Gluten free cinnamon swirl bread is laced with ribbons of cinnamon sugar and baked to golden perfection with a sweet, crackly crust on top. It's perfect with morning coffee or toasted with a slather of butter.
Cinnamon swirl bread delivers all the comforts of a classic cinnamon loaf—the buttery crumb, the fragrant spice, plus a cozy swirl of cinnamon sugar—turned into a quick bread package. There's no yeast or proofing needed here; in about an hour, you'll have a fragrant, warm pan of sweet bread to slice into that will satisfy any snacking needs. And, it's gluten-free! Like my cinnamon-forward gluten free donut muffins and gluten free cinnamon muffins, this is a truly special recipe.
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Why I Love This Easy Quick Bread
This luscious cinnamon bread is a coconut oil-based loaf enriched with eggs and whole milk for a soft, tender crumb. The thick, silky batter comes together in minutes. Then it needs just a simple layering plus a gentle knife drag through the batter to create marbled ribbons of spice. The result? A cake-like loaf with a golden crust and a tender interior, delicately spiced but never overwhelming. Here's why I love this recipe:
- Great any time. This is the kind of bread that works any time of day, though I'm partial to it on a foggy morning with a steaming hot cup of coffee. Cut thick slices, give them a light toasting, then slick them with butter. Or nibble on a slice when the rest of the house is sleeping.
- Keeps well. This bread keeps well, wrapped tightly, though it rarely lasts long enough to be tested. And if it does? A quick reheat in the oven revives it beautifully.
- Gorgeous texture. This gluten free bread stars a buttery, tender crumb with plenty of cinnamon sugar that melts into the batter, leaving pockets of caramelized spice.
- So simple. I love how easy this bread is to make! Unlike a yeasted cinnamon bread, you don't have to deal with proofing, rising, or waiting.
Ingredient Notes
Here's a list of all of the ingredients needed to make this recipe. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!
- Cinnamon sugar - Make it yourself with ½ cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon.
- Gluten free flour - I used my homemade gluten-free flour mix to make this loaf, and you can use your favorite 1:1 gluten free flour of choice.
- Rising agents - Baking powder and baking soda.
- Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt is fine.
- Egg - A large or extra-large egg at room temperature is best.
- Granulated sugar
- Coconut oil - You can use either refined or unrefined sugar. For a richer note, use melted unsalted butter.
- Sour cream - I like full or low-fat sour cream or try plain Greek yogurt.
- Milk - Use whole milk for richness.
Variations To Try
- Try another spice - Make this into a ginger swirl or cardamom swirl bread by substituting your favorite ground spice for the cinnamon.
- Make it dairy-free - Substitute dairy-free milk and sour cream.
- Add nuts - Fold ½ cup of chopped, toasted walnuts into the batter before you layer it in the pan.
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Use a light hand when swirling the cinnamon sugar and the batter so that the sugar doesn't totally dissolve. And, note that the batter is quite thick so you will need to carefully spread and stretch it out in the pan. I like to use an offset spatula or a butter knife.
- Prep: Grease a standard-size loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Make batter: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Separately, whisk together the egg, sugar, oil, sour cream, and milk.
- Combine: Stir together the wet ingredients and dry ingredients.
- Assemble: Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth it gently.
- Add cinnamon and sugar: Sprinkle most of the cinnamon sugar over the batter. the rest evenly over the batter layer.
- Swirl: Top with remaining batter, then swirl the batter.
- Finish: Sprinkle the top of the loaf with the rest of the cinnamon sugar.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour, until a tester comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.
Baking Tip: To Glaze or Not to Glaze
Up the ante by making a sweet vanilla glaze! Combine ½ cup sifted powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1-2 tablespoons of milk and whisk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf for a bakery-style finish.
Substitution Suggestions & Tips
- Don’t overmix. The key to a tender crumb is using a light hand when stirring. Once the dry ingredients meet the wet, stir just until combined. A few streaks of flour are better than a dense loaf.
- The right swirl technique. Drag a butter knife or skewer through the batter in gentle, fluid motions. Too much swirling will blend the cinnamon in completely; too little leaves it in harsh layers. The goal is a marbled effect that seems effortless but intentional.
- Let it cool. The scent of cinnamon bread is nearly impossible to resist, but slicing too soon can lead to a crumb that crumbles apart, especially because this is a gluten-free quick bread. The instructions say to cool the bread for 1 hour; try to make it til at least 30 minutes so that the crumb can fully set.
- Rest the batter. Like all gluten-free bakes, resting the batter for 20 minutes, or while the oven preheats, allows the flour to fully hydrate, leading to a softer crumb.
Proper Storage
- Counter - Wrapped tightly, this bread stays soft for 3 days at room temperature.
- Fridge - Place the loaf in a plastic bag or airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - For longer storage, freeze individual slices in a freezer-safe bag and toast them straight from the freezer.
More Gluten Free Cinnamon Recipes
If you try this gluten-free cinnamon swirl bread recipe, please let me know! And if you have any questions, always feel free to reach out in the comments or by email. I hope you love it! ❤️
Gluten Free Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cinnamon sugar ½ cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 ¾ cups gluten free flour 250 grams
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup coconut oil melted
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅔ cup whole milk
Instructions
- Grease a standard-size loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Cinnamon Swirl: Mix the ½ cup granulated sugar and ground cinnamon together2 ¾ cups gluten free flour
- Whisk the 2 ¾ cups gluten free flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the 1 large egg and ¾ cup granulated sugar together until combined. Whisk in the ⅓ cup coconut oil, ⅓ cup sour cream, and ⅔ cup whole milk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then whisk to completely combine.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth it gently with a rubber spatula or offset spatula. Save about 2 tablespoons out of the ¼ cup cinnamon sugar, then sprinkle the rest evenly over the batter layer. Carefully pour and spread the remaining batter evenly on top of the cinnamon sugar. Use a knife to make a large swirl down and through the loaf pan. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with the rest of the cinnamon sugar.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and rest the batter while it heats, then bake the bread for 55-65 minutes. Cover the top loosely with foil if it looks like it's over-browning. Check the bread at 55 minutes, and keep checking it until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Transfer the baked loaf to a wire rack and let it cool in the pan for 1 hour, then turn out the bread to let it cool completely.
Notes
- Don’t overmix. The key to a tender crumb is using a light hand when stirring. Once the dry ingredients meet the wet, stir just until combined. A few streaks of flour are better than a dense loaf.
- The right swirl technique. Drag a butter knife or skewer through the batter in gentle, fluid motions. Too much swirling will blend the cinnamon in completely; too little leaves it in harsh layers. The goal is a marbled effect that seems effortless but intentional.
- Let cool. The scent of cinnamon bread is nearly impossible to resist, but slicing too soon can lead to a crumb that crumbles apart, especially because this is a gluten-free quick bread. The instructions say to cool the bread for 1 hour; try to make it til at least 30 minutes so that the crumb can fully set.
- Rest the batter. Like all gluten-free bakes, resting the batter for 20 minutes, or while the oven preheats, allows the flour to fully hydrate, leading to a softer crumb.
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