This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy.
Golden, fluffy, and oh so buttery, this brown butter cinnamon streusel coffee cake is perfection. Featuring a brown butter cinnamon streusel ribbon and topping, this coffee cake is a dream for weekend brunch (and happens to be the perfect anytime snack with your favorite coffee!).
Served up warm and dusted with powdered sugar, you’ll love how effortlessly this recipe comes together.
If you like, make the brown butter streusel a day in advance (store tightly covered in the refrigerator overnight), and you’ll be one step ahead on baking day.
Craving more coffee cake? Try my popular sour cream coffee cake next!
More breakfast recipes you’ll love:
Print
Brown Butter Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Brown butter cinnamon streusel coffee cake featuring a brown butter cinnamon streusel ribbon and topping is the best coffee cake recipe!
Ingredients
Streusel
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp ice water
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray; dust lightly with flour.
- For the streusel, cook butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams, turns clear, and then turns a medium brown, about 5 minutes. Pour browned butter into a glass measuring cup and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Add cooled butter and mix in with a fork until completely incorporated. Add ice water and mix in until streusel is crumbly. Chill until ready to use.
- For the cake, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and yolk one at a time and beat well. Combine yogurt and buttermilk in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with yogurt mixture (begin and end with flour mixture).
- Spoon half the batter into prepared pan, and smooth with an offset spatula. Tap sharply to reduce air bubbles. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chilled streusel over the cake batter. Spoon remaining cake batter over the streusel, gently smoothing with offset spatula into an even layer. Tap pan sharply, and sprinkle with remaining streusel.
- Bake for 40 to 44 minutes, until coffee cake is golden, springs back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Streusel: The brown butter streusel can be made a day in advance and stored tightly covered in the refrigerator overnight.
This is definitely the best cake I have ever had. I’m a chef and definitely not a baker lol. My boss is a great baker and every time she makes it I swear I promises myself not to eat it… unfortunately I just can’t 😰! Amazing recipe. I did it today at my house and I am delighted how everyone simply loves it! ❤️
So happy to hear that, thank you Ellisa! 🙂
This is delicious! I’ve made it twice since finding the recipe earlier this week! The second time, I was able to easily adapt the recipe to use my sourdough starter discard and it worked fabulously! This recipe is a keeper!
Thank you so much, Kelly! So happy you tried this coffee cake! 🙂
I have been eyeing both this recipe and the Classic Sour Cream Coffee cake for awhile. I decided to make this version this morning. It did not disappoint. The browned butter gave it a nice nutty flavour and the cake is a lovely texture. The streusel is tasty with just enough crunch. I added pecans to the streusel because I had them. Will make this again. Thanks for sharing.
So glad you tried this recipe, Tannis! It’s the perfect weekend bake! 🙂
I baked this during quarantine. The cake was soft in texture and excellent in taste. My parents said that the quality deserved to be in a bakery // restaurant. It’s an easy recipe to follow. Please try!
Thank you so much, Shauna!
Hi! What is taste difference of this recipe and your classic sour cream coffee cake?Trying to figure out which to make 🙂
Thanks!
Tiffany
Hi Tiffany! The recipes are fairly similar, taste wise. The brown butter adds a rich and nutty flavor to this recipe. The classic sour cream coffee cake is baked in a springform pan, so if you don’t have one on hand (or simply want a smaller coffee cake), then this recipe would be best. You can use Greek yogurt or sour cream in this recipe as well. Hope that helps and happy baking! 🙂
Can I substitute sour cream for the greek yogurt?
Hi Debbie, yes you can! 🙂 You might also like my classic sour cream coffee cake recipe: https://tutti-dolci.com/classic-sour-cream-coffee-cake/
The recipe calls for 1 egg and 1 yolk but in the video you are using 3 eggs? What is correct?
Hi Kathleen! This recipe uses 1 egg and 1 yolk. The featured video showing on the site is for my new classic sour cream coffee cake, which uses 2 eggs and 1 yolk: https://tutti-dolci.com/classic-sour-cream-coffee-cake/
Hope that helps! 🙂
I made this for a friend for the first time but didn’t get to deliver it so we tried it. Outstanding!! Moist and cinnamony and perfect for a brunch or whenever!! I will certainly pass it on! Great find!
Thanks so much, Sandy! So happy to hear that! 🙂
Laura,
Think this would work in a Bundt pan? It’s the bday cake my sister requested.
Thanks,
Peggy
Hi Peggy, do you have a tube pan? That would work the best and allow you to still have the nice streusel topping.
Made on a Sunday morning, my family woke to the fragrant baked aroma of sweet cinnamon, this delicious coffee cake was easy to make & perfect with a cup of hot coffee, thanks for sharing this recipe.
Thank you so much, Camille! So glad you tried this coffee cake! 🙂
Would love to double this recipe. Has anyone tried it and if so, what was the adjusted temp/baking time?
Hi Ellen, the baking time should be about the same in a 9 x 13-inch pan baked at 350°F. Just keep an eye on it and start testing for doneness around 36-40 minutes. Happy baking!
Hoping this can be frozen? Making it tomorrow for a date in about 2 weeks. What do you think?
Hi Maria, this should freeze well. Let it cool completely, then wrap well and freeze. Thaw the coffee cake (while still wrapped) and then warm for 10-15 minutes before serving. Hope that helps! 🙂
Thank you. I’m sure it will be fine. Happy Sunday!
I love coffee cake and the addition of brown butter to the streusel just takes this recipe over the top. I had a hard time both waiting for the coffee cake to cool before slicing and then sharing it :-). Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you tried this recipe – it’s one of my favorites too! 🙂