Hello perfect autumn banana bread! This cinnamon streusel banana bread is super moist, full of banana and cinnamon flavor and topped with a delicious and crunchy cinnamon streusel.
If you're looking for other quick bread recipes check out my double chocolate banana bread, best pumpkin bread or apple cider bread!
Why You'll Love this Cinnamon Streusel Banana Bread
It has a crunchy cinnamon streusel topping. As if banana bread could get any better! But it totally can with the addition of a delicious buttery cinnamon streusel topping. It has the perfect crunch and brings this banana bread to the next level.
It's super easy to make. Banana bread is the best because it's so simple to make! You probably already have all the ingredients at home to make it!
It's extremely moist. There's one thing I cannot stand, and that is dry cakes and breads, and this banana bread is no different. It's extra moist due to the buttermilk and overly ripe mashed bananas.
Ingredients for Cinnamon Streusel Banana Bread
- Bananas- super ripe bananas give this bread its delicious banana flavor
- Butter- make sure it's super softened for the bread and cold for the streusel
- Sugar- granulated sugar is used to sweeten the bread, and brown sugar is used to make the streusel
- Eggs- make sure they're room temperature
- Vanilla- as always I recommend using vanilla bean paste for the best flavor, but extract works perfectly fine as well
- Buttermilk- keeps this banana bread super moist, make sure it's room temperature
- Flour- all purpose flour gives this bread the best crumb
- Baking soda- leavens the bread and helps give it a fluffy texture
- Cinnamon- adds the perfect amount of warmth to this banana bread
- Salt- helps bring out all the flavors in this bread
Step by Step Instructions
STEP ONE: Make the streusel by mixing the cold butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a small bowl. It's easiest to do this by hand. Place the streusel in the fridge while making the banana bread.
STEP TWO: Cream the butter and granulated sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
STEP THREE: Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix for one minute until plate and fluffy.
STEP FOUR: Add in the mashed bananas and buttermilk and combine.
STEP FIVE: Then mix in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
STEP SIX: Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle the streusel over top. Bake the banana bread at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center with only a few moist crumbs.
See the recipe below for complete measurements.
FAQs
Do I have to bake the bread with streusel? Nope! You can most certainly leave it out entirely. Check the bread at 1 hour for doneness. It may bake quicker without the streusel.
Can I make this gluten free? I have not tried making this recipe with gluten free flour but if you try it please let me know!
Can I add anything to the banana bread? Sure! You can add nuts or chocolate chips or dried fruit if you'd like!
Pro Tips
You absolutely have to use parchment paper for this banana bread to bake properly. How do I know this? I made this recipe four times before realizing the parchment paper is key to baking the bread. Without it the batter tends to bubble up over streusel and starts to burn around the edges. With the parchment paper it bakes perfectly though!
Make sure all your wet ingredients are room temperature. Cold wet ingredients can make your banana bread have a gummy texture. Room temperature wet ingredients will give you the absolute best textured banana bread.
Use your hand mixer/stand mixer to mash your bananas. It will mash them super quickly!
If you make this banana bread please, please leave a star review, and comment if you feel so inclined! It would help me so much! Also, tag me in your creations on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Other Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Streusel Banana Bread
Ingredients
For the Streusel
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Banana Bread
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup very ripe mashed bananas about 2 large bananas
- ¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Streusel
- Add the cold butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt to a small bowl.
- Combine everything together. It's easiest to do this with your fingers, "mashing" everything together. It should be in large crumbles once combined.
- Chill the streusel in the fridge while making the banana bread.
For the Banana Bread
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. (The parchment paper is not optional! The banana bread won't bake properly without it.) Set aside.
- In a large bowl cream the butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix for one minute until pale and fluffy.
- Then mix in the mashed banana and buttermilk.
- Add in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and mixt until thoroughly combined
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the streusel over the top, making sure to cover the whole surface.
- Bake the banana bread for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center with only a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for 30 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
- Transfer the bread to a cooling rack to completely cool, or enjoy warm. The banana bread does taste best when it is completely cooled though!
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
Delishhhh!! Do not skip the streusel, this bread is fabulous. Decadent, moist and full of flavor.
Such an easy recipe to follow and the final product is so moist and delicious! I will definitely make this again.
I think this is the best banana bread recipes I've made! I made them in a muffin tray so they would cook faster and have more surface area for the struesel! I made buttermilk with soy milk + 1 tbsp of lemon juice, as I always feel like it's a waste to buy buttermilk. Highly recommended!
I’m not sure what I did wrong - likely just overfilled - but it spilled out all over the bottom of the oven after about 10 mins & started a small fire. Hoping it’s salvageable lol.
Definitely the best banana bread recipe I’ve had.
I’m not sure what happened, perhaps I used too many bananas or not enough flour, but I the bread never hardened or became bread-like. The streusel crumbs on top were delicious and I picked them off, but the rest didn’t form into a bread 🙁
Sorry I realized what I did wrong! I added too many bananas and forgot to double everything else. I will be trying this recipe again!