Step-by-Step Instructions for Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bread
Preparation and Mixing

Step 1: Preheat and Prepare Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan generously with butter or non-stick spray, then dust with flour. This double insurance ensures easy removal. Alternatively, line with parchment paper leaving overhang for handles.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make sure there are no lumps of baking powder or soda—they’ll create unpleasant pockets in your finished bread. The smell of cinnamon at this stage should make your mouth water already.

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients In a separate medium bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thick, about 2 minutes. This brief beating incorporates air for a lighter texture. Add milk, sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla, whisking until smooth and well combined.

Bringing It Together

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold gently just until no flour streaks remain. The batter will be thick and somewhat lumpy—this is perfect. Overmixing creates tough, dense bread, so resist the urge to make it perfectly smooth.

Step 5: Bake Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Tap the pan gently on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

The Magical Coating

Step 6: Create the Cinnamon Sugar While the bread bakes, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the coating in a shallow dish, mixing well. Have your melted butter ready in another dish. The anticipation at this stage is almost unbearable as your kitchen smells like a bakery.

Step 7: Coat While Warm This is the crucial step! As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes—just long enough that you can handle it. Remove from pan and, while still very warm, brush all sides generously with melted butter. Immediately roll and press the loaf in the cinnamon sugar mixture, coating all sides evenly. The warmth helps the sugar stick and creates that beautiful crust you see in the photo.

Step 8: Cool and Serve Place the sugar-coated loaf on a wire rack to cool completely, or serve warm. I personally prefer it slightly warm—the texture is incredible and the cinnamon coating is at peak deliciousness.

Nutritional Information

Per serving (1 slice, loaf makes 12 slices):

Calories: 275
Total Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 55mg
Sodium: 195mg
Total Carbohydrates: 41g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 26g
Protein: 4g

Note: Nutritional values include the cinnamon sugar coating but not optional glaze.

Presentation Tips for Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bread

The presentation of this bread is naturally stunning thanks to that gorgeous golden-brown crust sparkled with cinnamon sugar. The image shows the loaf partially sliced, which is the perfect way to display it. Cut on a slight diagonal for visual interest, fanning out a few slices to show the tender interior contrasting with the sugar crust.

Serve on a rustic wooden cutting board with a butter knife alongside. For special occasions, add a small bowl of softened butter or the optional glaze for dipping. A dusting of extra cinnamon over the serving board adds aromatic appeal.

For a truly bakery-style presentation, you can create score marks on top before baking—three diagonal slashes create a beautiful artisan look. The bread will still get coated in cinnamon sugar, but the slashes add professional pizzazz.

Perfect Pairings

Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bread pairs beautifully with:

Coffee: The classic pairing—the bread’s sweetness plays perfectly against coffee’s slight bitterness.

Hot Chocolate: On chilly mornings, this combination is pure comfort.

Fresh Fruit: Sliced strawberries or apple slices provide a refreshing contrast to the sweet bread.

Cream Cheese Spread: Whipped cream cheese with a touch of vanilla creates a delicious spread.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions
Flavor Variations:
Apple Cinnamon Bread: Fold 1 cup diced apples into the batter before baking
Maple Donut Bread: Replace ¼ cup milk with maple syrup and add maple extract
Chocolate Chip Addition: Stir ½ cup mini chocolate chips into batter
Pumpkin Spice Version: Add 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice to batter
Dietary Modifications:
Gluten-Free: Use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum
Dairy-Free: Replace milk with almond milk and use dairy-free sour cream and butter
Lower Sugar: Reduce sugar in bread to ½ cup and use less coating
Whole Wheat: Replace half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour
Coating Alternatives:
Vanilla Sugar Coating: Use vanilla sugar instead of cinnamon sugar
Cardamom Sugar: Replace cinnamon with ground cardamom
Plain Sugar: Skip cinnamon for classic donut flavor
Chocolate Glaze: Drizzle with melted chocolate instead of sugar coating