Coffee Cake Cookies

 Coffee Cake Cookies

Yield: 15 Cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes

Desserts

Growing up, there were three desserts my mom loved to bake: brownies (for lunch boxes), cookies (for snacking), and coffee cake (for breakfast). As in, our whole household would snag slices of cinnamon–chocolate chip coffee cake as we headed out the door for school or work. Now, I love to reimagine coffee cake as a cookie. Specifically, a soft brown sugar and cinnamon–swirled cookie topped with a crunchy streusel and vanilla icing. It’ll leave you wondering why putting streusel on your cookies isn’t standard practice. And for the record, I like them at any time of day.

For the Cookies

  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the Cinnamon Swirl

  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the Streusel

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Vanilla Icing

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Ground Cinnamon Eggs Vanilla Extract Light Brown Sugar Granulated Sugar

  1. First, make the cookies. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat on low speed until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.
  4. Then, mix the cinnamon swirl. In a small bowl, use a fork to mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon for the swirl. Sprinkle the mixture over the cookie dough, then use the silicone spatula to fold it into the dough a few times. Do not overmix—you’ll lose your swirls!
  5. Next, make the streusel. In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter and use a fork or your fingers to stir everything together until it resembles wet sand and clumps together .
  6. Use a 1½-ounce cookie scoop to portion out equal amounts of dough (a large spoon also works; the ball should be about 3 tablespoons). Roll the dough in your hands to smooth the edges, then place 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet pans and flatten the top of the balls gently with your palm. Top each cookie with about 1 teaspoon of streusel topping, gently pressing the streusel into the top and sides of the dough so it stick s. You’ll have extra streusel remaining; we’ll use that in a bit.
  7. Bake the cookies for 6 minutes, then take them out of the oven and sprinkle the remaining streusel on top of each cookie . Return the cookies to the oven and bake until they’ve puffed up and are set and firm around the edges but still soft in the middle , 6 to 7 minutes more. Remove the sheet pans from the oven and allow the cookies to rest on the pans for 5 minutes, then use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely .
  8. Last, make the icing. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt and whisk until smooth. The mixture will be thick. Microwave for 15 seconds—this will thin the icing out and help it harden once it dries on top of your cookies. Use a spoon to drizzle the cookies with the icing. Allow the icing to set before serving the cookies.