Gluten Free Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Bread

This gluten free brown butter snickerdoodle bread is one of those recipes that makes the whole house smell incredible while it bakes.

It’s soft, sweet, loaded with cinnamon, and has a buttery richness from the brown butter that takes it to another level. Think of it like a snickerdoodle cookie but in bread form.

And yes, it’s 100% gluten free. You honestly cannot tell the difference. It’s that good.

The cinnamon sugar swirl running through the middle and the crunchy cinnamon crust on top make every single slice worth it. It’s not complicated to make either, which is always a plus.

If you’ve been looking for a gluten free baked treat that actually delivers on flavor and texture, this one is for you.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Brown Butter Makes All the Difference – The nutty and toasty flavor of brown butter gives this bread a richness that regular melted butter simply cannot match.

Three Layers of Cinnamon – Cinnamon in the batter plus a gooey swirl plus a crispy sugar crust means every single bite is packed with snickerdoodle flavor.

Nobody Will Know It’s Gluten Free – The combo of almond flour and sour cream makes this bread so moist and tender that even gluten-eaters will be shocked.

Ingredients

For the Bread

• 2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1/2 cup Almond Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
• 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 cup Sour Cream

For the Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
• 2 tbsp Melted Unsalted Butter

For the Cinnamon Sugar Crust

• 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy removal.

Step 2

In a small saucepan, melt the 1/2 cup of butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns golden amber and smells nutty, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour the brown butter into a large bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes.

Step 3

In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten free baking flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Set aside.

Step 4

To the cooled brown butter, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Whisk until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each, then stir in the vanilla extract and sour cream until smooth.

Step 5

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula, stirring just until no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thick and luscious.

Step 6

In a small bowl, mix together the 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and melted butter for the swirl. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan, dollop the cinnamon sugar swirl mixture on top, then add the remaining batter. Use a toothpick or skewer to create gentle swirls through the layers.

Step 7

In a tiny bowl, mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon for the crust. Sprinkle this evenly over the top of the batter.

Step 8

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment overhang and cool on a wire rack.

My Tips

Get the Brown Butter Right

The brown butter is the backbone of this bread’s flavor, so don’t rush it. Keep the heat at medium and swirl the pan every 30 seconds or so. You’ll see the butter foam up first, then tiny golden-brown specks will form at the bottom.

Once it smells nutty and looks amber, pull it off the heat immediately. It goes from perfectly browned to burnt in seconds. Pour it straight into your mixing bowl so it stops cooking from the hot pan.

Make sure those little brown bits at the bottom of the pan make it into the bowl too. That’s where most of the flavor lives.

Let the Brown Butter Cool Enough

After you pour the brown butter into your bowl, give it a full 10 minutes to cool down before adding the sugars and eggs. If it’s too hot when the eggs go in, they’ll start to cook and you’ll get scrambled egg bits in your batter.

It should feel warm to the touch but not hot. If you’re in a hurry, you can pop the bowl in the fridge for about 5 minutes, just stir it once halfway through so it cools evenly.

Make the Swirl Layer Thick Enough

When you dollop the cinnamon sugar swirl mixture over the first layer of batter, spread it out so it covers most of the surface. If you just drop it in one spot, you’ll get one big cinnamon pocket instead of a swirl running through the whole bread.

When you drag the toothpick through to create swirls, only do 3 or 4 passes in a zigzag pattern. If you swirl too much, the layer blends into the batter and you lose that visible ribbon of cinnamon when you slice it.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies
• Gluten Free Brown Butter Salted Caramel Cookies
• Gluten Free Cinnamon Swirl Loaf
• Gluten Free Browned Butter Mochi Cake
• Gluten Free Cinnamon Crumb Cake

FAQ

How do I know when the butter is properly browned?

You’ll know the butter is ready when it turns a golden amber color and you can smell a warm, nutty aroma. You’ll also see little brown specks at the bottom of the pan – those are the toasted milk solids and that’s exactly what you want.

Keep a close eye on it because brown butter can go from perfectly nutty to burnt in just a matter of seconds. Once it looks and smells right, pull it off the heat immediately and pour it into your mixing bowl to stop the cooking.