Take the chill off winter and make breakfast a real treat with some toasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Orange Maple Butter.
There’s nothing better than the smell of fresh bread baking on a wintry morning.
Are you with me? Come on. Close your eyes and picture it. A nice cup of hot tea and a toasted slice (or two) of Cinnamon Swirl Bread slathered with some sweet and citrusy Orange Maple Butter. It’s what winter breakfast dreams are made of.
Cinnamon bread takes me back to my childhood days. My grandmother lived with us when we were growing up. She made our breakfast every morning before school. She would wake up before any of us, go downstairs and start cooking. When it was time for us to wake up, instead of climbing the stairs again, she’d go into the kitchen closet, grab the mop and head for the dining room where she’d bang it on the ceiling. My bedroom was right above. I’d put one foot out of bed and bang back on the floor, so she knew we heard her and that we were all getting up to get ready for school. High-tech system huh?! It worked perfectly for years!
After we left for school, Gram would sit down and eat her breakfast. She always enjoyed a hot cup of tea and toast with butter and jelly. And her favorite kind of toast was always cinnamon swirl. What’s not to love about cinnamon swirl toast right? And making it homemade is so much better than store-bought. It’s one of my favorite things to bake during the winter season. The house smells wonderful for hours and it just warms my soul.
And slathered with my Orange Maple Butter?! Yes, please! I’ll take flavored butter over plain old butter any day. If you’ve never tried making compound butter you’re going to love it. This orange maple flavor is the perfect combo of sweet and tangy. And it only takes minutes to make. So treat yourself and perhaps a friend to some homemade bread and butter this winter season! It’s the perfect gift! Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter divided
- 2 1/2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
- Egg wash: 1 egg and 1 Tbsp. milk
- Orange Maple Butter:
- 1/2 cup one stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp. orange zest
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt 6 Tbsp. butter with milk. Heat just until very warm without bringing to a boil. Remove from heat and cool until just warm to the touch. Sprinkle yeast over mixture, stirring gently. Let sit for 10 minutes until bubbly.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix sugar and eggs until well combined.
- Pour in milk mixture, stirring to combine. On low speed, add half of the flour mixture until combined. Add other half and continue to stir increasing speed to medium, until combined.
- Switch to dough hook attachment and knead on medium speed for 10 minutes. If dough seems to sticky, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Place dough in a large bowl drizzled with canola oil. Toss to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.
- After dough has risen, turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll dough into a rectangle . Make sure you only roll the dough as wide as the loaf pan you are going to bake it in and 18-24 inches long.
- Spread top of dough with 2 Tbsp. softened butter. In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough. Starting at end farthest from you, roll dough toward you, keeping it tight. Pinch the seem to seal.
- Spray loaf pan generously with non-stick cooking spray. Place dough in loaf pan, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for an additional 2 hours.
- While bread is rising, make butter. Combine all ingredients in food processor and pulse.Place mixture in small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator. Butter can also be formed into a log and wrapped in wax paper.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Remove plastic wrap from bread. Carefully brush egg wash over top of bread. Bake for 40 minutes on the middle rack of oven. Remove pan from oven and let cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and continue to cool. Slice and serve.
Bread recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Cinnamon swirl bread is the best! I’d love to have your grandmother’s breakfast today with a large smear of this heavenly Orange Maple Butter!
You’d LOVE it Megan! Both are so easy to make too!
There’s nothing better than soul-warming food and this cinnamon swirl bread with orange maple butter is nothing but comfort! Bring on the warmth!
You got it Annie! Nothing better than fresh bread baking!
I love the warmth of cinnamon! As a child my grandmother made us toasted buttered bread with cinnamon and powdered sugar. I still eat it quite often while thinking of her. It’s so yummy! Your recipe for cinnamon bread looks scrumptious! The orange maple butter sounds heavenly. I’m definitely going to make a loaf or two. Thanks for sharing my love of cinnamon!
You’ll love the bread and the butter Nancie! Your kitchen will smell wonderful while it’s baking. This is the perfect holiday gift too. I like to put the bread and butter in a nice basket with a pretty cloth napkin and give it as gifts! Friends always enjoy it! This bread is perfect for toasting. I usually slice the loaf and freeze a few pieces, so when I’m in the mood, I just pop one in the toaster for breakfast! Thanks so much for leaving a comment! Have a great week!
Oh my goodness, my grandmother’s favorite bread ever was cinnamon swirl bread, so seeing it here brought back a ton of memories! Reading your grandmother used to eat it every morning too gave me all the feels, Mary Ann! This bread looks just perfect, friend! And that Orange Maple Butter sounds divine!! Paired together, this sounds just unbelievably delicious!! Cheers!
P.s. Love your little morning routine wake up call!!!
My grandmother was the absolute best Chey! She lived until just shy of 98! My boys adored her! Her favorite meal was breakfast and I can still see her in our kitchen by the window looking out at the birds eating her toast and drinking her tea! We had that same routine for years! Always worked! Have a great week! XO
Cinnamon swirl bread is one of my favorites and it’s so good to use for turkey and apple sandwiches. Loving that orange maple butter!
That butter is sooo delicious! I made a few different kinds a few weeks back with my neighbor at the beach. He used to own his own restaurant, so he has such great recipes! Yes, this bread would be perfect toasted up for sandwiches too! Have a great week Karen!
Nothing sounds better to me this morning, what an awesome recipe Mary Ann!
That butter on this bread is to die for Matt! I hope you give it a try!
Mary Ann!!! I couldn’t agree more! There’s nothing better than the smell of fresh bread baking on a wintry morning!!! This loaf is GORGEOUS!!!
Thanks Alice! I know, the entire house smells amazing!
Mary Ann! This looks downright perfect! Like how did you become such a fantastic bread baker?!?!?!
Ha! It’s one of the biggest challenges in the kitchen for me! Along with cake frosting! I need some lessons from you on that!
This loaf is total nostalgia for me too. I grew up on cinnamon swirl bread and haven’t had it in ages. I need to make this!
Definitely give it a go Gina! And that butter! It’s sooo good!
This cinnamon bread looks so good. It reminds me of the bread that my first mother in law used to bake long ago.
Oh, it’s so delicious Gerlinde! I love the smell of my kitchen when it’s baking!
How nice was it that your grandmother lived with you and she got up early to make you guys breakfast! I seriously laughed when you told how she woke you guys up….I can just picture her now. That’s so funny :D I can only imagine the smell as this bread bakes. It must smell heavenly. And butter and bread just go hand in hand, but you’ve certainly given butter an extra somethin’ with this orange and maple….that on it’s own must be amazing!! I would love to wake up to this bread on Christmas day with a big cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows (maybe your Nutella hot chocolate ;) ) Pinned! Happy Monday, my friend! XO
I hope you try it Dawn! It’s so delicious with the orange maple butter! Your house will smell just wonderful! My Gram was the best! She was the sweetest and hardest working woman I will ever know! I miss her everyday!
There is nothing better than warm, homemade cinnamon bread and a cup of tea. Except maybe with some orange maple butter :) Perfect!
Yes! Glad you think so too Jennifer!
So sweet about your Grandma making your breakfast every morning – and even funnier that she’d bang the mop on the ceiling! I love that. I definitely closed my eyes and pictured this bread on a nice wintry morning – sounds so ideal! Cinnamon swirl is such a great flavor – and that orange maple butter, gah I love that too much! Nothing better.
She was the best Gram ever Michelle! She always made sure our school shirts were clean and neatly pressed too! She had four granddaughters who adored her! Everytime I eat cinnamon swirl bread I think of her!
OMG – I love that “high tech” story! And how lucky were you to have breakfast made every morning like that. Even though Matt and I work from home and can breakfast everyday for the kids, we don’t (eep!).
Sometimes they just grab for yogurt or cereal.
But man, I want to wake up this cinnamon bread! I know what’s in my to do list this afternoon!
Her system wasn’t really high tech, but it worked for years!! This bread is so delicious with the orange maple butter Naomi! Such a treat!
Aren’t grandma recipe the BEST! My favorite is my grandma’s molasses cookies…happy sigh. This bread looks SO good – what heavenly toast it must make – and that swirl is perfect!!
Yes! Everytime I make it I think of Gram! It makes the PERFECT toast Kate! You have to try!
What a lovely bread, Mary Ann – I’m a big toast fan and this cinnamon bread would be the perfect simple breakfast for me. I love that your grandma lived with you when you were growing up – you’re lucky to have that time with her – and it made me laugh to think of her banging on the ceiling!
I think I got my love of toast and butter or jam from my Gram. It was her favorite. When I had my boys she would come to visit and stay for a week or two at a time to help me and I’d make her lots of breakfast treats! I miss that!
Wow, this is gorgeous! Your swirls are just perfect. I bet this is amazing toasted for breakfast!
Thanks so much Tieghan! It’s so delicious toasted. Such a treat!
Ok, well I love cinnamon swirl bread anyway. Totally takes me back to when the local bakery use to make it. The real winner though, it this orange maple butter. I’m totally making this for Christmas!
Awesome Matt! The butter is crazy good and so easy! Enjoy!
This bread is insanely pretty! That swirl is perfect.
Thanks Jennifer! It’s honestly so easy. And so is the butter!
This bread is picture perfect. That golden brown top! I agree, there’s nothing like that fresh from the oven smell. Then I get to spread lots of that Orange Maple Butter on top? Yes please! Just a beauty and the swirl is perfect.
Thanks so much Kevin! My kitchen smells heavenly when I make this loaf! The butter is such a treat with it too! Hope you enjoy if you try!
I love that story about your Grandmother, Mary Ann! It put a big smile on my face. I may try her technique for getting my kids to come down for dinner!
This bread is amazing! How did you get that perfect swirl? I need to give this a try…it’s my favorite. And that butter? Ooooh, I could put that on anything! Thanks for sharing that sweet story and another yummy recipe!
My Gram was the sweetest woman ever Caroline! She was such a hard worker. We were so lucky to have her live with us all those years! This bread recipe is so easy and that butter is delicious! My neighbor David owned his own restaurant back in the day and we worked on this butter together! Hope you enjoy!
Gosh, your Gram sounds like a blast, Mary Ann! I wouldn’t mind someone banging on my floor if I could have some of this cinnamon bread. That orange butter sounds amazing!
She was amazing Rachelle! I hope you try this bread and butter! Your kitchen will smell fabulous while it’s baking! It’s delish!
What a dreamy bread, Mary Ann! I need a slice now with my coffee :)
It’s perfect when it’s toasted up with some of the orange maple butter!
Oh, this bread looks perfect Mary Ann! I’ve always had a soft spot for orange cinnamon rolls and I’m thinking this would taste just as good!
Thanks Jessica! Oh then you’ll just love the butter! It’s great for the holidays!
God gracious ! There is so much we all could learn from you ! Thank you for sharing all of these beauties with us! I wish you have a pleasant rest of the week !
Thanks so much for dropping by and leaving such a sweet comment! You’ve made my day!!
My grandmother wasn’t much of a baker… her thing wasn’t bread, rather, but a big slab of bacon wafting through the house! hehe :D ! This looks so delicious, Mary Ann. The orange maple butter is the icing on the cake!
My Gram used to fry the bacon every Sunday before church. She never made the pancakes. That was always my Dad’s job. My Dad cooked one thing and one thing only and that was pancakes!
Yum! I would love to try the compound butter and the bread combo (plus the tea). Going to make this and freeze this moment in time where I am sipping tea, slathering butter and enjoying my favorite, warm bread.
It’s sooo delicious Cindy. Perfectly comforting on a chilly morning with hot tea! Just like my Gram!
I could never give up bread, especially in the morning with my coffee. I simply require toast on the weekends. And I need that orange maple butter in my life! So good! And that system of your grandma’s cracks me up…I need to try that with my boys!
It worked for years with my Gram! I love the orange maple butter on this toast Cathy! Such a winter treat!
Oh! What a great cinnamon swirl bread, thanks! I have got to try this soon.
It’s so delicious! I hope you enjoy it!
Hi Mary,
Thank yoi for wonderful recepie. I tried ir last night and loved the flavours esp the butter. But my bread was more like a loaf cake rather than bread. I felt it dense and less airy. I used electric beaters to beat the egg intially and then later on mixing dough but on the lowest speed. Later on i knead the dough with my hands . As i dont own dough kenafing machine. So want to check if this is the reason of dense and less airy bread?
Waiting to hear from you
Hmmm. Perhaps the milk/butter mixture was too hot when you sprinkled the yeast on it? If it was, you probably killed the yeast, and that’s how you ended up with dense, less airy bread. Hope that helps!
Oh so it was warm or beacuse i mixed the yeast after sprinkling?? Which killed yeast?
Do you think beating eggs has affected it too??
The milk mixture is supposed to be only warm, not hot, so make sure it’s not hot, and make sure your yeast mixture is bubbly after you wait the 10 minutes after sprinkling on the yeast. I mixed the eggs and the sugar in my stand mixer only until well combined, so don’t over beat.