Tessa's Recipe Rundown
TASTE: Like a chocolate chip cookie and a coffee cake had a baby!
TEXTURE: The coffee cake is super soft and moist, while the streusel topping has the perfect crisp. The chocolate chips throughout are gooey when served warm, adding a super subtle crunch when served at room temperature.
EASE: Super simple – you don’t even need a mixer.
PROS: Delicious as a breakfast treat, dinner dessert, or snack anytime.
CONS: None.
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? I have already made this several times! It’s a new favorite.
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Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake is the ultimate treat for chocolate chip cookie lovers who want an excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast.
I have several scrumptious coffee cake recipes – from my classic Brown Butter Coffee Cake to the autumnal heaven that is my Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake, and my go-to Thanksgiving breakfast, Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake.
But for this recipe, I wanted to channel something specific.
You know that first bite of a chocolate chip cookie? Sweet, rich brown sugar butterscotch flavors, combined with gooey chocolate chips? That’s exactly what I wanted to incorporate into this coffee cake.
I think I totally nailed it.
You’ll adore the incredible, mouthwatering aroma as this coffee cake bakes. It fills your whole house with the most wonderful, comforting scent.
I love the gooey chocolate chips when this coffee cake is served warm, but the full flavors come out once it has fully cooled. I actually enjoy it most the next day, once the butterscotch flavors fully emerge.
This Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake makes for the perfect breakfast, brunch, dessert, or little treat any time of day!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
How to Make MOIST Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
- Measure the flour correctly: I like to use a digital kitchen scale for perfect accuracy and easy cleanup. If you don’t have one, use the spoon-and-level method to avoid accidentally adding too much flour, as this will create a dry coffee cake.
- Sour cream: Sour cream in coffee cake creates the most beautiful, moist texture, as well as adding a lovely flavor. You can also use plain full-fat yogurt if you don’t have sour cream. Either way, make sure it’s room temperature.
- Oil vs. Butter: I opted for oil instead of butter in this recipe because oil remains liquid at room temperature, which helps create a moist, tender crumb that stays moist for days. Learn more about Butter vs. Oil in Baking here.
- Don’t reduce the sugar: Sugar does SO much more than simply sweeten this coffee cake. Less sugar will create a dry texture. Learn more about sugar’s role in baking here.
- Oven temperature: Did you know that most home ovens are lying about the temperature they’re really at? I highly recommend using an oven thermometer to verify your oven isn’t too hot or too cool. At minimum, give your oven an extra ten minutes after it says it’s preheated. Learn more about ovens here.
What Pan Should I Bake This Coffee Cake in?
Be sure to use a light-colored 8 by 8-inch metal baking pan like this one. Dark-colored pans will brown the edges and make them dry.
I don’t recommend using glass or ceramic pans, but if that’s all you have, lower the temperature by 25°F. You’ll likely need to increase the baking time too. Check out my Glass vs. Metal Baking Pans article for more information.
Avoid any pans that are especially shallow. If you use a pan shorter than the recommended 2.25-inch high metal pan, reduce the amount of batter so it doesn’t exceed three-quarters of the height of the pan.
The Coffee in Coffee Cake
This Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake contains a little espresso powder for a hint of coffee flavor, which pairs beautifully with the chocolate chips. Generally, coffee cake is meant to be served with coffee, so it doesn’t always contain coffee as an ingredient. Feel free to eliminate the espresso powder if preferred.
The Nuts & Chocolate Chips
- I love using finely chopped pecans in the streusel for a hint of nuttiness and depth of flavor. Finely chopped walnuts are also delicious here.
- There is no need to toast the nuts, but if preferred, feel free to lightly toast them before cooling then chopping.
- Don’t like nuts? Feel free to skip them or use additional chocolate chips instead.
- I like to use semisweet chocolate chips but feel free to use any type of chocolate chip you prefer.
Can I Double This Coffee Cake Recipe?
Yes! Simply double all ingredients and bake in a light-colored metal 9 by 13-inch baking pan, adding a few minutes to the baking time.
How to Store Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake?
Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake will keep fresh and moist for 3 days. The butterscotch flavor is even more prominent the next day! Cover well with plastic wrap or store inside an airtight container. Note that the streusel topping will soften the longer it sits.
Can You Freeze Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake?
Freeze the entire baked Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake in an airtight container, or slices well-wrapped in plastic wrap and placed inside an airtight container. Defrost at room temperature before serving. Note that freezing will soften the streusel topping.
Photos by Joanie Simon.
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Ingredients
For the streusel:
- 5 tablespoons (71 grams) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (64 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (54 grams) walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
- 1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
For the coffee cake:
- 2 cups (254 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional
- 8 ounces (227 grams) sour cream*, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup (146 grams) neutral oil, such as vegetable or avocado oil
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (128 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square metal pan with parchment paper or foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Make the streusel:
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, place the butter and microwave until melted. Allow to cool until just warm (about 80°F). Add in the sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon with a fork until thick. Mix in the nuts and chocolate chips. Mixture will be crumbly. Set aside.
Make the cake:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder (if using). In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the wet ingredients. Gently stir until a few streaks of flour remain. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spoon just less than half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel. Spread the remaining batter over the streusel. Sprinkle with the remaining streusel, gently pressing down into the batter.
- Bake about 48 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the center is cooked through or a digital thermometer inserted into the center reads about 190°F. Cool until just warm or at room temperature before slicing and serving.
- Store inside an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
This came out perfect. So delicious!
Excellent recipe!! I made this for my church family for class breakfast and it was a HUGE hit! The cake is very moist and really full. I doubled the recipe and it came out beautiful. I used coconut oil for my preferred oil, yogurt instead of sour cream, and coconut sugar in place of white sugar. The only thing I wish it had more of, was a coffee flavor. Next time I’m doubling the espresso to get a bit more of that. Also if I grind chocolate espresso beans, that would be a nice touch for the topping.
It tastes delicious 😋 But for some reason, the top layer of the batter isn’t baking. The edges are golden, but otherwise the top layer is “mousse “? I did have to use a glass pan as I don’t have a square metal pan. I didn’t see your note about glass pans until too late. I’ve put what I have left, back in the oven (people ate it this way😳). But I didn’t taste an edge and it was yummy!
Thanks so much for the kind words, we’re glad it still tasted delicious! 🙂 The issue you described is likely due to the glass pan, which heats more slowly and unevenly than metal. That can cause the edges to bake faster while the center (and top) stays underdone. I’m glad you spotted Tessa’s note about using a glass pan, even if it was a little too late this time. Hopefully it helps with your next batch—and we love that everyone still enjoyed it anyway!
This coffee cake was amazing!!! I doubled the recipe and baked it in a 9×13 pan and it worked perfectly. Everyone who tried it loved it. It stayed fresh tasting for several days. We will certainly be making this over and over again. I omitted the pecans because we do not care for nuts.
Another win from Handle the Heat!!!
The Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake from Handle the Heat makes a perfect pairing with Dunkin’s Cold Brew Coffee, creating a delightful balance of flavors. The rich, smooth cold brew complements the sweet, cinnamon-chocolate notes of the coffee cake, making it an ideal combination for a leisurely breakfast or afternoon snack. Dunkin’s Cold Brew Coffee, with its mellow, low-acid flavor, enhances the indulgence of the cake, making it a satisfying treat that brings out the best of both flavors.
Can I double this for a 9×13 Pan?
Yes! Simply double all ingredients and bake in a light-colored metal 9 by 13-inch baking pan, adding a few minutes to the baking time 🙂 Let us know what you think when you give it a try!
This recipe is absolutely perfect: delicious and very easy to make. Another winner from Handle The Heat. I ALWAYS get compliments on ALL the HTH recipes I makde, and this one didn’t fail. Some people got several slices. We ate it the next day and it was still moist. I can’t wait to make it and share it again 🙂
For those tracking calories, one 9th of the 8×8 pan is 751 calories.
Woohoo, so thrilled you loved this recipe, Alice! Thanks so much for the comment (and the kind words about HTH!). Happy baking 🙂
Can I double this recipe for a 9×13 pan?
Sure! We share instructions above the recipe here 🙂 Let us know what you think when you give this recipe a try!
Instantly wanted to try this when I saw it. Used light sour cream instead and normal brown sugar. Timing of 47-mins was on point. Good hot or in room temperature and have put lots to the freezer as it made a decent amount.
Your coffee cake looks delicious! Thanks for sharing your substitutions, so happy you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
This was so good. Definitely will be making this again.
You did it again Tessa 😍
Thanks
Why do my chocolate chips always sink to the bottom even after coating in flour
Try freezing them before adding to batter. It works for me, but I cannot guarantee that it will work for you also.
Thank you so much for your response will try it and see 🤞