Gilmore Girls Coffee Cake (Print View)

Soft, tender cinnamon cookies with brown sugar streusel and vanilla glaze, ideal for cozy coffee breaks.

# Components:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
03 - 1 cup packed brown sugar
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

→ Streusel Topping

11 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 - 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
13 - 1/3 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
15 - Pinch of salt

→ Icing

16 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
17 - 1 tablespoon milk
18 - Splash of vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, vegetable oil, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
03 - Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
06 - In another bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, flour starting with 1/3 cup and adding more as needed, ground cinnamon, and salt. Mix until crumbly.
07 - Scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets using approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons per cookie, leaving space between each. Gently press an indent into the center of each cookie.
08 - Fill each indent generously with the streusel mixture.
09 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
10 - Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle icing over completely cooled cookies.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a bakery coffee cake but come together faster than you'd expect, with that satisfying streusel center hiding inside each soft cookie.
  • The combination of butter and oil keeps them incredibly tender without being fragile, so they stay fresh for days.
  • One batch yields 24 cookies, making them ideal for sharing or having something comforting on hand all week long.
02 -
  • Don't overbake these cookies; pull them out when the edges are golden but the center still looks slightly soft. They continue cooking on the warm baking sheet and will firm up as they cool.
  • The oil-and-butter combination is crucial; using only butter makes them cake-like, while the oil keeps them tender and chewy.
  • Make sure your butter and egg are truly softened to room temperature; cold ingredients won't cream properly and you'll end up with dense cookies.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together smoothly and incorporate air better, resulting in a lighter, more tender cookie every single time.
  • Don't skip the 5-minute rest on the baking sheet; it gives the cookies just enough time to set without becoming stale, and they transfer to the cooling rack without breaking.
  • If your streusel is too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it reaches that perfect sand-like texture; too much flour and it becomes dense.
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