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There’s something incredibly nostalgic about the smell of banana bread wafting through the house. My Nana made the best banana bread, and to this day it’s the recipe I turn to for comfort. It somehow recreates that warm Nana-hug feeling, and I just can’t get enough. This is my adaptation of her original, with a brown butter and cinnamon streusel on top.
A few tips before you start:
Ripe bananas matter. Bananas are ready to use when they’re generously speckled with brown spots, which means the sugars have matured.
Flour: If you’re not gluten free, you can swap in all-purpose flour.
Pans: You can use 9×5 or 8½ x 4½ pans. The 9×5 loaves just won’t have quite as high a dome.
Freezing: If you want to freeze one or both loaves, freeze the batter instead of the baked bread. Pour it into a gallon zip-top bag or silicone bag, then defrost it before baking. Mix up the crumble the day you bake, since the streusel loses its texture as a finished loaf defrosts.
Ingredients
For the crumble
Gluten-free flour blend – Gives the crumble its structure. Use all-purpose flour if you’re not gluten free.
Brown sugar – Adds sweetness and a caramel flavor to the topping.
Cinnamon – Brings warmth and that classic bakery flavor.
Kosher salt – Balances the sweetness.
Unsalted butter, at room temperature – Pressed in with your fingertips to form coarse, buttery crumbs.
Chopped walnuts – Adds crunch. Tossing them in the dry mix first keeps them from sinking into the loaves.
For the Banana Bread
Gluten-free all-purpose flour blend – The base of the loaves. Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour is my recommendation.
Baking soda – Helps the loaves rise and brown.
Salt – Enhances all the flavors.
Ground cinnamon – Adds warm spice to the batter.
Large, very ripe bananas – The star. Look for generous brown speckles, which means the sugars have matured.
Light brown sugar – Adds moisture and a subtle molasses sweetness.
Granulated sugar – Rounds out the sweetness.
Vanilla extract – Deepens the flavor.
Unsalted butter, to be browned – Browning gives the bread a nutty, toasty richness.
Large eggs, at room temperature – Bind the batter and keep the loaves tender.
2% Greek yogurt – Adds moisture and a slight tang.
How to Make my Cinnamon Struedel Banana Bread
- Prep the oven and pans: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°F. Spray two standard loaf pans with nonstick baking spray and line each with a parchment paper sling that covers the bottom and long sides, leaving the short ends uncovered. This makes the loaves easy to lift out after baking.
- Brown the butter: Melt the butter for the bread in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When it bubbles steadily and turns golden, don’t walk away. Keep stirring until it’s a medium-deep golden brown, then immediately take it off the heat. Transfer it to a small bowl and set aside to cool. (I often pop it in the fridge to speed this up.)
- Mix the crumble: In a small bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the crumble with a fork. Add the walnuts and whisk once more for a few seconds to coat the nuts, which keeps them from sinking into the loaves.
- Cut in the butter: Using clean hands, massage the softened butter into the crumble mixture, pressing and smashing the butter with your fingertips as you would for pie dough. When you have coarse crumbs (it won’t take long), cover the bowl and refrigerate until the loaves are ready to go in the oven.
- Mash the bananas: Peel the bananas and add them to a large, shallow bowl or plate. Mash with the back of a fork until you have a thick banana puree.
- Whisk in the wet ingredients: Whisk the sugars into the mashed bananas, then the vanilla, then the eggs, then the cooled brown butter, then the yogurt, in that order.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Combine: Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
- Fill the pans: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. I use a kitchen scale to make sure they’re equal.
- Add the crumble: Top each loaf with the chilled cinnamon crumble, covering the tops as evenly as you can.
- Bake: Bake for 55 to 70 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out almost clean. It shouldn’t be totally clean (a few moist crumbs are fine), and the top should visibly bounce back when you press on it.
- Cool: Cool the loaves in the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then lift them out and continue cooling on the rack.
- Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature, preferably with a very cold glass of milk.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes. Regular all-purpose flour can be swapped in if you’re not gluten free, in both the batter and the crumble.
I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour. I haven’t tested other blends, and results can vary from brand to brand.
Freeze the batter instead of the baked loaves. Pour it into a gallon zip-top bag or silicone bag, then defrost before baking.
Standard 9×5 or 8½ x 4½ loaf pans both work. The 9×5 loaves just won’t have quite as high a dome.
Brown Butter Banana Bread with Cinnamon Crumble
Ingredients
For the Crumble
- 5 tablespoons gluten-free flour blend
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
For the Banana Bread
- 3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour recommended
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 large very ripe bananas
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter, to be browned
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup 2% Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Prep the oven and pans: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°F. Spray two standard loaf pans with nonstick baking spray and line each with a parchment paper sling that covers the bottom and long sides, leaving the short ends uncovered. This makes the loaves easy to lift out after baking.
- Brown the butter: Melt the butter for the bread in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When it bubbles steadily and turns golden, don’t walk away. Keep stirring until it’s a medium-deep golden brown, then immediately take it off the heat. Transfer it to a small bowl and set aside to cool. (I often pop it in the fridge to speed this up.)
- Mix the crumble: In a small bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the crumble with a fork. Add the walnuts and whisk once more for a few seconds to coat the nuts, which keeps them from sinking into the loaves.
- Cut in the butter: Using clean hands, massage the softened butter into the crumble mixture, pressing and smashing the butter with your fingertips as you would for pie dough. When you have coarse crumbs (it won’t take long), cover the bowl and refrigerate until the loaves are ready to go in the oven.
- Mash the bananas: Peel the bananas and add them to a large, shallow bowl or plate. Mash with the back of a fork until you have a thick banana puree.
- Whisk in the wet ingredients: Whisk the sugars into the mashed bananas, then the vanilla, then the eggs, then the cooled brown butter, then the yogurt, in that order.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Combine: Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
- Fill the pans: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. I use a kitchen scale to make sure they’re equal.
- Add the crumble: Top each loaf with the chilled cinnamon crumble, covering the tops as evenly as you can.
- Bake: Bake for 50 to 70 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out almost clean. It shouldn’t be totally clean (a few moist crumbs are fine), and the top should visibly bounce back when you press on it.
- Cool the loaves in the pans on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes, then lift them out and continue cooling on the rack.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, preferably with a very cold glass of milk. Enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
