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Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake is a delicious way to step up your brunch game! It’s also a great make-ahead week-day breakfast since it freezes really well.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake is perfect for brunch or make-ahead breakfast. Recipe from @whattheforkblog | gluten free and dairy free | whattheforkfoodblog.com
This post is brought to you in partnership with Simply Organic. All opinions are my own.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Coffee cake is such a classic breakfast/brunch staple and this gluten free cinnamon coffee cake does not disappoint. It’s got all the things you love about a good coffee cake – it’s dense but has a nice cake-y texture, it’s full of warm cinnamon spice, and it’s got the all-important crumb topping.

I’ve also made mine dairy free but you could use regular milk and butter if desired. This coffee cake was adapted from the Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake that I shared with you last Spring.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake is perfect for breakfast of brunch any time of the year. (gluten free and dairy free) | Recipe from @whattheforkblog | whattheforkfoodblog.com

As you can tell by the title, this gluten free cinnamon coffee cake has one special ingredient as the star: cinnamon. I used Simply Organic ground cinnamon in this recipe and it packs a fantastic cinnamon flavor. All that warm spice, so good! I’m actually participating in second recipe contest, a dairy-free bake-off, held by one of my blogging friends, Alisa from Go Dairy Free.

We’ve all been tasked to create a recipe using Simply Organic spices. While I love savory spices, cinnamon is one of my absolute favorites to cook and bake with. It makes everything smell (and taste!) so amazing. It’s the star ingredient to my slow cooker cinnamon applesauce, slow cooker apple butter, apple cider donuts, gluten free cinnamon sticks, and my cinnamon swirl muffins. I even top my broiled grapefruit with it!

Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake is perfect for breakfast of brunch any time of the year. (gluten free and dairy free) | Recipe from @whattheforkblog | whattheforkfoodblog.com

Please get in the kitchen and bake something sweet! Or savory. Your choice! You can follow along and see what others are sharing using the hashtag #OrganicMoments on Twitter, Instagram, or even Facebook. To vote for your favorite recipe or for more information about the bake-off, visit Go Dairy Free.

To keep with the brunch feel of this recipe, serve this alongside my ham and cheese quiche or bacon and swiss quiche plus a side of my bacon wrapped kielbasa bites and you will be in brunch heaven. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake is perfect for breakfast of brunch any time of the year. (gluten free and dairy free) | Recipe from @whattheforkblog | whattheforkfoodblog.com
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Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake (and dairy free) is perfect for breakfast or brunch. Recipe from @whattheforkblog | whattheforkfoodblog.com
Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake is perfect for brunch or make-ahead breakfast. Recipe from @whattheforkblog | gluten free and dairy free | whattheforkfoodblog.com

Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake

4.56 from 152 ratings
This Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake is a delicious way to step up your brunch game! It’s also a great make-ahead week-day breakfast since it freezes really well.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Print Rate Pin

Ingredients

For the Cake Batter:

  • 3 C all-purpose gluten free flour
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1 C granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 C palm shortening
  • 1 1/2 C unsweetened coconut milk room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract

For the Topping:

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
  • Add the flour, xanthan gum, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the shortening and use a fork or pastry cutter to cut the shortening into the flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbs.
  • In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and set aside.

To make the topping:

  • Add the melted palm shortening, flour, xanthan gum, sugar, and cinnamon to a small bowl and mix until it forms crumbs.
  • Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top of the cake.
  • Bake the coffee cake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool before serving.

Notes

Adapted from my Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake.
The crumb topping can be doubled, as I did for the photos. If you choose to double the crumb topping, add half to the top of batter then use a knife to slightly swirl it into the batter and gently press down into the batter a bit. Then top with the remaining topping and bake as directed.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 72kcal | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g

Disclaimers

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Facts are estimated and aren't always accurate. Please consult a doctor or nutritionist if you have special dietary needs.

Did you make this?Mention @whattheforkfoodblog or leave a comment rating below!

This post contains affiliate links for products and ingredients used to make this recipe.

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Sincerely,
Shay

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Recipe Rating




  1. Todd Kman says:

    Love the look of this. Plan to try this in the next few days.
    Are egg whites acceptable instead of the whole egg?

  2. Seema Jaising says:

    Can I replace palm shortening with margarine ? As we don’t have palm shortening available ?

    • Shay says:

      I haven’t baked with margarine much but most likely. You could also use a vegan butter and if you don’t need dairy free, use real butter.

  3. Rilke says:

    What’s the best way to store this overnight? I want to make it the night before serving it for brunch. Cover and leave on counter? Refrigerate?

  4. Jenn says:

    Looks delish!! Is there an option for something to substitute instead of the palm shortening? Has anyone ever tried?

  5. Barbara Copeland says:

    COFFEE CAKE OMG IM 63 AND WHEN I WAS ABOUT 23 I ALWAYS MADE 2 DI 4 COFFEE CAKE ALL THE TIME. EVERYBODY RAVED ABOUT IT. I NO LONGER HAVE THE RECIPE BUT IF ITS COMING FROM YOU I KNOW ITS THE BEST. IVE MADE A TON OF YOUR RECIPES BUT I GUESS I HAD BETTER START TAKING A PICTURE

  6. Patricia says:

    Hi Shay, I see you are another cinnamon lover. I always tell people that there is no such thing as too much cinnamon. Have you ever tried it in Stuffed Peppers? Spaghetti? Swiss Steak? I learned about this from one of my bosses a long time ago. I said I was going to make stuffed peppers and he mentioned cinnamon. You won’t believe how just a dash of cinnamon can bring out the flavors and cut the acidity of things made with tomato! It literally takes very little – just a dash! But it is so amazing. People always say there is something different but that it’s really good and then I confess. They are always amazed that these dishes have any cinnamon. Try it! I think you will be really surprised!

  7. Caitlin says:

    5 stars
    Could you substitute the coconut milk for almond milk or regular milk?

    • Sharon says:

      Yes! If you can do dairy, I would suggest using regular milk and then butter in place of the shortening. But you could also do unsweetened almond milk in place of the coconut milk. I just prefer the taste of baked goods with coconut milk.

  8. Brandy says:

    5 stars
    This coffee cake is SOOO good! Moist and so full of flavor! I made it tonight to serve for Easter brunch tomorrow and it is amazing! Thank you for the recipe. This one is printed and going in my recipe book for the perfect coffee cake!

  9. Alan says:

    5 stars
    Hey! Thanks for getting back to me. My sister can’t have any butter or dairy or gluten so i was trying some new stuff for her to eat. I may have packed the flour a little too-tight im still new to this. Everyone (people who can eat regular food) loved the cake tho. Thank you so much for posting this i will definitely be trying more recipes.

  10. Alan says:

    5 stars
    Hey i just tried this cake and it looms great has a great taste it is just a little dry any suggestions to make it more moist? What could i have done wrong? Thank you!

    • Sharon says:

      Hi Alan! Sounds like you may have used a little too much flour. Also, did you use shortening or butter? I find that this comes out ever so slightly better with butter 🙂

  11. Vivian says:

    Just popped this in the oven! Can’t wait to try it

  12. Karyn White says:

    A friend brought this to a brunch we were having. This is the most delicious crumb cake i’ve had since I’ve been Gluten Free! Even the non-gluten free members of my family thought it was so delicious i had to hide it. Definitly will be making this myself.

    • Sharon says:

      That’s so great to hear, so glad you all enjoyed it! And in case you don’t need it to be dairy free, feel free to use butter in place of the palm shortening 🙂

  13. Laurie A Leer says:

    For some reason the Cake came out really dense. Is there somethings I may have done to do make that happen? Or recommendations to improve the Cake to make more fluffy

    • Sharon says:

      Hi Laurie, it sounds like you may have used too much flour as this cake is not a dense cake. When you measure your flour, make sure you stir it first then use a spoon to scoop it into your measuring cup then level it off with a straight edge. Hope that helps!

  14. LynetteS says:

    Do you know if this recipe freezes well? Either cooked or pre-cooked? And then thawed before baking? It looks delicious. I can’t wait to try it!

    • Sharon says:

      It freezes well after baking. I usually slice it into pieces and freeze them on a sheet pan. Then I wrap them individually and then store those in the freezer in a freezer bag.

  15. Rw says:

    I used oil instead of palm shortening. My topping looks liquid will it get crumbly in the oven?

    • Sharon says:

      Hi, it seems like you may have used too much oil. It should be crumbly when you put it on the cake. If it’s liquid, it won’t get crumbly.

  16. Berkeley says:

    Any recommendation for substitutes for the palm shortening? This recipe looks amazing but I’d rather not use that.

    • Sharon says:

      If you can have butter, use that instead! You could also try ghee. If you have to be dairy free, you could try coconut oil, though you would want to melt it for the batter. I haven’t tried it though so I can’t tell you for sure how it would come out.

  17. Claire P says:

    I am a crave for coffee like anything and this cake fits the best for my taste buds. I am going to give it a try today. I loved your recipe it’s just super awesome.
    Thank you so much!

  18. Monica says:

    If you use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 flour, do you still need to add xanthan gum? This flour mix already contains xanthan gum, so I worry about having too much in the mix.

    Thanks!

  19. Erin says:

    Have you ever made an egg free version? Any tips to do so would be appreciated!!

  20. Carrie says:

    Is this canned coconut milk or the kind in the carton?

  21. Stephanie Schonberger says:

    SO EXCITED to try this tonight…crumble coffee cakes are my absolute favorite. What about swapping the shortening for butter? Do you think that would work, and same measurements? 🙂

  22. HOLY PERFECTION! Love that this coffee cake is gluten-free and the crumb topping is on point!

  23. amanda says:

    Mmm…..I just want to eat the top. It looks so yummy. I guess I’ll have to make the cake to go with it!

  24. Lacy says:

    I’m a sucker for coffee cake, and the streusel on this looks amazing!

  25. This is so beautiful! I LOVE coffee cake, especially the crumbly topping. Love Simply Organic’s spices, that’s what we use in our home.

  26. Erica D. says:

    Coffee cake is my JAM!!!!

  27. I love how thick the topping/crumble is 🙂 It’s the way I like my coffee cake.

  28. Kris says:

    Have you ever added fruit to the cake portion? Like blueberries?

  29. Krista says:

    Just a cup of coffee and this is a perfect breakfast!

  30. Love everything about this cake especially because it is gluten free. I need to get baking soon, hopefully something like this 🙂

  31. Dee says:

    I’m crazy about cinnamon, and this coffee cake looks amazing!

  32. Annie says:

    It has been SO LONG since I have made a traditional coffee cake! We are doing this ASAP!

  33. Jen @ The Weary Chef says:

    I love coffee cake and you just turned my favorite to a whole new scrumptious level! Love that you added cinnamon! So yummy!

  34. Oh my goodness! This cake looks amaaazing!! I can’t wait to try it!!

  35. This looks AMAZING Sharon. I can’t believe that perfect crumb.

  36. Mari says:

    I love all of your recipes, and this one looks like another winner. This is the only kind of coffee cake we like at my house. It looks easy and delicious and amazing. I will probably make it this weekend. I am a juice and chai person in the morning. Sometimes on a weekend, I will toast half a bagel, and that is the extent of it. But if I make this, I will gladly eat a piece and then try to hide it so I don’t eat any more, although with my husband and son, that won’t be a problem. What’s nice about this kind of breakfast is that one piece with tea or milk, is all you need. I also like the convenience of all purpose gluten free flour. I haven’t made your mix yet, but I have all the ingredients on hand, so eventually I will get around to it. Normally I use King Arthur’s all purpose gluten free flour. It is the one I consistently get the best results from. I have always used it with your recipes with great results, but it would certainly save, some money to use yours. Thanks for another wonderful recipe. They always look so good that I want to make all of them. I loved the peanut butter cookies with the spiders. They were so darned cute. Unfortunately my husband ate all the peanut butter cups!

    • Sharon says:

      Thanks Mari! This makes such a big batch of coffee cake that I like to slice it into individual pieces and wrap each piece and freeze them. That way, we can pull what we need from the freezer whenever we need it. I use my own flour mix since it has no potato starch in it. My go-to premade mixes are Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and The Gluten Free Mama’s Almond Flour Mix, I’ve had great results with both of those. I’ll have to try King Arthur’s sometime, I’ve heard theirs is great. Thanks for taking the time to write to me!

  37. Rosario Fuentes says:

    Me gustan sus productos

  38. Charlotte Moore says:

    A T of baking powder plus baking soda??? Why xanthan gum for the topping? Just curious.

    • Sharon says:

      Hi Charlotte, I know it sounds like a lot… just trust me on this one! And the xanthan gum in the topping helps it stick together and give it that true crumb topping feel – you know when some bits are hard and crunchy and others are soft and melt in your mouth. Without the xanthan gum, the crumb topping just doesn’t have the right texture, it’s too “sandy”.

  39. This cake looks beautiful; I would love a piece right now. I’m definitely going to give this ago as I love the flavor combination.