Gluten-Free Cinnamon Bread
Published
This gluten-free cinnamon bread is a soft, moist quick bread with a rich cinnamon sugar swirl and a tender, cake-like crumb. Made without yeast and using simple pantry ingredients, it comes together easily and bakes up beautifully every time. The combination of gluten-free flour, buttermilk, sour cream, and butter creates a loaf that stays moist without being gummy, while the cinnamon swirl adds just the right amount of sweetness. It’s the perfect quick bread for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack.
I like having a sweet loaf around to nibble on throughout the day, and this gluten-free cinnamon bread is one of the best. It’s a bit easier to slice and eat than a gluten-free coffee cake, but it has a similar cake-like texture just in loaf form. I tested this a few times and really wanted an easy way to get the swirl throughout the bread. I realized working in layers was the easiest way to achieve this and gave you detailed instructions on how to do that. The recipe is made with ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and can be prepped in 10 minutes. I’ll be making this for a holiday brunch this year, but it’s great all year round for breakfast, snacking, or serving alongside coffee when you want something simple and cozy without a lot of effort.
Gluten-Free Baking Tips
- Weigh the gluten-free flour for best results. Measuring by weight gives you consistent hydration every time. Too much flour will make the bread dry and dense, while too little can cause the loaf to be wet, heavy, and slow to rise.
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Let the eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream sit out briefly before mixing. This helps everything blend smoothly and creates a more even crumb.
- Mix gently and stop early. Stir the batter by hand using a whisk or silicone spatula just until combined. Avoid electric mixers, as overmixing gluten-free batter can lead to a dense or gummy loaf.
- Tent with foil halfway through baking. Covering the pan loosely with foil helps prevent the top from overbrowning while allowing the center to finish baking properly.
- Expect a cake-like texture. This gluten-free cinnamon bread bakes up soft and moist, with a crumb similar to coffee cake rather than traditional sandwich bread.
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour , (280 grams), I use Cup4Cup
- 1 tsp xanthan gum , (3 grams), unless the flour blend you use already has this included
- 2 tsp baking powder, (10 grams)
- 1 tsp baking soda, (6 grams)
- ¼ tsp salt, (1.5 grams)
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, (70 grams), melted (but not too hot)
- ½ cup granulated sugar, (100 grams)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, (50 grams), packed
- ¾ cup buttermilk, (180 ml), room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream, (60 ml), room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, (5 ml)
Cinnamon Swirl
- ½ cup granulated sugar, 100 grams
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 9 grams
Instructions
- Spray a 9” x 5” loaf pan with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum (if needed), and salt. Set aside for now.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
- Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined (until there are no more dry streaks of flour in the batter). Do not overmix.
- Place half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Stir the cinnamon swirl ingredients (sugar and cinnamon) together in a small bowl, then sprinkle almost all (all but 2 tablespoons) of the mixture over the first layer of batter in the loaf pan.
- Place the rest of the batter in the loaf pan over the cinnamon swirl layer.
- Sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp of cinnamon swirl mixture over the top of the second layer of batter.
- Use a table knife or wooden food skewer to swirl the layers of cinnamon throughout the bread. Swirl the knife through the bread from top to bottom and side to side. Do not overmix. You want just a swirl, not to fully blend the cinnamon sugar mixture layer into the batter.
- Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, then top the loaf pan with a large piece of tented aluminum foil (so the foil is not touching the bread, only touching the sides of the pan while hovering over the bread) and bake for an additional 20 to 23 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean).
- Let the cinnamon bread cool for 15 minutes before removing it from the loaf pan. Let the bread cool completely before storing.
Notes
- Double-check labels. Make sure all of your ingredients are certified gluten-free, and don’t skip the cross-contamination warnings on packaging. This is especially important for baking powder, vanilla, and flour blends.
- Xanthan gum provides structure. It helps bind the ingredients and prevents the bread from crumbling. If your gluten-free flour blend already contains xanthan gum, you can skip adding more to avoid a gummy texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Gluten-Free Cinnamon Bread Step by Step
Gather the Ingredients: Gather all the ingredients together. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups (280 grams) gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 tsp (3 grams) xanthan gum (if flour doesn’t already have it), 2 tsp (10 grams) baking powder, 1 tsp (6 grams) baking soda, and ¼ tsp (1.5 grams) salt. Set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 5 tbsp (70 grams) melted unsalted butter, ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar, ¾ cup (180 ml) room-temperature buttermilk, ¼ cup (60 ml) room-temperature sour cream, 2 room-temperature large eggs, and 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix. You should have a thick dough-like texture, not a thin batter.
Layer half the batter and cinnamon swirl: Spoon half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it into an even layer. In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar and 1 tbsp (9 grams) ground cinnamon. Sprinkle all but 2 tbsp (25 grams) of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the batter in the loaf pan.
Layer the remaining batter: Spoon the remaining batter over the cinnamon sugar layer and gently spread it to cover.
Swirl the cinnamon: Sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp (25 grams) of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top of the batter. Use a table knife or wooden skewer to gently swirl the batter, moving the knife from top to bottom and side to side. Do not overmix. You want a visible swirl, not fully blended cinnamon sugar.
Bake the loaf: Bake the bread for 35 minutes, then loosely tent the loaf pan with aluminum foil so it does not touch the bread. Continue baking for 20 to 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the loaf: Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack. Slice and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This gluten-free cinnamon bread is perfect for brunch spreads, holiday mornings, and casual get-togethers. I love serving it alongside crustless zucchini quiche, bacon or sausage, fresh fruit, and coconut yogurt for an easy weekend brunch. I’m doing a whole baked goods spread, and I like to add gluten-free blueberry muffins and gluten-free croissants. It’s also a great addition to a holiday table for Christmas morning, Easter brunch, or Thanksgiving weekend when you want something sweet but not overly heavy. Serve it sliced at room temperature or slightly warm with butter or dairy-free butter, and it pairs especially well with coffee or tea.
Storage Instructions
Once completely cooled, store the gluten-free cinnamon bread in an airtight, food-safe container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, keep the loaf or individual slices in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
To freeze, wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, and warm slices briefly in the microwave or toaster oven if desired before serving.
