Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

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Inside: The buttery secret to making cinnamon streusel for an authentic New York crumb cake perfect for breakfast, brunch and snacking.

This is the ultimate cinnamon streusel coffee cake. Its soft, sweet cake layer is topped with an unholy amount of cinnamon streusel. I add toasted pecans for a little crunch and extra salt, which enhances the sweetness and brings a heightened dimension to the flavors. Look no further than this recipe when you crave a mile-high New York crumb cake.

This recipe, adapted from The Foster’s Market Cookbook, is everything a coffee cake should be: copious amounts of crumb topping nestled into soft sponge. You can add powdered sugar just before serving to enhance the Wow factor.

This isn’t your average, so-so-crumb cake here. This is a cinnamon streusel coffee cake with a 2:1 ratio of cinnamon streusel crumb to one part cake! Like my grandmother’s fried dough, it’s not an everyday treat, but well worth the calories.

Think of the plush base layer as a delivery method for getting the crumb portion to your mouth.

Why you’ll love this cinnamon streusel coffee cake recipe

The texture is soft and spongy, with just enough sturdiness to support the crumb topping.
You don’t need any special equipment, not even a hand mixer.
It delivers big on the cinnamon streusel topping and crunchy toasted pecans add another layer of flavor and texture.
It can be made ahead of time, freezes well, and the recipe can be doubled for bigger groups.

Ingredients you’ll need:

All-Purpose Flour–I use King Arthur’s Unbleached all-purpose flour.
Light Brown Sugar–this is for the cinnamon streusel topping.
Cinnamon–you can’t make a New York crumb cake without it.
Butter–I recommend unsalted butter for baking unless otherwise noted.
Pecans–for a traditional New York style crumb cake, you can skip the pecans, but I like the toasted crunch it adds to the cinnamon streusel. It’s your choice.
Granulated Sugar–use your favorite brand.
Baking Powder–to give rise to the cake. Be sure to check your baking powder’s expiration date. They have a shelf life, and if yours is too old, you won’t get the same reaction and lift. Don’t substitute baking soda, as this recipe doesn’t have an acid for it to react with, and it won’t help the cake rise.
Iodized Salt–dissolves and distributes evenly in the batter. Iodized salt is best for baking.
Milk–I used whole milk, but a low-fat milk or dairy free milk should work fine.
Large Eggs–for a soft, tender crumb.
Vegetable Oil–you can also substitute canola oil. Do not use olive oil.
Vanilla Extract–I recommend Penzey’s Double Strength vanilla for the best vanilla flavor.
Fine Sea Salt–for finishing the cinnamon streusel coffee cake. A dusting of sea salt over the crumb layer enhances the sweetness and balances the flavors.
Confectioners Sugar–optional, but it adds another eye-popping sweet element.

Note: Allspice and nutmeg are shown in the photo above but not in the recipe. I sometimes add them to the cinnamon streusel topping for a change of pace. If you want to use them, here are the proper amounts: 4¼ teaspoons of cinnamon, one teaspoon of allspice and one teaspoon of nutmeg in the crumble portion of the recipe.

Step-by-step instructions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and iodized salt. Whisk to combine.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the melted butter. Mix well until there are no dry parts and the cinnamon streusel is crumbly.

Chop the toasted pecans and add them to the crumble topping.

3. Toast the pecans in a 350° oven for 8-10 minutes or until crunchy and fragrant.

4. Chop the nuts and add them to the cinnamon streusel mixture to combine.

Mix the dry and swet ingredients for the cake batter.

5. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

6. Whisk together the milk, oil, egg and vanilla extract in a separate bowl.

Mix the batter until just moistened and spread into a pan.

7. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is combined with no dry bits remaining.

8. Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan (7×11″).

Spread the cake with crumble topping and sprinkle with sea salt.

9. Spread the crumble over the cake batter and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 35-40 minutes in a 350° preheated oven or until a cake tester or toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.

10. After baking, cool the New York crumb cake in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring it to a serving platter. Once the cake has cooled, sprinkle it with powdered sugar for a final embellishment before cutting it into slices.

Pro-Tips:

To make it easier to get the cinnamon streusel coffee cake out of the pan for serving, line it with parchment paper that overhangs the sides of the pan. Just lift the ends and transfer the cake to a cutting board or dish when it’s cooled.
To make a double-batch, double the recipe and use a 12x17x1″ jellyroll pan to bake it.

Cinnamon streusel coffee cake on a cutting board.

Swaps and Variations:

Use walnuts instead of pecans in the topping, or skip the nuts for a classic New York crumb cake.
Substitute one tablespoon of apple or pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon in the streusel topping.
Instead of dusting with powdered sugar, drizzle it with a glaze made with ½ cup of powdered sugar and two tablespoons of cream.

A slice of cinnamon streusel coffee cake.

FAQ’s

What is cinnamon streusel made of?

In this case, sugar, flour, spices, and butter. A lot of butter. Many streusel recipes use cold butter and cut it into a flour and sugar mixture, giving it a crumbly vibe. This recipe uses melted butter to coat the flour, which gives the topping a New York crumb cake quality.

Is cinnamon crumb cake the same as coffee cake?

They are the same in that these sweets are suitable for breakfast or brunch because they usually have a streusel topping or glaze instead of thick buttercream frosting. I consider them a more laid-back version of dessert — for breakfast or snacking.

Make Ahead:

You can bake it a day ahead of time. Keep it well-wrapped on a counter at room temperature.

Storage:

Cover the cinnamon crumb cake with foil or plastic wrap or in an airtight container and store at room temperature for 3-4 days.
If you store it in the fridge, I recommend taking it out to rest for 20 minutes at room temperature before enjoying it. Because the topping has so much butter, it will have more of a melt-in-your-mouth quality at room temperature.

Freezing:

Double-wrap cinnamon crumb cake well in plastic wrap and freezer paper to freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw before enjoying.
If you plan on freezing this dessert, I recommend waiting to add powdered sugar until just before serving.

A thick slice of new york style crumb cake on a plate with powdered sugar.

This coffee cake with thick cinnamon streusel crumble goes great with a steaming cup of coffee or tea and is perfect with orange juice or morning cocktails like Cranberry Mimosas, Grapefruit Mimosas (grapefruit juice cocktails) or this Elderflower Prosecco Cocktail.

More coffee cake recipes you’ll love:

A slice of New York crumb cake on a plate.

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