These vegan coffee cake cookies blend the classic comfort of coffee cake into soft, vegan cookies sprinkled with cinnamon streusel and finished with an optional vanilla icing drizzle. This delightful twist on a Gilmore-Girl-inspired favorite is perfect for a cozy, vegan treat.
Inspired by the Gilmore Girls, these vegan coffee cake cookies are a hit whether you're a fan of the show or just a cookie enthusiast! Either way, you're bound to fall for them.
Even though I'm not a huge coffee fan, these treats have a subtle kick of energizing coffee flavor that I love. Paired with their sweetness and texture, they make for an amazing cookie experience. It's basically a delicious coffee cake in cookie form.
Best part? You can enjoy freshly baked homemade cookies in under an hour!
If you want other delicious cookie recipes, try DoubleTree Hilton Chocolate Chip Cookie, Vegan Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, and Vegan Linzer Cookies.
If you're in the mood for a tasty vegan and gluten-free treat, dive into these delightful gluten-free oatmeal cookies!
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Ingredients
There are three simple ingredient groups - the cookie, the streusel, and the optional icing. For quantities, see the post.
Ingredients for the cookie.
Ingredients for the streusel.
Ingredients for the optional icing.
- The cookie is sweet, so add the optional icing if you're looking for really sweet cookies.
- Substitute with gluten-free flour if necessary.
- Use granulated sugar and substitute with coconut sugar.
- Egg replacer: Use a store-bought egg replacer like Bob's Red Mill or substitute it with a flax egg by combining one tablespoon of flax meal with 1 ½ tablespoons of water.
How to Make Vegan Coffee Cake Cookies
Here is a visual storyline for those who like to see what they'll be doing. For the full recipe, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Make The Dough
Step 1: With a hand mixer or stand mixer with a flat beater/paddle attachment, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Step 2: Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients and mix until the mixture becomes crumbly.
Step 3: This is how the mixture should look when you're done mixing.
Step 4: In a separate small bowl, combine egg replacer, strong brewed coffee, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Note: Add the egg replacer in powder form, no need to mix it with water. It will dissolve into the coffee and extract.
Step 5: Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until a dough forms.
Step 6: Fold in the chopped pecans, then place the dough in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to one hour for some chill time.
Make The Streusel
Step 7: While the dough is chilling, make the streusel. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted vegan butter.
Step 8: The mixture should be crumbly as pictured.
Set aside.
Make The Vanilla Icing (Optional)
Optional Step 9: Whisk together the powdered sugar, plant-based milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Optional Step 10: Add more or less milk depending on the desired consistency of the icing. Set aside.
Prepare and bake the coffee cake cookie
Step 11: Remove the dough from the fridge. Make cookie dough balls and make an indent on the top of the dough with your finger.
Step 12: Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of the streusel on the top of the cookie into the indent. Place them onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each cookie.
Step 13: Place the cookies in a preheated oven and bake for 15- 18 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. The cookies will be soft when they come out.
Step 14: Allow the cookies to cool, and then drizzle the optionalicing over the top of each using a spoon or a dispenser like the one in the picture.
Top Tips
- By allowing the dough to chill, the egg substitute and sugar can absorb some of the extra moisture, preventing the excessive spreading of the cookies while baking. The result is a well-formed, delicious, chewy cookie with a desirable texture.
- Don't over-mix the dough, as it can make the cookies tough.
- Use a cookie scoop to ensure evenly sized cookies, or weigh them on a scale. I do ~50 grams per cookie.
- You can use any non-dairy milk of your choice, such as almond, soy, or oat milk.
- Use room-temperature vegan butter to make sure it mixes well. It should be soft but not melted.
- You can make powdered sugar from regular granulated sugar at home by processing it in a blender or food processor until it becomes fine and powdery.
- Add the vegan egg replacer powder right into the coffee mixture. I think the cookies come out better by just adding the powder to the coffee and vanilla ingredients.
Coffee Cake Cookies FAQS
Yes, you can use gluten-free flour. My favorite gluten-free flour is Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour.
You can refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours before baking. Let the dough come to room temperature before scooping and baking.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
You can freeze the baked coffee cake cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
More Vegan Cookies You'll Enjoy
Have a minute? I'd love for you to dive into the comments and rate these Vegan Coffee Cake Cookies. Your feedback is invaluable—did you love it? Did you make any fun twists? Let me know how my directions worked for you so I can keep improving my recipes. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.
Vegan Coffee Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegan unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon egg replacer
- ¼ cup coffee strong brewed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup pecans chopped
Streusel
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Vanilla Icing (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons plant-based milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add Butter: Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients and mix until the mixture becomes crumbly. The best mixer attachment to use is the flat beater.
- Prepare the Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, add the egg replacer powder, strong brewed coffee, and vanilla extract. Mix until well incorporated.
- Combine: Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a dough forms. Fold in the chopped pecans until well blended into the dough.
- Chill: Place the dough in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes to one hour.
- Make the Streusel: While the dough chills, make the streusel in a small bowl by mixing together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted vegan butter for the topping. Set aside.
- Optional Icing: Whisk together the powdered sugar, almond milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add more or less almond milk depending on the desired consistency of the icing. Set aside.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Shape the Dough: Remove the dough from the fridge. Roll the dough into small balls about 50 grams (a little bigger than a ping pong ball) and make an indent on the top of the dough with your finger. (Alternatively, use an ice cream scooper for even-sized cookies)
- Add the Streusel: Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of the streusel on the top of the cookie into the indent. Place them onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each cookie.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- Cool the Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Drizzle the Optional Icing: Once the cookies have cooled completely, drizzle the icing over the top of each cookie using a spoon or dispenser like the one pictured in the post. Allow the icing to set for a few minutes before serving the cookies.
Anonymous says
Great for dessert!
Regi Pearce says
Definitely! Cookies are a classic choice for dessert. I'm glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for trying them out.
Rob P says
Don't walk - RUN to make these cookies!!!!
Regi Pearce says
Haha, love the urgency! I'm so glad you think the vegan coffee cake cookies are a must-try. Thanks for the high praise and for spreading the word!