Easy Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

You know those mornings when you want something special for breakfast but don't have time for complicated recipes? That's exactly how I felt last Sunday when John mentioned he was hoping for something sweet with his coffee. I wanted to make a Cinnamon Roll Breakfast treat without all the work of traditional cinnamon rolls.

That's when I remembered this Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake recipe I learned during my cooking school days. It has all the wonderful cinnamon sugar swirls and sweet glaze of traditional cinnamon rolls, but it comes together in about 50 minutes from start to finish. No yeast, no rising time, and definitely no rolling required.

Bradley actually wandered into the kitchen (away from his phone!) when he smelled it baking last week. Amy loves helping me swirl the cinnamon mixture through the batter because it makes pretty patterns. This easy cinnamon roll coffee cake uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. If you're looking for another quick breakfast option, try my Perfect Homemade Pancake Recipe too.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
• Ingredients For Easy Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
• How To Make Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake From Scratch
• Storage And Reheating Tips
• Tips And Variations For Your Coffee Cake
• Frequently Asked Questions About Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
• Recipes You May Like
• Final Thoughts On This Coffee Cake Recipe
• Easy Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

Why You'll Love This Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

• Quick and simple - comes together in just 20 minutes of prep time with no waiting for dough to rise
• Minimal ingredients - uses basic pantry staples like butter, flour, sugar, and cinnamon that you likely already have
• Perfect texture - soft and tender cake with a buttery cinnamon swirl that stays moist for days
• That signature glaze - sweet vanilla glaze that sets into a slightly crispy top layer while staying soft underneath
• Impressive results - looks like you spent hours making it, but it's actually one of the easiest coffee cakes you'll ever make
• Family-friendly - not too sweet for adults but sweet enough that kids love it (Bradley's had three slices already this week)

Ingredients For Easy Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

For The Cake:

• ½ cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups milk

For The Cinnamon Topping:

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

For The Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 5 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How To Make Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake From Scratch

Preparing The Cake Batter

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, and sugar. Mix until well blended and smooth.
3. Add the flour, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredients. Stir gently until combined.
4. Pour in the milk gradually while stirring to create a smooth, pourable batter. The consistency should be similar to thick pancake batter.
5. Pour the batter into your prepared 9x13 pan and spread it evenly across the bottom.

Creating The Cinnamon Swirl

6. In a separate small bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon until you have a thick, spreadable mixture.
7. Drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon mixture evenly across the top of your cake batter.
8. Take a butter knife and gently swirl the cinnamon mixture through the batter. I like to make figure-eight patterns and zigzags across the pan. This is Amy's favorite part!

Baking The Coffee Cake

9. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes while you make the glaze.

Making The Glaze

11. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. The consistency should be similar to pancake syrup.
12. While the cake is still slightly warm, drizzle the glaze over the top. The glaze will set as it cools.
13. Serve warm or at room temperature. Both ways are delicious!

Storage And Reheating Tips

Store leftover cinnamon roll coffee cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. The cake stays incredibly moist thanks to all the butter in the recipe.

To reheat individual slices, pop them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. Bradley likes his cold straight from the fridge, but John and I prefer ours warmed up with coffee.

For longer storage, wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature.

Tips And Variations For Your Coffee Cake

Room temperature ingredients work better. If your eggs and milk are cold from the fridge, they can cause the melted butter to solidify in little clumps. Let them sit out for about 30 minutes before baking.

Don't skip the swirling step. Swirling the cinnamon mixture through the batter gives you those beautiful ribbons of cinnamon throughout the cake. Without it, you'll just have a cinnamon layer on top.

Want a thicker glaze? Use less milk, starting with 3 tablespoons and adding more until you reach your desired consistency.

Try adding nuts. Chopped pecans or walnuts mixed into the cinnamon topping add a wonderful crunch. I usually add about ½ cup when making this for John.

Make it extra special with cream cheese. Add 4 ounces of softened cream cheese to the batter for an extra rich, tangy flavor. Just beat it in with the butter, eggs, and sugar in step 2.

Double the cinnamon swirl if you really love cinnamon. The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon, but I've made it with 2 tablespoons when Amy requested "extra cinnamon" and it was fantastic.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

Recipes You May Like

• Perfect Homemade Pancake Recipe - Another one of our favorite weekend breakfast recipes that's simple and always turns out fluffy and delicious
• Carrot Cake Muffins - If you love this coffee cake, you'll love these moist muffins that are perfect for breakfast or snacking throughout the day
• Milk Bread Nutella Donuts - These soft, pillowy donuts are another special breakfast treat that my family requests regularly

Final Thoughts On This Coffee Cake Recipe

This easy cinnamon roll coffee cake has become one of my most-made recipes. It's the perfect balance of simple and special - easy enough for a regular Sunday morning, but special enough to feel like a treat.

The best part is watching my family's faces when they take that first bite and get the warm cinnamon swirl combined with the sweet glaze. John always says it's better than any bakery coffee cake he's ever had.

Give this recipe a try this weekend and let me know how it turns out! Save it on Pinterest so you can find it again later.

Happy baking!

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