Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Bread – A Quick Bread Recipe

This Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Bread is a quick sweet treat to serve your guests with a cup of coffee or as an after-school treat. You can quickly whip it together and enjoy every bite of this moist cinnamon-flavored quick bread. The soft and tender crumb is so pleasing and made even better with a sourdough twist!

There is nothing like the smell of cinnamon bread coming from the oven. Your whole house fills with a delicious, welcoming aroma, sure to please your family and guests alike. It is easy to quickly whisk together the ingredients, layer and top with cinnamon sugar, and then pop it in the oven. What a great way to use up sourdough discard! I love serving a delicious dessert, especially if it is a sourdough recipe! This sourdough cinnamon loaf is also my favorite after-school snack for hungry kids. So quick and easy!

My favorite way to serve this bread is to pour a glaze on top of the almost-cooled bread and then cut it into 1-inch slices. For best results, wait at least 20 minutes before slicing the cinnamon bread. 

Why you’ll have to share this recipe with friends

Quick- This is the perfect no-fuss recipe if you need one that is ready in just over an hour. No rise Time needed!

Super Easy – No mixer, no kneading, no stretch and folds. All you need is a cute mixing bowl, a sourdough whisk, and a loaf pan! Bonus if you have some little hands who are willing to help!

Sourdough Discard – What better way to use up that sourdough discard in the fridge than to make a sweet treat with it?

Melt-in-your-mouth texture- If you love comfort food, this is a comfort dessert! The melt-in-your-mouth texture will have you coming back for seconds and thirds!

Vanilla and Cinnamon Flavors – I have fond childhood memories of eating homemade cinnamon rolls and cinnamon bread. This cinnamon swirl bread, topped with a vanilla glaze, is the perfect combination of flavors that reminds me of cozy family gatherings. 

Crunchy cinnamon sugar – Adding cinnamon sugar on top creates a crunchy cinnamon sugar texture with every bite.

Texture and Taste – This sourdough cinnamon loaf is not as heavy and dense as a pound cake, but is heavier than a regular cake. Like many sweet breads, it has a moist and tender cinnamon swirl inside, combined with a cinnamon sugar crunch on top. The taste reminds me of sourdough cinnamon rolls and sourdough cinnamon raisin bread together. So yummy! Cinnamon bread and Amish friendship bread also have very similar flavors. 

On the hunt for more Sourdough Discard Recipes?

If this recipe is one that you love, try out my other sourdough recipes! 

If you love making fun sourdough treats, you’ll love my Sourdough Pop-Tarts. Or try Sourdough Discard White Chocolate Cranberry Scones! Chewy Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Cookies are always a hit! Since spring is coming, these Rhubarb Breakfast Muffins with Discard are a must!

Looking for quick Supper Side Dishes?

Try my popular Sourdough Cheesy Breadsticks or Soft Sourdough Pretzel Bites. Feeling fancy? This easy Sourdough Discard Focaccia Bread is the ultimate supper side dish! 

The best everyday sourdough bread recipes are the ones that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine. Try out my Sourdough Sandwich Bread recipe for an uncomplicated, fool-proof sourdough bread recipe! 

Tips for making Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Bread

To get that extra thick cinnamon swirl in the middle, use the full amount of brown sugar.

When swirling the batter with a knife, don’t overswirl. You want to have a defined swirl in the middle and not have it mixed together. 

Don’t overmix the batter if you want a tender and lighter loaf.

Use parchment paper to line the loaf pan to make the loaf pop out more easily. 

Ingredients

Brown Sugar

Cinnamon

Flour – This recipe is made with all-purpose flour. You can also substitute with bread flour or fresh milled flour.

Baking Powder

Salt

Egg

Vanilla Extract

Milk – I prefer whole milk, but you can substitute with a lower-fat milk or nondairy.

Melted Butter – I love using melted butter for the flavor, but you can also substitute it for avocado oil or oil of your choice. 

Sourdough Discard – Sourdough discard or active sourdough starter provides a great flavor boost and has healthy benefits as well!

How to make Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Bread

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. If you have an 8×5-inch pan, you will need to bake the loaf an extra 5 minutes.

Cinnamon Swirl: Mix together 1/3 cup of brown sugar with 1 tbsp of cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside. 

Cinnamon Bread: Combine the all-purpose flour, 1 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. 

In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, milk, melted butter, vanilla, and sourdough discard. 

Whisk the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients using a sourdough hook. Stir until just moistened. Do not overmix. 

Pour 1/2 of the batter into the greased loaf pan. Spread to the corners. 

Sprinkle 3/4 of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. 

Pour the remaining cinnamon bread batter on top. Use a spoon to gently spread towards the corners of the loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar on top of the dough. 

Draw a sharp knife through the batter to marble/swirl the batter. 

Bake at 350°F on the middle rack until a toothpick comes out clean. 45 to 50 minutes. 

Let the cinnamon bread cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before adding glaze. 

Optional glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled loaf and enjoy. 

How to store Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Bread

You can store cinnamon bread in an airtight container for up to 3 days. (If it isn’t devoured before then!) 

Freezing: To freeze, cool the loaf completely and wrap in plastic wrap. Place into an airtight container or zip lock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply let the loaf get to room temperature and drizzle it with glaze. You can also reheat in the oven for 5 minutes to get the bread warm, and glaze it when cooled.