Why this recipe works
This gluten free coffee cake with cinnamon streusel topping is super simple to throw together. If you need a delicious make-ahead recipe, it makes an amazing breakfast or brunch for entertaining. Perfect for serving with a cup of coffee!
While there are a few different parts to this recipe — the coffee cake, streusel crumb topping, cinnamon sugar swirl, and glaze — they are all very quick to make. The step-by-step instructions and photos will help you make this recipe perfectly every time!
While you could leave the cinnamon sugar swirl or glaze out of this recipe and still have a delicious coffee cake, they take this recipe to the next level for a special treat!
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- gluten-free flour blend – I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking flour in this recipe. It already contains xantham gum. I have not tested this recipe with other gluten-free flour blends, but be sure to use a gluten-free flour that is meant to be a 1-to-1 swap with all-purpose flour.
- xanthan gum – If your gluten-free flour blend does not already contain xanthan gum, you will want to add it to this recipe. I’ve noted how much to add in the recipe instructions below.
- butter – Use unsalted butter in this recipe so you can control the amount of salt added. You’ll need cold cubed butter for the streusel and room temperature butter for the batter.
- egg – I used a large egg for this recipe that is 50g when weighed.
- milk – I used whole milk, but 2% or 1% would work fine in this recipe.
- sour cream – The moisture and tangy flavor come from the sour cream. Sour cream boasts a higher fat content in comparison to whole milk, giving an extra dose of richness to the coffee cake.
Step-by-Step instructions
This gluten free cinnamon coffee cake is really easy to make. While it does have a few components, each of the steps are very simple. The below photos and matching steps are meant to help you see the recipe being made at various stages.
Pay special attention to the butter in the streusel topping, the thickness of the coffee cake batter, and the fluffiness of the coffee cake when it comes out of the oven.
For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe, and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.
Expert Tips
- I like to line my baking dish with parchment paper for easy removal of the coffee cake from the pan after baking. You can grab the parchment paper by the sides and lift it up and out of the baking pan for slicing. It also makes for easy cleanup!
- Use an offset spatula to carefully spread the top layer of cake batter over the cinnamon sugar filling. It’s okay if some of the filling gets mixed into the batter, but if you want a clean and visible cinnamon sugar layer, slowly spread the batter.
Recipe FAQs
No, there is actually no coffee in coffee cake! Coffee cake got its name since it’s great served with a hot cup of coffee.
I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour in this recipe. I’ve found King Arthur Baking Company Gluten Free Multi-Purpose Flour works well in this recipe, too! Use a flour blend that is meant to be swapped 1-to-1 with all-purpose flour. Flours like almond flour or coconut flour have not been tested in this recipe.
If your gluten-free flour blend does not already contain xanthan gum, you will need to add it to your recipe. Xanthan gum provides elasticity in gluten-free baked goods, essentially acting as gluten does providing struction and acting as a binder.
You can make the glaze and streusel ahead of time. Just store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
This gluten-free coffee cake will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I like to warm mine slightly before serving.
Related Recipes
- Hash Brown Egg Cups
- Gluten Free Giant Strawberry Pop Tart
- Gluten-Free Vegan Baked Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to know! Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also share your pictures and tag @adashofmegnut on Instagram.
Gluten Free Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Streusel Topping:
- 1/4 cup gluten free flour blend - 36g
- 1/3 cup brown sugar - 66g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoon butter - very cold and cubed (28g)
Cinnamon Swirl:
- 1/3 cup brown sugar - 66g
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Coffee Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend - 216g
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum - if your blend does not already contain it
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter - room temperature (113g)
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar - 150g
- 1 large egg - room temperature (50g)
- 3/4 cup sour cream - 180g
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar - 105g
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
**Use the toggle button above to turn the instruction photos on and off!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8×8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray or line with parchment and set aside.
- To prepare the streusel topping, mix together the gluten-free flour blend, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold butter to the flour mixture, until the butter pieces are coated with flour and you have some pieces the size of peas. Set aside.
- For the cinnamon swirl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon until combined. Set aside.
- To make the cake, add the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Place the butter and granulated sugar in a separate mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, sour cream, milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined and no more streaks of flour remain.
- Spoon half of the batter into the prepared baking dish. Smooth with a spatula.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the batter.
- Cover the cinnamon sugar with the remaining batter. Spread with a spatula, being careful not to disturb the sugar.
- Sprinkle the gluten-free streusel over the batter.
- Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes, or until the cake is a light golden brown and when a toothpick is inserted into the center it comes out clean.
- Let the coffee cake cool completely.
- Prepare the glaze by adding the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of the milk, and vanilla extract to a small bowl. Whisk until combined. If the glaze is too thick add more milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze over the coffee cake and allow to set before serving.
Video
Notes
- I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour in this recipe.
- If your gluten-free flour blend does not already contain xanthan gum, you will need to add it to your recipe. Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour already contains xanthan gum.
- Use an offset spatula to carefully spread the top layer of cake batter over the cinnamon sugar filling. It’s okay if some of the filling gets mixed into the batter, but if you want a nice cinnamon sugar layer, slowly spread the batter.
- This gluten-free coffee cake will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Can you show recipes for gluten free coffee cake that doesn’t have so much sugar or natural sugar substitute as an alternative.
Hi Madeline, I don’t have low sugar or natural sugar baking recipes on my site, just gluten-free. However, I have heard great things about Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener being a good 1-for-1 substitution for granulated sugar. You could skip the cinnamon sugar filling or the streusel topping to cut back on the sugar as well or use coconut sugar in those parts. You may also want to check out the Minimalist Baker who has a gluten-free coffee cake recipe that uses natural sugars. Hope this helps!
Do you think it would work to substitute almond milk yogurt for the sour cream?
Hi Beth, The sour cream gives the coffee cake some tanginess, which you’ll be missing from the almond milk yogurt, but it should still work. Try to go for a thicker yogurt that has the consistency of sour cream. There are also vegan sour creams on the market that work quite well in baking, too.