Snickerdoodle Bread
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Nov. 30, 2025
I love this Snickerdoodle bread for its balance of soft crumb and crisp, cinnamon-sugar top. It reheats beautifully.
In This Article
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Amy’s Notes
I make this Snickerdoodle Bread whenever I want the cozy flavor of a cookie in a soft, buttery quick bread. Here’s what makes it so special:
- Warm, Classic Flavor: This bread is packed with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for that familiar snickerdoodle taste. It’s the same comforting spice combo you’ll find in my Snickerdoodle Muffins.
- Perfect Texture: The inside stays tender and moist thanks to the yogurt, while the top bakes into a crisp, sugary crust.
- Versatile Treat: It’s just as good for breakfast with coffee as it is for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or snickerdoodle ice cream.
- Stays Fresh and Cozy: This loaf keeps beautifully for a couple of days, and a quick reheat brings it right back to that just-baked warmth.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – Forms the base of the bread and gives it structure while keeping the crumb soft and tender.
- Baking Powder – Helps the loaf rise evenly and gives it a light, moist texture.
- Ground Cinnamon – The star spice that gives the bread its signature snickerdoodle flavor.
- Ground Nutmeg – Adds a subtle warmth and depth that pairs perfectly with cinnamon.
- Ground Cloves – Brings a hint of spice and richness to round out the flavor profile.
- Salted Butter – Creates a rich, buttery base and helps the bread stay moist. Unsalted butter works too; just add a small pinch of extra salt.
- Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the bread and helps create that crisp, crackly top when baked with cinnamon.
- Large Eggs – Bind the ingredients together and add structure and moisture to the loaf.
- Whole Plain Yogurt – Keeps the bread tender and adds a slight tang. Whole sour cream can be used instead.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are some of our favorite substitutions and variations:
- Cinnamon Chip Version: I like to skip the middle cinnamon-sugar layer and stir in 1½ cups of cinnamon baking chips instead. If you do this, divide the batter into two smaller loaves and bake for about 35–45 minutes.
- Yogurt Swap: You can use whole sour cream in place of yogurt. It gives the bread the same moist texture with a slightly richer taste.
- Add-in Nuts: Try folding in a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts for a bit of crunch. They pair nicely with the warm spices.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl to evenly combine.
- Cream softened butter and sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla and yogurt until smooth and fully blended.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon and sugar to make the topping.
- Spread batter into a greased loaf pan, sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top then bake at 350°F until golden and set.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our best prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:
- Make Entirely Ahead: Bake the loaf completely, let it cool, and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil. It stays soft and flavorful at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Snickerdoodle Bread
This snickerdoodle bread is deliciously thick and moist, perfectly spiced. While the inside is tender, the top is crispy with cinnamon sugar.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup salted butter, softened to room temp
- 2 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup plain yogurt, whole
For Topping:
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F, with rack on lower middle position. Grease a deep 9"x5" loaf pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, use paddle attachment to cream together the butter and sugar until mixture becomes light and fluffy, a full 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of bowl and paddle as needed.
- Add eggs and mix until smooth. Add vanilla and yogurt, mixing to incorporated fully.
- Gradually add dry flour mixture into the batter, folding with rubber spatula until just combined, taking care not to over-mix.
- In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Set aside.
- Fill prepared loaf pan with with half of the batter, evenly spreading it out to corners. Sprinkle evenly with two-thirds of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Evenly spread remaining batter on top. Sprinkle top with remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Bake 65-75 minutes or until toothpick comes out with few tender crumbs attached. Check loaf after 60 minutes; if top is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil and continue baking until done.
- Allow bread to cool in pan until it's reached room temperature. Carefully remove loaf from pan, slice, and serve reheated.
Notes
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature before mixing. This helps the batter blend smoothly and gives the bread a tender crumb.
- Cream the butter and sugar for a full 3 minutes. Proper creaming traps air, which helps the loaf rise evenly and stay light.
- I use a rubber spatula or clean, damp fingers to easily spread batter evenly in pan.
- This bread has the best texture and flavor when allowed to fully cool and served reheated. I like to cover the slices and reheat 30 seconds in the microwave just before serving.
- Check the loaf at 60 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil so the inside can finish baking without over-browning.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing. This keeps the crumb from crumbling and helps the cinnamon-sugar crust stay crisp.
- Reheat slices before serving. A quick 30 seconds in the microwave brings back the fresh-baked warmth and aroma.
- This recipe is part of our Sweet Breakfast Recipes Collection.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 632kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 711IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 162mg | Iron: 2mg
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t have a stand mixer?
You can use a hand mixer or even mix by hand with a sturdy whisk and spatula. Just make sure to cream the butter and sugar well until light and fluffy before adding the other ingredients.
Why is my bread browning too quickly on top?
If the top starts to brown before the center is done, loosely cover the loaf with foil and continue baking. This helps the inside bake through without overbrowning the crust.
How long does it keep?
Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 1 month. Reheat slices in the microwave for about 30 seconds to bring back that fresh, warm texture.
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- Sweet Potato Bread – This Sweet Potato Bread makes great use of your holiday leftover sweet potato casserole! Freshly mashed sweet potatoes work, too. Dense, moist, delish!
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