Cinnamon Swirl Bread

This cinnamon swirl bread is stuffed with cinnamon filling, twisted, baked, and topped with a crunchy cinnamon brown sugar mix. It is the perfect indulgent breakfast for a weekend or holiday brunch! Make this with einkorn flour or any all-purpose wheat.

We love cinnamon around here. From homemade einkorn cinnamon rolls to cinnamon roasted almonds, and everything in between, it’s a favorite! So, when my son asked for cinnamon bread, this cinnamon swirl bread was a must-make!

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

If you ever made cinnamon toast as a kid, toasted, slathered in butter with a thick layer of cinnamon sugar, that’s exactly the experience this bread captures. Warm bread, with a buttery, crunchy topping, and a deep cinnamon flavor!

It’s a great recipe for kids and adults alike! It freezes really well too, so I like to make several loaves at a time, slice them, and freeze them for later. That allows us to have a few slices at a time, without feeling the need to eat the whole loaf quickly!

However… my husband and son would be happy to eat a whole loaf at a time! Ha!

Ingredients

While the printable recipe may appear to have many ingredients, the filling and the glaze contain the same ingredients, just repeated! The full measurements are available on the printable recipe card at the end of the post, but I wanted to go over the ingredients and any possible substitutions quickly!

• Milk – Any type of milk, dairy or plant-based, will work just as well in this recipe.
• Yeast – We like to use instant yeast most of the time, but you can also use dry active yeast in equal measure if that’s what you have. Just add the dry active yeast to the warm milk, mix in the sugar, and let it sit for 5 minutes before continuing with the rest of the recipe.
• Sugar – We use panela or raw cane sugar, but any granulated sugar will work just fine!
• Butter – Salted or unsalted will work just as well, so use what you have.
• Egg – A whole egg is called for, however, you can use 1/4 cup of yogurt (Greek or other) instead.
• Salt – A dough conditioner, don’t skip!
• Powdered Ginger and Apple Cider Vinegar – These both help strengthen the weak gluten bonds in the einkorn dough. If you aren’t using einkorn, you can skip them if you want. They are optional in einkorn baking as well, but they do produce a significant change in the finished product.
• Flour – We use all-purpose einkorn flour, but you can use any all-purpose flour you have.
• Brown Sugar – Light or dark brown sugar both work well, or you can make your own homemade brown sugar (this is what I do) if you don’t have any on hand.
• Cinnamon – Any powdered cinnamon will work, but we are partial to roasted Saigon cinnamon!

Instructions

If you’ve ever made cinnamon rolls, the process is similar! Check out the steps before you dive in and then get to it!

1. Prep – Melt the butter over low heat until just melted, set aside to cool. Heat the milk and water over low heat to 115°F. Pay attention to not overheat it!
2. Combine – Add the yeast, sugar, egg, salt, powdered ginger, and flour to the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the milk and mix on low with a dough hook. Add the butter and apple cider vinegar once the flour starts to combine. Mix for 10 minutes on low, scraping the sides and bottom several times to ensure all the flour is mixed in.
3. Rise – Grease a mixing bowl, transfer the dough to the greased bowl, and cover. Rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours in a warm place.
4. Shape – On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a roughly 12×12-inch square. Evenly smear the filling butter over the surface. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling together and spread it over the butter/dough. Roll the dough into a tight log and place it seam-side down. Use a serrated knife to slice lengthwise down the log and twist the pieces around each other (see photo) 2-3 times. Carefully pick the twisted log up and place it in a greased bread pan.
5. Second Rise – Allow to rise for 30 minutes, uncovered in a warm place. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F
6. Top – Melt the topping butter, add the brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well and spoon evenly over the top of the risen bread.
7. Bake – Add the bread pan to the center rack of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the bread is 185°F in the middle. You can also tap the top of the bread to test doneness and it will sound hollow once ready to remove!
8. Cool and Slice – Let the bread rest in the pan for about 15 minutes before tipping it out onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool as long as possible before slicing!

Even More Breakfast Ideas

These breakfast recipes are the perfect go-along recipes for this cinnamon swirl bread!

• Easy Vegetable Frittata
• How to Make Bacon in the Oven
• Homemade Frozen Hashbrowns

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