Julie Clark
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Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Icing
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Take a simple white bread dough recipe and turn it into a sweet cinnamon swirl bread with vanilla glaze. It’s a new take on our popular cinnamon roll recipe!
This cinnamon swirl bread features a soft homemade bread, a thick cinnamon filling in every bite, and a simple vanilla glaze on top. It’s the kind of loaf that doesn’t last long once it’s sliced. Short on time? Try our cinnamon swirl quick bread or cinnamon roll coffee cake.
The Secret to a Smooth Cinnamon Swirl in Homemade Bread
Cinnamon swirl bread holds a lot of memories for me. When I was younger, my grandma used to take us to a restaurant in Michigan that served the best cinnamon swirl bread with frosting. I’m pretty sure I filled up on bread alone every time we went.
For a long time, making a homemade version sat on my must-do list. I finally took my mom’s tried-and-true country white bread recipe and turned it into this cinnamon swirl loaf. So this recipe reminds me of both my mom and my grandma, which makes it extra special to me. A two-for-one in the memory department.
Here’s the one thing that really sets this bread apart: powdered sugar in the filling.
Powdered sugar absorbs moisture as the bread bakes, which gives you a soft, smooth cinnamon swirl instead of a grainy one. Granulated sugar will work, but powdered sugar melts into the bread and keeps that cinnamon sugar swirl gooey. Once you try it this way, it’s hard to go back.
You may also like our milk bread recipe, cinnamon roll pancakes, cinnamon crunch braided bread and vanilla buttercream.
Love raisins? Try our cinnamon raisin bread recipe!
Enjoy! -Julie
Ingredient Notes
- Bread Flour: Although all-purpose flour will work in this recipe, bread flour gives the bread a little more structure.
- Egg White: Egg white is brushed over the rolled dough to help the filling stick and melt into the bread as it bakes. This helps prevent gaps in the layers.
- Powdered Sugar: This is the key ingredient in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. I use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar for a smoother texture.
- Cinnamon & Vanilla: These give the swirl its classic flavor without overpowering the cinnamon swirl bread itself.
- Heavy Cream: Used in the glaze for a richer finish. Milk works too, but cream gives it a little extra something.
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Take a buttermilk bread dough recipe and turn it into a sweet cinnamon swirl bread. Powdered sugar is our secret for a gooey cinnamon swirl throughout.
Servings 10 servings
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Rise Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm water about 110-115ºF
- 3/4 cup 2% milk about 110-115ºF
- 1 packet instant yeast or active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 1/3 cups bread flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Cinnamon Filling:
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg white whisked
Frosting:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon salted butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Pour the warm water and milk in a stand mixer bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and give it about 3 minutes to become a frothy.½ cup warm water, ¾ cup 2% milk, 1 packet instant yeast
- Add the butter, sugar, flour and salt to the mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients until they are combined. Then take off the paddle attachment and replace it with the dough hook. Knead the dough on medium speed for about 5-7 minutes.2 tablespoons salted butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 3 ⅓ cups bread flour, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it. Let it rise in a warm space for about 30-45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Take the dough ball and roll it out in a rectangle on a floured surface. The rectangle should measure about 9" (or the length of your loaf pan) by about 18".
- In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Using a pastry brush, brush the whisked egg white over the rolled out dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar powder mixture on top of the dough. Roll the dough starting at the 9" end.¾ cup powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg white
- Place the dough roll in a greased 9×5 bread loaf pan seam side down. Cover the pan and allow the bread to rise for another 30-40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes, then let cool on a wire rack.
- While the bread is cooling, prepare the frosting. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla and cream. Whisk together until smooth, adding more cream if you'd like. Once the bread is mostly cool, spread or drizzle the frosting on the top of the bread.1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon salted butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream
Notes
- If you want a thicker glaze that sits on top, wait until the bread has cooled. If you like a glaze that melts and runs down the sides, spoon it on while the bread is still warm.
- If you want clean slices that hold their shape, let the loaf cool before cutting. The bread firms up slightly as it cools, making it much easier to slice neatly. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the bread.
- Once the bread has cooled completely, store it tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, wrap the loaf or individual slices well and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm slices gently before serving.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks. The calories shown are based on the bread being cut into 10 slices, with 1 serving being 1 slice of bread. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Serving: 117g | Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 335mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Bread: Step by Step
Confession. I typically use my bread machine to make bread dough. It’s just too easy! But if you don’t have a bread maker, it’s ok. This cinnamon swirl bread dough is easy to make in a stand mixer, or simply to knead by hand. I’ll feature the stand mixer method since that’s what most of the home bakers I hear from use.
Make the dough. Pour the warm water and milk in a stand mixer bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and give it about 3 minutes to become a frothy. Instant yeast doesn’t need to activate, but I like to let it froth a little just to ensure it is active.
Add the butter, sugar, flour and salt to the mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients until they are combined. Then take off the paddle attachment and replace it with the dough hook. Knead the dough on medium speed for about 5-7 minutes. Let the dough rise in a warm space for about 30-45 minutes.
Roll the dough. Take the dough ball and roll it out in a rectangle on a floured surface. The rectangle should measure about 9″ x 18″.
Layer the filling and roll. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Using a pastry brush, brush the whisked egg white over the rolled out dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar powder mixture on top of the dough. Roll the dough starting at the 9″ end.
Let the dough rise. Place the dough roll in the prepared pan seam side down. Cover the pan and allow the bread to rise for another 30-40 minutes.
Bake. Bake the cinnamon swirl bread for 40-45 minutes, then let cool on a wire rack.
Make the frosting. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla and cream. Whisk together until smooth, adding more cream if you’d like. Once the bread is mostly cool, spread or drizzle the frosting on the top of the cinnamon swirl bread.
how do you keep reg cinnamon rolls from drying out after baking?
I absolutely can’t wait to try this…!!! Do you think I could substitute 1 cup of liquid buttermilk for 1 cup of the water and 2 T dry buttermilk? I always have liquid buttermilk and haven’t been able to find the dry in the store. I didn’t know if there was an advantage to using dry? Thanks so much!!
My daughter (15 yrs) is baking this right now. Smells great! I think you have an extra step on the end of the recipes to print – # 15 doesn’t seem to belong.
It lookes so amazing and delicious
I love everything cinnamon! This looks amazingly good!
What a spectacular loaf! And the frosting pushes it over the top!!!
Yes, I just super YUMMMED this recipe! Thank you!
Super yum! Who needs the bakery when you’ve got this loaf?!
This looks absolutely beautiful and delicious
LOVE cinnamon swirl bread, definitely craving a slice right now after seeng these images!
Omg this looks amazing!! It is calling my name and I’m SO wishing I had the entire loaf beside me with my morning coffee. Yum!!
Yeast still scares me to this day! I’m so impressed by this delicious bread! Sounds like you had a tasty weekend!
I love that this reminds you of your grandma–nothing beats a recipe that evotes memories liket his!