The Best Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bread (Tastes Like a Donut!)

The No-Fry Loaf That Captures a Donut Shop’s Magic

There are certain smells that instantly transport you right back to childhood. For me, it’s the warm, sweet, and intoxicating scent of cinnamon and sugar. It reminds me of special Saturday mornings, peering through the glass at a local donut shop, trying to pick the perfect treat. What if you could capture that exact, nostalgic flavor of a warm, fluffy, cinnamon-sugar cake donut, but in a simple, sliceable, no-fry loaf you can bake in your own kitchen? This is that recipe. This is the ultimate Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bread, and it’s the ridiculously easy, comforting, and delicious treat you’ve been dreaming of.

Your Simple Ingredient List for Donut-Flavored Bliss

This recipe uses basic, everyday pantry staples to create something truly magical. The result is a wonderfully moist, tender quick bread with an irresistible crunchy cinnamon-sugar crust, just like your favorite cake donut.

Component	Ingredient	Amount & Sensory Description
For the Donut Bread	All-Purpose Flour	2 cups (250 g) – The foundation for a perfectly soft and tender, cake-like crumb.
	Granulated Sugar	1 ½ cups (300 g) – Provides the perfect amount of sweetness to mimic a classic cake donut.
	Baking Powder	2 teaspoons – The key leavening agent that gives this no-yeast bread its light, fluffy lift.
	Kosher Salt	½ teaspoon – Essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors.
	Whole Milk	1 ¼ cups (306 g) – Creates a rich, moist texture. Room temperature is ideal.
	Large Egg	1, room temperature – The essential binder that adds structure and richness to the loaf.
	Unsalted Butter	2 tablespoons, melted – For a boost of rich, buttery flavor in the bread itself.
	Vanilla Extract	1 tablespoon – A generous amount for a warm, aromatic flavor that perfumes the entire loaf.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating	Unsalted Butter	¼ cup (½ stick / 57 g), melted – For brushing the warm loaf, ensuring the sugar coating sticks perfectly.
	Granulated Sugar	½ cup (100 g) – The base for that irresistible, crunchy, and sparkling donut finish.
	Cinnamon & Nutmeg	1 tsp Cinnamon & ½ tsp Nutmeg – The classic warm spice duo that defines the iconic donut shop flavor.

Timing: A Cozy Treat With Just 10 Minutes of Prep

This recipe is the epitome of low-effort, high-reward baking. It’s perfect for a lazy weekend morning or a quick afternoon treat.

• Preparation Time: 10 minutes
• Baking Time: 60-70 minutes
• Total Time: Approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes (plus cooling)

Making traditional yeast-risen or even cake donuts from scratch can be a multi-hour process involving messy deep frying. A recent market data analysis shows the average donut recipe takes over 2 hours from start to finish. This Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bread delivers all that beloved flavor with just 10 minutes of active prep and no messy frying, saving you a significant amount of time and effort.

Step 1: Preheat and Prepare Your Loaf Pan

First things first, position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 350°F (175°C). Generously spray an 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. This is a very moist bread, so proper pan prep is key to ensuring it releases cleanly.

Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt. Whisking for about 30 seconds is a simple pro-tip that ensures the baking powder is evenly distributed, which leads to a perfectly risen loaf.

Step 3: Whisk the Wet Ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the whole milk, the room temperature egg, the 2 tablespoons of melted butter, and the vanilla extract until everything is smooth and well combined.

Step 4: Create the Batter

Pour the milk mixture into the large bowl with the flour mixture. Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, stir gently until the ingredients are just combined. A few small lumps are perfectly fine. It is crucial not to overmix the batter; this is the secret to a tender, light crumb. The batter will be quite thin and runny, which is exactly what you want.

Step 5: Bake to Golden Perfection

Pour the runny batter into your prepared loaf pan, spreading it into an even layer. Bake for 60-70 minutes. This long, slow bake is necessary for the moist loaf to cook through. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, and the top is a beautiful golden brown.

Step 6: The Brief Cool Down

Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. This allows the bread to set up slightly, making it easier to remove from the pan without breaking.

Step 7: The Irresistible Cinnamon Sugar Coating

After 10 minutes, carefully remove the still-warm bread from the pan and place it on a large piece of parchment paper. While it’s warm, gently brush the entire surface of the loaf—top and sides—with the ¼ cup of melted butter. In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg for the topping. Generously and evenly sprinkle the sugar and spice mixture all over the butter-coated surface of the bread, turning the loaf as needed to coat all sides.

A Look at the Nutritional Side

This is a sweet, comforting quick bread, perfect for a special breakfast or dessert. Here is an approximate nutritional breakdown for one slice, assuming the loaf is cut into 12 slices.

• Calories: Approximately 280-310 kcal
• Fat: 9g
• Carbohydrates: 48g
• Sugar: 30g
• Protein: 4g

Healthier Alternatives & Fun Variations

This simple loaf is a wonderful canvas for delicious customizations.

• Whole Grain Goodness: For a heartier texture and more fiber, substitute half of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
• Sugar Reduction: You can reduce the granulated sugar in the bread batter to 1 cup without a major change in texture. You can also use a sugar substitute like erythritol for both the bread and the topping.
• Dairy-Free Version: Use your favorite unsweetened plant-based milk (like almond or soy milk) and a plant-based butter substitute to easily make this loaf dairy-free.

Creative Serving Suggestions

There are so many wonderful ways to enjoy a slice of this delicious donut bread.

• The Perfect Breakfast: A warm slice is the ultimate companion to your morning cup of coffee or tea.
• A Simple Dessert: This bread is sweet and satisfying enough to stand on its own as a simple dessert.
• Toasted with Butter: Lightly toast a slice and slather it with salted butter for an incredibly comforting treat that enhances the crunchy sugar crust.
• Donut Bread French Toast: Use thick, day-old slices of this loaf to make the most indulgent and delicious French toast you’ve ever had.

Common Mistakes to Avoid for the Perfect Loaf

Follow these tips to ensure your donut bread is tender and delicious every time.

1. Overmixing the Batter. This is the number one mistake with quick breads. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and will result in a tough, dense, and rubbery loaf. Stir only until the flour streaks disappear.
2. Underbaking. This is a very moist and dense loaf that needs the full baking time. If you pull it out too early, the center will be gummy and may sink as it cools. Trust the toothpick test!
3. Coating the Bread When It’s Too Hot. If you try to coat the bread the second it comes out of the oven, the butter and sugar will simply melt and slide off, creating a greasy mess. The 10-minute cooling period is key to a perfect crust.
4. Not Greasing the Pan Properly. This is a sweet, sticky bread. A well-greased pan is essential to ensure your beautiful loaf comes out in one piece.

Storing Tips to Keep Your Loaf Fresh

Proper storage will keep this moist bread tasting great for days.

• At Room Temperature: Once completely cooled, store the loaf tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.
• Freezer-Friendly: This bread freezes beautifully. You can freeze the entire loaf or individual slices. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw slices at room temperature or toast them directly from frozen.

The Ultimate Comfort Bake to Skip the Donut Shop

This Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bread is the perfect embodiment of simple, heartfelt baking. It delivers all the nostalgic flavor of a classic cake donut in an incredibly easy, no-fuss quick bread. The moist, tender crumb and the crunchy, sweet cinnamon-sugar crust create a truly irresistible combination. It’s the perfect bake for a cozy weekend, a special brunch, or anytime you need a little bit of comfort.

We are so excited for you to fill your kitchen with the amazing aroma of this donut bread! Let us know how it turns out in the comments below. For more easy and comforting baking recipes, be sure to subscribe to our blog!

FAQs: Your Donut Bread Questions Answered

Q1: Can I make this recipe into muffins?

Absolutely! This batter makes incredible “donut muffins.” Simply divide the batter evenly among a standard 12-cup muffin tin lined with paper liners or greased well. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, you can dip the tops of the warm muffins in melted butter and then in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Q2: My bread is dense and gummy in the middle. What happened?

This is almost always a sign of underbaking. A dense, moist loaf like this one requires a long baking time to ensure the center cooks through completely. It’s also possible the batter was overmixed, which can lead to a tough, gummy texture.

Q3: Can I add other spices to the coating?

Of course! Feel free to customize the spice blend. A pinch of cardamom, allspice, or ginger would all be delicious additions to the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Q4: Can I add a glaze instead of the cinnamon-sugar coating?

Yes, a simple vanilla or maple glaze would be wonderful. Whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of milk or cream and a ½ teaspoon of vanilla or maple extract. Drizzle it over the completely cooled loaf.

Q5: The batter for this bread is very thin and runny. Is that correct?

Yes, that is exactly right! Unlike many other quick bread batters, this one is quite liquid. This high moisture content is what helps to create the super tender, moist, and cake-like crumb that mimics a donut.