Keto Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
Published May 15, 2024 • Updated March 6, 2026
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All the cinnamon roll flavor packed into a low carb coffee cake, and I use a keto cake mix to keep it ridiculously simple. Only 1.7 net carbs per slice.
I combined two of my favorite recipes on this site into one, and the result surprised me. This is a spongy, moist cake with buttery cinnamon swirled through every layer and a vanilla creme glaze drizzled on top. I make it when I want something that feels special but takes almost no effort.
Here’s why I keep coming back to this one. Three shortcuts make the whole process feel effortless, and the finished cake still tastes like I spent all morning baking.
Why this recipe works
- A box cake mix handles the base. I’ve tested several keto brands and they all work here. Most larger grocery stores carry them now, and the texture is better than a lot of from-scratch low carb cakes I’ve tried. I reach for Duncan Hines or Good Dees depending on what’s in stock, but King Arthur works well too.
- No rolling, no shaping, no dough stress. You get all the cinnamon roll flavor without making a yeast dough. I just swirl the buttery cinnamon mixture right into the batter. It takes about 30 seconds.
- One pan, no fuss. I bake this in a square dish every time. Pour, swirl, bake. If you like easy one-pan baking, my keto pumpkin dump cake uses the same approach.
What I love is how the cinnamon fills the house while it bakes. My family wanders into the kitchen before I even pull it from the oven. I usually make this on a Sunday morning alongside a pot of coffee, but it works just as well baked the night before for a weekday breakfast. It reheats in about 15 seconds and tastes like I just pulled it from the oven.
The cinnamon swirl layer is the real star. I use a mix of butter, brown sugar-free sweetener, cinnamon, and a couple tablespoons of the reserved cake mix to thicken it up. When you drop it into the batter in small chunks, it creates pockets of gooey cinnamon throughout. Every slice looks different, and that’s part of the charm. Here’s what I figured out after testing this multiple times: the box batter stays lighter than from-scratch batters, which is exactly why those pockets hold their shape instead of absorbing into the crumb. If you’ve ever had the swirl disappear into a homemade batter, that’s the reason.
This sits right alongside my keto vanilla birthday cake and chocolate cake as recipes I come back to all the time. I like having a few reliable baking recipes in rotation, and this one earns its spot. For something smaller, my chocolate mug cake takes about 90 seconds in the microwave.
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Keto Cinnamon Cake Ingredients
1 box yellow keto cake mix, plus ingredients needed to make cake (eggs/oil/milk) -
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
-
1/2 cup brown sugar-free sweetener
-
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Vanilla Glaze Ingredients
-
1/2 cup powdered allulose sweetener
-
1 ½ - 2 tablespoons milk of choice
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Reserve some cake mix
Pull out 2 tablespoons of cake mix and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 °F. Spray a square baking dish with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- 1 box yellow or white keto cake mix
Prepare cake mix
Prepare cake mix according to package instructions. Pour cake batter into prepared baking dish.
- 1 box yellow or white keto cake mix
- ingredients listed on the box to make cake
Buttery cinnamon mixture
In a separate medium bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar-free sweetener, cinnamon and reserved cake mix until smooth.
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar-free sweetener
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons reserved cake mix
Bake the cake
Bake cake at 375 °F according to the instructions on the box or until cake is set and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven and set aside.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different cake mix brand?
I've tried four or five different keto brands and they all work. Follow whatever instructions are on your box for the base batter (eggs, water, oil) and use those same baking temps. My favorites are Duncan Hines for the lightest texture and Good Dees for the lowest carb count. I've also used King Arthur and it turned out great.
Can I make this from scratch without a box mix?
I've made it both ways. If you have a basic keto yellow cake or white cake recipe you like, use that as your base, add the cinnamon swirl, and bake according to your recipe's directions. I find the box mix version turns out lighter, but the from-scratch version has a denser, more traditional crumb that I also enjoy. The swirl and glaze work the same either way.
Can I use this recipe to make cupcakes?
I've done this and they're cute for a brunch spread. Pour the batter into a lined muffin pan, drop a small spoonful of cinnamon mixture into each one, and bake at 375 degrees for 20-24 minutes. I check mine at 18 minutes since my oven runs a little hot.
Can I add a streusel crumb topping to this?
I've tested this with a simple streusel made from almond flour, butter, and a little brown sugar-free sweetener. It adds a nice crunch, especially if you're not a glaze person. I crumble it over the top before baking. The texture contrast between the crunchy topping and the soft cinnamon swirl inside is really satisfying. If you like that crumble style, my keto peach cobbler uses a similar approach.
Can I use cream cheese frosting instead of the vanilla glaze?
I've done cream cheese frosting on this and it works well. I mix softened cream cheese with powdered allulose and a splash of vanilla until smooth, then spread it on while the cake is still slightly warm. It gives the whole thing more of a cinnamon roll feel. I usually stick with the vanilla glaze because it's faster, but cream cheese is my pick when I'm serving to guests. If you love that cream cheese angle, my mini cheesecakes scratch the same itch.
Why does my swirl sink to the bottom instead of staying distributed?
I had this happen the first time I made it. The cinnamon butter mixture was too warm and too thin, so it melted straight through the batter. What fixed it for me: make sure the butter mixture is at room temperature (not melted), and drop it in small chunks rather than large spoonfuls. The thicker consistency holds its position in the batter while it bakes. I also found that using the reserved cake mix in the cinnamon butter helps thicken it enough to stay suspended.
Does this work in a 9x13 pan or a bundt pan?
I've tested the 9x13 and it works, but you'll need to double the recipe. The cake comes out thinner, so I reduce baking time by about 5 minutes and start checking early. I haven't tried a bundt pan myself, but I'd expect the cinnamon swirl to look great when you flip it out. If you try it, grease the pan well (I use butter and a dusting of almond flour) and keep an eye on the center with a toothpick.
Can I use dairy-free butter in the cinnamon swirl?
I've tested this with both regular butter and a plant-based butter (I used Miyoko's), and both work. The dairy-free version melts a little faster, so I refrigerate the cinnamon mixture for about 10 minutes before dropping it into the batter. That helps it hold its shape during baking. The flavor difference is minimal once the cinnamon and sweetener are mixed in.
Cinnamon rolls were the one thing I actually missed when I started keto. Sunday mornings just weren't the same. Made this last week and sat with my coffee for a minute before eating it because I didn't want to be disappointed. The cinnamon swirl baked right into the cake is exactly the flavor I'd been missing, and at 1.7 net carbs I don't have to negotiate with myself about Sunday mornings anymore.
Sunday mornings were the bar I was trying to clear. Glad it made it.
My daughter (9, deeply suspicious of anything I label 'keto') claimed the last two pieces before I could even wrap them up. The cinnamon swirl layer was apparently non-negotiable. Making a double batch next week just to have enough for the rest of us.
She found the right thing to guard. The cinnamon butter in that swirl is generous on purpose.
Used browned butter in the cinnamon swirl instead of softened and it changed everything (more caramel depth, less just-sweet). The house smelled incredible. Four stars only because my edges got a little dark at the original time, so I'd pull it 4-5 minutes early if your oven runs hot.
Browned butter in the swirl is such a good call. The caramel thing it adds just works with cinnamon. And yeah, 4-5 early is right if yours runs hot. Mine runs cool so I almost always need the full time.
My daughter has this thing where she dissects keto desserts looking for the 'off' part, she always finds it. Made this Saturday and watched her eat two pieces without a word. Then she pointed at her plate and asked why the inside tasted more like a cinnamon roll than the outside. She just described how the swirl works without knowing it. I'll go heavier on the cinnamon butter next time because I want even more of that contrast, but for a first bake this was way better than I expected from a boxed mix base. The 1.7 net carbs per slice means I can bring this to her school stuff without having to pack a separate thing for myself. House smelled like an actual bakery while it was in the oven, which I was not prepared for.
Ha, she basically reverse-engineered how the swirl works. Go heavy on the cinnamon butter next time, even double it. The batter holds it fine.
I resisted the box mix route, but the cinnamon butter swirled through this batter makes it better than the from-scratch version I've been making for years.
Ha, same thing happened to me when I first tested it. The box batter stays lighter, so the cinnamon swirl doesn't just get absorbed into the crumb. From-scratch keto batters are usually denser and it changes how the swirl distributes.
Moist and delicious!
Worth every bit of those 1.7 net carbs.
This is so yummy! Good flavor. I love King Arthur keto mixes. I will definitely make this again and again.
King Arthur is solid. I reach for Duncan Hines most often just because the crumb comes out lighter, but both work great here.