There is something about the smell of cinnamon bread baking that makes the whole house feel warmer. You could have laundry piled on the chair, dishes waiting in the sink, and absolutely no idea what you are making for dinner. Somehow, once cinnamon and sugar start bubbling away in the oven, everything feels a little more put together.
This Farmhouse Cinnamon Swirl Bread is one of those recipes.
It starts with frozen bread dough, which means we are skipping the flour-covered counters and yeast negotiations. Then, we load each loaf with melted butter and plenty of cinnamon sugar. Finally, a simple vanilla icing gets drizzled over the warm bread.
The result is a soft, fluffy cinnamon bread with buttery pockets of cinnamon sugar tucked throughout every loaf.
And yes, your kitchen is going to smell ridiculous in the best possible way.
Why You’ll Love This Farmhouse Cinnamon Swirl Bread
I love a from-scratch baking project when I have the time for one. However, some mornings call for a shortcut.
Frozen bread dough gives us exactly that.
You still get warm, freshly baked bread without mixing, kneading, or wondering whether your yeast has decided to cooperate today. More importantly, the shortcut leaves plenty of room for the good stuff.
And by good stuff, I mean butter.
Lots of butter.
Here’s why this cinnamon bread deserves a spot in your recipe box:
- Uses convenient frozen bread dough
- Requires only a handful of ingredients
- Makes three generous loaves
- Has layers of buttery cinnamon sugar
- Includes a simple homemade vanilla icing
- Can be prepared ahead of time
- Makes a wonderful breakfast, brunch, snack, or sweet treat
- Smells like you’ve been running a tiny farmhouse bakery all morning
The Shortcut That Makes This Cinnamon Bread Easy
The secret to this easy Farmhouse Cinnamon Swirl Bread is Rhodes Bake-N-Serve frozen bread dough.
Instead of making yeast dough from scratch, you simply thaw the frozen loaves and dress them up Maison Hearth style.
And by “dress them up,” I mean we’re cutting deep slits into those innocent little bread loaves and stuffing them with butter and cinnamon sugar.
We’re not being shy about it either.
The cuts allow the melted butter and cinnamon sugar to work their way down into the bread. As the dough rises and bakes, those sections create delicious cinnamon-sugar pockets throughout the loaf.
Then comes the icing.
Because we didn’t come this far to suddenly practice restraint.
Farmhouse Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Ingredients
For The Bread
- 3 Loaves Rhodes Bake-N-Serve frozen bread dough
- ¾ C. Butter Melted
- 2 C. Sugar
- ¼ C. Cinnamon
For Vanilla Icing
- 1½ C. Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 2-3 tbsp. Milk
Instructions
- Place the frozen bread loaves on a tray and allow them to thaw at room temperature. This usually takes about 3 to 4 hours. Alternatively, place the frozen dough in the refrigerator and allow it to thaw overnight.
- Lightly spray three 9-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Set the prepared pans aside.
- Using a sharp knife, make four deep cuts across each loaf. Cut almost all the way through the dough. However, leave a small portion connected along the bottom so the loaf stays together. These little pockets are where all that cinnamon-sugar goodness is going.
- Brush or spoon the melted butter generously over each loaf. Make sure you get plenty of butter down inside every cut. Coat the outside of the dough as well. Don't rush this part. Those buttery crevices will eventually become some of the best bites in the entire loaf.
- In a wide, shallow dish, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Gently roll each buttered loaf in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until it has a thick coating. Next, stuff additional cinnamon sugar into each of the cuts. And when I say stuff them, I mean stuff them. This is cinnamon bread. Nobody wants to slice into it later and discover we got stingy with the cinnamon sugar.
- Place one prepared loaf into each greased bread pan. Cover the pans loosely with a clean tea towel. Then, place them in a warm, draft-free area. Allow the bread to rise until approximately doubled in size, about 1 hour. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, the rising time may vary slightly.
- While the bread finishes rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake the loaves for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are beautifully golden brown. The bread should sound hollow when gently thumped on the bottom. Remove the loaves from the oven and allow them to cool for approximately 10 minutes.
How to Make the Vanilla Icing
- In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of milk. Whisk until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add additional milk a little at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency. You want it thick enough to cling to the warm bread but thin enough to drizzle into all those cinnamon-sugar nooks and crannies. Drizzle the vanilla icing generously over the warm loaves.
Tips for the Best Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Don’t Cut Completely Through the Dough
When making the four cuts, leave a small amount of dough connected along the bottom of the loaf. This keeps everything together while still creating deep pockets for the butter and cinnamon sugar.
Get the Butter Into Every Cut
Don’t just butter the outside.
Open each section gently and work the melted butter down into the cuts. This helps the cinnamon sugar stick while creating those rich, buttery layers.
Be Generous With the Cinnamon Sugar
This is not the moment for a delicate sprinkle.
Coat the outside of each loaf thoroughly. Then, pack additional cinnamon sugar into the cuts before allowing the bread to rise.
Give the Bread Enough Time to Rise
Let the dough approximately double in size before baking.
A chilly kitchen may require a little extra rising time. Therefore, watch the bread rather than relying solely on the clock.
Drizzle the Icing While the Bread Is Warm
Warm bread helps the vanilla icing settle into the cracks and cinnamon layers.
You don’t want the bread piping hot because the icing could completely melt. However, slightly warm bread is perfect.
Make Farmhouse Cinnamon Swirl Bread Ahead of Time
Want warm cinnamon bread in the morning without starting the process before you’ve properly opened both eyes?
Prepare it the night before.
Thaw the dough and assemble each loaf with the cuts, melted butter, and cinnamon sugar. Next, place the prepared loaves into the greased pans.
Cover the pans tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate them overnight.
The following morning, remove the bread from the refrigerator. Allow it to come to room temperature and rise until doubled in size.
Then, bake it according to the recipe directions.
You get warm cinnamon bread in the morning without turning breakfast into a dawn-shift baking operation.
That’s my kind of planning.
How to Store Cinnamon Swirl Bread
This Farmhouse Cinnamon Swirl Bread is best when served fresh and slightly warm.
However, leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days.
First, allow the bread to cool completely. Then, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in an airtight container.
Store the bread at room temperature.
For that fresh-from-the-oven feeling, warm an individual slice briefly before serving.
How to Serve Farmhouse Cinnamon Swirl Bread
This bread doesn’t need much help.
Serve thick slices while they’re still slightly warm and let the cinnamon sugar and vanilla icing do their thing.
It’s especially lovely for:
- Weekend breakfast
- Sunday brunch
- Holiday mornings
- Fall baking days
- Afternoon snacks
- Family gatherings
- Homemade food gifts
You can also put a loaf out when company comes over and casually pretend your house always smells like cinnamon and freshly baked bread.
I won’t tell.
A Cozy Shortcut Worth Keeping
Some recipes are worth making completely from scratch.
Others earn a permanent place in the kitchen because they give us something homemade and delicious without requiring an entire afternoon.
This Farmhouse Cinnamon Swirl Bread happily belongs in the second category.
Frozen bread dough handles the hard part. Butter and cinnamon sugar handle the delicious part. Then, that vanilla icing comes wandering in at the end and makes sure nobody mistakes this for ordinary bread.
It’s simple.
It’s cozy.
It’s a little messy.
And when you pull three golden cinnamon-swirled loaves from the oven, nobody standing in your kitchen is going to complain that you started with frozen dough.
They’ll be too busy asking when they can have a slice.
Tried This Farmhouse Cinnamon Swirl Bread?
If you make this recipe, come back and leave a comment and star rating!
It only takes a minute, and every comment and rating helps support our family-run Maison Hearth blog and helps other home bakers discover the recipe, too.
And if someone wanders into the kitchen because they smelled cinnamon from three rooms away?
Give them a slice.
Or hide the third loaf.
I’m not here to judge.
Maison Hearth
Sass Served Warm Daily.
