Cinnamon crunch banana bread is loaded with overripe, mashed bananas which makes it incredibly moist and full of delicious banana flavor. I generously top this banana bread with a rich, buttery and sweet cinnamon crumble. Perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea or dessert.
This cinnamon crunch banana bread is so easy to make. Made with simple ingredients, this quick bread is sure to become a staple in your home. Each slice is filled with sweet banana flavor and the best brown sugar cinnamon streusel you've ever had. It freezes beautifully and is great to have on hand!
For more sweet breakfast recipes, make sure to try Apple Tea Cake and Old Fashioned Banana Bread.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Moist Banana Bread
- Texture- This banana bread yields a soft and tender, yet crisp and crumbly texture. It has the best of both worlds combined in one slice.
- Ease- Made with basic ingredients and a recipe that does not require a mixer.
- Banana flavor- The banana flavor really shines in this recipe. I use super ripe bananas which adds natural sweetness and also an intense banana flavor.
- Crumble- Butter, brown sugar , flour and cinnamon. That's all you need to make this delicious topping! Once baked, it creates the perfect crust for our banana bread.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Bananas- You will need 4 medium-ripe bananas. Make sure your bananas have lots and lots of brown spots.
- Sugar- I use both brown sugar and white granulated sugar in this recipe.
- Eggs- This recipe uses 2 large eggs. Make sure to pull them from the refrigerator 2 hours before mixing to allow them to come to room temperature.
- Vanilla- Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Butter- I use unsalted butter and melt it inside the microwave. Let it slightly cool before using.
- Flour- All purpose flour works great for the recipe. For the banana bread, I always sift my flour.
- Baking soda- This is the leavening agent of choice in quick breads. It gives a nice rise to the banana bread.
- Cinnamon- I use it in both the banana bread and streusel topping.
Ingredient Note Substitutions
- Butter- You can use neutral oils like canola or vegetable in place of the butter. Melted coconut oil is also a great option.
- Flour- For a healthier version, you can use whole wheat flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
- Cinnamon- I LOVE cinnamon but you can also add nutmeg or allspice.
How To Measure Flour
For best results, it’s important to measure your flour properly. Here’s how to measure flour using the spoon and level method.
- Stir- Fluff up your flour with a large spoon.
- Spoon- Add flour into your measuring cup (do not scoop it).
- Level- Using the back of a butterknife, level off the excess flour.
Step By Step Instructions - Cinnamon Crunch Topping
STEP 1: Combine. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
STEP 2: Mix. Drizzle the butter over the mixture and use a fork to toss and combine the ingredients. Do not over-mix. The mixture should still be clumpy. Set aside.
Step By Step Instructions - Brown Sugar Banana Bread
STEP 1: Prepare. Preheat oven to 350°. Then, grease a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom and 2 sides with parchment paper. Set aside.
STEP 2: Sift. In a medium-size bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together.
STEP 3: Mash bananas. Peel the bananas and mash with a fork until fine. A few lumps is ok. Place the bananas in a separate bowl. Then, stir in brown sugar.
STEP 4: Add wet ingredients. Whisk in the cooled melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract into banana mixture.
STEP 5: Add dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet banana mixture. Stir just until combined.
STEP 6: Bake. Pour the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from the pan.
Baking In Different Pans
Loaf Pan. You can use a 9×5 or an 8½x4½. Both sizes are typically 2½ inches tall. Feel free to use either one of these sizes for your banana bread.
Muffin Tin. If you do not have a loaf pan, you can bake this recipe in a standard 12-count muffin pan. Spray with nonstick spray or use cupcake liners.
Square Pan. An 8x8-inch pan has a wider surface area so the batter will bake faster, so you will need to decrease your baking time. Because of this reason, I suggest checking the banana bread for doneness at around 30 minutes.
Expert Baking Tips
Start with super ripe bananas with dark brown/black spots. These bananas are soft and full of natural sugars. However, do not use bananas that are on their way of being rotten. A good indication that the bananas are bad are when they begin oozing liquid.
Use a fork or food masher to mash your bananas. It's ok if there are a few clumps inside the batter. They do not have to all be completely smooth.
Line your loaf pan (bottom and sides) with parchment paper. Leave an overhang to make it easy to pull and lift the banana bread out of the pan once it finishes baking.
As tempting as it is, especially with clumps of bananas, do not over-mix your batter. Over-mixing will cause gluten to develop in your batter, making your banana bread tough.
Add nuts or chocolate. Choose a crunchy nut like walnuts or pecans. I also like to use chocolate chunks from time to time to make this banana bread extra indulgent.
FAQ
Wrapped well, this banana bread will last 3 days at room temerpature and 5 days in the refrigerator.
When it comes to banana bread, the ratio of flour to banana is key. If you use too much flour, you'll end up with really dry banana bread. I always recommend spooning your flour instead of scooping. This is the best way to measure flour properly.
I recommend using a light-colored metal loaf pan to bake this banana bread in. Dark colored pans will cause scorching on the edges of the cake.
This happens often when the butter is too hot. Using very hot butter can cause the sugars to melt and leave you with a greasy, paste-like consistency. Once the butter is melted, let it cool for a few minutes before adding to the flour and sugar mixture.
Storing and Freezing
Store leftover cinnamon crunch banana bread inside an airtight container or wrapped in plastic. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days and inside the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing
Let the banana bread cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap, then with foil. Place inside an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight inside the refrigerator or at room temperature.
More Tempting Sweet Bread Recipes To Try
Try These Dessert Recipes Too!
- 6 inch Chocolate Cake Recipe
- French Creme Brûlée
- Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
- Fresh Strawberry Danish
- Cream Honey Cheesecake
If you make this recipe, please leave a STAR RATING on the recipe card below. Tag me on Instagram. Follow me Pinterest for more delicious recipes.
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Crunch Banana Bread
Ingredients
Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- ½ cup All purpose flour
- ¼ cup White granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Dark brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¾ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter melted
Banana Bread
- 4 Bananas medium, ripe
- 1 cup Brown sugar
- 1 stick Unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 Eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup All purpose flour spooned and leveled, sifted
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
- Drizzle the butter over the mixture and use a fork to toss and combine the ingredients. Do not over-mix. The mixture should still be clumpy. Set aside.
Banana Bread
- Preheat oven to 350°. Then, grease a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom and 2 sides with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium-size bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together.
- Peel the bananas and mash with a fork until fine. A few lumps is ok. Place the bananas in a separate bowl. Then, stir in brown sugar.
- Whisk in the cooled melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract into banana mixture.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet banana mixture. Stir just until combined.
- Pour the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from the pan.
Ari says
Best banana bread I’ve ever had!!!!! The combination is crazy good!
Would definitely make again thanks for making this recipe!😋😋
Kristen Espino says
Thank you 🙂