There’s nothing more comforting than the smell of freshly baked cinnamon swirl bread filling your kitchen. With its soft, buttery crumb and a sweet cinnamon graham cracker filling, this homemade loaf is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat with coffee. Unlike store-bought versions, this recipe is made completely from scratch with simple pantry staples, and the swirl ensures every slice is filled with warm cinnamon flavor.
Heather’s Notes
- This bread makes your home smell like a bakery thanks to the cinnamon-sugar swirl.
- The crushed graham crackers in the filling add a subtle crunch and toasty sweetness you won’t find in traditional cinnamon breads.
- It’s freezer-friendly, so you can bake a loaf now and save one for later.
- Perfect for French toast or bread pudding if you have leftovers (you probably won’t!).
- A showstopper loaf that’s great for gifting during the holidays.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- Bread flour – Provides strength and chewiness for a perfect rise.
- Yeast – Use active dry yeast or instant yeast for a fluffy, well-risen bread.
- Sugar – Feeds the yeast and adds just a touch of sweetness.
- Unsalted butter – Softened for richness and a tender crumb.
- Egg – Adds structure and flavor to the dough.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the overall flavor with warmth.
- Almond extract – Just a small amount deepens the flavor and adds a unique twist.
For the Cinnamon Filling:
- Sugar – Creates the sweet base for the swirl.
- Ground cinnamon – The star spice that gives this bread its signature flavor.
- Crushed graham crackers – Add texture and a caramelized flavor that pairs beautifully with cinnamon.
Substitutions & Variations
- Flour – Swap bread flour for all-purpose flour, though the loaf may be slightly less chewy.
- Butter – Use salted butter if needed but reduce added salt elsewhere.
- Extracts – Replace almond extract with maple extract for a cozy twist.
- Filling – Add chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) to the cinnamon mixture for extra crunch.
- Glaze – Drizzle with a simple powdered sugar glaze for added sweetness and presentation.
How to Make
- Activate the yeast: Warm water and sugar help the yeast bloom until foamy.
- Mix the dough: Combine bread flour, butter, egg, vanilla, and almond extract with the yeast mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Knead and rise: Knead until smooth, then let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
- Prepare the filling: Stir sugar, cinnamon, and crushed graham crackers together.
- Shape the loaf: Roll the dough into a rectangle, sprinkle evenly with the filling, then roll tightly into a log. Place seam-side down in a greased loaf pan.
- Final rise: Allow the shaped loaf to rise again until puffy.
- Bake: Bake until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. Cool slightly before slicing to reveal the beautiful swirl.
Tips for Storing
- Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For longer storage, freeze slices individually in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months.
- Reheat frozen slices in the toaster or oven for a just-baked taste.
- Avoid storing in the refrigerator, as it can dry out the bread more quickly.
FAQs
Be sure to roll the dough tightly and press it gently as you shape the loaf. Brushing the dough lightly with butter before adding the filling can help it stick.
Yes, but use half whole wheat and half all-purpose or bread flour for the best texture. 100% whole wheat will make the bread denser.
Tap the top of the loaf. If it sounds hollow, it’s done. You can also use an instant-read thermometer; the inside should register around 190°F.
Yes. Prepare the loaf up to the final rise, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bake the next morning for fresh bread.
Absolutely. This bread freezes well, so baking two loaves is a great idea.
More Recipes We Love
- Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Cheesy Cajun Chex Mix
- S’mores Martini
- One Bowl Banana Bread
- Red, White & Blue Ice Cream Sandwiches
Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 4 ½ cups bread flour, plus more as needed
- 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract, optional
For the Filling
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 graham crackers, crushed into crumbs (optional)
- nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
ON PREP DAY
- Combine all of the dough ingredients and knead by hand (mix first in a large bowl, then turn out and knead) or in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment until the dough is elastic.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour in a warm place.
- Meanwhile, combine the filling ingredients in a small bowl. Spray two 8×4-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.
- Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, on a floured surface, pat the dough into a rough square, then use a rolling pin to roll the dough to a rectangle about 8 x 16 inches.
- Sprinkle half of the cinnamon filling onto the dough rectangle, leaving about an inch uncovered on one of the short sides. Use the rolling pin to lightly press the mixture into the dough. Starting at the short side opposite the uncovered end, roll the dough, jellyroll style. When you reach the opposite side, pinch the dough to seal the seam, then pinch the ends of the roll closed as well. Place the finished dough in one of the prepared baking pans, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap or place in a large bag and tie the end closed.
- Prepare the second half of the dough in the same way.
- Cover the pans with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight or up to 24 hours.
ON BAKING DAY
- Remove the pans from the refrigerator and heat the oven to 350º F.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the pans and bake the loaves until they are nicely browned and the internal temperature reads 190º F, on an instant-read thermometer (about 35-45 min); make sure you test in the dough and not in the filling. Turn out the bread from the pans and let cool on a rack before slicing.
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Notes
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.
Did you try this recipe?
Please Leave a Review & Star Rating!Donna’s Book, Make Ahead Bread, is available for sale on Amazon. If you’d like an autographed copy, you can order one from Barbed Wire Books.
You can find Donna on her blog, Cookistry, or on Facebook and Twitter.
Farmgirl Gourmet came to fruition in 2006 on a whim to keep our family in the loop on what we were doing with our 120 year old farmstead. Each post was an apology for taking 6 months or more to write something. It wasn’t long after I had jumped in that I received a note that I had been chosen to work on Emeril Lagasse’s latest cookbook “Sizzling Skillets & Other One Pot Wonders” and that I’d be working with 19 other bloggers from around the country. We worked fast and furious together for 3 weeks making Emeril’s recipes, tweeting with him, spreading the word about his book and, well, just having a great time collaborating together.
When it ended, there was this emptiness that followed, like closing the biggest deal of your life. That’s when it hit us. Let’s not let it end….let’s keep it going and Virtual Potluck was born.
You’re probably wondering why I’m going into great detail about Virtual Potluck, well this post today is dedicated to Donna Currie of Cookistry.com, who was one of the original 20 bloggers in Virtual Potluck, and has just released her first cookbook, Make Ahead Bread. With this amazingly beautiful book, there’s no way to say “I don’t have time to make bread” anymore. Each recipe has Day 1 and Day 2 instructions. It’s brilliant.
I chose to make Cinnamon Swirl Bread from Donna’s book as I am a huge fan of it with a big slather of butter! Me and bread are BFF’s forever. This bread was super easy to make by starting it the night before, then baking it the next day. So easy – and amazingly delicious.
Hi! I’m Heather
I’m Heather, a recipe developer and content creator based in Vancouver, Washington. I started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006 because I believed weeknight dinners shouldn’t be boring and gourmet shouldn’t mean complicated. I’m also the co-founder of Spiceology, so safe to say I think about food for a living. Stick around for recipes that actually make it into your regular rotation.
My favorite bread is sourdough. Thanks for a chance to win!!
I love Cinnamon Bread but will add raisins! Banana Nut Bread is neck and neck!
I love so many different breads, but one of my most favorites is cinnamon raisin bread!
Sourdough bread.
I like making no knead bread.
I’ve been making foccacia for months.
Banana nut bread is my favorite.
yum!
My favorite bread is French Bread. It’s so versatile. I can use it for nearly anything. Mostly though I just eat it with butter. Butter is good.
Banana Bread
I love a good soft warm bread with real butter. There is french bistro here that makes the BEST french bread with real creamy butter.
I love fresh French bread!
Love honey wheat bread & your cinnamon swirl!
i love frozen Ezekiel bread
Pumpernickel is my favorite type of bread.
I love any homemade bread. It tastes so much better than what you buy at the store!
my favorite bread is rye; but I’ve never tried to make it at home. long long ago I worked in a bakery called the Bread Basket and I made many loaves of bread and dozens of donuts, but since then I really don’t make bread at home, but I should, and if I win, I will 🙂
I like pumpernickle. Who am I, right?
Mexican style pan frances. It’s crunchy on the outside like a baguette but inside it’s very soft and tender.
I love potato bread 🙂
My Grandma’s banana bread. 🙂
No knead bread. It’s super simple to whip up and is delish!!! 🙂
I absolutely would love to try this! My favorite bread is banana chocolate chip bread!
This looks delicious
Cinnamon Rolls are my favorite!
I could really go for some cinnamon bread with my coffee right now!!
I love making Amish white bread 🙂
I found a recipe years back for Australian Damper bread. Has become one of our family favorites. I did recently find a recipe for Sheepherder’s Bread. Between the two, I’m not sure which bread I like better.
My friend makes a tasty jalapeño & cheese bread.
Sourdough!
love zucchini bread
Jalapeno Cheese bread is my favorite of all time!
Bread! ALL bread!! Yummmm!
Cinnamon raisin bread
Sweet hawaiian bread….made into french toast!
I make a cranberry orange bread and that’s my all-around favorite. I let it get stale and make french toast with it. Yum!
I love making fresh bread for the family and having that smell fill the house!!!
Sourdough is my favorite.
I love zucchini bread!!
I am a bread-a-holic! My favorite is this Irish wheat bread that I make with caraway seeds and raisins. Yum!
Cinnamon Raisin bread! Toast it up with a ton of butter. Heaven.
Love the the whole wheat roasted banana bread I make, this cinnamon bread looks delish I will have to try it.
Beer bread
I love Anadama bread
Sourdough! I could eat it all day everyday! However this cinnamon swirl bread looks absolutely amazing, and will be being made my next free weekend!
Wow, what a delicious looking loaf of bread and a fun giveaway too!
I just popped sourdough out of the oven but we also love rosemary foccacia.
looks fantastic! love cinnamon!
Garlic bread is my favorite.
Sourdough is my absolute favorite but making the perfect treat has been elusive. I’m on the hunt!
my favorite bread is semolina with sesame seeds
I almost made this for breakfast for my Thanksgiving houseguests, but decided to go with the Nutella Swirls instead. This recipe is definitely on my list to try.
Cinnamon is my favorite bread of all time
So great to work with you again Spice Girl! As always your photos are drool worthy and story post so inviting! Have a great holiday season and Merry Christmas to you and your family!