
This moist, grain and gluten-free treat is so easy to make and really delicious. It’s one of my kids favourite after school or weekend snacks, hot out of the oven – yum!
Health benefits
This is a wonderful, protein and nutrient rich sweet treat. I like to try to have a fair bit of variety in my families diet to really extend the nutrients they are consuming and often include naturally gluten-free foods, especially baked goods. My baked treats are always wheat-free (more about why we do our very best to avoid wheat HERE)
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit many specific dietary requirements.
Grain-free Streusel

Ingredients
Streusel Layer
- 125 g walnuts or pecan nuts (1 cup) chopped
- 20 g butter -melted
- 2 tbsp rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup
- 50 g rolled / flaked quinoa (½ cup)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch sea salt
Batter
- 50 g butter -melted
- 85 g rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup (¼ cup)
- 1 free-range or organic egg/s
- 150 g almond meal (1½ cups)
- 2 tbsp true arrowroot flour
- 20 g desiccated coconut (¼ cup)
- 1 tsp vanilla -powder, extract or essence
- 1 tsp baking powder
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180℃/350°F (fan-forced).
- Start with the streusel. In a small bowl, mix the butter and sweetener until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
- Now for the batter. In a mixing bowl mix the butter, sweetener and egg until well combined. Add the almond meal, arrowroot, coconut, vanilla and baking powder and mix until well combined.
- Line a small loaf tin with baking paper and scrape half of the thick batter into the tin.
- Top with approx. ½ of the streusel mix (use damp hands to spread the sticky mixture across). Then place the rest of the batter on top and finish with the remaining streusel.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes (watch during cooking as with top heating ovens, you may need to cover with foil if the topping is browning too fast).
Thermomix Method
- Start with the streusel. Pulse the nuts to chop using the turbo button 3-4 times and set aside.
- Melt the butter, 1 minute, temp 90, speed 4.
- Add the sweetener and mix, 10 seconds, speed 4.
- Add the quinoa flakes, sea salt, cinnamon and nuts, and mix to combine, reverse, 10 seconds, speed 4.
- Set aside.
- Without washing the bowl, melt the butter 1 minute, temp 90, speed 4.
- Add the sweetener and egg and mix 30 seconds, speed 4.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix 20 seconds, speed 4.
- Go to step 4 above.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Colin says
Looks very yummy! Will make this weekend…keep the great recipes coming! Love your site.
Georgia Harding says
Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks, load more great recipes in the pipeline Colin
Anastasia says
My quinoa flakes seem to have bitter taste. Should I soak them beforehand? Thank you.
Georgia Harding says
I find some brands are bitter, you could soak them but would need to dry them again. Otherwise you could offset the bitter with more sweetener and try a different brand next time. The spices will also help to mask the flavour G x
Holly Simpson says
Hi Georgia! When you say small loaf tin, what size/dimensions? I’ve just made this (lucky any batter made it into the tin to be honest…..yum!) Currently baking but possibly in a tin too big as the batter didn’t seem to go very far. My thanks!
Georgia Harding says
Holly It is a bit like that – so it’s supposed to be quite low/flat and dense. My small tin is 20 x 12cm. How did you enjoy it? G x
Holly Simpson says
Hi Georgia, many thanks for responding! My loaf tin is the same size. Unfortunately loaf was rather burnt when I pulled it out at 35 mins. I’m definitely going to try this one again but at 180°C and putting alfoil on top towards the end of cooking time. The bits I tasted were delish, unfortunately most wasn’t salvageable, lol.
Georgia Harding says
Bugger – Nothing worse than burnt cake. I hate seeing anything go to waste. I’ve actually altered the recipe to account for ‘hot’ or top heating ovens. Also make sure you sit it on a mid or low rack G x
Holly Simpson says
Hi Georgia, I wasn’t having a great baking day, that particular day. Under cooked the bunny cake, burnt the Streusel! Lol. I always bake mid rack (fan forced oven). Will definitely give this recipe another try! Thanks so much for your help! ????
Melissa says
Hello Georgia
I love your recipes, but can’t find a print button to be able to print them out to use at home, so I copy and paste the text into a document. Am I missing the print option, or alternatively, is there any way you can create that function on your website? So many other bloggers do this with their recipes, and it makes life that little bit easier. First world problem, I know, but thought I would raise it anyway.
Thanks for all your fabulous recipes and advice 🙂
Georgia Harding says
Hi Melissa, I’m constantly updating the site, but sadly each function I add also adds another monthly cost. But a print function is high on the list. Just have to be able to cover the cost (most other sites are covered in diet pill and miracle cure advertising which raises a lot of revenue but I would prefer to avoid). Cheers G x
Anita says
Can i substitute the arrowroot flour? I don’t use it, and i can’t find it anywhere near me.
Many thanks
Anita
Georgia Harding says
Do you have access to tapioca flour Anita, it’s interchangeable G x
Maree says
We have allergies to walnuts and pecans in our house. Can you suggest an alternative nut that might work?
Georgia Harding says
Hi Maree. I’d swap with perhaps flaked almonds and macadamia nuts? I just haven’t recipe tested it this way but should be fine G x
Sykoshell says
This is so delicious! It’s easy to make with a few quality ingredients. Will make this again!
Georgia Harding says
So glad it was a winner G x
T N Ussher says
Delicious recipe! However, I’m not sure how it’s considered grain free with quinoa in it? Is that not considered a grain? Thanks!
Well Nourished Team says
Quinoa is considered a seed so great news!