A soft and fluffy cardamom spiced bread, filled with an absolutely delicious walnut streusel layer, and an addicting crunchy crust. This secretly healthy Walnut Cardamom Streusel Bread is so easy to make and made with only real, simple ingredients. It is paleo-friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free) and refined sugar free!
What Does This Walnut Cardamom Streusel Bread Taste Like? What Does Cardamom Taste Like?
This healthy quick bread recipe is so wonderfully comforting and delicious. The bread itself is soft and tender, with a well balanced sweetness, and just perfectly spiced with cardamom powder. Cardamom is a complex, but undeniably cozy, flavor – it’s citrusy, earthy, and a little spicy. The streusel mixture is a combination of walnut, cinnamon, and more cardamom. The streusel is both layered in the center of the bread, adding a bit more sweetness and crunch, and sprinkled on top of the batter, creating a crispy craggly crust. This Walnut Cardamom Streusel Bread is the perfect healthy breakfast recipe or afternoon snack. And you better believe it’s amazing with a hot cup of coffee/tea.
Here’s why you will LOVE this Walnut Streusel Bread!
- Soft and tender bread that’s incredibly comforting.
- A super easy to make paleo quick bread.
- A great healthy breakfast recipe.
- Cardamom, cinnamon, and walnut give this bread a unique and delicious flavor.
- Makes your house smell absolutely incredible!
What Ingredients Are Used to Make This Healthy Loaf Bread?
This Walnut Cardamom Streusel Bread is made better-for-you as it has no refined sugars, flours, or oils. It is a healthy almond flour sweet bread that is paleo-friendly meaning it is gluten free, grain free, and dairy free.
Here’s a look at the ingredients you’ll need and some possible variations:
- Maple Sugar – This was my first time baking with maple sugar and I love the sweetness it lends to the cardamom infused bread. Maple sugar is great for refined sugar free baking recipes but can be a little pricey, so feel free to sub with coconut sugar.
- Avocado Oil – A neutral flavored, heart healthy oil that gives the bread just the right amount of moisture. Sub with olive or melted and cooled coconut oil.
- Eggs – Helps create a soft and tender, yet light texture.
- Vanilla – Is delicious in concert with the walnut, cinnamon, and cardamom in the streusel mixture.
- Almond Flour – Almond flour is perfect for a paleo sweet bread, it creates a soft and rich crumb that’s still light and airy. I use and love Bob’s Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour.
- Tapioca Flour – Helps thicken the batter without making it too floury and is a binder in the streusel mixture.
- Walnuts – Adds a delicious crunchy and earthy element to this sweet bread.
- Baking Powder – Helps the bread rise.
- Cardamom – Our star ingredient!
- Cinnamon – Cinnamon and cardamom are a wonderful pairing.
- Salt – Adds balance to all the flavors.
- Nut/Seed Milk – Use any dairy free milk you like! It adds moisture and lightness to the bread. I used homemade almond milk, here’s my post on how to make your own!
How Do You Make Streusel Bread From Scratch?
This Walnut Cardamom Streusel Bread is so quick and easy to make. Typically a streusel is made by integrating a fat (butter or coconut oil) into spices and flour creating the clumpy texture. This streusel however is made with only dry ingredients, no mashing required! The batter for the cardamom bread comes together in a flash in just one bowl! You can prep this healthy quick bread recipe in under 15 minutes!
Here’s an overview of the steps:
- Prep the streusel. Roughly chop the walnuts, then mix them with the spices, sugar, and tapioca flour. While I used maple sugar in the bread, I went with coconut sugar for the streusel. I like that there is a slight flavor difference between the two, creating a clear distinction between the layers. Feel free to use different or the same type of sugar in each component.
- Make the bread batter. This can easily be mixed by hand or with a stand mixer. First mix the wet ingredients together until light and bubbly. Add in the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Then add the nut/seed milk and mix until fully incorporated.
- Create the layers. Pour half the batter into a prepared loaf pan (this is the best loaf pan I’ve used so far). Spread a thick layer of the streusel over the batter (about 2/3), drop the remaining batter over the streusel and spread out into an even layer. Finish by sprinkling the remaining streusel over the top. Add more chopped walnuts if desired.
- Bake! This bakes up in a little over 50 minutes. It’s a good sized loaf!
- Let cool, slice, and enjoy!
This bread will keep, stored in an airtight container, for 2-3 days. Afterwards, slice any uneaten portion and move to the freezer!
This secretly healthy Walnut Cardamom Streusel Bread is such a delicious and unique flavor combination. The bread is wonderfully soft, the crunchy top is oh-so-satisfying, and the cardamom and streusel really makes this loaf just incredibly comforting. It’s perfect for breakfast, alongside coffee or tea, an afternoon snack or really, anytime you’re looking for something just plain ole yummy.
paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free
Check Out These Healthy Loaf Recipes!
- Caramel Swirl Streusel Bread (grain free & dairy free)
- Lemon Blueberry Bread (paleo)
- Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread (paleo)
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If you make this recipe, please spread the love by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see and share your creation! Take a picture and tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna in your feed or stories and I will share on my account!
Walnut Cardamom Streusel Bread
A soft and fluffy, cardamom spiced bread filled with an absolutely delicious crunchy walnut streusel layer. This healthy Walnut Cardamom Streusel Bread is so easy to make and made with only real, simple ingredients. It's the perfect healthy breakfast bread or anytime snack!
paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free
Ingredients
Streusel Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (36 grams) coconut sugar sub maple sugar
- 1/2 cup (53 grams) walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp tapioca flour
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
Bread Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (98 grams) maple sugar sub coconut sugar
- 3 eggs ideally room temp
- 1/3 cup (70 grams) avocado oil sub olive oil or melted & cooled coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups (300 grams) almond flour, packed
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) tapioca flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp dairy free milk of choice
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a loaf pan by lining with parchment paper leaving a short overhang off the sides.
Prep the streusel. In a medium bowl, mix all the streusel ingredients together until well combined. Set aside.
Make the bread batter. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl if mixing by hand, beat together the maple sugar, eggs, avocado oil, and vanilla until light and bubbly.
Add the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt and stir until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again briefly. Add the milk and stir until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl once again to ensure ingredients are evenly distributed.
Create the layers. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan, distribute 2/3 of the streusel over the base batter layer, drop the remaining batter over the streusel and spread out into an even layer. Finish by sprinkling remaining streusel over the top. Add more chopped walnuts if desired.
Bake for 53-55 minutes or until top has puffed and streusel if golden brown. Test for doneness by poking a toothpick into the center, it should come out clean with possible a few moist crumbs.
Let cool, slice, and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Storage: This will keep stored in an airtight container in a cool place for a 2-3 days. Afterwards, slice any uneaten portion and freeze for longer storage.
Kitchen Tools (affiliate links): loaf pan, silicon spatula, kitchen scale
Ingredient Substitutions/Variations:
Maple Sugar vs. Coconut Sugar - They are interchangeable in this recipe. Sub for either in equal amounts. I use maple sugar for the bread batter and coconut sugar for the streusel. I like that the slight flavor difference makes a clear distinction between the components. Feel free to use different or the same type of sugar in each component.
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Lauren
The batter alone is to die for. My daughter keeps saying how she could eat this all day. Cannot wait to serve it with coffee!