pecans. For a little southern crunch, add finely chopped pecans to the cinnamon sugar mixture. The buttery pecans pair beautifully with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Add a cream cheese glaze. Swap the simple vanilla glaze for a cream cheese glaze for an even more classic cinnamon roll flavor.
- Add raisins. Love raisins in your cinnamon rolls? Sprinkle some into the cinnamon layer before adding the remaining batter.
Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
- Make-ahead: Cinnamon roll quick bread can't be baked a day ahead of time and stored tightly covered at room temperature. Wait until you're ready to serve before adding the glaze for the freshest presentation.
- To Store: Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or refrigerate for up to 7 days.
- To freeze: Wrap the glazed loaf tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight at room temperature, then glaze before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but the baking time will change. An 8-inch loaf pan gives you a nice tall loaf with plenty of room for those cinnamon layers.
Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. If you see wet batter, give it a little more time.
Some of the cinnamon mixture naturally settles into the bread as it bakes, and that's part of what gives you those delicious cinnamon ribbons. Make sure you're spreading the cinnamon mixture evenly rather than concentrating it in one spot.
Perfect Pairings
This cinnamon roll quick bread is made for a cup of coffee! Try serving thick slices alongside:
- Hot coffee with a splash of cream
- Pumpkin spice hot chocolate
- Chocolate cream cold brew
- Homemade hot apple cider
- Fresh fruit
- Scrambled eggs and bacon for a breakfast spread
Table Talk
Baking a fresh loaf of cinnamon roll quick bread as the air grows a little crisp and the leaves begin to change always makes me pause and think about God's faithfulness through every season.
How beautiful is it that every fall, the trees release what is old so new leaves can grow when spring comes back around? There's a lesson in that for us too. One thing I pray for often is that God would make me aware of the times and seasons He has me in. Scripture tells us there is a time for everything, a time to sew and a time to reap.
Then there are those seasons when we don't see much happening above the surface. But just like a seed beneath the soil, some of the most important work can be happening where we can't see it at all.
So as you enjoy this warm loaf this fall, I hope it serves as a gentle reminder to embrace the season God has you in, even when it feels quiet and you can't see the growth yet. God is still faithful, and He is still working.
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
2 Corinthians 9:6
If you tried this Cinnamon Roll Quick Bread or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Roll Quick Bread
Ingredients
Cinnamon Swirl
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Quick Bread
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup salted butter - melted and cooled slightly
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream - or sour cream
- 1 large egg - room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 - 3 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch loaf pan well, or line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang to make removing the bread easier.
- In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon until evenly combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt or sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Make sure the melted butter has cooled slightly before adding it.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently stir with a spatula or wooden spoon just until everything is combined and no large streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick.
- Spoon half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Sprinkle about two-thirds of the cinnamon mixture evenly over the batter.
- Carefully spoon the remaining batter over the cinnamon layer and spread it gently into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon mixture over the top.
- Insert a butter knife about halfway into the batter and gently make a few swirling motions through the loaf. Don't over-swirl-you want visible ribbons of cinnamon throughout the bread.
- Bake for 50-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil during the last 15-20 minutes.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- While the bread cools, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Add additional milk, a teaspoon at a time, until the glaze reaches your desired consistency.
- Once the bread has cooled, drizzle the vanilla glaze over the top. Slice and serve!
Notes
- Measure your flour correctly. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it with a knife rather than scooping directly from the bag. Too much flour can make quick bread dry.
- Don't overmix. Stir the batter just until the ingredients come together. A few small lumps are perfectly fine.
- Cool the butter. Hot melted butter can scramble the egg, so let it cool for a few minutes before mixing.
- Don't skip the cooling time. The bread continues to set as it cools, making it easier to slice without falling apart.
- Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Insert it into the very center of the loaf, where the cinnamon layers are thickest.
- Watch the top. Because this bread bakes for nearly an hour, tent it loosely with foil if the top is getting too dark before the center is finished.
- Store leftover cinnamon roll quick bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 7 days.
AB
So easy and delicious!