Banana Bread with Streusel Topping

Posted in Recipe Collections / Gluten-Free Recipes: All the Flavor, None of the Wheat
Banana Bread with Streusel Topping
This Banana Bread with Streusel Topping is a gluten-free loaf with a soft banana crumb and a buttery cinnamon brown sugar topping. The streusel adds texture and sweetness, turning a classic banana bread into something that feels a little more like coffee cake.

Ingredients

For the Banana Bread:

  • 2-3 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum
  • ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum, leave out if your flour already contains it

For the Streusel Topping:

  • 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Heat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 4x8-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

  2. Make the Streusel: In a small bowl, mix the cold butter, brown sugar, gluten-free flour, cinnamon, and salt with a pastry blender until crumbly. Refrigerate while you make the banana bread batter.

  3. Mash the Bananas: In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth, then stir in the baking soda.

  4. Add the Wet Ingredients: Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas, then add the sugar, salt, eggs, and vanilla extract.

  5. Add the Flour: Mix in the gluten-free flour and xanthan gum. Leave out the extra xanthan gum if your flour blend already contains it.

  6. Fill the Pan: Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and sprinkle the chilled streusel evenly over the top.

  7. Bake: Bake on the center rack for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If using 4 smaller loaf pans, begin checking around 20-25 minutes.

  8. Cool: Cool completely before slicing so the loaf sets and the streusel stays in place.

A Coffee-Cake Twist on Banana Bread

The streusel topping is what makes this loaf feel special. It bakes into a crumbly cinnamon-sugar crust that contrasts with the soft banana bread beneath it. Very ripe bananas are important here because they bring moisture, sweetness, and the strongest banana flavor.

This recipe is gluten-free, but the texture still depends on the flour blend. If your gluten-free all-purpose flour already includes xanthan gum, skip the extra ¼ teaspoon so the loaf does not become gummy.

Serving Ideas

Serve slices plain, warm with butter, or lightly toasted with cream cheese. It is also excellent with coffee or tea, especially because the streusel gives it a coffee-cake feel.

For dessert, warm a slice and add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel. For breakfast, pair it with yogurt and fruit so it feels a little more balanced.

Variations

Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the streusel for extra crunch. You can also fold a small handful of chocolate chips into the batter, though the plain cinnamon streusel version keeps the banana flavor more central.

For mini loaves, divide the batter between 4 smaller loaf pans and start checking around 20 minutes. Smaller loaves bake quickly, and the streusel can brown faster than the center sets, so keep an eye on them.

Gluten-Free Baking Tips

Let the loaf cool completely before slicing. Gluten-free quick breads can seem fragile while warm, but they firm up as they cool. A serrated knife helps cut clean slices without dragging the streusel off the top.

If the top is browning before the center is done, tent the loaf loosely with foil for the rest of the bake. The toothpick test is still the best guide because ovens and loaf pans vary.

Storage

Store the banana bread covered at room temperature for a day or two, or refrigerate it for longer storage. Reheat slices briefly in a toaster oven or microwave. The toaster oven keeps the streusel crisper.