Coffee cake cookies are bakery-size cinnamon spiced cookies coated in buttery streusel and drizzled with sweet vanilla icing. They have delightful crispy edges and soft and chewy centers.
If you are a fan of coffee cake, you are going to fall in love with these cookies.
These coffee cake cookies have all the delicious flavors and textures of traditional coffee cake, but in cookie form. They are buttery, perfectly sweet and loaded with cinnamon flavor. Serve them for dessert, a snack or a sweet treat for breakfast.
For more delicious cookie recipes, make sure to try Lemon Blueberry Cookies and Mini M&M Cookies.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Tastes just like coffee cake- These cookies have all the delicious flavors you find inside classic coffee cake, but in cookie form.
- Best texture- These cookies are soft and chewy with melt in your mouth buttery streusel. You have never had a cookie like this!
- Perfect with tea or coffee- These cookies are the perfect treat to enjoy in the morning with a cup of coffee or your favorite tea.
- Makes the best gift- Nothing says I love you like homemade treats. Wrap these cookies in cellophane bags and hand them out during the holidays, birthdays or Father's Day.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Flour- I use all-purpose flour. Make sure to measure the flour correctly by spooning the flour into the measuring cup. Do not scoop the flour directly from the flour canister. This will compact the flour and cause the cookies to be dry.
- Butter- Use unsalted butter. Remove the butter from the refrigerator 2 hours before mixing to allow it to soften at room temperature.
- Eggs- I use 1 egg and 1 egg yolk, which I pull from the refrigerator 2 hours before mixing.
- Vanilla- Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Cinnamon- I use cinnamon in both the cookie batter as well as the streusel.
- Sugar- I use both white granulated sugar and light brown sugar.
- Powdered sugar- Always sift the powdered sugar to remove any clumps.
- Milk- I use whole milk to make the icing.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Make the streusel. Cut the cold butter into small cubes. Then, add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt to small bowl. Using your fingers, work the butter into the mixture until small clumps begin to form. Refrigerate until ready to use (this can also be made several days in advance).
STEP 2: Mix the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a medium-size bowl. Set aside.
STEP 3: Cream the butter and sugar. In a seperate bowl, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar on high speed with an electric hand mixer. Beat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
STEP 4: Add the wet ingredients. Add the whole egg and yolk, one a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Beat for 2 minutes.
STEP 5: Add the dry ingredients. Then, add in the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
STEP 6: Scoop the dough. Scoop the cookie dough using a 2 oz ice cream scoop. Place cookies onto a parchment lined sheet pan.
STEP 7: Press the cookies. Make an indent in each cookie, using the back of a spoon or ice cream scoop. Then, refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or overnight.
STEP 8: Bake the cookies. Preheat oven to 350°. Space the cookies at least 2 inches apart, 6 cookies per sheet. Top each cookie with a good amount of streusel. Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes, turning halfway during baking.
Remove the cookies from the oven. Let them cool completely before icing.
STEP 9: Make the icing. Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. Then, whisk in the milk and stir until the powdered sugar is completely dissolved. Drizzle the icing on top of each cooled cookie.
Let the icing set for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Expert Baking Tips
Make sure to use the spoon and level method when measuring the flour. Start off by fluffing the flour and then spooning the flour into your measuring cup. Use the back of a butter knife to level off the top.
Use room temperature ingredients. Having your ingredients at room temperature will allow them to incorporate more smoothly and bake evenly. Pull your cold ingredients from the fridge at least 2 hours before mixing.
Do not over-bake your cookies. The centers of the cookies should be slightly underbaked, because they will continue to cook as they cool. This will yield a chewier cookie.
Once the cookies have finished baking, use a cookie cutter to scoot the cookies into a perfect circle. For these cookies, I used a 3 ½ inch biscuit cutter. In order for this to work correctly, you need to do this immediately after you pull the cookies from the oven, while they are still warm.
FAQ
Although these cookies do not contain any coffee inside the recipe, they are meant to be served alongside a cup of coffee.
There's a couple reasons for this. One, you did not measure the flour correctly. I always use the spoon and level method, in which I spoon the flour into the measuring cup, rather than scooping the flour directly from the canister, which will compact the flour and make your cookies dry. Another reason, is over-baking. The centers should still be slightly underdone, as they will continue to cook once you remove them from the oven.
For perfectly round cookies, use a large biscuit cutter and scoot the cookies in a swirling motion, while they are warm straight out of the oven. This technique will smooth the uneven edges.
Storing and Freezing
Store these coffee cake cookies inside an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
Freezing
To freeze baked cookies, let them cool completely. Then, wrap them with plastic wrap and place them inside a ziplock freezer bag. Freeze them for up to 3 months.
To freeze uncoated cookies, place them onto a parchment lined sheet pan and flash freeze for 1 hour or until they are firm. Then, transfer the cookies to a ziplock freezer bag and freeze for 3 months.
Thaw the cookies inside the refrigerator overnight or place them on the counter at room temperature for 1 hour. Proceed with topping the cookies with the streusel mixture.
More Cookie Recipes To Try
If you decide to try this recipe, please make sure to leave a STAR RATING on the recipe card and leave a comment below. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
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📖 Recipe
Coffee Cake Cookies
Ingredients
Streusel
- 4 tablespoon Unsalted Butter cold, cut into cubes
- â…“ cup + 1 tbsp Brown sugar
- â…” cup All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
Cookie Dough
- 8 oz Unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- ½ cup Light brown sugar
- 1 Large egg room temperature
- 1 Large Egg yolk room temperature
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cup All-purpose flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ¾ tsp Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
Icing
- ½ cup Powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tablespoon Whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
Streusel
- Make the streusel. Cut the cold butter into small cubes. Then, add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt to small bowl. Using your fingers, work the butter into the mixture until small clumps begin to form. Refrigerate until ready to use (this can also be made several days in advance).
Cookie Dough
- Mix the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a medium-size bowl. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a seperate bowl, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar on high speed with an electric hand mixer. Beat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the wet ingredients. Add the whole egg and yolk, one a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Beat for 2 minutes.
- Add the dry ingredients. Then, add in the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
- Scoop the dough. Scoop the cookie dough using a 2 oz ice cream scoop. Place cookies onto a parchment lined sheet pan.
- Press the cookies. Make an indent in each cookie, using the back of a spoon or ice cream scoop. Then, refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or overnight.
- Bake the cookies. Preheat oven to 350°. Space the cookies at least 2 inches apart, 6 cookies per sheet. Top each cookie with a good amount of streusel. Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes, turning halfway during baking. *Once the cookies have flattened a bit, usually halfway during baking, I like to sprinkle a little bit of extra streusel on top. This will complete the look of the cookies. Remove the cookies from the oven. Let them cool completely before icing.
Icing
- Make the icing. Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. Then, whisk in the milk and stir until the powdered sugar is completely dissolved. Drizzle the icing on top of each cooled cookie. Let the icing set for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Camille
I tripled this recipe and only ended up with 48 2oz dough balls.
Kristen Espino
Hi Camille, Did you use a 2 oz ice cream scoop or did you weigh the cookie dough balls on a scale?
Carolyn
Do you bake more than one cookie sheet (6 cookies) at a time? If not, it adds 45 minutes to the total time. Will this require switching cookie sheet placements halfway through if doing multiple sheets at once?
Kristen Espino
I did not bake all my cookies at once, because I didn't need the entire amount that the recipe yields. The baking time is based on how long the cookies take from start to finish, not based on how many cookies or sheets are placed in the oven. This will vary from person to person depending on how many cookies you plan on baking or how many sheet pans can fit inside your oven.
Tracy Mack
Absolutely love your desert recipes I share them all the time
Kristen Espino
I'm so glad! I enjoy making them and sharing them with all of you 🙂
Marlin Willis
Your results always look so good and appetizing.looking forward to trying this coffee cake recipe.
Kristen Espino
Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy the cookies. Feel free to message me with any questions 🙂