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    Home » Cinnamon Twist Bread

    Cinnamon Twist Bread

    Published: Sep 11, 2021 · Modified: Sep 27, 2021 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Cinnamon twist bread is a next-level cinnamon bread recipe. If you can make cinnamon rolls, then you can make this delicious cinnamon bread!

    Loaf of cinnamon twist bread in a loaf pan.

    It's hard to beat fresh-baked cinnamon bread that's full of buttery cinnamon sugar filling. That's exactly what this cinnamon twist bread is. 

    This bread is basically cinnamon rolls but in loaf-form. And what's better than that!

    Since it's twist bread, it also makes a really pretty loaf of cinnamon bread. If you're looking for another version of this bread, check out my Braided Cinnamon Bread.

    The twist is incredibly easy to do (check out the pictures just below). Really, if you can roll up cinnamon rolls, you can make this bread.

    A loaf cinnamon twist bread with the end cut off

    What makes this cinnamon bread so good?

    The twist creates yummy pockets of cinnamon sugar deliciousness inside this bread. And the cinnamon sugar mixture that bakes on the top of the bread gets this caramelized crunch to it.

    It's a pretty awesome combination of gooey, crunchy, cinnamon, and sugar!

    I made this cinnamon twist bread recipe with the busy holiday season in mind. So each rise is less than 30 minutes, and the whole process - start to finish - takes about as long as the first rise on a traditional loaf.

    That way, you can make this bread (and enjoy it) even faster.

    Ingredients for cinnamon twist bread in dishes.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    • Milk: I usually use 1% or 2% milk in this recipe. Whole milk or skim milk will also work.
    • Granulated sugar
    • Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to ¾ teaspoon. 
    • Instant yeast: You can use an equal amount of active dry yeast. If using active dry yeast, let it sit for 5-10 minutes to let it proof before continuing with the recipe. 
    • Warm water: It's important that the water not be too hot. Hot water can kill the yeast, and then your bread won't rise. If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, the water should feel like warm bath water. If it's too hot for you, it's too hot for the yeast. 
    • All-purpose flour
    • Salt
    • Brown sugar: I use light brown sugar. Feel free to use dark brown sugar if you prefer. 
    • Ground cinnamon

    How to make cinnamon twist bread

    Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan; set aside.

    Butter and milk in a saucepan.

    In a small saucepan, stir milk, sugar, and butter together.

    Melted butter and warm milk in a saucepan.

    Heat over low heat just until butter melts and sugar dissolves.

    Cool to about 100-105 F.

    Melted butter and milk in a large mixing bowl.

    Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can mix this dough by hand. Just use a large mixing bowl.

    Flour milk mixture and yeast in a large mixing bowl.

    Add the yeast and warm water. Add 2 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute. If mixing by hand, add an additional 1-2 minutes of mixing time.

    With the mixer still going, add remaining flour, ½ cup at a time. Mix about 1 ½ minutes, or until dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl. If mixing by hand, add an additional 1-2 minutes of mixing time.

    Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic – the dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch. If mixing by hand, add 2-3 minutes of additional kneading time.

    Cinnamon twist dough in a white mixing bowl.

    Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top.

    Cover the dough with a clean, dry dish towel. Let it rise in a warm place, free from draft, for about 25 minutes.

    Rolled out cinnamon twist dough topped with cinnamon filling.

    Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and roll into a 12x9-inch rectangle.

    Stir filling ingredients together, and spread over dough. Since the filling is a little crumbly, I gently press it into the dough to help it stick.

    Rolled up cinnamon twist bread dough.

    Roll up lengthwise, pinching seam to seal.

    Rolled up cinnamon twist bread cut down the middle.

    Using a sharp knife, cut down the middle of the roll, leaving one end attached.

    Two sides of cinnamon dough being twisted together.

    Twist the bread end over end and place in prepared pan, tucking ends under the loaf.

    Twisted loaf of cinnamon bread on a floured surface.

    Cover the baking dish with the dish towel, and let the dough rise for about 20 minutes, or until the loaf is just reaching the top of the pan.

    Unbaked loaf of cinnamon twist bread in a loaf pan.

    Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F. Bake at 45-60 minutes, or until the bread is ready. If the loaf is browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil.

    Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

    Loaf of cinnamon twist bread with two slices cut from it.

    Serving suggestions

    This bread is great as-is and is fantastic served slathered with butter. This cinnamon bread makes wonderful toast and can even be used to make French toast.

    Storage

    The bread can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

    Two slices of cinnamon twist bread next to a knife.

    More cinnamon recipes!

    • One Hour Cinnamon Rolls
    • Cinnamon Roll Bites
    • Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake
    • Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

    If you’ve tried this cinnamon twist bread recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

    You can SUBSCRIBE to receive my latest recipe newsletters or FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for even more delicious food.

    Loaf of cinnamon twist bread in a loaf pan.

    Cinnamon Twist Bread

    Cinnamon twist bread is a next-level cinnamon bread recipe. If you can make cinnamon rolls, then you can make this delicious bread!
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: bread, Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 279kcal
    Author: Kate @ I Heart Eating

    Equipment

    • 9x5 loaf pan

    Ingredients

    Dough

    • â…“ cup milk
    • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • ¼ cup butter
    • 3 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
    • ¾ cup warm water 105F – 115F
    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    Filling

    • ¾ cup brown sugar packed
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
    • ¼ cup butter softened
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan; set aside.
    • In a small saucepan, stir milk, sugar, and butter together. Heat over low heat just until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to about 100-105 F.
    • Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.
    • Add the yeast and warm water.
    • Add 2 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute.
    • With the mixer still going, add remaining flour, ½ cup at a time. Mix about 1 ½ minutes, or until dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl.
    • Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic – the dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.
    • Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top. Cover the dough with a clean, dry dish towel.
    • Let it rise in a warm place, free from draft, for about 25 minutes.
    • Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and roll into a 12x9-inch rectangle.
    • Stir filling ingredients together, and spread over dough. Since the filling is a little crumbly, I gently press it into the dough to help it stick.
    • Roll up lengthwise, pinching seam to seal.
    • Using a sharp knife, cut down the middle of the roll, leaving one end attached.
    • Twist the bread end over end and place in prepared pan, tucking ends under the loaf.
    • Cover the baking dish with the dish towel, and let the dough rise for about 20 minutes, or until the loaf is just reaching the top of the pan.
    • Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F.
    • Bake at 45-60 minutes, or until the bread is ready. If the loaf is browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil.
    • Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. 
    • Remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

    Video

    Notes

    • Milk: I usually use 1% or 2% milk in this recipe. Whole milk or skim milk will also work.
    • Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to ¾ teaspoon. 
    • Instant yeast: You can use an equal amount of active dry yeast. If using active dry yeast, let it sit for 5-10 minutes to let it proof before continuing with the recipe. 
    • Warm water: It's important that the water not be too hot. Hot water can kill the yeast, and then your bread won't rise. If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, the water should feel like warm bath water. If it's too hot for you, it's too hot for the yeast. 
    • Brown sugar: I use light brown sugar. Feel free to use dark brown sugar if you prefer. 
    • Nutrition values are estimates.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 245IU | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1.7mg
    Tried this recipe? Rate it below. Mention @i_heart_eating on Instagram & tag #ihearteating!

    Originally published 11/17/17. Updated with new photos, tips, and information on 9/11/21.

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    About Kate

    Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rebecca Danberry

      March 28, 2022 at 10:01 pm

      Can you replace regular milk with almond or oat milk?

      Reply
      • Kate

        March 29, 2022 at 9:45 am

        I haven't tried it in this recipe, but I've used almond milk in place of dairy milk when I've baked rolls. It has always worked well, so I would guess that it would work in this recipe, too.

        Reply
      • Dawn

        April 19, 2022 at 10:30 am

        Can you add raisins to this recipe? If so would you add to the dough or the filling mixture?

        Reply
        • Kate

          April 19, 2022 at 10:35 am

          I haven't tried adding raisins, but if I were adding them, I would add them to the filling. Hope that helps!

          Reply
    2. Mary

      February 13, 2022 at 9:37 pm

      I made the bread. It turned out great. Thanks for the recipe. It was easy to follow.

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 14, 2022 at 11:00 am

        Thank you! I'm glad that it turned out well for you!

        Reply
    3. Jackie

      September 13, 2021 at 9:48 am

      Delish, Have you tried making this into a pecan cinnamon bread with the sticky caramel we put on the homemade pecan rolls?

      Reply
      • Kate

        September 15, 2021 at 4:41 pm

        Hi! I haven't, but that sounds delicious!

        Reply
    4. Emily Hobbs

      December 14, 2020 at 6:55 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for the first time yesterday. It is amazing and so easy compared to a couple of other recipes I have tried. Just what I was looking for! I do have a question, can you substitute buttermilk?

      Reply
      • Kate

        December 16, 2020 at 9:28 am

        Thank you! I'm glad it worked out well for you! You can make an easy homemade buttermilk substitute. I have instructions for that here. You can even use nondairy milk to make the substitute if needed.

        Reply
    5. Sandra Weston

      October 02, 2020 at 2:32 pm

      I don't understand what you mean by Twist the bread end over end. Do I just put one end of the loaf over the other? It's not making sense.

      Reply
      • Kate

        October 05, 2020 at 3:34 pm

        There's a picture on in the post that shows this step (hopefully that helps if you're more of a visual learner). You're going to take one side of the dough and place it over the other piece as you're just twisting the two pieces together.

        Reply
    6. Lauren

      August 30, 2020 at 2:38 pm

      5 stars
      I've made this recipe 6 times and every time it has come out amazing!!

      Reply
      • Kate

        August 31, 2020 at 9:22 pm

        Yay!! Thank you for commenting!

        Reply
    7. dan

      August 03, 2020 at 12:20 pm

      can i substitute almond milk?

      Reply
      • Kate

        August 04, 2020 at 3:09 pm

        I haven't tried using almond milk in this recipe, but I've had really good luck subbing almond milk in other bread recipes. Hope that helps!

        Reply
        • Mary

          September 13, 2021 at 10:25 pm

          5 stars
          My bread looked beautiful and tasted just as good. I’m making it again for company.

          Reply
          • Kate

            September 15, 2021 at 4:41 pm

            Thank you!

    8. Tiffany Meier

      April 27, 2020 at 8:12 pm

      5 stars
      Loved this recipe. Making again tonight following recipe and making a second loaf with cheese and jalapeno filling. Hoping is just as delicious as the cinnamon filling.

      Reply
      • Kate

        April 28, 2020 at 9:52 am

        How fun! It sounds delicious! I hope it works out well for you! =)

        Reply
    9. Jennifer E

      January 25, 2020 at 7:46 am

      5 stars
      Great stuff! Great sweet bread!

      Reply
      • Kate

        January 27, 2020 at 11:55 am

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    10. Nancy

      September 08, 2019 at 12:50 pm

      Is it possible to freeze or refrigerate before baking?

      Reply
      • Kate

        September 09, 2019 at 7:26 pm

        Hi! Unfortunately, I haven't tried freezing or chilling this bread before baking.

        Reply
    11. Betty Sims

      February 20, 2019 at 10:38 am

      It seems strange there is not an egg in this recipe! Is there a reason for that?? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 20, 2019 at 11:38 am

        I didn't find that the dough needed an egg. I have several bread recipes that don't use eggs (and some that do), but I haven't found that I needed to add eggs to every dough. I hope that answers your question!

        Reply
    12. Tracy R

      February 12, 2019 at 6:01 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is just what I was looking for. There was an old farm store that closed down 10 years or so ago and they made a bread very similar to this and I’ve missed it so much. This is one of those recipes that you make for family and friends but never share the recipe. ?. I do recommend having a baking sheet underneath the loaf pan to prevent drippings.

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 13, 2019 at 3:23 pm

        Thank you for such a kind comment! I'm glad that you liked the bread, and yes, a baking sheet underneath can be a lifesaver. =)

        Reply
      • amy h

        September 04, 2021 at 10:48 am

        Was the farm store in Copake NY?

        Reply
    13. Mich

      January 30, 2019 at 12:25 pm

      I don't have a stand mixer. Would the dough be to hard to mix with a hand mixer ??
      It looks so delicious !!
      Thank you !

      Reply
      • Kate

        January 31, 2019 at 8:50 am

        I'm not sure, and I'm hesitant to say that it would work because I wouldn't want it to burn out your hand mixer. I think I would stir it by hand just in case. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    14. Fay

      November 20, 2018 at 12:16 am

      5 stars
      Just made two loaves and it was gorgeous. Dropped it off at work as a treat and all the line cooks and servers lost their minds over it. Braided beautifully and some small tweaks I did took it over the top texture wise. Thank you! Great recipe, loved that you took the time to note ingredient temperatures.

      Reply
      • Kate

        November 20, 2018 at 8:31 am

        Yay!! I'm so glad! Thank you! I'm glad that the temperatures were helpful. =) Thank you for coming back to comment!

        Reply
    15. Marie Buena Ayende

      August 20, 2018 at 7:49 pm

      Thank you for sharing gonna try this...

      Reply
      • Kate

        August 20, 2018 at 10:40 pm

        Hope you like it! =)

        Reply
    16. Rob

      April 02, 2018 at 4:21 pm

      5 stars
      If I could eat this everyday, I would. Amazing!

      Reply
      • Kate

        April 02, 2018 at 4:28 pm

        Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it! =)

        Reply
        • Lenny

          March 14, 2019 at 7:18 pm

          5 stars
          I made 2 small loafs from this recipe as a test during the holidays. They were amazing. After that success I ended up making about 15 loaves. Some were presents but I kept getting requests for more. I found that by making a smaller loaf I could get 2 out of this recipe. I did add extra butter and sugar to the cinnamon mix for a bit of a creamy sweet cinamon twist. Amazing. Thanks for the recipe.

          Reply
          • Kate

            March 15, 2019 at 10:19 pm

            Thank you so much! If you don't mind, what size loaves do you make? Thanks for much for commenting!

          • Ellen

            September 29, 2021 at 10:34 am

            When I cut the dough in half after rolling it had a hard time twisting it. Dough seemed soft.

          • Kate

            October 04, 2021 at 10:42 pm

            Hi! If the dough was too soft, you may find that you need to add a bit of additional flour.

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    I’m Kate Dean- mom to five young kids, recipe developer, and photographer. Here at I Heart Eating®, I share my family’s favorite tried-and-true recipes.

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