The best melt-in-your-mouth healthy coffee cake with a cinnamon swirl in the middle and topped with a buttery crumble. Made with simple ingredients like apple sauce, almond flour, and coconut sugar, this easy gluten free coffee cake recipe is the perfect breakfast, snack, and dessert.
My favorite healthy coffee cake
I have a sweet tooth, so when it comes to breakfast I am always on the lookout for healthier recipes. That is why I love this healthy coffee cake. It makes for the best for a sweet breakfast, brunch, snack, and dessert.
As a kid, I use to pick the crumble topping off the top when my mom wasn’t looking. I feel like it is the best part about coffee cake. Does anyone else agree?
The texture of this coffee cake is light, fluffy, and super moist. There is a beautiful and sweet cinnamon sugar swirl in the middle and an incredible crumble on top. It is not only made with simple and clean ingredients, but this coffee cake is also gluten free, grain free, paleo, and dairy free. It tastes like a classic melt in your mouth coffee cake, without butter!
Safe to say, this best cinnamon roll coffee cake is truly delightful and is going to be your new favorite recipe. It is incredibly easy to bake and you do not need to be a good cook to make it.
How is this coffee cake healthier?
The term “healthy” is all relative, but I consider this coffee cake recipe to be very healthy. There are absolutely no preservatives, no refined sugars, and no random ingredients. When you eat a slice of this dairy free and gluten free coffee cake, you’re getting a hearty dose of fiber and protein from the almond flour, healthy fats from the coconut oil, and antioxidants from the apple sauce. Plus, it is sweetened with maple syrup and coconut sugar making this recipe refined sugar free.
Ingredients
This recipe has three parts: the deliciously moist and fluffy cake, the sweet cinnamon sugar swirl layer, and the thick melt in your mouth crumble topping. Every single ingredient used to make this gluten free coffee cake is a healthier version of any store bought alternative. Below is a list of all of the ingredients you’ll need for healthy cinnamon swirl coffee cake!
- Eggs: you’ll need two eggs for this recipe to help this coffee cake stay together.
- Apple sauce: apple sauce is key this coffee cake’s light and fluffy texture.
- Pure maple syrup: maple syrup is the best natural sweetener and makes this coffee cake refined sugar free!
- Coconut sugar: you’ll need a dash of coconut sugar for the cake. andthe buttery crumble on top.
- Vanilla extract: just a dash of vanilla extract goes a long way in flavor.
- Coconut oil: the perfect dairy free alternative to butter to make this coffee cake light and moist.
- Almond flour: For the flour portion, we’re going to use 2 cups of almond flour. It’s low carb and gluten free!
- Cinnamon: for a cozy cinnamon spice flavor.
- Baking soda: We are using 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
- Baking powder: 1 teaspoon of baking soda for this recipe.
All these clean ingredients make this cinnamon sugar coffee cake recipe gluten free, paleo, grain free, dairy free, and kid friendly.
Kitchen tools needed
Homemade coffee cake is made using simple kitchen utensils! Here’s a quick list of what you’ll need to make easy coffee cake:
- 8×8 Baking Tin
- Parchment paper
- One large mixing bowl
- One small mixing bowl
- Stirring utensil
- Microwave safe bowl
- Measuring cups: 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, 1 Tablespoon, 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup.
Easy ingredient substitutions
Out of a few ingredients? Here’s are my recommendations for ingredient substitutions for this recipe:
- Unsweetened apple sauce: simply use sweetened apple sauce or even cinnamon flavored apple sauce.
- Coconut sugar: simply swap the coconut sugar for light brown sugar.
- Maple syrup: easily swap out the maple syrup for some honey or agave syrup!
- Coconut oil: simply use melted butter instead of coconut oil. You can also try using any cooking oil in place of coconut oil at a 1:1 ratio.
How to make healthy cinnamon coffee cake
This healthy coffee cake recipe is super easy to make. All you’ll need to do is mix all the ingredients together and then bake the cake. I’m telling you, each layer of this cake melts in your mouth! This recipe makes 9 fluffy, buttery, and light pieces of coffee cake.
Step 1: To start making your healthy coffee cake, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line 8×8 baking tin with parchment paper.
Step 2: Then, in a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, apple sauce, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil together. Mix in almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder.
Step 3: Now, pour half the batter into the greased baking tin. Save the rest for later!
Step 4: After that, in a small bowl, combine all the cinnamon swirl layer ingredients. Evenly sprinkle the mixture across the batter in the pan and top with the remaining coffee cake batter.
Step 5: In the same bowl, combine crumb topping ingredients. Mix until completely combined and evenly sprinkle on top of the batter.
Step 6: Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool completely and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it gluten free?
Yes! This recipe is made with almond flour which is not only gluten free, but it is also low carb.
Can I use butter instead of coconut oil?
Yes, you can use melted butter instead of the coconut oil. Use unsalted and let it cool before adding to the batter.
Will it taste like coconut oil?
No, it will not. Just make sure to use refined coconut oil.
Can I eat coffee cake for breakfast?
Yes! I love enjoying this healthy coffee cake for breakfast. It’s not too sweet and its super filling.
How do I store leftovers?
I recommend enjoying healthy coffee cake within 2 – 4 days. Store leftovers in an airtight sealed container at room temperature or in the refrigerator to prevent the cake from drying out.
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Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!
Best Healthy Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Coffee Cake:
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup apple sauce, unsweetened
- ¼ cup 100% maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 cups almond flour, packed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
Cinnamon Swirl Layer:
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
Crumb Topping:
- ½ cup almond flour, packed
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 2 ½ Tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease and line 8×8 baking tin with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs. Mix in apple sauce, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil.
- Mix in almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Pour half the batter into the greased baking tin.
- In a small bowl, combine all the cinnamon swirl layer ingredients. Evenly sprinkle mixture across the batter in the pan. Top with the remaining cake batter.
- In a separate bowl, combine crumb topping ingredients. Mix until completely combined and evenly sprinkle on top of the batter.
- Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. In full disclosure, by purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. Thank you for supporting Healthful Blondie!
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Jenny says
Holy moly!! This was so so so so good. I made it over the weekend and have a slice for breakfast before school. Its perfect!
Tati Chermayeff says
My favorite too!!!
Emily Gordon says
Super delicious and fluffy.
Tati Chermayeff says
YAY, Emily!! Thank you 🙂 I love this cake too wow.
Kennidy says
SO GOOD! The crumble on top is to die for – I couldn’t stop eating it. A must try recipe!
Tati Chermayeff says
My thoughts exactly! Thank you Kennidy for you amazing review 🙂 means so much!
Aline Tavitian says
Silly question but if doubling the recipe, would you use a 9×13 pan instead?
Tati Chermayeff says
Hi Aline!! Not silly 🙂 Yes, that is perfect. Cook time should be the same – maybe start with 5 minutes less, check and then add more time if needed!
saskia Chermayeff says
I absolutely love coffee cake so this was the bombbbbbbbbbb!!!!!
Austin Kemplin says
The family loved this one a little while back!!
Christine Allen says
So good! wow.
Charlie Woodside says
I’ve made this about 5 times already and it get better everytime I Mae it. Thank you so much, do you have a healthy key lime pie recipe by any chance? 😁
Tati Chermayeff says
Hi! So happy to hear that. I do have one – here is the link https://healthfulblondie.com/gluten-free-key-lime-pie/