This cinnamon crunch banana bread is about to be your new favourite. Perfectly moist banana bread, swirled with cinnamon and topped with a crunchy streusel oat crumble. It's the perfect (lower sugar) sweet treat!
Why you need this cinnamon crumble banana bread
I love banana bread. There is truly nothing better than a perfectly moist, lightly sweetened piece of banana bread slathered with butter. Which is why if I am ever at the grocery store and see a bunch of ripe bananas on the discount shelf I will be taking them home with me. So I feel like I have the credentials to be able to say this cinnamon crunch banana bread is the BEST banana bread you will ever eat.
Don't believe me? Here are four reasons why you need it in your life ASAP.
- It's the perfect texture. Perfectly moist, with a subtle crunch of streusel... it doesn't get better than this! I encourage you to enjoy it warm and thank me later.
- It has a crumble topping. I don't think this needs anymore explanation.... I am impartial to a good streusel or crumble topping. So this cinnamon streusel banana bread is the ultimate bread in my opinion. Made with oats, flour, cinnamon, coconut oil and just a touch of sugar, this streusel gives the perfect cinnamon crunch.
- It can be enjoyed for breakfast. One thing I always look for from a banana bread is the level of sweetness. As good as banana cake is, when I'm eating banana bread I want to actually be able to taste the bananas. Which is why this banana bread is only lightly sweetened with maple syrup
- It's dairy free! Although I have no problem with dairy, I always like to be mindful of making recipes for those with dairy allergies or lactose intolerance. By using coconut oil instead of butter in this recipe we get the perfect dairy free banana bread!
(and bonus: it's cheaper than your go-to loaf at Starbucks)
Ingredients needed for dairy free banana bread
Bananas- You will need three bananas for this cinnamon crumble banana bread. Try to wait until your bananas are as RIPE as possible for the bets texture and flavour!
Dairy free milk- To make this dairy free banana bread we are using dairy free milk! Any milk will work just fine in this recipe including- oat, almond and soy! If you aren't dairy free feel free to use regular milk!
Flour- All purpose flour is the key to making this the fluffiest banana bread you will ever eat. I tried to test this recipe with a few flour alternatives and was never fully satisfied with the fluff factor. If you are gluten free- gluten free 1:1 flour will work!
Eggs- The addition of two eggs in this cinnamon streusel banana bread helps create air pockets and structure helping add texture and fluffiness! I have not tested this recipe with any vegan alternative including flax eggs, however if you try let me know how it turns out!
Coconut oil- For a dairy free butter alternative we use coconut oil in this dairy free banana bread recipe! For best results I recommend melting the coconut oil and allowing it to cool before mixing it in with the wet ingredients. If you are not dairy free butter will work as well, I just love the subtle coconut flavour it adds!
Maple syrup- We sweeten this cinnamon banana bread with just two tablespoons of maple syrup for the base! I love the light caramel flavour it adds and have not yet tested with honey or any other liquid sweetener!
Cinnamon- LOTS of cinnamon is needed for this cinnamon crumble banana bread for the ultimate cozy flavour!
Sugar- To make your cinnamon swirl and crumble topping I use three tablespoons total of white sugar. I have not tested this recipe using any sugar alternative or liquid sweetener as I really wanted to recreate that classic bakery style streusel topping as well as the cinnamon swirl we all know and love on our favourite cinnamon toast cereal!
Oats- For the ultimate cinnamon streusel banana bread you will need oats for the streusel topping!
How to make this cinnamon streusel banana bread
When I'm baking I always look for a recipe that is as easy and as fool-proof as possible. Which is why I love this dairy free banana bread! It is so easy to make but will still impress everyone you know.
Step 1: Make your batter by whisking together the wet ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Once again, I recommend melting your coconut oil and allowing it to cool before mixing it in... not doing this will result in a lumpy batter! In another medium mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, gently mixing.... for the fluffiest banana bread try not to over mix!
Step 2: Make your cinnamon swirl by combining the coconut oil, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Once it is ready, pour about ⅓ of your banana bread base batter into your prepared loaf pan, pour half of the cinnamon sugar mix on top, gently swirling it into the batter with a fork. Repeat this process twice more (you don't need any cinnamon sugar on the top layer) until all of your batter and cinnamon sugar is gone.
Step 3: Prepare the streusel for your cinnamon streusel banana bread by mixing together the sugar, cinnamon, oats, flour and melted coconut oil in another small bowl. I recommend using a fork for mixing to create the best streusel texture. Once it is ready, sprinkle it over the top layer of the banana bread, gently pressing it into the batter to ensure it sticks when baked.
Step 4: Bake your dairy free banana bread for about 40-50 minutes. I recommend enjoy a slice warm with some coconut oil, dairy free butter or butter!
Can I make banana bread crumble muffins?
As with any good loaf, the question of 'can I turn this into muffins?' always comes up... and for good reason. Who wouldn't want to be able to enjoy little bite sized versions of their favourite cinnamon crunch banana bread?
The answer of course is... YES! If you'd like to make this recipe into cinnamon banana muffins, follow the same recipe, just layer the batter and the swirl in each individual muffin liner (I highly recommend using muffin liners for convenience) and then bake for only about 25 minutes.
NOTE: this recipe also works perfectly in a square baking pan as well for cinnamon crunch banana bars! Just bake for about 25 minutes!
More cozy baking ideas
Did you love this dairy free banana bread? Looking for a similar recipe? I've got you covered. Try these cozy baking recipes:
- chai spiced oatmeal cookies
- salted caramel blondies
- fudgy sweet potato brownies
- olive oil chocolate chip cookies
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you made this cinnamon crunch banana bread, don't forget to tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment below!
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Crunch Banana Bread
Ingredients
Banana Bread Base
Wet ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas mashed
- 2 medium eggs
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ cup milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon swirl
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil melted
- 2 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Streusel Topping
- 2 tablespoon white sugar
- 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoon oats quick, minute or rolled all work
- 3 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil softened
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a rectangle loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, and mix gently until well combined. Set aside.
- In another medium mixing bowl, mash your bananas and add in the rest of the wet ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Slowly add your dry ingredients to your wet, being careful not to over mix.
- In a small bowl, mix together the swirl ingredients.
- Pour about ⅓ of the banana bread base batter into the prepared loaf pan. Swirl ½ of the cinnamon sugar mixture into the top of the batter. Repeat twice, until all of the batter and cinnamon sugar has been used (the top layer will not have a cinnamon sugar swirl).
- In another small bowl, combine streusel ingredients and mix together with a fork. Sprinkle over the top of the batter, gently pressing it into the loaf to ensure it sticks after baking.
- Bake for about 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
