This Paleo Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake has all the flavors of a cinnamon roll, but made easier! Gluten free, dairy free, and so delicious!
Oh, this coffee cake is so good! I've expressed my love for coffee cake in the past with my Paleo Pumpkin Coffee Cake and it has been far too long since I've shared a recipe for another one. This is inspired by another delicious breakfast treat- cinnamon rolls, but made so much easier! A simple sweet cake, a thick cinnamon sugar swirl, and a delicious glaze! Perfection!
This coffee cake is so moist that it doesn't need a glaze, but why would I leave off such a delicious topping? Two of the things that makes this cake stand out is the Vietnamese Cinnamon and Vanilla Extract. This cinnamon is no ordinary cinnamon- it is bold, more flavorful, and makes me never want to use traditional cinnamon again! The vanilla extract is the real deal, not imitation, and adds just the perfect amount of vanilla flavor.
I also love what the company is all about. They are Fair Trade (learn more about that in my paleo fudgy brownie post), organic, and sustainably source their spices. They are a company that I always feel good about supporting!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is coffee cake called coffee cake?
Coffee cake is named for the fact that is enjoyed with coffee. It's more of a casual cake, great to serve in the morning.
Is there coffee in coffee cake?
No, there is no coffee is in the cake. It is meant to be enjoyed with coffee, but can be enjoyed with any warm beverage you enjoy.
How do I store coffee cake?
This is best stored covered in the fridge for up to a week. If you want to rewarm it, place it in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes.
This is the perfect breakfast for Christmas or just a treat to have around if you're expecting guests for the holidays.
Eating a piece of this tastes just like a cinnamon roll and you will absolutely love it! Gluten free, dairy free, and so good! Let me know if you make it and how it came out!
Here are some more coffee cakes you'll love:
- Paleo Raspberry Coffee Cake
- Funfetti Coffee Cake (paleo)
- Paleo Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Gluten Free Cheesecake Coffee Cake
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Paleo Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Coffee Cake
- 3 cups almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup coconut oil room temperature
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract I used Frontier Co-op
- ½ cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil for after baking
Glaze
- ¼ cup coconut butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons almond milk
Instructions
- Make the cinnamon sugar mixture: in a small bowl, combine the coconut sugar and cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.
- Make the coffee cake: preheat the oven to 325° and line a 9x9 square pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
- In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil and coconut sugar and mix until combined.
- Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond milk and stir until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir well, making sure no dry spots remain.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle two thirds of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top.
- Carefully scoop the remaining batter on top, making sure all the cinnamon sugar is covered.
- Bake for 35 minutes.
- As soon as it comes out of the oven, take the 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and spread it on top then sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.
- While the cake is cooling, make the glaze: in a small bowl, combine the coconut butter, honey, vanilla extract, and almond milk. Mix until smooth and thin enough to drizzle on the cake.
- Once the cake has cooled, top with glaze. You can top it while it's warm, but it won't be pretty lines.
Liz says
Tasted great but my batter was like dough? I used all purpose flour instead of almond flour, other than that everything was exactly as you said. Please help! I really want to make this again
Jessica DeMay says
I'm sorry about that, Liz! Using AP flour would be why. Almond flour is much different, higher in fat and lower in carbs. Please use almond flour if you want it to come out as pictured.
Liz says
Hey there! I made this a couple days ago and it was so good, and I actually intend on making it again today for a guest coming over! But I wanted to inquire, how thick is the batter supposed to be? Mine was much more like dough, it was so incredibly thick that I had to use my hands to mix dry and wet ingredients, and adding the top layer of batter over the cinnamon mixture layer was really difficult. It tasted great but it didn't look very pretty in the pan due to how thick the batter was. I used all purpose flour instead of almond flour (didn't have any) but other than that I used everything else correctly. I double checked measurements/quantities and all that. Everything was exact as you said except for the almond flour substitute, but it was still the same amount. Please help! Why is the batter so thick?
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Liz- thanks for trying it and I'm glad it still tasted okay. The problem is definitely in the flour switch. You can't sub AP flour for almond flour- they are way different. I suggest using almond flour since I can't really tell you how to make it with AP. It sounds like you need more liquid.
Catherine Fleming says
Jessica - Thanks so much for this terrific recipe! I made this last night, while our city was snowed in. My little girl and I gobbled up our generous portions. We used powdered Swerve instead of maple sugar, which worked fine.
I had to chill the glaze (again, using powdered Swerve instead of honey) for about an hour, and that worked out well.
Jessica DeMay says
You're welcome, Catherine! Thanks for trying it and I'm so glad you like it!
Maria says
Hi Jessica,
This is the best tasting healthy cake I have ever made by far! However I have a slight texture problem, I baked it for 35 minutes and when I took it out of the oven it was completely underbaked, I left it in for another ten and the texture remained the same. I made no substitutions and followed the recipie exactly, I baked it in a loaf pan, can you let me know what I did wrong?
Jessica DeMay says
Thanks for trying it, Maria. baking it in a much different size pan will change the texture. It's much thicker in a loaf pan so of course it was under done. I recommend using the correct pan size next time. It will come out perfectly.
Amanda says
Do you think I could sub cassava flour for almond flour? I have a tree nut allergy (coconut is fine) so almond flour is a no go for me. If not, maybe GF flour? This looks so amazing and is love to try it!
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Amanda- I would recommend a gf flour over cassava. I think that would work great. Enjoy!
marci says
can you make the batter ahead of time & fridge...would love to make this for christmas brunch but not sure i have the time to do it in the am. thanks!!
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Marci, I'm not sure if that would work. I recommend having all the dry ingredients mixed and you could even mix the coconut oil with the coconut sugar. Mix the cinnamon sugar topping ahead as well. Then all you would need to do is add the wet ingredients and bake. Hope that helps and everyone loves it!
Becca says
My sister-in-law made this and it was delicious. Does this freeze well? I'd like to make it a week in advance.
Jessica DeMay says
Thanks, Becca! It should freeze well. I haven't tried it personally, but know baked goods are usually okay.
Gina says
Do you have any thoughts on what I could use for an egg substitute? Making for a friend with some severe allergies.
Thanks!
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Gina- you can try chia or flax eggs in place of the eggs. It may make the cake a little different texture, but should work. Enjoy!
Heather Gauthier says
I want to make this as a bundt cake. Do you think it will work and how would you adjust baking temp and time? Thanks, looks delicious
Jessica DeMay says
Thanks, Heather! I don't think you'll need to change anything. It should be the same temp and time. Hope you love it!
Heather Gauthier says
thanks. i'll just have to wait for the sugar topping to the end
Ainsley says
These look delicious! So you think it will still turn out the same if I left out the coconut sugar in the cake part? I’m trying to make it sugar free!
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Ainsley- it would not taste very good without sugar. Coconut sugar is low glycemic, but if you need it to be sugar free then I would recommend using a zero calorie sweetener like Swerve. Hope that helps!