Just like this double chocolate zucchini bread, there’s a debate in my house about whether this recipe is actually a bread at all. One child is convinced it’s cake and another considers it more of a giant cinnamon roll . . . especially when I drizzle it with the optional glaze topping I’ll share below.
We’re all in agreement about one thing, though – it’s sweet, chewy, and full of plump raisin goodness, but it’s the cinnamon sugar swirl that adds a little something extra to every slice.
Since this no knead recipe doesn’t require yeast to rise, it’s super simple to make . . . even my ten year old can bake it on his own. I hope you love it as much as we do – feel free to leave a comment below and let me know!
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder (here's how to make your own)
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¾ cup raisins
Wet Ingredients
- 6 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup maple syrup (room temperature)
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅓ cup melted butter (can substitute melted coconut oil if dairy-free)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (here's how to make it)
Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Mixture
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 2 tsp coconut sugar
- pinch of cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease a 1.5 quart loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients except raisins – almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, and sea salt – until well combined.
- Mix together the cinnamon sugar you will be using for the swirl and bread topping. I mix them in two separate bowls because I find that it easier to measure correctly.
- In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, maple syrup, water, butter (or coconut oil) and vanilla extract. Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and stir until well combined.
- Add the raisins and stir again to combine.
- Pour half of the bread batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar swirl mixture and then place the rest of the batter on top. Pat it into a roughly even layer.
- Pat the top down until it’s mostly even, then use a butter knife to swirl the sugar through the dough. I usually just cut into the top of the dough, and make a series of “S” motions while moving my knife up and down. Sometimes it makes a pretty pattern and sometimes it doesn’t, but it always tastes delicious.
- Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture over the top with your fingers.
- Bake for about 40-50 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before lifting the bread out of the pan. Slice and serve warm, room temperature or chilled – we like all three ways!
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute the almond and coconut flour for another one, like brown rice flour or a pre-made gluten-free flour blend?
In general, almond flour and coconut flour absorb liquid differently than standard flour mixes, so probably not. Substitution might work with ratio adjustments, but I haven’t tested with other flours so I can’t offer any specific guidance.
Many gluten-free cinnamon bread recipes call for xanthan gum. Why doesn’t yours?
Xanthan gum is difficult for a lot of people to digest, so I don’t typically use it in recipes. The texture of this bread is more soft and cakey than the “sandwich bread” texture of some versions.
Can I use this bread to make French toast?
Because it’s so moist it’s not really ideal for absorbing extra liquid, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
3 More Gluten-Free Quick Bread Recipes To Try
Banana Bread – There are regular compliments, and there are “I’m soooo thirsty mama but I don’t want to drink water and lose the banana flavor” compliments. When I got the latter one from my littlest on this recipe, I figured it was finally time to share it with you.
Glazed Lemon Bread – This sweet and tangy lemon bread is made with wholesome ingredients, and I’ve been told by one Starbucks Lemon Loaf lover that it’s just as satisfying as store-bought.
Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread – Sweet and moist with a light crumb, this gluten-free zucchini bread is so delicious and easy to make. Seriously, it’s so good it will win over any zucchini-haters you might know . . . especially since it doesn’t actually taste like zucchini.
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This bread came out ok taste wise. Not too sweet. I had to bake it almost an hour to get the center done. I don’t care for the texture of this bread due to its denseness and smoothness which maybe due to the almond flour. I followed the recipe to a “T”.
Despite my unique set of baking skills, this bread turned out delicious. After putting the ingredients together, layering in the cinnamon sugar, swirling it around and placing it in the oven, I closed the door only to notice a minute later that the melted butter still sat patiently on the stove. Well, what could I do? I pulled it out of the oven, poured the batter into the bowl, added the butter, stirred it all together, relined the pan with parchment and poured it all back in. By some miracle 50 minutes later a beautiful and delicious loaf of cinnamon bread had baked up just fine. It was quite tasty. I suspect it will be even better when I get all the ingredients in on the first pass and has those yummy cinnamon swirl layers to it.
I’m so glad it worked out! And I’ve done the same thing 🙂