Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread
The smell of cinnamon swirl bread baking is pure comfort, filling your kitchen with warmth and sweetness. This recipe yields a soft, moist loaf with a bold cinnamon-sugar swirl that makes every slice a treat. Whether you’re toasting it for breakfast, enjoying it with coffee, or using it for French toast, this bread is sure to delight. After fine-tuning this recipe, I’m excited to share a version that’s flavorful, foolproof, and fits perfectly in a 9×5-inch pan. We’ve also streamlined the yeast process—whether you use active dry or instant yeast, you’ll dissolve it in warm milk to ensure it’s fresh and to create a smooth dough. Let’s bake!
Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Perfect Texture: A slightly wet, tender dough bakes into a fluffy, moist loaf.
- Bold Cinnamon Swirl: A generous filling delivers sweet, spicy flavor in every bite.
- Versatile: Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or gifting.
- Yeast-Friendly: Works with active dry or instant yeast, with a simple dissolving step for both.
Using Active Dry Yeast vs. Instant Yeast
Both active dry yeast and instant yeast produce a beautifully risen loaf, but they differ slightly in preparation. For simplicity and to ensure your yeast is fresh, we recommend dissolving both types in warm milk before mixing. Here’s what you need to know:
- Active Dry Yeast: This yeast requires activation in warm liquid to wake it up. Dissolving it in warm milk (90-110°F/32-43°C) with a pinch of sugar creates a foamy mixture in 5-10 minutes, confirming it’s alive and ready. This step also ensures a smooth dough without graininess.
- Instant Yeast: Also called rapid-rise or quick-rise yeast, instant yeast doesn’t need activation and can be mixed directly with flour. However, to avoid a grainy dough texture and to check that it’s fresh, we suggest dissolving it in warm milk (105-110°F/40-43°C) with a pinch of sugar, just like active dry yeast. It may foam slightly in 5-10 minutes, confirming it’s active, and dissolves fully for a smoother dough. Instant yeast rises a bit faster, so expect shorter rise times (45-60 minutes for the first rise, 20-30 minutes for the second).
- Why Dissolve Both? Dissolving the yeast in warm milk ensures it’s evenly distributed, prevents graininess (especially with instant yeast), and lets you confirm the yeast is alive before proceeding. Use milk at 105-110°F to help the yeast dissolve without overheating (above 120°F/49°C can kill yeast). This simple step keeps the process reliable and produces a silky dough.
TIP: Always check the expiration date on your yeast. If it doesn’t foam after 10 minutes in warm milk with sugar, it may be expired—grab a fresh packet to ensure a good rise!
Tips for Success
- Milk Temperature: Use a thermometer to hit 90-110°F for active dry yeast or 110-120°F for instant yeast to dissolve the yeast and ensure a smooth dough. Too hot (above 110°F for active dry, 130°F for instant) can kill the yeast.
- Yeast Check: Foaming in the milk confirms your yeast is alive. No foam after 10 minutes means it’s expired—use a fresh packet.
- Dough Consistency: The dough should be slightly wet but not sticky when poked. Add flour sparingly to maintain moisture.
- Gentle Rolling: Roll gently without stretching to keep layers even and prevent filling leaks.
- Add-Ins: Try 1/4 cup raisins or chopped pecans in the filling for extra texture.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze slices for up to a month.
What to Avoid: A Bad Loaf of Swirl Bread
One common mistake can turn your beautiful cinnamon swirl bread into a bit of a mess: stretching the dough while rolling. When you roll out the dough to an 8×16-inch or 8×18-inch rectangle and then stretch it as you roll it into a log, the dough layers can thin out, causing the cinnamon-sugar filling to split and leak out of the loaf during baking. The result? A loaf with an uneven swirl, messy edges, and filling oozing outside the pan, as shown in the photos below.
To avoid this, roll the dough gently to your desired size, keeping even pressure, and avoid tugging or pulling as you form the log. After spreading the melted butter and cinnamon-sugar filling, roll tightly but carefully, pinching the seam and ends to seal. This ensures an intact, beautiful swirl, like the one in this photo.
By following the gentle rolling technique in the recipe below, you’ll get a loaf that’s as stunning as it is delicious!
Ready to Bake?
This cinnamon swirl bread is a cozy, crowd-pleasing treat that’s easy to make with either active dry or instant yeast. Dissolving the yeast in warm milk ensures a smooth dough and confirms your yeast is ready to shine. Share your baking results, add-ins, or thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Happy baking!
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled 469g
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar 65g
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast or instant yeast
- 1 cup warm milk (90-110°F/32-43°C for active dry yeast; 110-120°F/43-49°C for instant yeast) 240g
- 3 Tbsp salted butter, melted 42g
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon Swirl Filling
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed 65g
- 1 ½ Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp salted butter, melted 42g
Instructions
Dissolve the Yeast
- For active dry yeast: In a small bowl, combine warm milk (90-110°F/32-43°C), a pinch of sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir gently and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy, confirming the yeast is active.
- For instant yeast: In a small bowl, combine warm milk (110-120°F/43-49°C), a pinch of sugar, and instant yeast. Stir gently and let sit for 5-10 minutes until slightly foamy and fully dissolved, ensuring freshness and a smooth dough.
Make the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt.
- Add the yeast-milk mixture, melted salted butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until a soft, slightly wet dough forms. It should be tacky but not stick to your fingers when poked.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface (or in a stand mixer with a dough hook) for 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If too sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time (up to 2-3 tablespoons), keeping the dough soft.
- First Rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1.5 hours for active dry yeast or 45-60 minutes for instant yeast.
- Prepare the Filling: In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and butter. Set aside.
- Shape the Bread: Punch down the dough, smooth it out and place the smooth size down on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough into an 8×16-inch or 8×18-inch rectangle.
- Using a spatula, spread the filling mixture over the rolled dough
- Starting from the 8-inch side, roll tightly into a log, being careful not to stretch the dough to prevent thinning or swirl leakage. Pinch the seam and ends to seal.
- Second Rise: Place the log seam-side down in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan (it will fit snugly). Cover and let rise until it just reaches the pan’s rim, about 30-45 minutes for active dry yeast or 20-30 minutes for instant yeast.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C). Tent with foil after 25 minutes if browning too quickly.
- Finish: Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Serve: Slice when completely cooled. Enjoy plain, toasted, or with butter.
Notes
- Milk Temperature: Use a thermometer for accuracy—90-110°F for active dry yeast, 110-120°F for instant yeast. Too hot (above 110°F for active dry, 130°F for instant) can kill yeast. Milk should feel warm, not hot.
- Yeast Check: Foaming in the milk confirms yeast is active. No foam after 10 minutes means it’s expired—use a fresh packet.
- Dough Consistency: Dough should be slightly wet but not sticky when poked. Add flour sparingly to keep it moist.
- Gentle Rolling: Roll gently without stretching to maintain even layers and prevent filling leaks.
- Add-Ins: Add 1/4 cup raisins or chopped pecans to the filling for extra texture.
- Preventing Gaps: To reduce gaps in the swirl, roll tightly and press the cinnamon-sugar into the butter before rolling.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze slices for up to 1 month. Toast frozen slices directly.
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