If you've never enjoyed a warm slice of cinnamon roll bread, you're really missing out. Eat it plain or enjoy a thick slice, lightly toasted and finished with a smear of butter. You can even use it to make French toast! Perfect alongside coffee or tea, it serves as a quick breakfast or a sweet snack. If you love cinnamon, this bread is basically heaven in every bite!
Pair with us Homemade cinnamon butter Cinnamon or ours for an extra burst honey butter For a little extra sweetness.
Why our recipe?
- The best pillow soft interior paired with the perfect cinnamon swirl.
- A grown up take on the classic cinnamon sugar toast.
- Includes tips for preparing by hand, with a stand mixer, or overnight.
Cinnamon roll bread is the grown-up version of cinnamon sugar toast. We have fond memories of sprinkling lots of cinnamon and sugar on buttered toast as kids. We've taken our tried and true homemade bread and added a cinnamon swirl. Instead of sprinkling cinnamon sugar on top, it's baked directly into the bread, creating a stunning swirl pattern. It's still amazing on toast with a pat of butter or as a base for very fancy French toast!
Material notes
- Warm milk (100-110°F): It should feel warm to the touch, like a baby's bath water. Whole or 2% milk works well, but milk substitutes can also be used.
- sugar: Regular white granulated sugar is all you need here.
- Instant dry yeast: This yeast does not require proofing, making the process faster. If using active dry yeast, allow an additional 10-15 minutes of rise time.
- All-purpose flour: Bread flour also works great and gives a bit of a nice chewy crumb.
- butter: Both salted and unsalted butter will work. You will need melted butter for the dough and room temperature butter for the cinnamon sugar swirl to make it easier to spread.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works, with darker brown sugar adding a richer flavor.
- Ground cinnamon: The star ingredient that brings all the warm, comforting scents!
Don't have a stand mixer? No problem!
You don't need a stand mixer to make cinnamon roll bread—it's easy to make by hand! Start by mixing the ingredients in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Once the dough is too stiff to stir, switch to mixing with your hands. Then, knead the dough by hand on a clean countertop for about 5 minutes until smooth. All you have to do is knead the dough until all the ingredients are combined and a dough ball is formed that is smooth and elastic and slightly hard to the touch.
Glass and metal conduct heat differently which means they bake bread differently. A glass loaf pan will produce a softer, less crispy crust. A metal bread pan, especially a dark metal bread pan, will produce a crispier crust that is dark brown in color.
The perfect vortex
Roll tight: When rolling the dough into a log, keep it tight but not stretched. A loose roll can create rolling gaps, while a roll that is too tight can prevent the bread from rising properly.
Leave a border: Spread the cinnamon sugar evenly over the dough, but leave a ½-inch border on one of the long edges. This helps seal the dough and prevents the filling from spilling out during baking.
Even pressure while rolling: As you roll the dough, apply gentle, even pressure to maintain an even thickness throughout the loaf.
Seal the seal: Pinch the seams and roll the ends to seal firmly. If needed, you can use some water along the edges to help it stick.
Overnight instructions
You can prepare your dough and shape it into two loaves the night before baking and let it slowly finish in the fridge. Be sure to cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. In the morning, take the loaves out of the fridge, remove the plastic wrap and let them sit at room temperature while you preheat your oven.
Storage and freezing instructions
shop Leftovers for 2-3 days in an airtight container or bread box.
Freeze a whole loaf By wrapping tightly in a freezer-safe resealable plastic bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature overnight.
