Food and Recipes Entertaining Ideas & Tips 54 Sweet Bread Recipes To Pair With Your Morning Coffee You're going to fall in love with our favorite coffee cake and sweet bread recipes. By Jenna Sims Jenna Sims Jenna is a Senior Digital Editor for Southern Living and joined the team in 2014. She writes, produces, and assigns content with a focus on email growth and commerce content. She covers a range of topics in the lifestyle space from holiday gift guides to new product launches to tips for cooking with your air fryer. Southern Living's editorial guidelines and Josh Miller Josh Miller Josh Miller is a writer, editor, recipe developer, and food stylist who has been writing about Southern food and working in the publishing industry for the past 20 years. His work has appeared in Southern Living, Food & Wine, Cooking Light, Taste of the South, and Southern Cast Iron magazines. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on December 14, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall A sweet tooth can't be ignored, so we've got you covered with our all-time best coffee cakes and sweet breads. Skip the trip to the bakery with easy homemade versions of your orders, like blueberry muffins, cinnamon coffee cake, and sticky sweet buns. Nothing pairs better with a cup of hot coffee than a gooey orange roll or slice of classic banana bread. Picking out Christmas brunch this year will be easy with these sweet breads and coffee cakes. Get festive with our citrus pull-apart bread or gingerbread muffins that the kids will love. Spend your Saturday morning whipping up a decadent batch of monkey bread with homemade caramel sauce drizzled on top or make brunch ahead with a freezable pastry. Whatever recipe you choose, everyone will be happy with a little extra sugar on the breakfast table. 01 of 54 Orange Rolls Stacy K. Allen, Food Stylist: Ali Ramee, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Your family will definitely want to rise, shine, and dine when they smell these Easy Orange Rolls baking in the oven. In fact, this might be the perfect morning treat to get many more people out of bed and into your kitchen. Try making these during a holiday when you have a full house. Get The Recipe 02 of 54 Praline Pull-Apart Bread Beth Hontzas Make this delicious bread for special occasions. It's easy to fix with frozen bread dough, and a caramel-flavored sauce poured on top makes it irresistible. The secret to the smooth texture of the sauce is the quick step of whipping the cream before stirring in the brown sugar. Get The Recipe 03 of 54 Party Coffee Cake Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Add a bit of refreshing flavor to your coffee cake with a combination of lemon and cinnamon. A sugary pecan topping completes this easy breakfast treat. This is a coffee cake that will impress anyone lucky enough to have a slice. Get The Recipe 04 of 54 Hummingbird Bundt Cake Photo: Jennifer Davick From pineapple to cream cheese, the same ingredients first featured in the 1978 version of this popular layer cake still shine in our new version—simplified by baking in a Bundt pan. The cream cheese glaze is your favorite old-school flavor from Grandma's kitchen, perfect for sugar cookies and brownies, too. Get The Recipe 05 of 54 Bakeshop Blueberry Muffins Bake this coffee shop staple at home with just 10 minutes of hands-on time. These delightful morsels come together so quickly, we advise making two batches. Save the fresh muffins for a week of grab 'n go breakfast, and freeze the other batch for a future of coffee dates with yourself. Get The Recipe 06 of 54 Piña Colada Quick Bread Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall This bread recipe would make the prettiest centerpiece for your weekend brunch. The crispy toasted coconut chips that top this festive loaf are the "Dang!" brand of coconut chips and can be found at many local grocers. If your scavenger hunt for these comes up empty handed, use flaked coconut or sliced almonds instead. Get The Recipe 07 of 54 Cream Cheese Pastries Alison Miksch This dessert-for-breakfast is sure to impress. Your breakfast companions will be sure you ran out early in the morning to find baked goods. Our Test Kitchen developed this recipe to make four loaves, so you can make one for your grateful family and guests, and give the rest to neighbors and workmates during the holidays. Get The Recipe 08 of 54 Gingerbread Muffins Micah A. Leal These sweet bites are complete with a topping of cream cheese frosting. Whether you need help getting in the holiday spirit or you simply want a taste of one of winter's most beloved flavors, our gingerbread muffins will do the trick! Get The Recipe 09 of 54 Apple Butter-Pecan Quick Bread Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall With just 20 minutes of hands-on time, this apple bread is easy to throw together. The hard part is waiting the hour for it too cool once you take it out of the oven. This bread recipe starts with homemade slow-cooker apple butter and ends with a happy and full family! Get The Recipe 10 of 54 Cream Cheese-Banana-Nut Bread Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas Enjoy banana bread without all the guilt with this healthy banana bread recipe. This wonderfully moist bread gets its rich texture not just from bananas, but from cream cheese also. It's a real treat to linger over with your morning cup. Get The Recipe 11 of 54 Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Pumpkin puts a seasonal twist on your weekend cinnamon rolls. There’s pumpkin in the dough and the filling, which is warmly spiced with nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. Topped with a tangy cream cheese glaze, your morning coffee will be extra sweet paired with these. Get The Recipe 12 of 54 Peach Scones Micah A. Leal Instead of making a bakery run, whip up these scones that only take 25 minutes of hands-on time. These are both fluffy and moist, just as a scone should be. We suspect you will become so good at making this recipe, ordering a scone at your local coffeehouse will become unnecessary. Get The Recipe 13 of 54 Chocolate Monkey Bread Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen Frozen dough speeds up this super-sweet monkey bread recipe. It's almost a pull-apart donut cake, as noted by our Test Kitchen staff. The caramel-chocolate glaze takes it over the top and into your regular recipe rotation. Get The Recipe 14 of 54 Carrot Cake Muffins Micah A. Leal How much do we love carrot cake? This breakfast recipe adds to the ways. While we happily endorse a slice of carrot cake in the morning, it's more fun to add muffins packed with the spices and ingredients for your favorite carrot cake to the menu. Get The Recipe 15 of 54 Cinnamon Coffee Cake Antonis Achilleos This sweet and easy coffee cake recipe can be enjoyed year-round, whether for Saturday brunch or a new neighbor. The sweet, crunchy streusel—which would also be divine on muffins, by the way—is balanced by a sour cream mixture that keeps the sugar from going off the charts. This is one of those tried-and-true results that will end your search for the perfect coffee cake. Get The Recipe 16 of 54 Sour Cream Banana Bread With Pecan Streusel Topping Victor Protasio Instead of turning to your usual banana bread recipe the next time you have overripe bananas on the counter, try this moist recipe for something out of the ordinary. A bit of stirring, an hour of baking, and you'll have a delicious loaf of banana bread that's ready to share with hungry visitors. The pecan streusel will have you craving pie as a side. Get The Recipe 17 of 54 Any-Berry Muffins With Cornmeal Streusel Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall We love the versatility of this muffin recipe that pairs perfectly with your morning cup of coffee. You can satisfy your own personal preference for berries with the flexibility of the ingredients. Make a batch of just strawberry, or select the ever-favorite blueberry. Or, if you're lucky enough to have beautiful berries in season, choose a tri-berry muffin that checks off all your berry boxes. Get The Recipe 18 of 54 Apple Cider Doughnuts Micah A. Leal We can't think of a more fun fall baking project than these cakey apple cider doughnuts. Since no yeast is used in making these doughnuts, you only have to wait a total of 30 minutes for the dough to chill before frying. If you don't have a fryer on hand, a Dutch oven or a large sturdy pot will work just fine. Get The Recipe 19 of 54 Bananas Foster Coffee Cake With Vanilla-Rum Sauce Alison Miksch Dive into a New Orleans mainstay dessert at breakfast with this totally decadent coffee cake recipe. When you're pairing breakfast sweet bread with coffee and you take your love of sweetness this far, you are definitely going to need a strong cup! We suggest you seek out a New Orleans brand of joe such as chicory coffee. Get The Recipe 20 of 54 Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls With Apple Cider Glaze Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall There really isn't any butter in apple butter. It is simply a highly concentrated form of apple sauce produced by slow-cooking apples to the point where the natural sugars caramelize. These sweet rolls can be prepped in advance and frozen to make your life easier the day you're serving. Get The Recipe 21 of 54 King Cake Monkey Bread Southern Living Create a totally new way to enjoy this Mardi Gras treat with just a few pantry staples. King Cake might seem like an undertaking, but with this version you won't feel too pressed to be so on top of your baking game. The secret is using a can of pre-made cinnamon roll dough. Get The Recipe 22 of 54 Nutella Banana Bread Micah A. Leal Chocolate-covered bananas never tasted so good. There's no doubt that a swirl of Nutella takes your go-to banana bread over the top. You know this is going to taste perfect with that cuppa, but we highly advise keeping a tall ice-cold glass of milk on standby. Get The Recipe 23 of 54 Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer This is one of those make and bakes whose presentation is just as delightful as its taste. The layers are buttery with a light golden crumb. Making this beautiful pull-apart bread is such a fun way to spend an afternoon with the kids. Get The Recipe 24 of 54 Fresh Peach Coffee Cake With Pecan Streusel Photo: Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Time for your monthly friends brunch potluck? Juicy, fresh peaches make for the best texture when mixed with a crunchy streusel and soft cake. It will fill your home with fragrant cinnamon and cardamom, perfect partners for the sweet, juicy peaches that take center stage in the recipe. Get The Recipe 25 of 54 Cherry-Pecan Swirl Bread Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Topped with a simple citrus glaze, this gorgeous bread recipe is wow-worthy. The process will remind you of how important kneading can be, even for sweet bread. It's easy to take pleasure in the first meal of the day when it tastes this good. Get The Recipe 26 of 54 Pumpkin-Pecan Coffee Cake Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely A serving of this coffee cake will help you relish all fall has to offer. The sweet crumb topping caramelizes and crisps on top of the pumpkin and spice batter. Freeze squares of this cake to have any time you need to sit and savor the season. Get The Recipe 27 of 54 Sorghum-Pecan Monkey Bread Muffins Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Who knew your muffin tin could do so much? Instead of slicing a Bundt cake, ensure every family member gets a personal sweet with this recipe. Sorghum is a grain that lends a mild, earthy flavor that is pleasing as well as gluten-free. Get The Recipe 28 of 54 Buttermilk Breakfast Scones Southern Living We're bringing this retro scone recipe back, and it's better than before. This little treat goes from formal brunch to casual coffee with friends. And when buttermilk is involved, the moisture is off-the-chart goodness. Get The Recipe 29 of 54 Citrus Pull-Apart Bread Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham This is the bright loaf of bread that should be greeting you in the morning. Honey, nutmeg, and lemon juice bring light layers of spiced sweetness onto your plate, satisfying that need to balance your coffee. Just add a sunrise, and this breakfast goes down just right. Get The Recipe 30 of 54 Mini Bananas Foster Sticky Buns Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Taking a shortcut in this case gets these sweet flavors to your family in no time, and they will raise their coffee cups in your honor. Instead of waiting for bread to rise, get brunch on the table quickly with this recipe that starts with refrigerated crescent rolls. This is another reliable way to use those slightly too-ripe bananas. Get The Recipe 31 of 54 Fig Bread Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Erin Merhar Figs might star on your Friday night cheeseboard, but here's a way to give them a spot in the brunch spread with an easy but pretty bread recipe. Dotted with dried figs and made with a hint of orange zest, this fig cake's flavor is uniquely delicious. The next time you want to give someone a "happy" or you're hosting brunch, turn to this fig bread recipe. Get The Recipe 32 of 54 Sausage-Stuffed Honey Buns Iain Bagwell This recipe combines the best of your favorite sweet and savory brunch dishes. The ultimate ode to the sausage and pancake breakfast, this delight hits all the high notes. Wash it down with your favorite coffee blend and you've got the right fuel for your fun-filled day. Get The Recipe 33 of 54 Pumpkin Bread Micah A. Leal Pumpkin bread should always have a handful of things: a mixture of fall spices, some kind of oil in the batter, and pure pumpkin puree. Melted butter lends richness to the bread and melted coconut oil keeps the interior of the loaf moist and soft. This is autumn, embodied, but we hope you throw it together any time you need a satisfying coffee pairing. Get The Recipe 34 of 54 Quick and Easy Cream Cheese Danish Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist Christine Keely Impress everyone with these simple danishes that are a snap to make. No one will believe you made them yourself. All it takes are sheets of frozen puff pastry and lemon-infused cream cheese. Top with any fruit that’s in season, and brush with apple jelly for a hit of sweetness. Get The Recipe 35 of 54 Snickerdoodle Doughnut Hole Muffins Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Torie Cox Twenty-four muffins in less than an hour? Count us in! Not only does this recipe yield a decent amount, but it also celebrates the flavors of the most underrated cookie we know: the humble Snickerdoodle. Everyone loves them, and these muffins are a tasty reminder of that classic cookie. Get The Recipe 36 of 54 Homemade Orange Rolls Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Skip the freezer aisle and try a new baking project this weekend with our orange rolls recipe. If you have never made homemade sweet rolls before, you will be so amazed at how easily these come together. You don't need a canned or frozen roll anymore. Get The Recipe 37 of 54 Homemade Pop Tarts Micah A. Leal The kids will be thrilled to see these buttery pastries on their breakfast plates, and when they take a bite, even they will know there is something better about your version. Is it smart to make these and offer them up? Just be careful. You will be asked to make them on the daily. Get The Recipe 38 of 54 Apple Bread Micah A. Leal Made with a base of applesauce and eggs instead of butter and sugar, this apple bread recipe is surprisingly healthier. That doesn't mean there will be leftovers. When paired with a hot cup of coffee, you and everyone else at the table are going to want seconds. Get The Recipe 39 of 54 Best-Ever Sticky Buns Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Our Test Kitchen doesn't call a recipe the "best ever" for no reason: These sweet buns are the ultimate make-ahead breakfast. It wouldn't be a bad idea to consider these for a special occasion brunch or birthday morning nosh. Get The Recipe 40 of 54 Raisin Bread Southern Living Making any type of homemade bread requires a genuine labor of love. It's an arduous process making the dough from scratch. Then you must knead and pound it to guarantee that the dough will rise properly. This raisin bread recipe makes two loaves, so be ready to make one and freeze the other or give it to Mama to brighten her day. Get The Recipe 41 of 54 Banana Bread Southern Living With just a few pantry staple ingredients and 15 minutes of hands-on time, this recipe is as simple and no-frills as it gets. This simple traditional banana bread will wow your family and friends with its moist texture and wonderful banana flavor. Topped with a pat of melty butter, this classic banana bread pairs beautifully with a hot mug of coffee or tea. Get The Recipe 42 of 54 Apple Butter Doughnuts with Salted-Caramel Glaze Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Make this doughnut dough up to two days in advance and enjoy a warm fall treat whenever you're ready. Slow-Cooker Apple Butter adds exceptional sweetness and seasonal spice to these doughnuts. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, or drizzle with the salted caramel glaze. Get The Recipe 43 of 54 Chocolate-Peanut Butter Monkey Bread Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Treat yourself to this rich, dessert-like bread. Pieces of crescent dough are stuffed with miniature peanut butter cups and stacked in a Bundt pan. As if that’s not enough, caramel sauce goes over the whole thing, filling all the nooks and crannies. To top off this decadent dish, drizzle melted chocolate and peanut butter over the baked bread. Get The Recipe 44 of 54 Pumpkin-Honey-Beer Bread Alison Miksch; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell This delicious combination of fall flavors is set off with a simple swipe of butter, bringing rich flavor to your serving. This is also the base for our Pumpkin-Honey-Beer Bread Pudding recipe. Needless to say, we are here to convince you that pumpkin, honey, and beer go together. Get The Recipe 45 of 54 Blueberry Streusel Muffins Southern Living Do you want a streusel-topped coffee cake or a muffin for breakfast? This quick recipe gives you both of those! You can make these muffins all year round with fresh or frozen blueberries. These muffins freeze well and need to be at the top of your freezer's muffin inventory. Get The Recipe 46 of 54 Orange Rolls Southern Living The orange roll is a staple at the Southern breakfast table. These are filled with orange marmalade and topped with a sweet glaze, bringing this beloved breakfast item to new heights. Enjoy these tender and buttery spirals with your favorite cup of coffee. Get The Recipe 47 of 54 Apple Muffins Stephen Devries; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Make a batch of these soft apple muffins on Sunday and enjoy them throughout the week. Although the recipe calls for Fuji apples, our Test Kitchen professionals agreed that any apple variety works. A tip from the Test Kitchen: Don't overwork these muffins. The batter only needs mixing until it is just combined, which helps keep the muffins super soft. Get The Recipe 48 of 54 Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls Alison Miksch With just 20 minutes of hands-on time, this recipe is so much simpler to make than it looks. Without yeast, these lovelies will be on the table in less than an hour. While they are cooking, you can make the easy 3-ingredient glaze to drizzle on the rolls while they are warm just after they come out of the oven. Get The Recipe 49 of 54 Cinnamon Swirl Pastry Muffins Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist Claire Spollen These muffins don’t require any batter. Like a cross between a croissant and a churro, you just need a few sheets of puff pastry, cinnamon, sugar, and butter to create these beautifully sweet and crunchy treats in your muffin pan. Get The Recipe 50 of 54 Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox This pumpkin bread has the moist, dense texture of a pound cake. It’s dotted with chocolate chips, but you can add dried cranberries or crystallized ginger instead. A little sugar and some pumpkin seeds make a pretty topping and add crunch. Get The Recipe 51 of 54 Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer Every bite of these muffins is packed with spiced pumpkin and ribbons of cream cheese. Store them in the refrigerator and take them out a little before serving time to let them come to room temperature. Get The Recipe 52 of 54 Carrot Cake Quick Bread Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis This bread makes it acceptable to have carrot cake for breakfast. Thanks to crushed pineapple, this bread is moist and tender. Toasted pecans add just enough crunch, and a buttermilk glaze sweetens every bite. Get The Recipe 53 of 54 Blueberry-Citrus Rolls with Orange Glaze Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Skip the blueberry muffins and transport your guests to vacation mode with these fruit-filled rolls. Berries and orange zest stand in for the traditional cinnamon filling. A sweet citrus glaze offers the perfect morning perk. Get The Recipe 54 of 54 Caramel Apple Coffee Cake Photo: Jennifer Davick When it gets chilly outside, we look for any excuse to have our house smell like the flavors of fall. You might even want a crisp apple wrapped in comforting caramel. This coffee cake satisfies that craving and so much more. Get The Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit