Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

4.70 from 10 votes
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This cinnamon swirl banana bread is so moist and has a delicious cinnamon swirl that adds irresistible flavor to every bite.

A piece of cinnamon swirl banana bread on cutting board.
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How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

We’ve all seen that perfect piece of banana bread in the window of our favorite bakery with a gorgeous cinnamon swirl right in the middle and we think–wow, I could never do that. WRONG! You can make your very own cinnamon swirl banana bread at home!

This cinnamon swirl banana bread recipe isn’t that different that our perfect banana bread recipe! The only difference is you add a cinnamon swirl layer in between two layers of your batter!

Ingredients You Need

Here is everything you need to make this cinnamon swirl banana bread and some easy substitution options!

  • White whole wheat flour- we love using white whole wheat flour for baking.Feel free to use all-purpose flour if you want to, that should work. We have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour.
  • Brown sugar– The brown sugar in the recipe gives the banana bread a delicious and classic banana bread sweetness. Feel free to substitute it with coconut sugar.
  • Baking soda– Don’t skip the baking soda.
  • Salt– We add salt to most of our banana bread recipes because it brings out the natural flavors in the banana bread.
  • Ripe bananas– You can really use any banana for the banana bread, but very ripe bananas have the best flavor! We used three medium bananas that equaled around 1 cup of mashed banana.
  • Large eggs– We recommend using large eggs, no other size!
  • Maple syrup– the flavor that maple syrup gives to this recipe is amazing!
  • Greek yogurt– Why Greek? It works with the baking soda to leave you with fluffy and moist banana bread!
  • Vanilla extract– We stuck with classic vanilla extract for this recipe.
  • Unsweetened almond milk– This batter can be a bit thick and the almond milks helps to thin it out a bit.
  • Butter– You use butter twice in this recipe. Once for the fat of the banana bread (yum) and in the cinnamon swirl. Feel free to substitute with coconut oil.
  • Ground cinnamon– Delicious cinnamon is for the glorious cinnamon swirl in the middle of this banana bread.

Fun add-ins

Though this cinnamon swirl banana bread is perfect as in, feel free to add any of these delicious add-ins below for some fun!

  • chocolate chips
  • rasins
  • coconut flakes
Cinnamon swirl batter in a bowl.

How to Add a Swirl to Banana Bread

Adding the swirl to this cinnamon swirl banana bread is a lot easier than you think. There are three ingredients in the cinnamon swirl—> melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Mix it up

To make the cinnamon swirl you add melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a small bowl and mix until it creates a thick, dark, syrup.

Add half batter to the pan

Pour half of your banana bread into a greased banana bread pan and then drizzle half of the cinnamon swirl to the top of the batter and use a knife or toothpick to swirl the two together. DO NOT OVER SWIRL. You want the swirl in the middle of the banana bread to be a bit thicker.

Making a cinnamon swirl in the middle of banana bread.

Add the rest of the batter

After you’ve done your first swirl pour the rest of the banana bread batter over the swirl and shake the pan to even things out. Add the rest of the cinnamon swirl to the top of the banana bread and swirl them together again! You can get fancy with this swirl!

Adding more batter to a loaf pan.

Tips + Tricks

Banana Bread Baking Tools

Here are the tools you need to make this banana bread just right!

Do I have to tent my banana bread?

You don’t HAVE to tent your banana bread, but we do recommend it. No one likes a tough, overcooked outer layer and this is what the tenting prevents.

CAN I USE FROZEN BANANAS?

This recipe is a great way to use up all the frozen bananas you have In your freezer! Let your bananas thaw completely before mashing and measuring.

HOW MANY BANANAS DO I NEED FOR 1 CUP MASHED?

You will need around 3 medium bananas to get 1 cup of mashed bananas.

IS BANANA BREAD HEALTHY?

Most banana bread recipes are made with white sugar, all-purpose flour, and vegetable oil making it a not so good for you treat. That is why we created this bananas bread recipe! It’s made with whole grains, all-natural sugars, and a little coconut oil.

Cinnamon swirl banana bread cut into slices.

Storage

Let the banana bread cool completely before transferring it into an airtight container such as a gallon-size plastic bag. We recommend storing banana bread on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freezer Instructions

  1. Let banana bread cool completely and then wrap it in a piece of plastic wrap followed by a piece of tin foil.
  2. Remove as much air as possible and then write the date on it.
  3. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Cinnamon swirl banana bread slices on parchment paper.
4.70 from 10 votes

Cinnamon Banana Bread

This cinnamon swirl banana bread is so moist and has a delicious cinnamon swirl that adds irresistible flavor to every bite.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 10
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Ingredients 

Dry Ingredients

Wet

  • 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup mashed)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter

Cinnamon Swirl

Instructions 

  • First, preheat oven to 350ºF and spray a standard bread pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Next, place dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mash 3 medium ripe bananas with a fork until they’re mostly pureed. You should get about a cup of mashed banana. Then crack in eggs and whisk to combine. Add maple syrup, Greek yogurt, vanilla, melted butter, and almond milk and whisk again.
  • Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and mix with a wooden spoon.
  • Transfer half of the batter into the bread pan and drizzle on half of the cinnamon mixture and use a knife or toothpick to swirl it in. Then, add the rest of the batter to the pan and then drizzle on the rest of the cinnamon mixture and swirl it in with a knife.
  • Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with a tented piece of tin foil. Then, bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let cool for 10-15 minutes and then remove from pan to finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Watch It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”TV7RJUv9″ upload-date=”2021-02-19T01:29:56.000Z” name=”Cinnamon Banana Bread” description=”This Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread almost smells as good as it tastes! We took our classic banana bread recipe and give it a little cinnamon twist. “]

Nutrition

Calories: 260 kcal, Carbohydrates: 41 g, Protein: 6 g, Fat: 8 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 23 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Linley Hanson

Linley has played an important role in the success of Fit Foodie Finds over the last 10 years. She is an incredible home cook and has an amazing palate. She is the brain behind our recipes and has spent thousands of hours developing, testing, and perfecting the delicious meals you see here at Fit Foodie Finds.

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18 Comments
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Joanna
Joanna
August 29, 2022 8:25 pm
Recipe Rating :
     

5 stars
This turned out absolutely perfect! Hubby said it was my best work. The directions are so easy for the swirl. Will make on repeat!

D911ECDD-E979-45C0-847A-6F33D61CA448.jpeg
Emily Richter
August 30, 2022 8:21 am
Reply to  Joanna

Beaaauuutiful!

Gigi H
Gigi H
May 1, 2022 9:25 am
Recipe Rating :
     

5 stars
Taste really great! My daughter was complaining that I didnโ€™t have any new desserts for her, so I decided to make this banana bread because who says you canโ€™t have it for dessert! Plus, she can have any easy go to in the am before the school bus! Win win.

910A844D-22AC-40BB-85E5-38E08A9B62CF.jpeg
Emily Richter
May 6, 2022 3:47 pm
Reply to  Gigi H

Definitely a win win, Gigi! So glad you and your daughter enjoyed this banana bread ๐Ÿ˜€

Morrgan
Morrgan
January 2, 2022 12:13 pm
Recipe Rating :
     

5 stars
Omg this bread is awesome! So moist and great flavor! Will definitely be making this regularly going forward.

Ali
Ali
February 28, 2021 11:23 pm
Recipe Rating :
     

4 stars
This was overall really enjoyable! Very moist, and the perfect amount of sweetness. Definitely will be making again, however, the baking temperature and time made it a lil iffy. It would burn on the outside, but still not be fully cooked on the inside. When it was finally cooked, the outside was a little bit too burnt.

Connie Sweeney
February 26, 2021 6:10 pm

I canโ€™t wait to make this! When you are talking about Greek yogurt you mention baking powder but in the recipe it calls for baking soda, wondering which it is?

Lee Funke
February 26, 2021 7:21 pm
Reply to  Connie Sweeney

Good call! We totally meant to say soda.

Larissa
Larissa
February 26, 2021 1:32 pm
Recipe Rating :
     

5 stars
This bread is delightful! I followed the recipe exactly. It turned out super moist and delicious – the cinnamon swirl is such a good idea! Freezing half for later and gobbling up the rest of it this weekend ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you!

Lee Funke
February 26, 2021 7:22 pm
Reply to  Larissa

So glad you loved this bread! It’s one of our new favs, too!

Sonia
Sonia
February 23, 2021 7:10 am

Would it taste different/bad if I used normal whole wheat flour? I canโ€™t seem to find white whole wheat flour. Thanks!

Linda
Linda
February 21, 2021 10:40 am

Oops! Now my error. My comment refers to bananas.

Lee Funke
February 21, 2021 2:08 pm
Reply to  Linda

Thank you! I updated the text in-copy to match the recipe card – 1 cup!

Linda
Linda
February 21, 2021 10:39 am

There is an error on this post. In the written bit about the ingredients needed it says 1/2 cup, but in the recipe it says 1 cup.

Joyce
Joyce
February 21, 2021 10:20 am

Yum! This looks beautiful!

White whole wheat flour is not actually a combination of white and whole wheat flour. It is 100% whole wheat flour made with white wheat!

Lee Funke
February 21, 2021 2:09 pm
Reply to  Joyce

Thanks for the tip!