Cinnamon Donut Bread Recipe

I reimagined the classic cinnamon donut as a marbled loaf threaded with a cinnamon-sugar ribbon and finished with a glossy glaze in my Doughnut Bread Recipe, and I share a pantry trick that creates the signature swirl.

I never meant to recreate a drive-thru favorite at home but this Cinnamon Donut Bread does exactly that. It keeps the punchy cinnamon-sugar charm yet lands in a loaf you can slice, share, and then hide a piece in the pantry cause you forgot to offer it to guests.

I used good old all-purpose flour and a generous helping of ground cinnamon to get those marbled, donut-like streaks through each bite. Call it a Doughnut Bread Recipe if you want.

Something about the scent makes you pause and ask, did I just bake my favorite donut again or maybe twice.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour gives structure and carbs, little fiber, and not much protein
• White sugar fuels sweetness and caramelization, but adds empty calories, mainly carbs dont help nutrition
• Brown sugar adds moisture and a deeper sweet, tiny molasses trace, more complex flavor
• Butter brings richness and tender crumb, high in saturated fat and calories its tasty
• Eggs bind and add protein, help rise, yolks add fat and boost flavor
• Cinnamon gives warm spice and aroma, almost no calories, may help blood sugar
• Milk adds moisture and some protein helps batter mix smooth, adds calcium and softness

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 250 g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (about 200 g)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter, melted and divided
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2/3 cup milk (160 ml), room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (for the swirl)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for coating)
• 1 cup powdered sugar (optional glaze)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk (for glaze)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for glaze)

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment if you want easy removal; melt the 1/2 cup butter and set aside, youll use it in parts.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt until evenly mixed.

3. In another bowl whisk 2 large eggs, 2/3 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla, then stir in about half of the melted butter (reserve the rest for the swirl and brushing).

4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and gently fold until just combined; dont overmix or the bread will be tough. The batter should be thick but pourable.

5. Make the cinnamon swirl by mixing 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar with 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon and a few tablespoons of the reserved melted butter until crumbly and spreadable.

6. Layer the batter into the pan: spoon in about half the batter, sprinkle half the cinnamon swirl mixture, add the rest of the batter, then drop the remaining swirl on top and run a knife through a few times to marble it. Its ok if it looks messy.

7. Bake at 350°F for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs but no raw batter. If the top browns too fast, tent with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes.

8. Right after the loaf comes out, let it sit 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a rack. Brush the warm loaf with the remaining melted butter, then toss together 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and press or sprinkle it all over the top and sides while still warm so it sticks.

9. If you want the optional glaze, whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the loaf after it has cooled a little (if you glaze when too hot it will run off).

10. Let the loaf rest until mostly cool so it slices cleanly, then cut thick slices and enjoy. Tip: dont skip lining the pan if you want perfect edges, and warm slices coated in cinnamon sugar are basically impossible to resist.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 9×5 inch loaf pan, greased and optionally lined with parchment for easy removal
3. Two mixing bowls (one large for dry, one medium for wet)
4. Whisk (for dry and wet mixes)
5. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, sugars, milk, cinnamon, etc)
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon (for folding the batter)
7. Small bowl and spoon (to mix the cinnamon swirl)
8. Sharp knife or skewer (to marble the swirl and check doneness with a toothpick)
9. Pastry brush and a cooling rack (brush on butter then cool so it slices clean)

FAQ

Cinnamon Donut Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour
  • Gluten free all purpose blend, same weight as the flour called for, as long as it contains xanthan gum. Works great for GF baking.
  • Cake flour for a lighter, softer crumb. Use the same volume or make it by replacing 2 tablespoons of each cup of AP with cornstarch.
  • Whole wheat pastry flour swap up to half the AP flour for nuttier flavor and more fiber. You may need a splash more milk.
• Unsalted butter (melted)
  • Salted butter, same amount; reduce the recipe salt by about 1/4 teaspoon.
  • Neutral oil like vegetable or canola, use 6 tablespoons in place of 1/2 cup butter. Keeps the loaf moist.
  • Coconut oil, same volume, will give a mild coconut note and a tender crumb.
• Eggs
  • Flax egg each egg equals 1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes until gelled. Good binder for vegans.
  • Applesauce use 1/4 cup per egg for moisture. Mashed banana also works but adds banana flavor.
  • Commercial egg replacer follow package directions, usually works fine in quick breads.
• Milk
  • Buttermilk or plain yogurt thinned to milk consistency, same volume, adds tang and makes the crumb tender.
  • Plant milks like almond, oat or soy, use same amount for a dairy free swap.
  • Evaporated milk diluted with equal parts water, use same total volume for a slightly richer batter.

Pro Tips

1) Bring the eggs, milk and butter to room temp before mixing. Cold eggs or milk can make the batter seize and give you a dense loaf, so if you forgot, sit eggs in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes and let milk warm a bit on the counter.

2) Fold gently and stop when you still see a few streaks of flour, dont overwork it. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the bread tough, so use a spatula and lift/fold rather than vigorous stirring.

3) Get the swirl texture right so it doesnt sink into the loaf. If your cinnamon mixture is too runny add a tablespoon of flour or a bit more brown sugar to make it crumbly, or chill it 3 to 5 minutes so it firms up; dollop in several spots and only swirl a couple times so you get ribbons not a heavy concrete patch.

4) For perfect crust and clean slices: press the cinnamon-sugar onto the warm loaf so it sticks, but wait until the loaf is just warm not piping hot before you glaze or the glaze will run off. For neat slices chill the cooled loaf 15 to 30 minutes in the fridge and cut with a serrated knife, wiping the blade between cuts.