Coffee Cake Cookies

I’m trying to get back into the swing of things, but it’s been so busy at work and of course everything else is busy too. It is nice to be baking, as it does bring some normality. Fall is my favorite season and so many of the flavors of fall are my favorites. I pinned this recipe a while ago but knew it would be perfect for fall. It’s October, and the leaves are changing, so it is time!

I was interested in turning the flavors of a coffee cake into a cookie. I only have experience with one other cookie that you roll in streusel; they are great, but they are super messy to make. I was hopeful that these would be less messy, and they are to a degree. My dough was fairly wet, so I didn’t need to use whipped egg white to adhere the streusel to the cookies, but there are many factors that could change the nature of your dough. Using the egg whites would add another element of messy, but what can you do?

This recipe makes about three dozen cookies that are a good size. The original recipe said that you’d make 18 cookies, so they must have been very large! This recipe makes way too much streusel, which is my experience when you cover cookies with streusel. It’s best to have too much, then you don’t have to worry about running out. I wish I would have made the icing thicker, but it still worked. These cookies smell so much like snickerdoodles, which are my favorite. These do taste a lot like coffee cake, with that wonderful, sweet streusel!

Coffee Cake Cookies
2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg + 1 yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla

4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Egg whites, whipped (if needed)

1 cup powdered sugar
About 2 tablespoons milk

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside. Melt the butter in the microwave, in 30 second increments. Transfer the melted butter to a large mixer bowl. Add the sugar, brown sugar, egg and egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir on medium until smooth. With the mixer running low, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until the dough comes together.     

Make the streusel: melt the butter and then transfer to a medium bowl. Add the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix the ingredients until the streusel comes together into irregular clumps.

Scoop the dough into balls, each about 1-1/2 tablespoons. If the dough is dry, dip the dough into whipped egg whites and then coat the balls with streusel. Place on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time. The cookies will be set and beginning to crack when they are baked. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Once the cookies are cool, make the icing: in a small bowl whisk the powdered sugar and milk together to form a smooth icing. Add additional powdered sugar or milk if required. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Recipe from The kitchn