Medium Coffee Cake Cookies
Soft, cinnamon-spiced cookies with a buttery streusel center and vanilla icing drizzle — all the comfort of coffee cake in cookie form.
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
13 min
Total Time
45 min
Servings
18
If you love coffee cake and cookies, these Coffee Cake Cookies are about to become your new favorite bake. They have everything you crave in a classic coffee cake — warm cinnamon, buttery brown sugar, and a crumbly streusel topping — wrapped into a soft, tender cookie. Finished with a light icing drizzle, they're perfect for morning coffee, brunch spreads, or an afternoon treat. The subtle hint of instant coffee in the dough enhances the cinnamon flavor without overpowering it, giving these cookies that cozy bakery-style taste. Think: coffee cake meets snickerdoodle meets your favorite café pastry.
Why This Recipe Works
- Soft, thick, and bakery-style thanks to brown sugar and a gentle hand with mixing
- Cinnamon-forward with a gentle coffee note that enhances warmth without overpowering
- Crunchy streusel center adds texture contrast to the soft cookie base
- Easy vanilla icing drizzle ties everything together with a sweet finish
- Great for breakfast, dessert, or gifting — versatile enough for any occasion
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
Streusel Topping
Icing
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, dissolve the instant coffee in the warm milk. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and dissolved coffee until fully combined.
Add cinnamon, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until combined — do not overmix.
Overmixing develops too much gluten and makes cookies tough instead of soft and tender.
Scoop dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and place on the baking sheet.
If the dough feels very soft, chill for 20–30 minutes before scooping.
Gently flatten each dough ball and make a small indent in the center.
Make the streusel by mixing butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, then adding flour until crumbly.
Fill each cookie indent generously with streusel topping.
Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers remain soft.
The cookies will continue to set as they cool. If they look fully done in the oven, they'll be overbaked.
Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla (plus optional coffee) until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies.
Tips for Success
Don't Overbake
These cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them from the oven. They'll finish setting on the hot pan.
Chill for Thickness
For extra thick, bakery-style cookies, chill the dough for 20–30 minutes before scooping and baking.
Don't Overmix
Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing makes cookies tough instead of soft and tender.
Better the Next Day
These cookies taste even better the next day once the cinnamon and coffee flavors have had time to meld together.
Equipment
Storage & Make-Ahead
Room Temperature Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Refrigerator Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freezer Freeze cookies without icing for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and drizzle with fresh icing before serving.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Cookies spread too flat | Butter too warm or dough not chilled | Make sure butter is softened but not melted. If dough feels soft, chill for 20–30 minutes before scooping. |
| Streusel falls off during baking | Indent not deep enough or streusel not pressed in | Make a generous indent and press the streusel gently into the dough so it adheres. |
| Cookies are tough or dense | Overmixed dough or too much flour | Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling off. |
| Icing is too thick | Not enough milk | Add milk a few drops at a time until you reach a drizzle-able consistency. |
| Icing is too runny | Too much milk | Add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until thickened. |
| Coffee flavor is too strong | Too much instant coffee or coffee not fully dissolved | Use exactly 1 teaspoon and make sure it's fully dissolved in the warm milk before adding to the dough. |
| Cookies are dry or overbaked | Baked too long | Pull cookies when edges are set but centers still look slightly underdone. They'll continue cooking on the hot pan. |
Cookies spread too flat
Cause: Butter too warm or dough not chilled
Make sure butter is softened but not melted. If dough feels soft, chill for 20–30 minutes before scooping.
Streusel falls off during baking
Cause: Indent not deep enough or streusel not pressed in
Make a generous indent and press the streusel gently into the dough so it adheres.
Cookies are tough or dense
Cause: Overmixed dough or too much flour
Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling off.
Icing is too thick
Cause: Not enough milk
Add milk a few drops at a time until you reach a drizzle-able consistency.
Icing is too runny
Cause: Too much milk
Add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until thickened.
Coffee flavor is too strong
Cause: Too much instant coffee or coffee not fully dissolved
Use exactly 1 teaspoon and make sure it's fully dissolved in the warm milk before adding to the dough.
Cookies are dry or overbaked
Cause: Baked too long
Pull cookies when edges are set but centers still look slightly underdone. They'll continue cooking on the hot pan.
Make It Your Own
Nutty Streusel
Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the streusel topping for a crunchy, nutty twist
Extra Coffee
Double the instant coffee in the dough and add a pinch to the icing for a bolder coffee-forward flavor
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