This cinnamon crumble banana bread is as delicious as it is easy. Okay, it's even more delicious than it is easy, but once you try it for yourself, you'll understand why we're swooning over this banana bread recipe lately.
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I have a family of banana bread lovers, and one of their favorite recipes is this one right here. Made with a cinnamon crumble topping and a spiced cream cheese banana bread interior, it's crunchy, sweet, soft, and fluffy - everything you could ever want in a loaf.
I made this recipe as an adaption to the famous Southern Living Cream Cheese Banana Bread Recipe. It's a recipe that's been out for longer than I've been alive, and honestly, this recipe variation only improves upon the greatness.
Banana bread and warm spices are a perfect pair, and when you throw it all together in this tasty recipe, it's an instant winner. You're going to love this cream cheese banana bread with sweet cinnamon topping. It's got everything you love about good banana bread packed into every slice.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Two loaves: This recipe makes two fluffy cinnamon banana breads. Enjoy one now and save or gift the other.
- Simple ingredients: Made with basic pantry staples like flour, butter, sugar, and spices, so shopping stays minimal.
- Easy prep: While not quite as quick as my One Bowl Banana Bread, the steps are straightforward and beginner friendly.
🛒 Ingredients
Cream cheese: Adds richness and helps create a moist, tender texture in the bread.
Leavening agents: A combination of baking powder and baking soda gives the loaves proper lift as they bake.
Bananas: Use very ripe bananas with brown spots or darker for the best sweetness and flavor. Extra bananas are great in Pancake Mix Banana Bread or Pumpkin Spice Banana Bread.
Crumble topping: Made with flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and shortening. This is the same topping used in Cinnamon Streusel Dessert Pizza and Leftover Mashed Sweet Potato Muffins.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use overripe bananas: Soft, spotted bananas are often discounted and mash perfectly for baking.
Swap shortening if needed: Butter or margarine can replace shortening in the crumble if that's what you have.
Freeze one loaf: Freezing the second loaf prevents waste and gives you a ready-to-go treat later.
🥄 Instructions for Cinnamon Crumble Banana Bread
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 8x4 bread loaf pans. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese until nice and smooth.
Step 3: Gradually add in the sugar and beat again until light and fluffy.
Step 4: Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Step 5: In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon.
Step 6: Add to the butter mixture and beat together on low speed until combined.
Step 7: Stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla.
Step 8: Divide the batter between two greased 8x4 loaf pans and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 9: Cover the bread with a loose piece of foil during the last 15 minutes if you don't want the bread to get too dark in color.
Step 10: Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Thick batter is normal: The batter will be thick at first. The mashed bananas loosen it slightly, but it should remain fairly thick.
- Texture after baking: The finished bread has a soft, tender crumb that's perfect for slicing and snacking.
- Muffin option: Divide batter into about 24 muffins and bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
❄️ Storage and Make Ahead
Storage: Store Cinnamon Crumble Banana Bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Make Ahead: Bake the loaves in advance and store tightly wrapped. This bread freezes well and can be thawed at room temperature when needed.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Serve Cinnamon Crumble Banana Bread with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk for breakfast or a snack. It also pairs well with fresh fruit or a light yogurt spread for a simple brunch plate.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
No, this banana bread doesn't need to be placed in the fridge and can handle being stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For best results, eat within 2 or 3 days.
Yes, this cream cheese banana bread recipe can be frozen. After the bread has cooled completely, simply wrap it well in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container. Then it can last for about 3 or 4 months and taste just fine once thawed.
If you put too many bananas in your bread batter, you will be adding in a lot more moisture than the recipe called for. This results in underbaked-looking loaves, where the center is sunk or dense and heavy.
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🐝 If you tried this Cinnamon Crumble Banana Bread, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Crumble Banana Bread
Equipment
- 8x4 Bread Loaf Pan x(2)
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened - ($1.98)
- 1 brick (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened - ($1.86)
- 2 cups granulated sugar - ($0.72)
- 2 large eggs - ($0.30)
- 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas, about 2 to 3 bananas - ($0.75)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - ($0.03)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour - ($0.39)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder - ($0.02)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda - ($0.01)
- ½ teaspoon salt - ($0.01)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon - ($0.08)
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg - ($0.04)
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice - ($0.02)
Crumble
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour - ($0.05)
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar - ($0.17)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon - ($0.08)
- 2 tablespoons shortening - ($0.08)
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8x4-inch loaf pans and set aside.
- Cream base. In a large bowl, beat the unsalted butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until combined. Stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
- Fill pans. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared loaf pans.
- Make crumble. In a small bowl, combine all crumble ingredients until pea-sized crumbs form. Sprinkle evenly over both loaves.
- Bake. Bake for about 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Loosely tent with foil during the last 15 minutes if browning too quickly.
- Cool. Let loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Batter texture. The batter will be thick before adding bananas and will loosen slightly once mixed.
- Muffin option. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Storage. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Best within 2 to 3 days.
- Freezing. Wrap cooled loaves tightly and freeze for up to 3 to 4 months.
Nutritional Information
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