Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

This chocolate chip coffee cake is the perfect excuse to have cake for breakfast! It has a tender, buttery crumb, a layer of cinnamon crumb inside and on top, and melty pockets of chocolate chips in every bite.

A close-up of a slice of crumb coffee cake with chocolate chips, drizzled with icing. It sits on a cooling rack with more slices visible in the blurred background. The cake has layers and a crumbly topping.

Why you’ll love this coffee cake

  • Perfectly soft and buttery – The tender crumb stays moist and flavorful thanks to the addition of sour cream, and a tablespoon of oil.
  • Chocolate in every bite – Melty chocolate chips take this classic coffee cake up a notch.
  • Double-layer streusel – A cinnamon-sugar swirl in the middle and a crisp topping on top.
  • No mixer required – Just a few bowls and a whisk for easy cleanup!

I use this same batter for my peach coffee cake too!

The best chocolate chips for coffee cake

For the best texture and melt factor, I love using semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, or chopped dark chocolate. They balance the sweetness of the cake well. If you want extra gooey chocolate, chopped chocolate works best for that. It melts into rich pockets in the the cake.

A fork cutting into a slice of coffee cake with crumb topping and visible icing drizzle, resting on a white plate. The cake has a light golden-brown color with a dark filling layer in the center.

Step-by-step photos

Begin with the crumb topping and then pop it in the fridge while you make the rest of the cake, so it can stay cold.

A hand holding crumbly, mixed dough over a metal mixing bowl, with a wooden-handled pastry blender visible in the background. The dough appears to be a combination of flour and small chunks of butter.

1. Make the crumb

In a bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.

2. Mix the wet ingredients

Cream together butter, sugar, oil, and vanilla with an electric mixer, then add the eggs one at a time, followed by the sour cream.

A silver mixing bowl filled with creamy batter is being mixed by an electric mixer. Two beaters are visible, blending the light, fluffy mixture, creating a smooth texture. The bowl rests on a white countertop.
Close-up of cookie dough with visible chocolate chips mixed throughout the creamy batter. The doughs texture is fluffy and slightly uneven, highlighting the blend of ingredients.

3. Add the dry ingredients

Fold through the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips.

A square baking pan lined with parchment paper filled with unbaked chocolate chip batter, ready for baking. The creamy, thick batter has visible chocolate chips throughout, resting on a marble countertop.

4. Add to cake pan

Spread half the batter into the bottom of a parchment paper-lined cake pan. I use an 8×8 inch square pan.

5. Add half the crumb and remaining batter

Add on half the crumb topping, then carefully spread on the remaining batter. It can stick a bit and pull up the crumb so it helps to dollop it all over the surface first and then spread it out.

Batter is being spread over a crumbly base with a spatula in a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
A square baking pan lined with parchment paper, filled with crumbly dough topped with scattered chocolate chips, on a marble countertop.

6. Finish with the remaining crumb.

Finish with the last layer of cake crumb, and extra chocolate chips if you like.

7. Bake

Bake the cake, then finish it off with a vanilla glaze.

A hand drizzles white icing over a freshly baked cake with chocolate chunks, set on a cooling rack. The cake has a crumbly top, and the background features white tile.

Tips

  • Don’t overmix the batter – Once you’ve mixed the wet ingredients, switch to gently folding in the dry ingredients, until just combined. This ensures you don’t activate the gluten in the flour and keeps a more tender cake.
  • Use room temperature ingredients – This helps everything mix evenly for a smooth batter.
  • For extra crunch – Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the streusel.
  • Let it cool before slicing – It helps the cake set and makes for cleaner slices.
A close-up of a slice of crumb cake on a white plate. The cake has a light, crumbly texture with a layered cinnamon-sugar filling and a crumb topping. A fork rests beside the cake. The background is blurry.

How to store

  • Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Refrigerate: If you want it to last longer, store it in the fridge for up to a week.
  • Freeze: Wrap slices individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

More chocolate chip recipes

A close-up of a square piece of chocolate chip coffee cake with a crumbly topping and chocolate chips, resting on a cooling rack. The cake appears moist with layered textures and a light glaze drizzle on top. Other pieces are blurred in the background.

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Elien Lewis
This chocolate chip coffee cake is the perfect excuse to have cake for breakfast! It has a tender, buttery crumb, a layer of cinnamon crumb inside and on top, and melty pockets of chocolate chips in every bite.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Cakes, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 335 kcal

Equipment

  • 8×8 inch square baking pan

Ingredients
 
 

Crumb

  • 130 g soft brown sugar
  • 125 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch salt
  • 100 g unsalted butter cold and cubed

Cake

  • 190 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 113 g unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tbsp oil neutral
  • 150 g granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
  • 120 g sour cream room temperature, or Greek yogurt
  • 60 g milk room temperature
  • 160 g chocolate chips

Glaze

  • 60 g powdered sugar
  • 1/2-1 Tbsp milk
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla paste or extract

Instructions
 

  • Line an 8×8 square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to easily remove the cake once baked. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • Combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Chill the streusel while you prepare the batter.
  • Cream together butter, sugar, oil, and vanilla until light and fluffy, around 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, followed by the sour cream.
  • Gradually mix in the dry ingredients along with the milk until just combined, and fold in the chocolate chips
  • Spread half the batter into a prepared pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle half the chilled streusel evenly over the batter.
  • Dollop the remaining batter on top and gently spread it to cover the streusel layer. This step can be a little tricky as the batter sticks to the streusel.
  • Sprinkle the remaining streusel evenly over the top of the batter and add on a few extra chocolate chips if you like. Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, around 50-60 minutes depending on your oven.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing and letting it cool completely on a wire rack
  • While the cake cools, make the vanilla glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and enough milk to achieve a pourable consistency.
  • Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the vanilla glaze over the top.

Notes

How to Store

  • Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Refrigerate: If you want it to last longer, store it in the fridge for up to a week.
  • Freeze: Wrap slices individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 3gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 127mgPotassium: 89mgFiber: 1gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 421IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 1mg
Keyword chocolate chip, Coffee cake, Streusel
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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