Keto Cinnamon Bread

Dessert bread that I can pass as breakfast is a must, and my low carb cinnamon bread is my top choice. It reminds me of the cinnamon loaf I used to live on from Starbucks (yes, my breakfast for two years straight). 

Instead of reinventing the wheel, I loosely adapted my cinnamon crunch bread (it’s such a family favorite!) but made a few tweaks to cut out the sugar and carbs. It wasn’t as simple as it sounds, because I had to account for a sugar-free sweetener and an alternative to bananas. In testing, I found that full-fat Greek yogurt provided the moisture needed, and allulose replaced the need for sugar without tasting artificial or fake. 

The end result is a moist, fluffy, and sweetly spiced loaf that is great for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or to re-do my Starbucks experience, with a keto Frappuccino. 

Key Ingredients

Here’s what goes into my low carb cinnamon bread, along with kitchen notes. The complete list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

• Almond flour. Blanched almond flour or superfine almond flour. Avoid using almond meal as it could make the loaf dense and gritty. 
• Coconut flour. A little coconut flour makes the bread a little more cakey and tender. 
• Granulated sweetener of choice. I recently retested this, and found that allulose, or my keto brown sugar, gave the cinnamon bread the best flavor. Monk fruit sweetener works, but the texture can sometimes be a little bit gritty.
• Cinnamon. If you can find Saigon cinnamon (I get it at Costco), it’s my go-to cinnamon.
• Baking powder– Gives a slight rise and leavening to the loaf. 
• Salt. Use this only if you use unsalted butter. 
• Eggs. Room temperature eggs, please.
• Full-fat Greek yogurt. My secret ingredient that keeps the middle nice and moist. You can also use sour cream if you prefer.
• Butter. Salted and softened butter. If you use unsalted butter, you will need to add the salt. 
• Milk. Any milk can be used. I used unsweetened almond milk. 
• Cinnamon crunch topping– A combination of cinnamon and allulose or monk fruit sweetener. This forms the gorgeous cinnamon crunch on top! 

How to make keto cinnamon bread

Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Grease a loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. 

Step 2- Make the dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix until combined. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar substitute for the topping. 

Step 3- Top and bake. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the top. Bake the cinnamon bread for 45-50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the topping is crunchy.

Step 4- Cool and slice. Remove from the oven and let the loaf cool completely before slicing.

Arman’s recipe tips

• Don’t overmix. The more you mix, the more air is lost, making the bread too chewy and dense. I like to use a spatula and mix until a cohesive batter.
• Are the tops over-browning? That can happen if your oven cooks the tops faster than the rest. Loosely tent them with foil around the 15-minute mark and bake as normal.
• Don’t let it overbake. Everyone’s ovens differ, so you may need to bake longer to ensure it is completely cooked. Your cinnamon bread is fully cooked when the center springs back slightly, and a skewer comes out clean. 
• Add some mix-ins. Like chopped walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, or raisins. 
• Skip the crunch topping. Top the bread with my keto cream cheese frosting instead.

Storage instructions

To store: Leftover cinnamon bread should be refrigerated in a sealed container or covered completely. This will keep well for up to 1 week.

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