Cinnamon cream cheese coffee cake has a moist, slightly dense crumb, thanks to the cream cheese in the batter, a ribbon of melt-in-your-mouth, buttery cinnamon sugar through the middle, and a crunchy crumble on top!
A really good coffee cake recipe that you can keep coming back to is something every home baker needs. This cinnamon cream cheese coffee cake recipe is that for me!
Well, that and my raspberry cream cheese coffee cake because it’s good to have choices 😉
Just one piece and you’ll know why this cream cheese coffee cake is eaten around here all day. I’m talking breakfast, brunch, snack, AND dessert. Yes, I said and.
We like to have it for breakfast and then look forward to another piece for dessert!
Start with a cup of coffee in the morning and then again with a scoop of ice cream at night 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s baked and ready to serve in just 1 hour.
- The crumb is tender and moist, it’s not overly sweet, and it has the cinnamon, sugar, and buttery goodness we love.
- You can swap the dusting of powdered sugar on top for a vanilla glaze.
- This cream cheese coffee cake serves 12, and any leftovers can be frozen.
Helpful Tools
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Baking staples – All-purpose flour, white sugar, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, eggs, and salt.
- Butter – I recommend using salted butter for added flavor. Cut it into cubes and bring it to room temperature.
- Cream cheese – Use a block of cream cheese (not the spreadable tubs) and cube them as well. Soften to room temperature along with the butter.
- Milk – I use 2% milk, but any should work. You’ll need 1/2 cup plus another 1 Tablespoon.
- For the Crumb Filling/Topping – Flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter. Again, I use salted butter.
- Powdered sugar – This can be dusted on top as an optional finish.
How to make Cinnamon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: Mix dry ingredients together and then use a hand mixer on medium to mix in the butter and cream cheese until the mixture is sandy.
- Step Two: Add the eggs and vanilla and continue to mix until everything is incorporated into a thick batter. With the mixer on low, drizzle in the milk and mix until fully combined.
- Step Three: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and use a fork to combine and then switch to use your hands to mix until a sandy crumb is formed.
- Step Four: Pour half the cake batter into the prepared pan and top that with half of the prepared crumb mixture, spread out evenly. Pour the remaining batter on top and smooth gently to cover the crumb. Sprinkle with remaining crumble on top.
- Step Five: Bake for 45-50 minutes and allow it to cool for about 30 minutes before dusting with sugar and slicing. Enjoy!
How to serve it
Enjoy a slice of coffee cake any time of the day. We love to sneak a piece for breakfast or a snack with a nice cup of coffee or medicine ball tea (a Starbucks copycat). The kids will usually have a glass of milk or a mug of slow cooker hot chocolate.
For dessert, it’s perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side!
- To determine whether the cake is ready to come out of the oven, stick a toothpick in the center of it. When it comes out it should have little to no crumbs on it.
- This cake generally serves around 12 slices, but depending on how generous you’re feeling, it can be cut into about 9-20 slices.
- To finish the cake with a delicious vanilla glaze, whisk together 1/2 cup of powdered sugar with 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 Tablespoon of milk. Stir until smooth and drizzle over the cake.
How to store it
How to store leftovers
Keep leftover coffee cake stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze your coffee cake by wrapping it in plastic wrap and placing it in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. It’ll keep frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
FAQs
Is the batter supposed to be this thick?
Yes! It’s much thicker than a traditional cake batter. It’ll be more like a muffin or quick bread batter, which is the signature of a coffee cake. It’s soft and tender, yet a bit dense.
What can I add to the crumble for crunch?
Chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, or almonds, would be a great addition to the crumb topping.
Why is my cake dry?
This is usually because it’s been baked a little too long. Overmixing is probably not the culprit this time, as it’s quite a thick batter and we’re reverse creaming it, but if it’s left baking too long it could dry out.
Does a cinnamon cream cheese coffee cake contain coffee?
You would think so, but no it doesn’t! Coffee cake doesn’t refer to an ingredient used in the cake, instead, it was created as a less sweet cake one might have with a cup of coffee. This one confuses my kids lol
Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Need more easy cake recipes? Try these:
Click here to view my entire collection of dessert recipes.
Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
You can also tag me on Instagram – @melissa_ppplates or share a pic in the Persnickety Plates Community Facebook group. I love seeing what you’ve tried!
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Video
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- ¾ cup (149 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (55 g) salted butter cubed & softened to room temp
- 8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese cubed & softened to room temp
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk + 1 Tablespoons
For the Crumb Filling/Topping
- 1 cup (120 g) all purpose flour
- ¾ cup (149 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (6 g) cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon (5 g) salt
- ½ cup (110 g) salted butter melted
Optional Topping
- 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar optional, for dusting
Instructions
To make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 cups all purpose flour, ¾ cup granulated white sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- To the dry ingredients, add in the room temperature butter and cream cheese. Use a hand mixer on medium to combine until the mixture is sandy, approximately 1-2 minutes.¼ cup salted butter, 8 ounces cream cheese
- Add in the eggs and vanilla and continue to mix until all dry ingredients have been incorporated. The mixture will be thick.2 large eggs, 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- With the mixer running on low, drizzle in the milk and mix until fully combined, approximately 1 minute.½ cup milk + 1 Tablespoons
To make the crumb filling/topping
- To a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.1 cup all purpose flour, ¾ cup granulated white sugar, 1 Tablespoon cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Pour in the melted butter and use a fork to loosely combine. Once it starts to come together, I switch to my hands, mixing until a sandy crumb forms.½ cup salted butter
To assemble
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Top the batter with half of the prepared crumb mixture, spreading to evenly coat.
- Pour the remaining cake batter on top, gently smoothly to cover.
- Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean – a few moist crumbs are ok, but it shouldn't be liquid.
- Let cool for approximately 30 minutes before sprinkling with powdered sugar and then slicing into 12 pieces.1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
Notes
- Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to a week.
- I use 2% milk but any should work.
- This cake typically yields about 12 servings, but you can slice it into anywhere from 9 to 20 pieces depending on portion size.
- For a simple vanilla glaze, mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon milk and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until smooth, then drizzle on top.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @melissa_pplates so I can see!
Originally published June 9, 2012
Your coffee cake sounds delicious! I love the cinnamon flavor in coffee cakes, it brings that cosy warm flavor into them! YUM!!
Yum looks great!
Sorry to hear about your crappy sinus infection, though :-/
It’s so pretty! I hope you’re feeling better. 🙂
Your cake turned out so pretty!
I get up at 6:30 on the weekends so please have this ready for me when I wake up. yum. thank you.
Thanks for linking up with us on “Strut Your Stuff Saturday!” We hope to see you next week! -The Sisters
This coffee cakes looks extremely delicious!
MMM! That looks really good! I just love coffee cake:)
I made it this morning and to me it was a little dry. It was very easy to put together and I was able to fit it in an 8×8 pan. It smells amazing. I will try it again.
You’re in the archives! I’ll add this to my re-test list 🙂
This is the best coffee cake I have ever made! My family and friends loved it and want me to make more! Thank you so much for sharing your Recipes!
Thank you! <3
YUM-MEE! I came across this recipe as I was wanting to find a use for too many blocks of cream cheese in my fridge, and since my husband loves cinnamon, voila!!! I’m gluten-free by necessity, so used King Arthur GF flour and an extra egg. Baked up beautifully and is incredibly yum, especially warmed, with a cup of coffee on the side. MAKE THIS! You’ll love it!
Thank you!! ♥
I want to bake this but im not sure how long to bake it in a glass pan because i dont have a metal 8×8 please lmk when u get a chance!!
Hi Rylee – I shot the included video in a glass baking dish & the bake time didn’t change 🙂 (assuming your glass pan is also 8×8?)
We love this coffee cake! I can’t get my topping to look as good as yours, but it all tastes great.
I’m so glad you like it! Taste is the most important part 🙂