Yesterday morning, I was running late (shocking, I know) and needed something sweet to grab with my coffee. But here’s the thing—I didn’t want just any cookie. I wanted that warm, cinnamon-sugar, crumbly-topped magic you get from coffee cake.
You know, the kind your grandma makes for Sunday brunch? That’s when it hit me: why not turn coffee cake into cookies?
So I did exactly that, and honestly, I haven’t looked back. These coffee cake cookies pack all that nostalgic, cozy flavor into a portable little package. The crumbly cinnamon streusel on top, the soft and tender cookie base, and that sweet vanilla glaze drizzled over everything—it’s like someone took the best slice of coffee cake and made it even better.
Plus, no forks required, which means you can eat them in the car. Not that I’ve done that. Multiple times.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, bakery-style
- Easy streusel topping
- Perfect with coffee
- Great for gifting
Coffee Cake Cookies Recipe
Streusel Topping
| Ingredient | Amount |
| Unsalted butter, room temperature | 5 tablespoons |
| Packed light brown sugar | 1/3 cup |
| All-purpose flour | 1/2 cup |
| Ground cinnamon | 2 1/2 teaspoons |
| Salt | Small pinch |
Cookie Dough
| Ingredient | Amount |
| Large egg plus additional yolk | 1 egg + 1 yolk |
| Packed light brown sugar | 1/2 cup |
| White granulated sugar | 1/4 cup |
| Pure vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon |
| Cold unsalted butter, cubed | 8 tablespoons |
| All-purpose flour (spoon and level) | 1 1/4 cups |
| Cake flour (spoon and level) | 3/4 cup |
| Ground cinnamon | 2/3 teaspoon |
| Cornstarch | 2/3 teaspoon |
| Baking soda | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Baking powder | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Fine salt | 1/3 teaspoon |
Glaze
| Ingredient | Amount |
| Sifted confectioners’ sugar | 1 cup |
| Melted unsalted butter | 2 tablespoons |
| Whole milk | 3 tablespoons |
| Vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon |
| Fine salt | Pinch |
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Start with the Streusel
Grab a medium bowl and toss in your flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the softened butter and use your fingers to work everything together until you get those perfect little clumps—think wet sand that sticks when you squeeze it. Pop this bowl in the fridge while you handle the cookie dough. Cold streusel stays put better during baking.
Step 2: Get Your Oven Ready
Preheat your oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. I know 400°F sounds hot for cookies, but trust the process—these bake quickly and stay incredibly soft inside.
Step 3: Mix Your Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Give it a good whisking to make sure everything’s evenly distributed. Set this aside—you’ll need it in a minute.
Step 4: Cream Butter and Sugars
Toss your cold cubed butter and both sugars into your stand mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, beat everything together for about 1-2 minutes until it’s smooth and creamy. The mixture should look lighter in color and fluffy.
Step 5: Add the Eggs and Vanilla
Beat in your egg, extra egg yolk, and vanilla extract until everything’s fully combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula to make sure nothing’s hiding up there, then give it another quick mix.
Step 6: Bring It All Together
With your mixer on low, gradually add your dry ingredients—about 1/4 cup at a time works great. Mix just until you don’t see any dry flour streaks. Don’t overmix here or you’ll end up with tough cookies instead of those tender, cakey ones we’re going for.
Step 7: Shape and Fill
Scoop your dough into 8 large balls (or go smaller for about 22-24 cookies if you prefer). Place them on your prepared baking sheets with some space between them. Now here’s the fun part—use your thumb, the back of a spoon, or anything round to press an indent into the center of each cookie. I dip mine in a little flour first so it doesn’t stick. Fill each indent with about a tablespoon of that chilled streusel you made earlier.
Step 8: Bake to Perfection
Slide your cookies into the oven and bake for 8-11 minutes. You’re looking for edges that are set and just slightly golden—the centers will still look a tiny bit underdone, and that’s exactly what you want. They’ll keep cooking on the hot pan after you pull them out.
Step 9: Optional Circle Trick
Want perfectly round cookies? Right when they come out of the oven, grab a round cookie cutter or drinking glass (bigger than your cookie) and place it around each cookie. Give it a few gentle spins to smooth out any wonky edges. This step is totally optional but makes them look super professional.
Step 10: Cool and Glaze
Let your cookies hang out on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack. While they’re cooling completely, whisk together all your glaze ingredients until smooth. Once the cookies are totally cool, drizzle that glaze over the tops and you’re done.
Tips & Variations
Room temperature matters: Your streusel butter needs to be soft, but your cookie dough butter needs to be cold. This isn’t me being picky—it’s what gives you that perfect texture.
Flour measuring tip: Always spoon and level your flour instead of scooping directly from the bag. Scooping packs in way too much flour and you’ll end up with dry, dense cookies.
No cake flour? Mix 2 cups all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons cornstarch total. It’s not quite the same, but it works in a pinch.
Make them fancy: Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts to the streusel for extra crunch and flavor.
Spice it up: A tiny pinch of nutmeg or cardamom in the dough adds another layer of warmth.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Want to freeze them? They’ll keep for 3 months in a freezer bag—just thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
You can also freeze the shaped, unbaked dough balls and bake them straight from frozen (add 2-3 extra minutes to the baking time).
Serving Suggestions
- Serve warm alongside your morning coffee or tea
- Pack in lunchboxes for an afternoon pick-me-up
- Arrange on a platter for brunch gatherings
- Gift them in cellophane bags tied with ribbon
- Pair with vanilla ice cream for an elevated dessert
- Crumble over Greek yogurt for breakfast
Nutritional Information
Per Cookie (Makes 10-12 large cookies)
| Nutrient | Amount |
| Calories | 385 |
| Total Fat | 16g |
| Saturated Fat | 10g |
| Cholesterol | 75mg |
| Sodium | 220mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 56g |
| Sugars | 33g |
| Protein | 4g |
Final Thoughts
These coffee cake cookies are my answer to busy mornings when I want something special but don’t have time to bake an actual cake. They’ve got that perfect combination of crunchy streusel, soft cookie, and sweet glaze that makes coffee cake so addictive—just way easier to make and eat.
The best part? They freeze beautifully, so you can always have a stash ready for whenever that coffee cake craving hits. Make a batch this weekend and see how fast they disappear. My guess? You’ll be making another batch by Tuesday. Happy baking!
