This coffee cake is the perfect balance of crispy, soft, buttery, and spiced goodness perfected through meticulous testing and expert technique! It delivers a buttery, moist crumb thanks to Greek yogurt (superior to sour cream), a rich cinnamon-brown sugar middle, and an irresistibly crispy streusel topping that stays crunchy, thanks to melted butter (NO pastry cutter needed!).
Follow along for a post packed with expert tips, troubleshooting tricks, and step-by-step photos to ensure your coffee cake turns out perfectly every time.

This Cinnamon Coffee Cake is pure perfection
My husband had to “suffer” through multiple coffee cake experiments until I created this PERFECT recipe. Here’s why it’s the best:
Ingredients for Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
Let’s take a closer look at what you need to make this coffee cake recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
Why is Greek Yogurt best in coffee cake?
Greek yogurt creates an incredibly soft, tender, moist crumb. Here’s why I prefer it over sour cream in this recipe:
•Creates a tender crumb: It contains more of the protein casein than sour cream, which aids in moisture retention and helps break down gluten, resulting in a soft, delicate texture.
•Enhances flavor: Since Greek yogurt is strained, it has a higher lactose concentration than sour cream, which caramelizes during baking, creating a richer, deeper flavor.
•Balanced flavor: Its tanginess balances the sweetness and adds depth.
•Boosts leavening: Greek yogurt’s acidity reacts with baking soda, helping the cake rise for a fluffier texture.
•Adds structure without heaviness: Unlike heavy creams or oils, Greek yogurt provides stability without making the cake dense.
How to make the perfect Coffee Cake
Let’s take a closer look at how to make cinnamon coffee cake with step-by-step photos (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
Why use melted butter?
Instead of cutting in butter, melted butter binds all the ingredients together so it bakes as a separate entity and doesn’t absorb into the cake. This makes it extra crunchy and bonus, this method is super easy!
Coffee Cake Recipe tips for success
Cinnnamon Coffee Cake Recipe variations
Our favorite Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake Pairings
Here are some delightful pairings for your cinnamon streusel coffee cake, aside from the obvious coffee:
What to do with leftover Cinnamon Coffee Cake
To keep your leftover coffee cake fresh and delicious, follow these storage tips:
•Room Temperature (Short-term): Cover the coffee cake tightly with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or store it in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature. This is ideal over refrigeration, which can dry out the cake.
•Refrigeration (Medium-term): If you plan to keep it for more than a couple of days, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5-7 days. It may lose some of its moisture but will still be delicious.
•Warm Leftovers: Leftover coffee cake is SO much better warmed! Pop slices in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or reheat in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 300°F (150°C) for a fresh, warm taste.
Can I freeze Coffee Cake?
Absolutely!
1. Wrap individual slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, or store in a freezer-safe airtight container.
2. Freeze for up to 3 months.
3. Thaw it in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours. 4. Reheat in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 300°F (150°C) for a fresh, warm taste.
Best Coffee Cake Recipe FAQs
Looking for more Breakfast Recipes?
Strawberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Blueberry Coffee Cake
French Toast
French Toast Bake
Crepes
Dutch Baby
Croissant Breakfast Casserole
WANT TO TRY THIS Coffee Cake RECIPE?
PIN IT to your recipe BOARD TO SAVE FOR LATER!
FIND ME ON PINTEREST FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES! I AM ALWAYS PINNING :)!
©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com
Tools Used in This Recipe
See Favorite ToolsCinnamon Coffee Cake Recipe
Save This Recipe To Your Recipe Box
You can now create an account on our site and save your favorite recipes all in one place!
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/3 cup (175g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Filling
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp EACH ground cardamom, nutmeg
Cake
- 2 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (any fat) at room temperature
- 1/4 cup milk (any kind)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
- Streusel: Add the butter to a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, then at 10-second increments until melted (stirring between). Add the rest of the Streusel ingredients and stir/mash with a fork until thoroughly combined, then stir until crumbly (it's okay if there are some large chunks). Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Cinnamon Brown Sugar Filling: Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cake
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together on low until combined, then beat on medium-high for 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula.
- Add Eggs and Yogurt: Add the vanilla, followed by the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium until just combined after each addition. Scrape down the bowl. Beat in the yogurt until combined, then scrape the bowl again. The mixture will be lumpy.
- Add Flour Mixture and Milk: With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in thirds alternating with the milk. Beat until a few flour streaks remain. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl again and do the final mix by hand until no flour streaks remain. The batter will be very thick.
- Assemble: Spread half of the cake batter into the prepared pan in an even layer (the layer will be thin). Sprinkle the Brown Sugar Cinnamon mixture evenly on top. Dollop the remaining batter evenly over the top. Use an offset spatula to spread the dollops from the center to the edges. Sprinkle the Streusel evenly over the top (breaking up any large pieces), thoroughly covering the edges first, then working your way to the center (this helps prevent the edges from puffing up).
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 42-48 minutes, until the cake registers 200°F in the center, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before serving. It needs this time to set, or the crumb will be soft and gummy.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag @CarlsbadCravings and Use #CarlsbadCravngs
Leave a Review, I Always Love Hearing From You!
Gail Hiltunen says
This looks so delicious! Any thoughts about making them as muffins??
Or Two-Bite Mini-muffins?
Jen says
Hi Gail! I think they would be delicious as muffins! Two-bite muffins might be a little tricky to get the layer of cinnamon and sugar. Just make sure that you get to the correct temperature! I hope that helps!