My Grandma’s Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake Recipe

On a crisp Sunday morning, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and My Grandma’s Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake wafts through the air welcoming everyone in the kitchen for a morning treat.

These smells were a familiar one in my grandma’s house, where she would whip up the best coffee cake recipe for special holidays and weekend brunches. 

Now I can recreate the smells in my own kitchen with my converted recipe of my Grandma’s recipe that still has the same amazing flavor but without carbs and gluten. 

With a few simple substitutions, I was able to transform it into a gluten free keto coffee cake that is even richer than the original with three layers of streusel.

By swapping out all-purpose flour for a combination of almond flour and coconut flour, plus replacing brown sugar with my keto version, I preserved the flavor of the cake while making it gluten free.

Keep reading as I will touch on the history of coffee cake, walk you through making it, as well as provide tips, substitution ideas and answer frequently asked questions you may have.

A Brief History of Coffee Cake

Coffee cake has a rich history dating back centuries, with origins in Europe where it was typically served alongside a cup of coffee or tea. 

The term “coffee cake” itself first appeared in the 19th century in America with a New England Coffee Cake, where it became a staple for breakfast in households. It was a plain cake using cinnamon that one would enjoy with a cup of coffee and does not contain coffee.

Traditionally, coffee cake was a tender cake made from basic pantry ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, fresh farm eggs and sour cream. 

Over time, different variations were created with regional influences shaping the flavors and textures of this beloved dessert. Versions range from the original cinnamon walnut coffee cake to the classic sour cream coffee cake. 

The shapes of bakeware they are made in vary as well from cast iron skillets, baking dish, bundt pan, or 10-inch tube pan. Whichever shape you find them in, they all have a cake base layered with a streusel filling, the best part!

What you will need to make my Grandma’s Coffee Cake Recipe gluten free

• Almond Flour
• Coconut Flour
• Keto Brown Sugar
• Granulated Sweetener, monk fruit or allulose
• Sea Salt
• Ground Cinnamon
• Butter or Vegan Butter for Dairy Free
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Sour Cream
• Eggs
• Confectioners Erythritol
• Vanilla Extract
• 8×8 pan
• Parchment Paper

Let’s make my gluten free low carb version of my Grandma’s Coffee Cake

This will quickly become the family favorite of every Sunday brunch and holiday celebration from here on out once you make this delicious cake!

There is no secret ingredient to the superior flavor, it’s just a special technique of combining the ingredients to result in the melt-in-your-mouth buttery crumb.

I will break down the steps fully and as long as you take your time to complete each step, you will have amazing results every time!

Prepare your pan

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8×8 dish or line with parchment paper lined baking dish.

It is easier to cut into portion servings to keep track of my macros, and it is easier to lift out and cut with the parchment paper.

Some people may like using a tube pan, but this recipe does not rise like a traditional cake, it is dense and buttery and can be made in an 8-inch round pan if you want the round shape.

Start with the cinnamon streusel

In a large bowl, measure all of the streusel ingredients except for the butter.

Whisk them well so the almond flour and coconut flour are evenly distributed.

Now while whisking, pour in the melted butter.

It will have a “wet sand” consistency like this.

Set your streusel aside now and get out your stand mixer.

Now make the cake

Fit your stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or you can also use a hand mixer and separate bowl.

Add almond flour, coconut flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the bowl of the stand mixer.

Run the mixer on low for a few seconds to combine flour mixture with the rest of the dry ingredients.

There is no reason to cream butter with the sweetener, it is just added into the dry ingredients.

Now add softened butter in chunks while the mixer is on low.

If the butter is too soft, you can place it in freezer for 1 minute then proceed.

It will create a sandy texture when the butter is cut in.

With the mixer on low, add in 1/4 cup sour cream.

This will make a soft, dough like batter.

Let this sit for a few minutes while you prepare the wet mixture for the cake batter.

Sour Cream and Egg Mixture Step

This is one technique that sets this recipe apart from others.

Usually, the eggs are just mixed in, but with this technique, the eggs are whipped with cream to fluff them up.

In a large bowl whisk the eggs, remaining 1/2 cup sour cream, and vanilla extract until it is smooth.

At first it will not mix well together but continue whisking and it will become smooth.

Add this wet mixture to the main batter bowl in thirds, beating well after each addition.

Mix on medium low speed and wait 10 seconds in-between each addition.

Continue to mix for 1 minute on low to help whip extra air into the batter.

Now it’s time to assemble the coffee cake.

Assembling the gluten free coffee cake

Get your prepared baking dish, batter and streusel together in one place.

You will alternate the layers of cake batter with the streusel in the following way.

Put one third of the cake batter in the bottom of the parchment lined pan and spread evenly to the edges.

With a one-half measuring cup, measure out some of the prepared streusel.

Crumble the one-half cup of streusel over the first layer of batter in the pan as evenly as possible crumbling large chunks with your fingers.

Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, dollop the 2nd third of the cake batter over the first layer of streusel.

Now gently connect the dollops with an offset spatula or back of a spoon.

Crumble another one-half cup of streusel over the 2nd layer of cake batter as before.

Dollop the rest of the batter over the 2nd layer of streusel. 

Crumble another one-half cup of streusel over the last even layer of batter and set the remaining streusel aside for now.

Bake the assembled coffeecake for 30 minutes at 350F.

Once the time is up, remove the coffee cake from the oven and sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top of the cake, concentrating it over the spots of batter that show through.

Return the coffee cake to the 350F oven for an additional 20 minutes.

Once the time is up, test the coffee cake with a toothpick or cake tester at the center. 

You want it to have a few crumbs sticking.

Now let the cake cool on a wire rack in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting the cake out of the dish by the parchment paper onto a wire rack.

Let’s make the icing drizzle while the cake cools

What you will need to make the icing drizzle:

• Room Temperature Softened Butter
• Vanilla extract
• Stevia Drops
• Heavy cream
• Powdered erythritol

In a small bowl, whisk the softened butter with the powdered sweetener and then add the rest of the ingredients.

It should whisk together well, but if your confectioners’ sugar is a bit starchier, you may need to add additional heavy cream to give it a thinner consistency to be able to drizzle over the cake.

Drizzle the icing over the coffee cake once it has cooled for the initial 10 minutes in a zig zag pattern.

You will have a little extra icing drizzle so you can add an additional drizzle once it has completely cooled to room temperature.

Excess drizzle can be kept in the fridge for a few days if you want to adorn slices of the coffee cake with more at serving time.

Cut into 16 pieces and place on a serving plate.

Store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days maximum.

If the coffee cake is left whole to have on hand for a later date, you can refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

Whether in individual portions or whole, to freeze, wrap in plastic wrap, streusel side up, then place in a zip top freezer bag or freezer safe container.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: slices
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories	124
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11.8g	15%
Saturated Fat 6.6g	33%
Cholesterol 51mg	17%
Sodium 54mg	2%
Total Carbohydrate 2.7g	1%
Dietary Fiber 1.2g	4%
Total Sugars 0.3g
Protein 2.2g
Vitamin D 10mcg	52%
Calcium 19mg	1%
Iron 0mg	1%
Potassium 27mg	1%

Tips, Substitutions and FAQs

• Choose the freshest ingredients for the best results. Think, farm fresh eggs, high quality butter and high quality cream so the richness comes through in every bite!

• Next time you make this great coffee cake recipe, sprinkle some chopped berries when they are in season. If frozen, thaw first so it doesn’t make your cake soggy. I would recommend adding to the middle layer after the first layer of streusel.

• Try your hand at making this recipe in a tube pan. It would not work well in a bundt pan because of the crumbly nature of the streusel, but a 9 -inch tube pan which converts to a 9 cups tube pan would work. The recipe makes approximately 8 cups of batter which will leave room for rising.

• Make these into muffins when you fill each muffin cup as directed in the cake but on a smaller scale. If you make 6 large bakery style ones, bake for the same time as the cake. If you are making regular muffin size, start out with half of the bake time and toothpick test a few minutes early.

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What makes this recipe for your grandma’s keto coffeecake recipe so special? Grandma’s keto gluten free coffeecake recipe is special because it’s been a cherished family tradition. The technique is where the real secret lies as you do not cream the sweetener with the butter like regular coffee cake recipes. It still has all of the warm cinnamon flavor and tender crumb and is the perfect treat for special holidays and weekends.

Is there a way to make this coffeecake dairy-free?  Absolutely! For a dairy-free version, I recommend substituting dairy-free margarine for the butter or a butter flavored shortening. Use dairy-free sour cream or dairy free yogurt instead of traditional sour cream. As long as you love the product alone then the flavors will turn out for you!

Can I substitute the coconut flour in this recipe? Since we are only using 1 tablespoon of coconut flour in this recipe you can replace it with another moisture absorbing ingredient like tapioca starch, rice starch or corn starch. Its reasoning for being added in this recipe is absorption of liquid ingredients to create a moist crumb versus dry. Usually, coconut flour cannot be substituted in a recipe but in this recipe it can because there is so little asked for.

Can I use all-purpose gluten-free flour instead of almond flour?  Yes, you can substitute almond flour with all-purpose gluten-free flour if you prefer. Just keep in mind that the texture and flavor may vary slightly from the original recipe as usually all-purpose gluten free flours have a very starchy base.

Can I use this recipe to make muffins instead of a coffeecake?  Absolutely! This modified recipe for Grandma’s recipe for coffee cake is versatile, so you can easily adapt it to make muffins instead of a coffeecake. Simply pour the batter into muffin tins and adjust the baking time to half if filling regular cups, or same time if large bakery style.

What if I don’t have sour cream on hand? If you don’t have sour cream, you can use Greek yogurt as a substitute. You need to make sure it is thick and creamy like sour cream.

How long does this coffeecake stay fresh?  Grandma’s coffeecake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. If you’d like to keep it longer, you can freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic wrap then put into a large zip top freezer bag.

Can I add nuts or fruit to the coffeecake batter?  Absolutely! Feel free to customize Grandma’s recipe by adding chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, or fresh fruit like blueberries or raspberries for an extra burst of flavor and texture. Add them in after the first layer of streusel so they end up in the middle.

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With my few simple adjustments to the flour and sweetener, I was able to transform my grandma’s beloved creation into a keto-friendly breakfast treat.

The tender crumb with its irresistible streusel topping, transformed this good recipe to an outstanding one!

This keto coffee cake is a true labor of love that brings people together honoring traditions by baking a batch of grandma’s keto coffee cake.

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