The best cinnamon walnut coffee cake isn’t complete without a cinnamon swirl and streusel topping, and this one checks all the boxes! It pairs perfectly with your morning coffee or tea and makes a great breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
If you, too, enjoy eating dessert for breakfast, you'll definitely want to try our orange cranberry bundt cake and glazed lemon loaf cake ASAP.

Coffee cake is one of our favorites to make and eat! This cinnamon walnut version adds a twist with a spiced walnut filling and a sweet glaze that gives it a cinnamon roll-like flavor.
The cake is fluffy and moist, with layers of sweet cinnamon filling and toasted walnuts. It’s topped with a crumbly spiced streusel and a drizzle of powdered sugar icing.
Jump To
What Is Coffee Cake?
Despite the name, coffee cake doesn’t actually have coffee in it. It’s a lightly sweetened cake with a crumbly streusel topping, best enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea—or maybe even a mug of homemade cinnamon hot chocolate. Some versions include fruit, nuts, or even chocolate for extra flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made with pantry staples (you probably have everything on hand)
- The filling and topping come together in minutes with a food processor
- Finished with a quick and easy 3-ingredient glaze
- It’s cake for breakfast—what’s not to love?
Recipe Ingredients

Butter: Either salted or unsalted butter can be used in this recipe. If you use unsalted, add an extra pinch of salt for the best flavor.
Sour cream: Makes the cake super moist with a slight tanginess that pairs well with the other flavors. Plain Greek yogurt also works as a substitute.
All-purpose flour: Gives the coffee cake its structure and perfect texture. It’s the best choice for this recipe. Learn more about how it works in our post, What is All-Purpose Flour?.
Milk: We recommend using 2% or whole milk here for the best texture and flavor. Feel free to substitute with your milk of choice, but nonfat milk is not recommended.
Walnuts: Whole, chopped, or halves all work since they’ll be processed. Toasting is optional but definitely recommended for extra flavor. Not a fan of nuts? You can leave them out entirely!
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Cinnamon Walnut Coffee Cake
✏️ Prep Tip: Use Room Temperature Ingredients
Take the butter, milk, egg, and sour cream out of the fridge 15-20 minutes ahead of time. They mix better at room temperature and give the cake a lighter texture. Short on time? Here’s how to soften butter quickly.
Make The Batter

Step 1: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together until combined and set aside.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and sour cream.

Step 3: Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix on low just until combined, then mix in the milk. Gently stir in the remaining dry ingredients just until combined and set the batter aside.
Make The Filling & Topping
✏️ Recipe Tip: Toast The Walnuts
This is totally optional but definitely recommended because it adds great flavor! Just spread the walnuts on a lined baking sheet and bake at 325°F for 8-12 minutes until golden brown. Let them cool before using. If you need more guidance, check out How to Toast Nuts from The Pioneer Woman!

Step 4: For the filling, pulse all ingredients (except the walnuts) in a food processor until it has a sandy texture. Add walnuts and pulse again until finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a separate bowl and set aside.

Step 5: For the streusel topping, add all of the ingredients to the food processor and pulse until crumbly. (There may be some larger chunks, and that’s okay!) Set the mixture aside.
Assemble & Bake

Step 6: Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x9 pan. Pour half the batter into the pan, sprinkle on the filling, then spread the remaining batter over it. Top with streusel. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool before glazing.
Glaze & Serve

Step 7: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla and stir until smooth.

Step 8: Once the cake is completely cooled, drizzle the glaze on top of the cake. Slice and serve alone or with your favorite hot drink!
Expert Tips
Measure your flour correctly. Too much flour can make your cake dry and dense. Instead of scooping directly from the bag, fluff the flour with a spoon, then spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the cake dense instead of soft and fluffy. Once the flour is just combined and there are no dry spots in the batter, stop mixing!
Do the toothpick test. Stick a toothpick into the center of the cake to check for doneness. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs, the cake is ready. If there’s wet batter on the toothpick, give it a few more minutes in the oven and check again.
🍰 Want even more ways to perfect your coffee cake? Take a look at these 15 Tips You Need When Making Coffee Cake from Tasting Table!
How To Store Coffee Cake
One great thing about this coffee cake is that it stores really well! Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Be sure to let it thaw completely before serving.

Cinnamon Walnut Coffee Cake FAQ’s
To keep your coffee cake moist, make sure to measure the flour correctly (see expert tip above) and avoid overmixing or overbaking. Storing it in an airtight container also helps keep it fresh!
Yes, a 10-inch round pan works as a substitute for a 9x9 square pan, with a similar bake time. Keep in mind that the cake’s thickness and baking time may vary depending on the pan size, so check for doneness with a toothpick.
No, coffee cake and crumb cake are similar, but not the same. The main difference is that crumb cake has a much thicker crumb topping, while coffee cake may have a light streusel topping or none at all.
More Brunch Recipes
If you tried this Cinnamon Walnut Coffee Cake Recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Recipe

Cinnamon Walnut Coffee Cake With Streusel
June 14, 2022Ingredients
For The Batter
- ¾ cup butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ¾ cup milk room temperature
For The Filling
- 3 tablespoon butter softened
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup walnuts
For The Topping
- 4 tablespoon butter cold
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1½ cups walnuts
For The Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make The Batter
- Cream together softened butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and sour cream.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the batter and mix on low speed just until combined. Then, add the milk and mix until it is almost fully incorporated. Fold in the remainder of the flour mixture just until fully combined, and set it aside.
Make The Filling
- In a food processor, add all of the filling ingredients except for the walnuts. Blend until fully mixed with a sandy texture. Add walnuts and pulse until they are finely chopped. Set aside.
Make The Topping
- Add all of the topping ingredients to the food processor. Pulse until combined. Streusel should appear crumbly with some larger chunks. Set it aside.
Assemble & Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x9 pan. Pour half the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Add a generous amount of filling on top of the batter.
- Pour the rest of the batter on top of the filling and smooth the top. Sprinkle the streusel over the top of the cake batter.
- Place cake on middle rack in oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Remove from oven and let cool.
Glaze & Serve
- In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Once the cake is completely cooled, drizzle the glaze on top. Slice into squares, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure they mix together evenly. If you're short on time, check out how to soften butter quickly for baking.
- Measure the flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off with the back of a knife (or other straight edge).
- To avoid overmixing, stop as soon as the flour is combined and there are no dry spots in the batter.
- Toasting the walnuts is optional but adds better flavor and texture! Spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 325°F for 8-12 minutes until golden brown. Let cool before using.
- Check out our easy powdered sugar icing post for more detailed instructions, recipe variations, and more!
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Mallory says
This cinnamon walnut coffee cake is one of my favorites! It’s super soft and fluffy and the cinnamon-walnut streusel on top adds a nice crunch. So good for breakfast, brunch, or honestly, anytime!
Amy says
Can i use pecans instead of walnuts
thecurlyspoon says
Yes! Pecans will work great too!
Denise says
Delicious recipe. Cake was moist and the filling was superb. Thank you!!
Katie says
Love the cinnamon and walnut combo! This recipe is simply fantastic!
Andrea says
this coffee cake turned out so so good! perfect for breakfast and dessert!
nancy says
this old fashion cinnamon coffee cake earned a spot in my archive!! i'm making this again this weekend!
Crystal says
This is the best coffee cake! It's perfect in the afternoon with tea.
Katie says
Such a perfect coffee cake recipe! I am totally obsessed!
Matej @ CookWeWill.Com says
This coffee cake looks amazing, saving the recipe for laters 🙂
Shilpa says
Absolutely love this coffee cake. And the addition of sour cream was so good as it added that subtle tang and gave the perfect texture to the cake.
Leah says
Wow this sounds absolutely amazing. I love the addition of toasting the walnuts.
Jess says
Love a good coffee cake !
Jean says
I like how I can combine coffee and cinnamon and nutmeg in this cake, its easy to make and can be serve tea time or breakfast.
Gina Abernathy says
Such a great recipe for family or guests.
Sean says
I am obsessed with coffee cakes and this recipe was to die for! I am making for my next hosted brunch as well!
Lisa says
My hubby loves coffee cake...this is on the menu for Fathers Day!
Sue says
My mom always made coffee cake with fruit, but this cinnamon and walnut version is calling my name! YUM!
Natalie says
This dessert is a classic, but I haven't made it in ages. Thank you for this beautiful coffee cake recipe!
Bianca says
This coffee cake was so easy to prepare and turned out super moist and delicious! Can not wait to make this again!