This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details.
This Amish Cinnamon Bread recipe is a simple, no-knead quick bread made with pantry staples – no starter required.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItTable of Contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Key Ingredients
Butter
Softened butter is creamed into the batter to give this bread its rich, tender crumb.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk adds a subtle tang and keeps the bread moist. Don’t have any on hand? A quick buttermilk substitute works perfectly here.
Cinnamon and sugar
The cinnamon-sugar mixture is what makes this recipe special. It gets layered into the batter and swirled through for that signature look and flavor in every slice.
Baking soda
Since this is a quick bread, baking soda does the leavening work – no yeast, no proofing, no waiting.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- butter – unsalted butter works fine; just be sure it’s softened. Margarine is not recommended as it can affect the texture.
- granulated sugar – you can substitute with an equal amount of cane sugar
- eggs – a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water) can work as a substitute
- vanilla extract – pure vanilla is preferred, but imitation vanilla works in a pinch
- buttermilk – substitute with whole milk plus 2 tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice, stirred and rested for 5 minutes. See the full buttermilk substitute guide for more options.
- all-purpose flour – for best results, stick with all-purpose. A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend can work, but it may slightly alter the texture.
- baking soda – do not substitute with baking powder; the ratio and reaction are different
Variations
- Stir 1 cup of cinnamon chips into the batter for an extra burst of cinnamon flavor
- Add 1 cup of chocolate chips for a fun twist – the combination is surprisingly delicious
- Mix in 1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for a little crunch (a reader favorite based on comments!)
- Use brown sugar in place of granulated sugar in the cinnamon-sugar topping for a deeper, more caramel-like swirl
- Add a simple powdered sugar glaze drizzled over the top once the bread cools for a sweeter finish
Tips for Best Results
- Make sure your butter is fully softened before creaming – cold butter won’t incorporate properly
- Don’t overmix once you add the flour and buttermilk; mix just until combined for a tender crumb
- Layer the cinnamon-sugar carefully – half the batter first, then three-quarters of the cinnamon mixture, then the rest of the batter, then the remaining cinnamon mixture on top
- Use a butter knife to swirl gently through the batter before baking – don’t overdo it
- Test for doneness with a toothpick near the center; it should come out clean
- Let the bread cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before turning out – it needs time to set
FAQs
Amish Cinnamon Bread is a no-knead quick bread made with simple pantry ingredients and a cinnamon-sugar swirl baked right into each loaf. Unlike traditional Amish friendship bread, this version doesn’t require a fermented starter.
No – this recipe skips the starter entirely. It’s a straightforward, quick bread that comes together fast with ingredients you likely already have.
The most common cause is overmixing the batter after adding the flour. Mix just until the dry ingredients are combined and no more.
You can use whole milk, but buttermilk gives the bread better flavor and texture. If you don’t have buttermilk, it’s easy to make a quick substitute – see the full buttermilk substitute guide.
Yes! One batch makes two 9×5-inch loaves. Keep one and share one, or freeze the second for later.
Absolutely. Cinnamon chips, chocolate chips, and chopped pecans are all great options. Stir up to 1 cup of mix-ins into the batter before layering.
How to Store Amish Cinnamon Bread
Room Temperature: Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Store wrapped loaves in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezer: This Amish cinnamon bread freezes beautifully. Wrap cooled loaves tightly in aluminum foil or freezer wrap, then place in a freezer bag. You can also slice the loaf first and freeze individual slices for easy grab-and-go portions. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm slices in the microwave for 20–30 seconds.
How to Make Amish Cinnamon Bread
This Amish Cinnamon Bread recipe comes together quickly with two bowls and a handheld mixer. The key is layering the cinnamon-sugar mixture into the batter – that’s what creates the beautiful swirl in every slice. It makes two loaves, so it’s a great recipe to make when you want one to enjoy and one to share.
It pairs beautifully with a hot cup of coffee, or serve it alongside other cozy baked treats like cinnamon roll crumb cake or cinnamon roll bread pudding for a full cinnamon-lover’s spread.
Quick steps:
- Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla
- Mix in buttermilk, flour, and baking soda
- Mix cinnamon-sugar topping in a separate small bowl
- Layer batter and cinnamon-sugar in the loaf pans
- Swirl with a butter knife and bake
📌 Save This Recipe
Don’t lose this Amish Cinnamon Bread recipe! Pin it to your bread, breakfast, or easy recipes board on Pinterest so you can find it later.
Looking for more quick bread recipes? Try strawberry bread, brownie banana bread, or everything bagel no-knead bread.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Amish Cinnamon Bread
Would you like to save this?
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
- 2 9×5-inch loaf pans
- mixing bowl (large and small)
- rubber spatula
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
For the cinnamon-sugar topping:
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla using a handheld mixer.1 cup butter, 2 cups granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Using a rubber spatula, add the buttermilk, flour, and baking soda just until combined.2 cups buttermilk, 4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda
- In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon-sugar topping ingredients and mix well.⅔ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Divide half of the batter between the two prepared pans. Evenly sprinkle three-fourths of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the batter in both pans. Spread the remaining batter evenly over the top of both pans.
- Evenly sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar over the top of both loaves. With a butter knife, cut a few swirl marks through the batter in both pans.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center tests clean.
- Allow the bread to cool for 20 minutes in the pan before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- Wrap cooled loaves tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days
- Refrigerate for up to 1 week
- Warm individual slices in the microwave for 20–30 seconds
- Toast slices lightly for a slightly crisp edge
- Wrap cooled loaves tightly in aluminum foil or freezer wrap and place in a freezer bag
- Freeze for up to 6 months
- Slice before freezing for easy grab-and-go portions
- Thaw at room temperature or microwave individual slices for 20–30 seconds
- Make sure butter is fully softened before creaming
- Don’t overmix once the flour and buttermilk are added – mix just until combined
- Layer the cinnamon-sugar carefully for the best swirl
- Let the bread cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before removing
- Mini loaves: divide batter into mini loaf pans and reduce bake time to approximately 25-30 minutes
- Muffins: divide batter into a greased muffin tin and bake at 350°F for approximately 18-22 minutes
- Cube leftover bread and use it in a bread pudding – it’s delicious paired with this cinnamon roll bread pudding method
- Crumble over vanilla ice cream for a quick dessert
- Nutrition is calculated as 12 slices per loaf
- This recipe makes two 9×5-inch loaves – keep one and freeze or share the second
- Adjust the cinnamon-sugar ratio to taste; more cinnamon is never a bad thing
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
🍽️ Other Recipes You May Enjoy
If you enjoyed this recipe, here are a few more reader-favorite recipes from Love Bakes Good Cakes you may want to try next.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Getting ready to mix this now. The written directions call for a tea of baking soda. The video lists baking powder. Am I to assume that the written dirctions are correct and the graphic is incorrect? Thx in advance for your reply!
The 2 teaspoons of baking soda listed in the recipe are correct.
Great recipe. Made 3X now. Used half the sugar in the batter and all the sugar in the topping and was great. Also add blueberries to the middle layer and top layer, then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar topping over the blueberries and don’t swirl the top (would mess up the blueberries I tried to space out so every bite gets one) and creates nice crust like crunch on top. Yum! Keeps well in the fridge. Yum!
Going to try this recipe today thank you
Would this work with gluten-free flour?
I have never tried this with gluten-free flour, but I think it will work out just fine. Depending on your flour, you may need to adjust the ratio – just check the packaging.
Its cake. Tasty, yes. But its cake.
I love this recipe! I have made this several times for my children and grandchildren and we absolutely love it. Thank you Jamie for sharing this recipe with us. I also want to thank you for being kind to others with different opinions, who add their recipes and opinions to your blogs. You are a class act, when I know some of the opinions and comments that get posted are sometimes mean or self important. Thanks for being you! Bake on Ladies and Gents!
Thanks, Debrah! I appreciate your feedback and I am so glad your family enjoys the recipe!
I used my stand mixer because my hands are weak. I made my buttermilk with milk and lemon juice (like I always do). I may have mixed it too much? IOr put too much cinnamon /sugar in the middle? I noticed the batter was airy but proceeded anyway. It is delicious!!! But…the regular size loaf one came out in pieces with a huge hole in the center, the medium one sunk in the middle and the small one looks perfect. I will have to play with this because the flavor was amazing. Just not sure what went wrong
This cinnamon bread was so delicious!!! So quick and easy to make, and I love that it makes 2 loaves. I told my husband to take one to work, and he exclaimed, “yeah right!” I think I’m gonna try and make it a French toast this weekend. Thank you for the recipe!!
I love this bread recipe. One question though, How can I get the cinnamon sugar topping to bake into the bread? My topping just doesn’t come out right.
Very nice recipe. Bread has a very tender crumb and is easy to execute. My only suggestion would be to add 1/2 tsp of salt.