If you’ve been craving a soft and buttery gluten-free coffee cake with a cinnamon sugar swirl and a thick crumb topping, this recipe is for you. It’s light and fluffy, just like the classic bakery version! Whether you’re baking for a special brunch or want a weekend treat, this homemade coffee cake is just the recipe to make. There are also dairy-free and sugar-free options!
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I promise to keep this story brief, but Mr. Fearless Dining’s weakness is coffee cake. The higher the crumble topping, the better. He never told me this. I didn’t find out until I created and perfected this recipe, and he promptly ate two slices. It only took me 13 years of gluten-free baking to learn this about him!
Check out my delicious gluten-free cake recipes and my gluten-free breakfast recipes. There is a recipe for every occasion!
If you’re looking for a delicious, refined sugar-free crumb cake, try my Gluten-Free Crumb Cake recipe. It uses coconut sugar, which is refined-sugar-free. I have several delicious holiday coffee cake recipes as well! We love this Gluten-Free Pumpkin Coffee Cake and this Gluten-Free Cranberry Coffee Cake!
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure. Other blends will work, but be sure to adjust the wet and dry ratios if needed. You can also use my DIY Gluten-Free Flour Blend or my special Gluten-Free Cake Flour Blend to make this gluten-free coffee cake recipe.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten-free flour blend doesn’t contain a binder such as xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- Brown Sugar – Adds a rich, sweet flavor to the cinnamon swirl and streusel topping.
- Sugar – Cane sugar helps keep this cake perfectly sweet.
- Ground Cinnamon – Double-check that your ground cinnamon is gluten-free. Sometimes, there can be cross-contamination. I like to use McCormick, Simply Organic, and Penzeys brands because I know they are gluten-free.
- Milk or Non-Dairy Milk – I used almond milk to make this recipe. Any dairy-free or regular milk will work.
- Butter – I used unsalted butter. Adds richness and flavor; plant-based works well for dairy-free baking.
Want to make this cake dairy-free, egg-free, or gum-free? See Beverly’s comment above.
A Note From My Kitchen
To make sure you have success, I tested two gluten-free flour blends that are easy to find in local grocery stores, and I also made this coffee cake using my new gluten-free cake flour blend (linked in the Ingredient Notes). I wanted to make sure the ingredients would be easy to find.
After over a decade of gluten-free baking, I have learned that flour blends can behave in wildly different ways. Some need more moisture, while others bake faster or slower. Do not stress out if your batter feels too thick or thin; simply adjust by adding more milk or flour, a tablespoon at a time. Trust your instincts, and remember to let the batter rest if it feels gritty. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
How to Make a Gluten-Free Coffee Cake (Step-By-Step)
Learning how to make a gluten-free coffee cake is so easy. I break it all down into simple step-by-step directions. You can also watch the video to see how I make it.
Step 1: Start by adding your gluten-free flour blend, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk them well so everything is evenly distributed; this helps you prevent uneven rising later.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, milk (or dairy-free milk), and vanilla. Give it a good whisk until everything is fully blended. It is important that your butter is melted but not hot, or it could cook the eggs.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Use a spoon or spatula (not a mixer) to stir gently until just combined. The batter should look thick but smooth; do not worry if there are a few small lumps. Overmixing can make gluten-free cakes dense and gummy, so stop mixing once everything looks incorporated.
If your batter feels gritty (which sometimes happens with rice-based gluten-free flour blends), let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before baking. This allows the rice in the blend time to hydrate, improving the final texture.
✏️ Sandi’s Tip: Gluten-free flour blends all absorb moisture differently. If your batter looks too runny, sprinkle in a little more flour. If it feels too dry or thick, add a splash of milk. Trust your instincts!
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Step 4: Spray a 9″ cake pan or loaf pan with a gluten-free non-stick spray. Scoop in half of the batter and smooth it out with a spatula.
Step 5: Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the pan. Then spoon the remaining batter on top and gently spread it out. Use a butter knife to swirl the batter in a few figure-eight motions. This creates that signature ribbon of cinnamon sugar throughout.
Step 6: Add the crumble topping dry ingredients to a small bowl. Add the softened butter and mix.
Step 7: If you want that chunky bakery-style topping, pop the crumble into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Chilling helps the butter firm up, creating larger, crunchier crumbs when baked.
Step 8: Remove the chilled topping from the freezer and crumble it over the top of your cake. Don’t worry if the pieces aren’t uniform. This gives your streusel topping a rustic look.
Step 9: Place your cake in a preheated 350ºF oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Baking time can vary depending on the depth and size of your pan. If you’re using a glass pan or a loaf pan, expect it to take 5-10 minutes longer.
Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs, your cake is ready. If you see wet batter, give it more time and check again in 5-minute intervals.
Tips for a Fluffy Coffee Cake:
- Melt the butter before adding it to the wet ingredients. It makes it easier to blend.
- If you notice your batter has grit, which can be more common with some rice-heavy gluten-free flour blends, let the batter sit for 20 minutes before baking.
- Ensure your oven rack is in the middle of your oven. This will help bake your cake more evenly with the crumb topping.
- To make a fluffier cake, avoid overmixing the cake batter. I do not recommend using a stand mixer for cake batter.
Storage and Freezing Tips:
- Store the gluten-free coffee cake in an airtight container. It will keep fresh for up to 4 days. If it is summer, you may want to store it in the fridge.
- To freeze the whole cake, wrap it in plastic wrap, then place it in a large freezer-safe zipper bag. You can freeze this cake for up to 3 months.
- To freeze slices, place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag with parchment between them to prevent sticking.
- To thaw, place them on the counter or microwave for 20 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions:
I used a 9″ round cake pan, but you can use other sizes, including a loaf pan.
This recipe makes delicious muffins. Divide the cake batter into muffin tins. Fill each 3/4 full and sprinkle the streusel topping over each one. Baking time will be about 20 minutes.
One of my favorites is making gluten-free coffee and walnut cake. You can add finely chopped walnuts or pecans to the streusel you sprinkle into the cake mix.
This often happens when there’s not enough liquid or if your flour blend is high in starch. See my note above about adjusting the moisture for your flour blend.
If you’re new to cake baking, here’s a good write-up of my favorite Kitchen Tools For Baking Cakes. Having the right tools can make all the difference in your baking. I also have a lot of helpful Gluten-Free Baking Tips to help you bake like a seasoned pro.
More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes:
- Gluten-Free Date Nut Cake
- Delicious Gluten-Free Apple Bundt Cake
- My Best Gluten-Free Honey Cake
- Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Love This Recipe?
💬 Did you make this gluten-free coffee cake recipe? I would love to hear how it turned out and which pan or flour blend you used! Your feedback helps others (and helps me keep improving these recipes for you). ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bakery-Style Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Streusel Topping: Make First and Freeze While Preparing the Cake
- ¾ cup gluten free flour blend
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened, not melted
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Cake:
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup non-dairy milk * see note
Cinnamon Swirl:
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Optional Glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
Instructions
For the Cake:
- In a large bowl, combine 2 cups gluten free flour blend, 1/2 cup cane sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, add 2 large eggs, partially melted 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1 cup non-dairy milk. Whisk to mix.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just "barely" mixed. This will help keep your cake light and fluffy.
- Spray a 9" cake pan or loaf pan with non-stick spray and add half the cake batter. Spread it out.
For the Swirl:
- Mix 1/4 cup cane sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon for the swirl and sprinkle it around the cake batter. Put the rest of the cake batter on top and spread it out.
- Let the cake batter rest while you make and freeze the streusel topping.
For the Streusel:
- Add 3/4 cup gluten free flour blend, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and softened 1/2 cup unsalted butter and mix. Freeze the crumble topping for 15-20 minutes then use a fork to crumble the slightly hardened mixture.
- In a bowl, add the crumble topping dry ingredients.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping over the cake batter.
- Preheat the oven to 350º F
Baking
- Spread out the crumble topping and bake at 350º F for 30-35 minutes. Actual baking time can vary greatly depending on if you bake this in a loaf pan or cake pan, and how deep your pan is.
- To tell if the cake is done baking, take out the cake and insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If the toothpick comes back with crumbs or batter, it will need to bake more. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is finished baking.
Optional Glaze
- Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons non-dairy milk to a mixing bowl. Use a whisk to whip it into a semi-thick glaze. (For a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar. For a runnier glaze, add more milk.)
Video
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work; I have not tested other flours.
- This recipe also works with my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend (gum-free!) and my Gluten-Free Cake Flour Blend.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter with vegan butter.
- I used almond milk, but other dairy-free kinds of milk or regular milk will work.
- To keep your cake light and fluffy, avoid overmixing your cake batter.
- Freezing the streusel topping for 15 minutes will make it hold its shape better while baking.
- This cake will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container or up to 3 months in the freezer.
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SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
Turned out Great!
On the streusel topping I added 1/2 cups almonds and put everything in a food processor and blended until it started to come together, thickened and get dough – like. Did not put in freezer. The Streusel held together perfectly.
Hi Randy, Great idea to add the topping in the food processor.
My wife has many food sensitivities, so I am always looking for recipes that we both can enjoy. I can’t say this is the best coffee cake I have ever had, but it is a very good alternative to a conventional flour coffee cake. We used our own flour blend because potato starch is on the long list of ingredients we have to avoid, but otherwise followed the recipe as written. We didn’t make the glaze, but did do the swirl. The swirl was a bit tricky, because trying to spread the second half of the cake batter was difficult. The batter seemed to want to pull away from the swirl layer. Just take your time and it will work. The coffee cake was very good and it has been added to our recipe keeper library.
Thank you so much for your tips, Fred. I am so glad you were able to adapt this recipe to avoid your wife’s allergens.
The cake itself is nice, good texture. My crumb topping completely melted. I’m unsure why, I froze the topping as instructed, used KA flour as instructed. I checked the ingredients several times. I’m stumped.
Hi Justine, I am so glad you loved the cake, but I am baffled about the topping. Where was the oven rack positioned in the oven, did you use bake or convection bake, and how cold was the crumble topping? I am happy to help troubleshoot.
Delicious
I am glad you loved this coffee cake recipe, Liz. Thank you.
Perfect! I split it in half and I also substituted sour cream and some water for the milk. Baked for 25ish mins. Came out perfectly!
I love you shared your sour cream hack with us. I am so glad you loved the cake!!
This is absolutely delicious! I replace 1/2 cup of the flour with gluten free sourdough starter and it is so moist, so delicious. Despite all the sugar and butter, it tastes light and fluffy. I was afraid it would be too sweet but it’s amazing.
I love this idea to use sourdough starter. You are really creative and I am glad to hear it worked out well.
This coffee cake is now a staple in our house. I make if gf and df and it is amazing. I use King Arthur all purpose gf 1:1 in my baking.
The cake i is moist and not at all grainy like some gf cakes. The kids love it and you would never know this wasn’t the real deal.
Well done!!
Hi Jolene, I am so happy you love this coffee cake. I find the KA flour is milled finely and doesn’t need to rest to avoid grittiness like some of the other brands. Have you tried my pumpkin coffee cake recipe? I know it isn’t fall, but that is another winner to try since you love this cake.
I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gf flour for this and a loaf pan. The batter was quite wet, and when I went back to review to see if I made an error, I noticed the ingredients list calls for 2 cups of flour but the directions only list 3/4 cup of flour for the cake. Just an fyi for anyone who jumped ahead to the instructions like I did.
Hi Karen, I looked everywhere and I am not sure where you see 3/4 cup for the cake. Can you please let me know so I can look?
There are different sections of the overall recipe (cake, streusel, swirl) and the streusel recipe calls for 3/4 cup of flour.
Hi Nancy, I can’t tell if your comment is a question, or you are just clarifying something?
so very good! would highly recommend for all the GF friends. added a little extra topping and found it to be perfect.
I am so glad you loved this cake. Thank you so much for trying my recipe!
it came out great, even though I forgot to add the half cup sugar to the main cake mix. Definitely trying again again the correct way
I am glad you loved this coffee cake with less sugar. It is actually good to know because I do often get questions about how to reduce the sugar in recipes from my readers. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know.