Amazing 12 coffee cake cookies soft

Oh my gosh, you are going to absolutely fall in love with these! I’m Clara, and you know how much I adore finding those cozy, soulful recipes that fit into a hectic schedule? Well, these coffee cake cookies are the perfect solution. Forget needing a fork and plate; we’ve bottled all that warm, buttery, cinnamon goodness into a handheld treat!

These are truly the Ultimate Soft Coffee Cake Cookies with Buttery Streusel Topping and Vanilla Glaze. They taste exactly like your favorite slice of coffee cake but bake up in minutes. Trust me when I say this is the recipe you’ll keep coming back to when you need quick comfort!

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Why You Will Love These Easy Coffee Cake Cookies

I’m telling you, these are going to fly off your cooling rack! If you need a sweet fix fast, these fit the bill perfectly. They nail that coffee cake vibe in a handheld treat. It’s the best of both worlds, really.

• Super Quick Bake Time: Seriously, they’re ready faster than you can brew a full pot of coffee!
• That Perfect Texture: They are melt-in-your-mouth soft, never dry or crumbly in the wrong way.
• Cinnamon Swirl Central: Rich flavor from the dough mixed with that spicy-sweet streusel topping.
• Breakfast Ready: Perfect Cookies for Breakfast material, honestly.
• The Crumb Topping: That buttery, crunchy streusel makes these feel totally bakery-style.

Ingredients for the Best Coffee Cake Cookie Recipe

Okay, let’s get serious about what goes into these From Scratch Coffee Cake Cookies. Because they taste like the real deal, we need real ingredients, especially for that signature soft crumb. Don’t worry, these are all pantry staples, but the way we use them makes a huge difference! Having everything ready before you start mixing always helps, especially when you’re trying to get these done fast.

For the Soft Coffee Cake Cookies Dough

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream (this is key for softness!)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (for cookie dough)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for cookie dough)

For the Buttery Streusel Topping Cookies

Remember, the butter here needs to be COLD and cut up small—that’s how you get those amazing little crumbles!

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the Vanilla Glaze on Coffee Cake Cookies

This glaze is super simple but it just ties the whole “coffee cake” theme together perfectly for me!

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk or cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Make Coffee Cake Cookies Step-by-Step

I know instructions look long, but trust me, this is straightforward baking! We’re just hitting a few key points to make sure these turn out soft and perfectly crumbly, just like a slice of real cake. Have your oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) and your sheets ready with parchment paper before you even start mixing.

Preparing the Streusel Topping Cookies First

This step is crucial for that amazing crumb topping. In a small bowl, toss together all the streusel dry ingredients—the flour, both sugars, and that teaspoon of cinnamon. Now, toss in your cold butter pieces. You have to work fast here! Use a pastry blender or just your fingertips to cut that butter in until it looks like coarse, pebbly sand. If your hands are warm, they’ll melt the butter too fast. Pop this bowl into the fridge to keep it nice and chilly while we work on the dough.

Mixing the Soft Cinnamon Cookies Dough

Grab your big bowl for the soft cookie dough. Cream that softened butter with the white sugar until it’s pale and beautifully fluffy—this traps the air needed for a slightly lighter cookie. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. In a separate bowl, just quickly whisk your flour, baking powder, and salt together. Now, here’s the key to keeping them soft—it involves alternating dry and wet! If you love that spicy swirl flavor, you might also adore my snickerdoodle cheesecake recipe for an extra dessert boost. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the sour cream into the wet mix. Start and end with the dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined. I mean it—stop the second you don’t see white flour streaks anymore! Overmixing equals tough cookies, and we want soft cinnamon cookies, not hockey pucks.

Assembling and Baking Your Coffee Cake Cookies

Scoop out about a rounded tablespoon of dough and drop it onto your prepared sheets, making sure to leave plenty of space between them. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to press them down a tiny bit so they don’t dome too much. Now, grab that cold streusel topping and sprinkle it on generously over the top of every single dough ball. They need about 12 to 15 minutes in the oven. You’re looking for edges that are just barely golden brown. The centers should still look a little soft when you pull them out. They firm up while they cool on the baking sheet for five minutes!

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Finishing Glazed Coffee Cake Cookies

Resist the urge to glaze them hot! They must cool down completely on a wire rack first, or that sweet vanilla drizzle will just slide right off into a puddle. For the glaze, whisk that powdered sugar with the milk and vanilla until it’s smooth and just pourable. If it’s too thick to drizzle easily, add milk just a teaspoon at a time. Once the cookies are totally cool—and I mean totally cool—grab a fork and drizzle that sweet topping all over. Let it set up for about ten minutes, and then you’re ready for heaven!

Tips for Perfect Coffee Cake Cookies Success

Baking is never just about following steps, right? It’s knowing the little secrets that take something good and make it absolutely incredible. My years in the kitchen taught me a few things about these Bakery Style Coffee Cake Cookies, especially when it comes to texture.

First off, temperature is everything! For the dough, your butter needs to be properly softened—finger-press soft, but not melty or greasy looking. That traps the air needed for that soft, chewy center. For the streusel, though, the butter must be ice cold and cut into tiny cubes. If the streusel butter melts before it even hits the heat, you end up with one big sugary sheet instead of glorious crumbs.

Another thing: don’t under-spice the dough itself! Adding cinnamon right into the cookie batter, on top of the streusel, really gives you that deep coffee cake flavor base. If you want them extra thick and bakery-sized, make sure you really mound that dough up high before you press it down slightly. They won’t spread too much because of the flour and sour cream balance, which helps hold that beautiful height.

Making Coffee Cake Cookies Ahead of Time

One of the best things about a great cookie recipe is being able to bake them when you have time, so you have treats ready when you need them most. These Cookies for Breakfast gems are fantastic for prepping ahead!

If you want to bake them later, the dough does wonderfully in the fridge. Wrap up your prepared cookie dough balls—before you’ve added the streusel!—and chill them for up to three days. When you’re ready to bake, just pull them out, let them sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to ease up slightly, top them with the streusel, and bake as directed. You might need to add a minute or two since they start colder.

For longer storage, chilling the dough isn’t as good as freezing it. Roll the dough into balls and place them on a baking sheet to freeze solid. Once they’re hard little pebbles, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. They keep well for three months! When you wake up craving one, take a few out, top them immediately with the streusel, and bake them right from frozen—just add about 4 minutes to the bake time.

Now, what about the finished, glazed cookies? They are best eaten within three days! Store them in a single layer or separated by parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature. If you stack them, that pretty vanilla glaze might stick to the cookie above it. If you’re doing any serious meal planning for the week, having these ready to go is a real lifesaver for a quick sweet snack!

Variations for Your Coffee Cake Cookies

While I think this recipe is pretty much perfection as written—it’s got that sweet spot of cinnamon, butter, and soft crumb—sometimes you just want to shake things up a little, right? Good news! These coffee cake cookies are incredibly forgiving, which is why I love them so much for everyday baking.

The streusel topping is definitely the place where you can have the most fun. If you have some pecans or walnuts lying around, give them a rough chop—like, really rough, don’t get too OCD about the size!—and toss them right into the streusel mixture. It adds a great little crunch that pairs beautifully with the soft cookie underneath. Just skip the chilling step if you add nuts, because the bigger pieces can sometimes clump if they get too cold.

If you’re feeling zesty, try mixing about a teaspoon of fresh lemon zest right into the cookie dough when you add the vanilla. The bright citrus smell blends so nicely with the warm cinnamon, making these feel a little bit lighter and brighter. It’s a wonderful surprise!

And that glaze? It’s cute, but if you want something truly decadent, skip the thin vanilla drizzle and make a quick cream cheese frosting instead. Beat about 4 ounces of softened cream cheese until smooth, add about half a cup of powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and maybe a tiny bit more vanilla. It’s thicker, tangier, and it takes these from “breakfast snack” straight into “dessert territory!” It’s still super fast, but it really elevates the whole experience.

Serving Suggestions for Coffee Cake Cookies

So, you’ve baked these gorgeous, crumbly treasures, and now you’re wondering the best way to enjoy them! Since these technically count as a cookie, the possibilities are endless, even though they truly taste like they belong on a platter next to a warm mug. I usually bake these up on Saturday specifically so we can have them for an easy Sunday treat.

The absolute classic pairing, of course, is coffee. There is nothing better than biting into that buttery cookie with a slightly crispy streusel edge while sipping something hot. If you’re feeling fancy, or if you’re serving guests for brunch, try whipping up my favorite Irish Coffee—it totally elevates that coffee-and-cake combination.

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These cookies are also fantastic when presented as part of a bigger spread. Forget those fussy pastries! These are perfect for Brunch Cookie Ideas because they look impressive but are totally grab-and-go. Just arrange them artfully on a wooden board alongside some fresh berries—strawberries, blueberries, maybe even some sliced peaches in the summer. The fresh fruit cuts through the sweetness of the glaze just beautifully, making the whole plate feel balanced.

And hey, if they’ve been sitting out for a little while and you want to revive that ‘fresh from the oven’ softness? Pop one or two on a plate and microwave it for just ten seconds. It melts the glaze slightly and makes that cinnamon aroma bloom all over again. You won’t regret it!

Frequently Asked Questions About Coffee Cake Cookies

I totally get it! When you find a recipe that looks this good, you’ve got to have a few details ironed out before you start baking. It’s smart to check! We want to make sure these Coffee Cake Cookies turn out exactly how you pictured them—soft, crumbly, and perfect with your morning cup.

Can I use cake mix instead of making these Coffee Cake Cookies from scratch?

You know, I’ve seen people try that shortcut, especially when they’re looking for super Quick Cookie Recipes! And yes, technically you could probably use a small amount of yellow cake mix instead of making the dough entirely from scratch. But listen to me: you’ll lose the great texture we worked so hard to achieve here. The sour cream, the creaming of the two different sugars—that’s what makes the cookie base so wonderfully soft. If you want the *Best Coffee Cake Cookie Recipe* experience, ditch the box and stick to flour, powder, and salt. You won’t regret the extra five minutes of mixing, trust me!

How do I keep my coffee cake cookies soft?

This is the million-dollar question for any good cookie! The secret weapon in our dough is actually the half cup of sour cream; that tang keeps the cookie tender, even after a day or two. To maintain that softness, store your finished, unglazed, or lightly glazed cookies in a truly airtight container at room temperature. If you live somewhere really humid, sometimes I’ll put a small slice of white bread in the container with them. Sounds crazy, but the cookie will steal the moisture from the bread and stay soft! Never, ever refrigerate soft cookies unless they have a big cream cheese frosting, because the cold air dries them out fast.

What is the best way to store leftover Streusel Topping Cookies?

For the cookies that have already been drizzled with that lovely vanilla glaze, storage is slightly different because you don’t want the glaze getting sticky or weeping onto each other. Keep these **Glazed Coffee Cake Cookies** in an airtight container at room temperature, but really try to avoid stacking them too high. If you have to stack them, place a small square of parchment paper between the layers. This protects that beautiful, set glaze. I find they are absolutely perfect for about three days, which means they are ideal for prepping for weekend brunch!

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Storage and Reheating Instructions for Coffee Cake Cookies

It’s a beautiful thing when a recipe is so good you want to make it last, right? Luckily, these Coffee Cake Cookies are excellent candidates for storing, which is perfect for my busy schedule. I try to always have some extra on hand in case of unexpected visitors or when I just need one of these buttery delights to get me through a tough afternoon meeting!

If you’ve managed to save any cookies that are only topped with streusel (no glaze yet), they are super hardy! Keep those in a good airtight container right on the counter at room temperature. They usually keep wonderfully for a solid four to five days. The moisture from the cookie base helps keep everything centered, and the streusel stays pleasantly crunchy.

Now, if you’ve already added that lovely vanilla glaze, you want to be a little more careful. The glaze can get sticky if it’s too warm or too humid. Store the glazed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about three days. If you live somewhere super hot, the fridge is an option, but be warned: it can sometimes make the cookie part a little firm. If you refrigerate them, let them sit out on the counter for a good thirty minutes before you plan to eat them!

When you need that perfect, just-baked experience again, reheating is the way to go! Seriously, warming these up for just 10 to 12 seconds in the microwave is magical. It softens the cookie base right back up and makes the cinnamon perfume bloom again—it’s the simplest trick in the book. Sticking to this simple storage guide makes it so much easier to fit these treats into your meal planning rotation without wasting a single crumb!

Soft Coffee Cake Cookies with Buttery Streusel Topping and Vanilla Glaze

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Bake these soft, buttery cookies that capture the essence of classic coffee cake, complete with a cinnamon streusel topping and a simple vanilla glaze. They are perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack.

• Author: Carla Davis
• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Total Time: 35 min
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

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• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (for cookie dough)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for cookie dough)
• For the Streusel Topping:
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• For the Vanilla Glaze:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk or cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon for the streusel. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside in the refrigerator.
3. Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon for the cookie dough.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
7. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between them.
8. Gently press the dough balls slightly to flatten them.
9. Sprinkle a generous amount of the chilled streusel topping over the top of each cookie dough ball.
10. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers should still look soft.
11. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Make the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, if the glaze is too thick.
13. Once cookies are completely cool, drizzle the vanilla glaze over the tops. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Notes

• If you are planning your weekly meals, these cookies are a great addition to your weekend prep for easy weekday treats.
• For a shortcut, you can use a store-bought cake mix batter base, but making them from scratch gives you the best texture.
• If you prefer a less sweet cookie, reduce the sugar in the vanilla glaze slightly.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 250
• Sugar: 25g
• Sodium: 120mg
• Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 30g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 3g
• Cholesterol: 45mg