Coffee Cake Cookies

(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)

• Unsalted Butter – Unsalted butter in cookies adds fat for a tender, rich texture, enhances flavors, and allows precise control over salt for a perfectly balanced taste. If you only have salted butter, reduce the amount of salt to a 1/2 tsp as opposed to the full teaspoon. 
• Light Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar – Brown sugar adds moisture to cookies due to its molasses content and results in a softer, chewy cookie. White sugar contributes to spreading during baking and creates a crispier texture by encouraging more browning through caramelization.
• All Purpose Flour – we’re using flour in the cookie base, the crumb topping, and the cinnamon filling in the center of the cookies. It provides structure to all parts of the cookie and prevents everything from baking together so that you get three distinct parts of the cookie.
• Cornstarch – softens the texture by reducing gluten formation, resulting in a tender and delicate crumb. It also prevents excessive spreading during baking, helping cookies maintain a thicker, more defined shape.
• Egg and Egg Yolk – the whole egg adds structure while the egg yolk adds additional fat, making the cookie more tender.
• Cinnamon – the star of the show! Cinnamon is going to bring all of the flavor to the cookie.

How to make Coffee Cake Cookies 

Make the Cinnamon Swirl Filling and Streusel Topping

Step 1: Combine flour, brown sugar, pinch of salt in a small bowl. Whisk together then pour in the melted butter. Place the bowl into the refrigerator. 

Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and melted butter. Mix until a thick paste forms. Set aside. 

Make the Cookies 

Step 3: Combine room temperature, brown sugar, and white sugar the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together for 2 minutes, then add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then continue to mix on medium speed for an addition 1-2 minutes, until combined and fluffy. 

Step 4: Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl – all purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, corn starch, and kosher salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. 

Assemble the Cookies 

Step 5: Use a large cookie scoop to scoop cookie dough. Roll into a ball, then press the center of the cookie to form a well in middle. Add about 1 tbsp of the cinnamon streusel. Remove the crunchy streusel from the refrigerator and sprinkle on top of the cookie, enough to cover the cinnamon filling. Repeat with the remaining cookies and place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes. 

Step 6: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake 5 cookies at a time, spacing them out about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Immediately out of the oven, use the opening of a cup to “swivel” around the cookie to create a perfect circle shape. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar!

Tips

• Storing leftovers: store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. 
• Use a kitchen scale to avoid adding too much flour and will give you the best results every time. 
• For smaller cookies, use a medium cookie scoop. These are bigger cookies, think bakery-style cookies.
• If using vanilla icing on top, be sure to drizzle on the cooled cookies so that the icing sets as opposed to melting into the warm cookie.