This Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread takes everything you love about classic banana bread and makes it even better than you thought it could be. It’s super moist and rich, with a buttery cinnamon sugar ribbon running through the center. It’s like the best part of a cinnamon roll baked right inside a tender banana loaf.
I always thought the only way to improve banana bread was to add chocolate, but this bread proved me wrong. The cinnamon swirl adds just the right amount of sweetness and spice and gooey-ness, making it almost impossible to stop eating (in the best way).
If you love a gooey cinnamon dessert, you’re gonna wanna check out my Fig & Brie Cinnamon Rolls, Braided Cinnamon Bread, and Plum Pecan Sticky Buns.
Recipe highlights
- Moist & tender. Overripe bananas, melted butter, and yogurt keep the loaf soft and rich.
- Cinnamon swirl magic. A layer of cinnamon sugar adds a sneaky, gooey, spicy surprise, plus that gorgeous marbled look.
- Butter-brushed finish. A coating of melted butter and sugar after baking creates even more flavor and texture to obsess over.
- No mixer required. This recipe comes together with just a couple of bowls and a whisk.
Recipe overview
⏱️ Prep: ~15 minutes • Bake: 50–60 minutes
🍴 Yield: 1 loaf (about 8–10 slices)
💪 Skill level: Beginner
😋 Flavor profile: Classic banana bread meets cinnamon roll, plus a crunchy spiced sugar crust. Pairs well with: Strong coffee, cold milk, hot cocoa.
How to make cinnamon swirl banana bread
Find the full ingredients list and detailed recipe instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here’s a quick step-by-step overview of how to make this recipe:
- Whisk together the wet ingredients: Combine mashed bananas, melted butter, sugar, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla until smooth and well blended.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Fold them together: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined — don’t overmix!
- Layer the batter: Pour about ⅓ of the banana batter into your loaf pan, sprinkle with about ⅓ of the cinnamon sugar mixture, then repeat with another ⅓ batter and ⅓ sugar. Spread the rest of the banana bread batter on top. Set aside the remaining sugar for after baking.
- Bake: Bake until golden, then let cool for just a few minutes.
- Brush and coat: While the bread is still warm, brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle over more cinnamon sugar for a sweet, slightly crunchy finish.
Pro baking tips for the best cinnamon swirl banana bread
Use very ripe bananas. The more brown and spotty, the better the flavor and sweetness.
Don’t over-mix. Over-mixing can make banana bread dense. Mix with a light hand, just until the dry ingredients disappear into the batter.
No need to swirl! I found that for beautiful marbling, no swirling was necessary. Simply sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the banana bread batter in a few layers and it will do its thing.
Line your pan. Greasing and lining the bottom of the pan with parchment makes it easy to lift out the loaf without breaking.
Brush while warm. Apply the melted butter and spiced sugar mixture to the top of the bread while it’s still warm. This will help everything to adhere well.
Let it cool before slicing. Banana bread continues to set as it cools — waiting ensures clean slices and the best texture.
Variations
Add nuts: Chopped walnuts or pecans add crunch and complement the cinnamon flavor beautifully.
Make it chocolatey: Fold in a handful of mini chocolate chips for an indulgent twist.
Brown the butter: Want even more depth of flavor in your cinnamon swirl banana bread? Brown the butter before whisking with the other wet ingredients. (I did this for my Sourdough Pumpkin Bread and it was the best decision ever.)
Make it spicier: Feel free to add some ground ginger, nutmeg, or even pumpkin pie spice to the cinnamon sugar mixture if you want it spicier.
Storage
Store this banana bread at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for up to 4 days. This is one of those treats that actually gets better the next day – the gooey cinnamon swirl just gets gooier and all those flavors become more pronounced.
It also freezes well: Just wrap individual slices tightly in plastic and seal in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature when the craving strikes.
Looking for more ways to use overripe bananas? Be sure to check out my Sourdough Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Ganache.
If you make this Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread, please leave a star rating and comment below. I’d love to hear what you think or answer any questions. Thank you!
Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
Equipment
- 9×5 inch loaf pan
Ingredients
Cinnamon Swirl & Topping
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon demerara sugar, optional
Banana Bread
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 very ripe bananas, about 1 ½ cups mashed
- 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup plain whole milk yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Optional: Line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving a couple inches hanging over 2 sides to use as handles to remove bread after baking.
- Make the cinnamon swirl. In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup sugar, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 ½ tbsp cinnamon, and ¼ tsp salt. Set aside.
- Make the banana bread batter. Whisk together 2 cups flour, ¾ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mash the 3 bananas thoroughly. Whisk in 3 oz (6 tbsp) melted butter, ½ cup sugar, 2 eggs, ¼ cup yogurt, and 1 tsp vanilla. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no streaks of flour remain – don't over-mix!
- Layer. Pour about ⅓ of the banana bread batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle about ⅓ of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over top. Spread another ⅓ of banana batter over the top, followed by another ⅓ of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Top with the remaining banana batter, spreading evenly and all the way to the sides of the pan. Set aside the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture for after baking.
- Bake. Bake banana bread until top springs back when touched, bread looks golden, and the bread is starting to pull away from the sides of the pan slightly, about 50-60 minutes.
- Brush & coat. Allow the bread to cool for a few minutes. Remove from the pan, using parchment handles to lift it out carefully. Immediately brush all over with 1 tbsp melted butter.
- Add 1 tbsp demerara sugar to cinnamon sugar mixture (optional, adds crunch!). Sprinkle generously over top of banana bread*, pressing lightly to adhere. Allow to cool to room temperature before slicing & serving.
Notes
Did you try this recipe?
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