Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
If you love the combination of buttery cake, sweet chocolate chips, and a crunchy cinnamon crumb topping, this chocolate chip coffee cake is about to become your new favorite bake. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, this recipe delivers everything you want in a cozy, bakery-style treat.
Whether you call it chocolate chip crumb cake or a classic chocolate chip cake with streusel, this moist and tender cake is packed with flavor and texture in every bite.
Want more coffee cakes? Try my classic cinnamon coffee cake. Love a fruity twist? Try this lemon coffee cake, blueberry crumb cake, or Irish apple cake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, fluffy cake with rich chocolate chips
- Buttery cinnamon crumb topping
- Easy to make with pantry staples
- Perfect for brunch, holidays, or snacking
- Freezer-friendly and great for meal prep
If a chocolate chip cookie and coffee cake had a baby, it would be this cake! The flavor is so irresistible and it couldn’t be easier to make!
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What Is Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake?
Unlike traditional cakes, chocolate chip coffee cake is usually served without frosting. Instead, it features a sweet crumb (streusel) topping made from butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and a hint of salt. The chocolate chips baked into the batter add richness, turning it into a hybrid between a classic chocolate chip crumb cake and a dessert-style chocolate chip cake.
PRO TIP: Use miniature chocolate chips to ensure chocolate in every bite!
Ingredients You’ll Need
NOTE: Full ingredient amounts and instructions are in the printable recipe card at the end of the post.
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Here’s what makes this cake so irresistible:
- All-Purpose Flour + Baking Powder + Salt – For a soft, tender crumb
- Butter – Creates richness in both the cake and crumb topping
- Granulated Sugar + Vanilla – For sweetness and flavor
- Eggs – For structure
- Sour Cream (or plain Greek yogurt) + Milk – Keeps the cake moist
- Chocolate Chips – The star of this chocolate chip cake
- Brown Sugar + Cinnamon – Adds warmth to the crumb topping
How to Make Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake
STEP 1: MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING
- In small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter. Stir with a fork or rub together with your fingers. Refrigerate until ready to use.
STEP 2: PREPARE THE CAKE BATTER
- Sift or whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, with an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Add the sour cream and milk and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low until almost combined.
- Then fold in the mini chocolate chips.
STEP 3: ASSEMBLE
- Spread cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the prepared crumb topping, followed by 3 Tablespoons of extra mini chocolate chips.
STEP 4: BAKE
- Bake at 350˚F for 40-45 minutes or until the cake springs back (doesn’t sink or jiggle) when touched in the center. You can try testing doneness with a toothpick inserted into the middle, but the crumb topping may scrape off any wet batter. (Be careful not to touch a chocolate chip, they’re hot!)
The result? A moist chocolate chip coffee cake with a crunchy, buttery topping that tastes just like a bakery-style chocolate chip crumb cake.
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Serving and Storing
- TO SERVE: Cool completely and dust in powdered sugar before cutting and serving.
- TO STORE: Store cake covered tightly in the pan with foil or plastic wrap. Alternately transfer cake to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Optional: Nuke leftover slices of cake in microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften.
- TO FREEZE: Wrap individual slices of cake tightly in plastic wrap and place inside a freezer-safe bag; freeze for up to 3 months. Let cake thaw at room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Recipe Notes
Tips for the Best Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
- Use mini chocolate chips for better distribution
- Don’t overmix the batter
- Let the cake cool before slicing
- Sprinkle powdered sugar for a bakery look
- No sour cream? Swap the sour cream and milk for 1 cup of buttermilk instead.
Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon & level)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, (1 stick) room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (180 g) sour cream, room temperature
- ¼ cup (59 ml) milk, room temperature
- 1 cup (170 g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the Crumb Topping
- ¾ cup (94 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon & level)
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, gently packed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Extra Toppings
- 3 Tbsp mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan. (I like to use Baker's Joy.) Set aside.
- For the Crumb Topping: In small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter. Stir with a fork or rub together with your fingers. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- For the Cake: Sift or whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, with an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the sour cream and milk and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low until almost combined. Then fold in the mini chocolate chips.
- Assemble: Spread cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the prepared crumb topping, followed by 3 Tablespoons of extra mini chocolate chips.
- Bake at 350˚F for 40-45 minutes or until the cake springs back (doesn't sink or jiggle) when touched in the center. You can try testing doneness with a toothpick inserted into the middle, but the crumb topping may scrape off any wet batter. (Be careful not to touch a chocolate chip, they're hot!)
- Cool completely and dust in powdered sugar before cutting and serving.
Notes
- TO STORE: Store cake covered tightly in the pan with foil or plastic wrap. Alternately transfer cake to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Optional: Nuke leftover slices of cake in microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften.
- TO FREEZE: Wrap individual slices of cake tightly in plastic wrap and place inside a freezer-safe bag; freeze for up to 3 months. Let cake thaw at room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
- SUBSTITUTIONS: No sour cream? You can use plain Greek yogurt instead. Or swap the sour cream and milk for 1 cup of buttermilk.
Nutrition
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