I made this cinnamon swirl bread just last weekend.
And AJ and I devoured it in about 3 days – which is pretty impressive for a fluffy loaf of deliciousness this big!
Part of that devouring was making this into some of the greatest French toast I’ve ever had – so I highly, highly recommend you try making that one morning, after you’ve baked a loaf.
Future breakfast plans aside, this recipe is pretty darn easy to make.
It’s a normal baked goody with a bit more sugar and oil than is generally used, with a layer of cinnamon sugar swirled into the loaf.
In total, it will take about 4 hours from start to finish, but most of that time is spent just waiting around and doing other things while this beauty rises and bakes up. So it’s perfect to make it after work on a night when you’ve got leftovers on the menu.
And there is nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread wafting around the house from the oven. We ate this as toast, as PB&J sandwiches, as French toast, and just plain – because it’s so good just on its own.
You will be in love!
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Vegan Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
Description
With a pretty cinnamon swirl center, this soft and fluffy vegan bread is perfect for toast, sandwiches, breakfast, or just eaten plain.
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour*
- 3 cups bread flour*
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1/3 cup vegan granulated sugar
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk, lukewarm
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Cooking oil spray
For the Filling and Assembly:
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons vegan granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons non-dairy milk
Instructions
To Make the Dough and First Rise:
- Combine the flours and salt in a large bowl (use your electric stand mixer, if you have one). Mix in the yeast, then the sugar. Warm the milk so it’s not refrigerator cold, for 1-1.5 minutes in the microwave on low power. It shouldn’t be hot, just warm. Add it to the dry mixture, along with the vegetable oil. Use a large wooden spoon to mix it into a shaggy dough.
- If you are using an electric mixer, use the dough hook and knead on low for 7-8 minutes. If you are kneading by hand, knead the dough in the bowl until it is a bit more cohesive. Turn it out onto a lightly floured large, flat surface and knead for about 10 minutes or so, until smooth.
- Pull the dough into a ball, then transfer it to a large, lightly oiled bowl. Spray the top of the ball of dough with nonstick cooking oil spray to prevent it from drying out, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
To Make the Filling:
- Combine the flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl until fully mixed. Set aside.
To Assemble and Second Rise:
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled flat surface and gently roll into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Brush the surface with the 2 teaspoons of milk, then sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough.
- Roll the dough up into a log from the short end so it ends up being about 9 inches long. Use your fingers to pinch the seal shut. Roll the seal to the bottom, then tuck the ends of the bread under the bottom, so the ends are completely sealed.
- Carefully place the dough in a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Spray the top with cooking spray and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise again in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size and very puffy.
To Bake:
- One the dough has doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for about 35 minutes. Lightly cover the top with foil to prevent excess browning, rotate, and cook for another 20 minutes (55 minutes total).
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the bread is at least 190°F in the center – return it to the oven if it needs more time. If you do not have a thermometer, I recommend baking for 65 minutes total.
- Turn the bread out of the pan and let cool for a couple hours before slicing – digging in too soon ensures doughy bread.
Notes
If you measure your flour in cups, make sure to gently spoon the flour into the cups and level with a knife – using the cup like a scoop will result in too much flour and super dense bread.
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan
Keywords: vegan, bread, baking, cinnamon, cinnamon swirl, breakfast, dessert, snack
Swirly, Twirly, Cinnamon-y Perfection
It’s the bread that will disappear soon after you bake it – made one day, gone the next!
Don’t say I didn’t warn you when you wake up the next morning and half of it is already gone, with just a few crumbles left to tell the tale!
How will you use this recipe? For French toast? Smeared with jam? Plain and perfect? Let me know what you decide in the comment section below!
For more baked loaves with a hint of sweetness, try these recipes:
Photos by Raquel Smith, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on December 29, 2014. Last updated: November 11, 2020 at 12:36 pm. With additional writing and editing by Nikki Cervone.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Raquel Smith
Raquel is a whole foods enthusiast, an avid mountain biker, and a dog lover. She works by day at Food Blogger Pro and formerly maintained her food blog "My California Roots" (now merged into Foodal).
¡¡This is deliciously awesome!!! ¡¡¡Thank you!!
★★★★★
Thanks, Karina!
Could I make this in a bread machine?
Can the flour be replaced with a gluten free flour?
We haven’t tried it for this particular recipe, but a gluten-free blend that allows for 1:1 substitutions should work nicely!
I always make bread for my mother, who is not vegan, when she visits, and her favorite is cinnamon swirl bread. This time I thought I’d make her bread vegan so I found your recipe. The bread was a tremendous hit ~ she loved it! The texture is wonderful and actually better than the non-vegan one I always made in the past. For some reason, though, there was way too much flour; I wound up only needing five cups rather than the six called for in the recipe. Everything else worked just as written. Thanks for sharing ~ this one is a keeper!
★★★★★
Can this recipe be made in a bread machine?
I have teenagers. Picky teenagers. So I made this but split it into two loaves otherwise left it as written.
Once it was cooled, the kids attacked after having to smell it all afternoon. I can hear them right now in the other room saying it’s the best bread they have ever had.
Pretty sure we won’t have any left for the morning!
Thank you
★★★★★
We’re so glad they enjoyed it, Michelle!
I love this recipe, so easy; the effort is in having to wait! I have made this several times and actually end up cutting the roll into two to get two loaves. Sometimes I also double the filling because why not? I get double the goodness for the same effort, so I end up sharing the second loaf! Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Can you use all purpose flour only or do you have to have bread flour?
Bread flour is preferred for this recipe because it contains more protein, and thus, produces a stronger gluten network that promotes rising in baked goods. Bread flour also absorbs more liquid than AP. In the end, the results will be slightly different – but it’s fine to substitute with an equal quantity!