Coffee cake cookies combine everything you love about a classic crumb cake into a soft chewy cookie with a buttery brown sugar streusel baked right into the center. They taste like a slice of your favorite coffee cake, but better because they are cookies! The dough gets made in a mixer with cold ingredients and the streusel needs a quick mix in a bowl. 14 large bakery style cookies are ready in about 45 minutes with no chilling of the dough. If you have been looking for a quick and easy cookie that looks like it took way more effort than it did, this recipe is for you.
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As someone who has been baking for decades, I can tell you this dough comes together fast and comes out beautifully every time. The cookies hit all the right boxes; tender center, crumbly topping and either a simple vanilla icing or dusting of confectioners’ sugar for the final touch. They taste like they came from a bakery, but you get all the credit!
I created this recipe because I wanted the taste of classic coffee cake without the wait. (I’m late to the party, but I’ve started watching Gilmore Girls. Seems Lorelai and I share the same coffee addiction🙃). Just a simple dough (no cake mix here!), a quick streusel, icing if you want and you're done. The cookies use a “thumbprint” trick that holds the streusel in place so you get the crumbly topping baked right in.
If you love cinnamon forward baked goods, my cinnamon roll sugar cookies are another one you'll want to add to the rotation! And if you want coffee cake, I have cinnamon walnut, blueberry and blackberry recipes as well.
There are many other no-chill cookies on the blog if you love a fast, no fuss cookie!
🛒 ingredient notes
I tested this recipe until the streusel to cookie ratio felt right. The secret is pressing the indent into each cookie before baking. This lets the streusel sit inside the cookie instead of just on top. It bakes right in giving you that classic coffee cake crumb in every bite. The dough uses cold butter, which creates a great texture in the final cookie. They have a warm, nostalgic flavor; perfect with a cup of coffee.
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
Brown sugar ~ brown sugar brings that classic coffee cake crumble sweetness. I prefer dark brown sugar, but light brown also works.
Butter ~ the cookie dough uses cold butter, but the streusel uses melted butter. The melted butter gives you that clumpy, crumbly texture that is signature to classic coffee cake.
Egg + egg yolk ~ one large egg and one extra yolk gives these cookies a rich, chewy texture. The extra yolk adds fat without extra moisture, which is what you want for a soft cookie. I do the same thing in my kit kat cookies.
Cornstarch ~ helps to keep these coffee cake cookies soft and keeps them from spreading too much.
Confectioners' sugar and milk (not shown) ~ also known as powdered sugar or icing sugar is used for the drizzle.
🧈 why do you start with cold butter?
Starting with cold butter and beating it until softened creates a really nice texture in the finished cookie. Since you are busy, this slightly different approach, which I also use in my cookies and cream cookies, gives you a great result without having to plan ahead.
🥣 how to make in photos
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
Make the cinnamon streusel: In a medium size bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Then pour in the melted butter and stir until crumbly. Set aside.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cold and cubed butter and kosher salt until softened, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape up and down the bowl.
Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on low until combined, then increase to medium-high and beat until fully combined and a bit fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Scrape up and down the bowl.
Then add the egg + yolk and vanilla and mix on medium until combined, about 30- 60 seconds.
Now add the baking soda, baking powder and cornstarch and mix on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape up and down the bowl.
Add the all-purpose flour and mix on low until the dough comes together.
Using around 2 tablespoons of dough (I use a size 30 scoop), scoop out the cookie dough balls and place on prepared baking pans. Press each cookie down to about ¼ inch thickness.
Use the back of a tablespoon to press down in the center of each cookie, making an indent. Then fill with streusel.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are set. Cookie scoot when the cookies are hot out of the oven, if you'd like to make the cookies more round.
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing. They can cool completely on the pan.
Once cool, drizzle with vanilla icing or a dusting of confectioners' sugar.
👩🏻🍳 expert tips for the best coffee cake cookies
Use a kitchen scale for the correct amount of flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, fluff the flour in the container, spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with a flat edge. I love my OXO scale, but this Escali scale is another more affordable option.
Don’t skip the indent! The center well is what makes these cookies work. Use the back of a tablespoon to press firmly into the center of each cookie. Fill it generously with streusel. It creates the true coffee cake look while holding the topping in place while baking.
Don’t over bake! The cookies are done when the edges are set and the middle may look a little underdone. They will finish baking as they cool on the pan. Over baking is the quickest way to lose the soft and chewy texture.
Use the cookie scoot.These cookies stay pretty round when baked, but if you want them really round, you can scoot them when hot from the oven. This is the Ateco round cutter set I use.
Wait to drizzle. Allow the cookies to cool before adding the vanilla drizzle or confectioners’ sugar. If they are still warm, the icing or sugar will melt into the cookie instead of setting up nicely on top.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these No Chill Coffee Cake Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
📖 recipe
No Chill Coffee Cake Cookies
recipe created and tested by:
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Ingredients
streusel topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (63g)
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar (50g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons butter melted, (43g)
coffee cake cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold and cubed (113g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (67g)
- ½ cup packed brown sugar* (100g)
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (8g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
icing drizzle
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar (60g)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2-3 teaspoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
for the streusel topping
- In a medium size bowl, mix together the flour (½ cup/63g), brown sugar (¼ cup/50g) and cinnamon (1 teaspoon). Then pour in the melted butter (3 tablespoons/42g) and stir until crumbly. Set aside.
for the cookies
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cold and cubed butter (½ cup/113g) and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) on medium-high (speed 6 on KitchenAid) until softened, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape up and down the bowl.
- Add the granulated sugar (⅓ cup/67g) and brown sugar (packed ½ cup/100g) and beat on low until combined, then increase to medium-high and beat until fully combined and a bit fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Scrape up and down the bowl.
- Then add the egg (1 large + large egg yolk) and vanilla (2 teaspoons) and mix on medium (speed 4 on KitchenAid) until combined, about 30-60 seconds.
- Now add the baking soda (½ teaspoon), baking powder (½ teaspoon) and cornstarch (1 tablespoon/8g) and mix on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape up and down the bowl.
- Add the all-purpose flour (2 cups/250g) and mix on low (stir on KitchenAid) until the dough comes together.
- Using around 2 tablespoons of dough (I use a size 30 scoop), scoop out the cookie dough balls (42g per cookie) and place on prepared baking pans. I place 7 cookies on each pan. Press each cookie down to about ¼ inch thickness.
- Use the back of a tablespoon to press down in the center of each cookie, making an indent. If the tablespoon is sticking to the dough, rub the back of the tablespoon in a small bowl of granulated sugar. Repeat as necessary. Fill each indent with a tablespoon of the streusel mixture.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are set. Cookie scoot when the cookies are hot out of the oven, if you'd like to make the cookies more round.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. They can also cool completely on the pan.
for the icing*
- In a medium size bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar (½ cup/60g), vanilla (½ teaspoon) and 2 teaspoons milk. Stir until a thick, but pourable icing is formed. Add milk in ½ teaspoon increments, if needed, to reach the right consistency. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
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