Name: Cinnamon Donut Bread – Sweet Easy Recipes You’ll Crave Every Time
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; For topping:; 2 tbsp butter, melted; 1/4 cup sugar; 1 tsp cinnamon

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Cinnamon Donut Bread is one of those treats that makes you feel like you’re getting away with something. It’s a donut. It’s a bread. It’s basically dessert in loaf form, and we all deserve that kind of magic, right? I first made this on a cold Sunday morning when my kitchen smelled like every cozy memory from childhood. Warm cinnamon sugar, a buttery crust, and that soft, almost cake-like center. No mixer needed, no fuss—just good old-fashioned spoon stirring and a bit of patience while it bakes. Whether you’re a weekend baker or just craving something sweet without diving into complicated steps, this loaf is a win. You don’t need a donut pan or any special equipment. Just a bowl, a loaf tin, and about an hour later, you’ll be slicing into warm, cinnamon-sugar heaven. Let’s make it together.

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Cinnamon Donut Bread Recipe
3) Ingredients for Cinnamon Donut Bread
4) How to Make Cinnamon Donut Bread
5) Tips for Making Cinnamon Donut Bread
6) Making Cinnamon Donut Bread Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Cinnamon Donut Bread
8) Try these Desserts next!
9) Cinnamon Donut Bread
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

This sweet easy recipe is a hybrid of donut and bread
Perfect for weekend baking without a mixer
Loaded with cinnamon sugar and simple pantry ingredients
Tastes even better the next day

2) Easy Cinnamon Donut Bread Recipe

Let me paint the scene for you. It’s Sunday morning. You’re still in pajamas, coffee’s brewing, and you’re standing in the kitchen with the kind of sleepy ambition that says, “I want something sweet, but I don’t want to think too hard.” This cinnamon donut bread is for moments like that.

This sweet easy recipe is the lovechild of a cinnamon sugar donut and your grandma’s best quick bread. No kneading. No yeast. No dough rising or technical wizardry. It’s simple baking at its best, and let me tell you, the payoff is outrageously good. The smell alone makes it worth it. Think warm sugar, toasty cinnamon, and that buttery crust that crackles when you slice into it.

At Elena Cooks, we believe the best things in life are a little messy, a bit sweet, and always simple. This loaf? It’s all three. This sweet easy recipe has saved many a lazy Sunday in my kitchen. It’ll do the same in yours.

3) Ingredients for Cinnamon Donut Bread

Unsalted Butter: Melted and golden, this gives the loaf its rich flavor and helps form that slightly crisp crust. I’ve used margarine once in a pinch, and let’s just say… never again.

Granulated Sugar: For the base batter and again for the cinnamon topping. It’s sweet, it’s reliable, and it gives you that subtle crunch you want on top.

Egg: Just one. That’s all you need to bind everything together. It adds structure but doesn’t steal the show.

Buttermilk: This is where the real magic happens. Buttermilk gives the bread its soft crumb and slight tang. If you don’t have any, you can mix milk with lemon juice. But trust me, real buttermilk is worth the fridge space.

Vanilla Extract: A splash of this warms up the flavor and ties everything together. Kind of like adding a hug to the batter.

All-Purpose Flour: The foundation. Use the good stuff if you can, but honestly, even the store brand works fine here.

Baking Powder and Baking Soda: A little of both helps the loaf rise just right without getting too airy or dense. Balance is key.

Salt: Just enough to cut the sweetness and deepen the flavor. Never skip salt in baking. Never.

Ground Nutmeg and Ground Cinnamon: These two cozy spices turn the loaf into something special. Cinnamon goes in the batter and shines again on top. Nutmeg adds depth without shouting for attention.

Extra Butter, Sugar, and Cinnamon: For brushing and sprinkling over the warm loaf. It’s the messy, sparkly part that makes this loaf a sweet easy recipe you won’t forget.

4) How to Make Cinnamon Donut Bread

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan. You can use parchment if you want easy cleanup, but I like the browned edges from direct pan contact.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk melted butter with sugar. It’ll look a little grainy, and that’s okay. Add the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla, and stir until smooth-ish.

Step 3: In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. This is your dry base, so mix well.

Step 4: Add the dry mix to the wet and stir until combined. Don’t overdo it. The batter should be thick but pourable. Think muffin batter—not cookie dough, not pancake mix.

Step 5: Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. It might look humble now, but trust me, it rises like a champ.

Step 6: Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back lightly when pressed.

Step 7: While still warm, brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. Or dump it on with gusto. No judgment here.

5) Tips for Making Cinnamon Donut Bread

If you want that sugary crust to stick, make sure to brush the top of the loaf while it’s still warm. That butter acts like glue for the cinnamon sugar, and it just melts in beautifully.

This sweet easy recipe doesn’t need a mixer, but make sure your butter isn’t scalding when you add the egg. Otherwise, you might end up with sweet scrambled eggs. Been there. Don’t recommend it.

Use fresh spices. If your cinnamon has been in the pantry since college, toss it. Fresh cinnamon makes a huge difference in flavor. You’re making a sweet treat—give it some love.

6) Making Cinnamon Donut Bread Ahead of Time

You can absolutely make this sweet easy recipe ahead. Bake it the night before, and let it cool completely. Wrap it in foil or an airtight container and let it sit at room temp.

The flavors deepen a bit overnight, and the texture stays soft. If you like it warm, pop a slice in the microwave for 10 seconds. Just enough to bring it back to life without drying it out.

Don’t add the final cinnamon sugar topping until just before serving if you want that freshly-sprinkled look. Or go wild and re-sprinkle right before serving. No one complains about extra sugar.

7) Storing Leftover Cinnamon Donut Bread

This bread keeps really well on the counter for about three days. Wrap it tight in foil or a container, and you’re good to go. If your kitchen runs hot, you might want to pop it in the fridge after day two.

You can also freeze slices individually. Wrap each in parchment, toss them into a freezer bag, and reheat them as needed. This way, you always have something sweet and easy on standby.

I’ve never had to store it for more than five days though. It usually vanishes long before that’s an issue.

8) Try these Desserts next!

9) Cinnamon Donut Bread