This cinnamon crunch banana bread is a fun take on classic banana bread. It’s healthy, good for you, and nothing short of delicious. The bread itself it moist and lightly sweet, topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel topping. As a bonus, it’s paleo friendly, low-sugar, and gluten-free!
cinnamon crunch banana bread ingredients:
Bananas: You can’t make banana bread without bananas! π
Almond Flour: The base flour of this banana bread makes for a tender, fluffy base!
Coconut Flour: To add denseness and texture to the banana bread.
Almond Butter: Almond butter makes this banana bread moist, replaces oil, and it gives the bread a slight nutty flavor. Peanut butter will also work if that’s what you have on hand!
Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup for a slight natural sweetness. If you prefer, sugar-free maple syrup will work as well.
Eggs: 3 total.
Cinnamon: Lots of cinnamon to make that ‘cinnamon crunch’ topping!
Vanilla Extract: always!
Baking Soda & Powder: the leavening agents.
Streusel Topping: A combination of oat flour (or almond flour!), coconut sugar, coconut oil, and cinnamon.
tips for making banana bread:
Use the right bananas: Many recipes call for overripe bananas that are dark brown, almost black. In my banana bread recipes, I prefer them to be very soft, very spotted, but still some yellow visible. This specific recipe calls for 4 ripe bananas, or 3 bananas if they are overripe (dark brown, no yellow).
Don’t over mix: When incorporating the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, gently mix only until combined using a large spoon (never a stand mixer). This will ensure your banana bread is tender and soft.
Bake for the full time: A loaf of this size will generally look baked on the outside and still be gooey on the inside. Be sure to bake for the full amount of time so the loaf is fully cooked through. If it begins to get too browned on the outside, lay a piece of foil on top for the duration of baking.
Check the center: Off the last tip, use a toothpick or skinny knife to check the center is fully cooked through. If the knife or toothpick comes out moistly clean with a few crumbs, it’s done. If it comes out with liquid batter, it needs more time.
Cinnamon Crunch Banana Bread
Equipment
- 8.5 x 4.5 bread pan
Ingredients
- 4 small, ripe bananas 3 large or overripe
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup almond or peanut butter liquid or melted
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour ~about 200 grams
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour ~about 16 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the topping:
- 1/3 cup oat flour or almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons room temperature coconut oil or ghee
- 1Β½ teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to for 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, start by making the streusel topping. Combine all of the ingredients (oat flour, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and cinnamon). Refrigerate while you make the bread.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas until they are more liquid than solid. Add in the 3 eggs and whisk. Next, mix in the melted almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until combined.
- In another small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Gently mix with a spoon until well combined, but do not over mix.
- Add the batter to the greased bread pan (tip: add a piece of parchment paper to easily remove from the pan). Remove the topping from the fridge and crumble on top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until fully baked through and a toothpick comes out clean. If the top gets too browned while baking, lay a piece of foil on top for the duration of baking.
- Let cool, slice into pieces, and enjoy!
Adding this to the list! Looks amazing!
I was looking for something to do with my aging bananas. Now I will be getting bananas just so I can make this! A new favorite!!