These coffee cake cookies are soft cinnamon cookies topped with a buttery brown sugar crumb and finished with a cinnamon-spiced glaze. Chewy, tender, and packed with warm fall flavors, they make a great treat with coffee or an afternoon snack.
These cookies capture the best of coffee cake in cookie form: the familiar cinnamon-sugar crumb topping, a soft, slightly chewy cookie base, and a simple glaze that ties it all together. They make the house smell like a bakery and are easy to prepare when a sweet craving hits.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- No chill time: The dough comes together quickly and bakes right away, so you can have fresh cookies in under an hour.
- Buttery crumb topping: The brown sugar crumble is rich and tender—something I’d happily add to many desserts.
- Bakery-quality appearance: The cookies look like they belong in a bakery but are easy to make at home.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions are listed in the recipe card below. A few tips about ingredients:
- Butter: You’ll use butter in both the cookie dough and the crumb topping. For the crumb topping, the butter should be soft enough to work into the dry ingredients so the mixture becomes clumpy.
- Eggs: The dough uses one whole egg and one yolk. Using room-temperature eggs helps the batter come together evenly.
- Cornstarch: A tablespoon of cornstarch helps keep the cookies soft and prevents excessive spreading while baking.
Recipe Instructions
These instructions assume basic kitchen tools: a large mixing bowl or stand mixer with a paddle, a small bowl for the crumb topping, and baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Step 1 — Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2 — Cream butter and sugars: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat ½ cup (113.5 g) butter with ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar and ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Reduce speed to low and mix in 1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla until smooth.
Step 3 — Add dry ingredients: On low speed, add ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1¾ cups (245 g) all-purpose flour. Mix just until most of the flour is incorporated; it’s fine if a few streaks of flour remain.
Step 4 — Shape the cookies: Scoop dough into about 3-tablespoon portions (roughly a large cookie scoop) and place six cookies per sheet, leaving space between each. Using the back of the scoop or your fingers, press an indentation into the center of each dough ball to hold the crumb topping.
Step 5 — Make and add the crumb topping: In a small bowl, combine ½ cup (62.5 g) flour, ⅓ cup (73 g) brown sugar, 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Cut in 4 tablespoons soft butter with a fork or your fingers until pea-sized crumbs form. Press a handful of the crumb topping into each cookie indentation.
Step 6 — Bake: Bake the cookies for 9–12 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden. Right after removing the cookies from the oven, run a spoon or small spatula around each cookie to maintain a round shape. Let the cookies cool completely on the sheet before glazing.
Step 7 — Glaze: Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with a good sprinkle of cinnamon and 1–2 tablespoons milk until you reach a drizzleable consistency. Drizzle over cooled cookies, allow the glaze to set, and serve.
Expert Baking Tips
- You can skip the glaze and dust the cookies lightly with powdered sugar if you prefer a simpler finish.
- If the dough sticks to the scoop while making the center indentation, spray the scoop lightly with cooking spray or use your fingers to press the center.
- Measurements in grams are more precise for baking, especially flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag.
FAQ
Smaller cookies will bake faster and may not hold as much crumb topping. If you make them smaller, reduce baking time and press the topping gently into a smaller indentation.
Yes. Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of the all-purpose flour and proceed the same way. Results may vary slightly depending on the flour blend.
Flat cookies are often caused by overly soft or warm butter or too little flour. Use butter that is softened but still cool, measure flour accurately (preferably by weight), and avoid over-creaming the butter and sugar.
Storing & Freezing
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days. If you want to prepare dough ahead, shape the dough into balls and press the indentations before refrigerating; dough can be kept in the refrigerator for about a week. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for 2–3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
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Marble Bundt Cake
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Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
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Blueberry Peach Muffins
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Chocolate Chip Potato Chip Cookies
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Coffee Cake Cookies — Recipe Card
Yield: about 11 cookies | Prep: 15 mins | Bake: 9–12 mins | Total: 25 mins
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup (113.5 g) butter
- ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 1 egg yolk, room temp
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1¾ cups (245 g) all-purpose flour
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup (62.5 g) flour
- ⅓ cup (73 g) brown sugar
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 4 tbsp butter, soft
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- good sprinkle of cinnamon
- 1–2 tbsp milk, to thin
Instructions (condensed)
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line baking sheets.
- Cream butter and sugars until pale. Add egg, yolk and vanilla; mix until smooth.
- Stir in dry ingredients on low until mostly combined.
- Scoop 3-tablespoon balls of dough, press an indentation in each, and place on baking sheet.
- Make crumb topping by mixing flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and soft butter until crumbly. Press into cookie indentations.
- Bake 9–12 minutes until edges are golden. Shape with a spoon while warm and cool completely.
- Mix glaze ingredients to desired consistency, drizzle over cooled cookies, and let set.
Notes
Powdered sugar can be substituted for glaze for a lighter finish. Use grams for the most accurate results when measuring flour. If you don’t have a scale, spoon and level the flour into the cup rather than scooping directly.
Nutrition (approximate per cookie)
Calories: 345 kcal | Carbohydrates: 53 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 14 g