Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bread
This Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bread is a soft, moist quick bread packed with crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal folded right into the batter, a ribbon of cinnamon sugar swirled through the center, and a buttery, crunchy crumble topping that bakes up golden and crisp. No yeast, no stand mixer — just one bowl, a loaf pan, and just over an hour until you have a bakery-worthy loaf that smells absolutely incredible and tastes even better.
Equipment
- 9x5 inch loaf pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl For the crumble topping
- Whisk
- Parchment paper
- Zip-lock bag and rolling pin For crushing cereal
- Pastry cutter or fork For making the crumble topping
- Instant-read thermometer (optional) Bread is done at 200°F / 93°C
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Bread Batter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 190g
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream 120g; or plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup neutral oil 80ml; vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup whole milk 60ml
- 1 cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal about 40g, finely crushed
For the Cinnamon Swirl Filling
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter melted
For the Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- 1/2 cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal about 20g, lightly crushed
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with a parchment paper sling, leaving overhang on the long sides for easy removal.
- Place 1 cup of cereal in a zip-lock bag and crush into fine crumbs for the batter; crush the remaining ½ cup more coarsely in a separate bag for the topping. Set aside.
- Combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl, then cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter until coarse crumbles form. Stir in the coarsely crushed cereal and refrigerate until needed.
- Stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the swirl filling, then mix in the melted butter to form a thick paste. Set aside at room temperature.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl for 30 seconds, then stir in the finely crushed cereal.
- In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, sour cream, oil, vanilla, and milk together vigorously for about 1 minute until smooth and fully combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula just until no streaks of flour remain — do not overmix.
- Spread half the batter into the prepared pan, dollop the cinnamon swirl filling over the top, then cover with the remaining batter and optionally swirl with a knife for a marbled effect.
- Sprinkle the chilled crumble topping evenly over the batter and press lightly to adhere, then bake for 50–60 minutes until deep golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Tent with foil if the top browns too quickly.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then lift out using the parchment sling and cool for at least 30 minutes total before slicing with a serrated knife.
Notes
- Don't overmix: Fold wet and dry ingredients together just until the flour disappears — overmixing leads to a dense, rubbery loaf.
- Room temperature dairy: Use room-temperature eggs and sour cream for a smoother batter and more even crumb.
- Keep the crumble cold: Cold butter is the secret to a crunchy, chunky topping. If your kitchen is warm, freeze the crumble for 10 minutes before topping the loaf.
- Crush cereal in two textures: Fine crumbs go in the batter for flavor; coarser pieces go in the topping for crunch and visual appeal.
- Tent with foil if needed: If the top browns too fast around the 35–40 minute mark, loosely cover with foil and remove it for the last 5–10 minutes to re-crisp.
- Test doneness correctly: A toothpick should come out with just 1–2 moist crumbs, not wet batter. An instant-read thermometer should read 200°F (93°C).
- Make ahead: This bread gets more flavorful overnight as the cinnamon infuses the crumb. Bake the evening before and store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
- Storage: Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze individual slices for up to 3 months.
- Dairy-free option: Substitute full-fat coconut cream or dairy-free yogurt for the sour cream, oat or almond milk for the whole milk, and plant-based butter for the unsalted butter.
- Variations: Fold in ½ cup mini chocolate chips, ½ cup diced apple, or ½ cup mashed banana for fun flavor twists. A powdered sugar glaze also makes a beautiful bakery-style finish.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 160mgPotassium: 85mgFiber: 1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 4IUCalcium: 6mgIron: 11mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!