Cinnamon Crunch Banana Bread

My family is obsessed with this cinnamon crunch banana bread recipe! It’s super moist and fluffy in the middle with a gorgeous crunch topping.

In my household, banana bread and cinnamon rolls are two of our favorite foods, so making a loaf of cinnamon crunch banana bread is an almost weekly staple.

It’s similar to a classic banana bread, but with two key differences. There is a swirl of cinnamon in the middle, and the top has the most gorgeous crunchy cinnamon sugar. It’s so good, I make two loaves at a time because it does NOT last long!

Table of Contents

1. Why I love this recipe
2. Key Ingredients
3. How to make cinnamon crunch banana bread
4. Arman’s recipe tips
5. Storage instructions
6. Frequently asked questions
7. Cinnamon Crunch Banana Bread (Recipe Card)
8. More banana bread recipes

Why I love this recipe

• It’s secretly healthy! This entire recipe requires just two tablespoons of sugar and uses grain-free flours.
• Made with pantry staples. There is no butter or eggs needed, which are pretty standard for most banana bread recipes (except for the vegan gluten free banana bread!).
• Perfect texture. It’s soft and moist in the middle but has a lovely crunchy topping. It’s full of cinnamon flavor and has hints of banana without being overpowering.

Key Ingredients

• Almond flour. Blanched almond flour is preferred for the light and fluffy crumb. Avoid using almond meal as it will yield a gritty and dense loaf. 
• Baking powder. Leavening agent to give the bread some fluffiness and rise.
• Salt– Brings out the overall sweetness of the bread. 
• Brown sugar. Provides sweetness and a subtle molasses flavor. Coconut sugar will work.
• Bananas. Overripe and spotty bananas are a must for banana bread!
• Coconut oil. Refined coconut oil measured in its melted state. If you like, you can use unsalted butter. 
• Eggs. Room temperature.
• Vanilla extract. Gives the bread a subtle vanilla flavor. 
• Cinnamon crunch topping. I use a mix of white sugar and cinnamon.

How to make cinnamon crunch banana bread

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Make the batter. Start by adding the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl, add the bananas, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Step 2- Make the topping. Whisk together the cinnamon and sugar until combined.

Step 3- Assemble. Transfer 1/3 of the batter into a lined loaf pan, then sprinkle 3/4 of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Pour the remaining batter on top and sprinkle any remaining cinnamon sugar.

Step 4- Bake the bread for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out mostly clean. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely before slicing and serving.

Arman’s recipe tips

• The riper your bananas are, the sweeter the bread will be. If you prefer a sweeter bread, you can add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar to the batter.
• Oven makes and models differ, so you may need to bake for a few extra minutes. I found 45 minutes to be perfect in my oven (I have a generic Miele).
• Do not overbake the bread, as it will continue to ‘bake’ as it cools in the pan.

Storage instructions

To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 7 days.

To freeze: Place slices of the bread in a ziplock bag and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Frequently asked questions

More banana bread recipes

• Keto banana bread
• Eggless banana bread
• 3 Ingredient banana bread
• Flourless banana bread
• Blueberry banana bread

Originally published December 2021, updated and republished December 2024