Brown Butter Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

An easy, rich, and delicious cinnamon pecan coffee cake topped with brown butter pecan streusel. The perfect accompaniment to a warm cup of coffee!

This has to be the easiest coffee cake recipe out there.

Cinnamon pecan coffee cake is topped with jumbo-lump brown butter pecan streusel and a delicious and easy coffee cake on the bottom. But it’s also a sophisticated coffee cake, you know? The brown butter gives it the most irresistible toffee scent. Combine that with pecans and warming spices, and it just knocks it out of the park. Your whole house will smell warm and cozy, and it doesn’t hurt that there’s a warm coffee cake to enjoy afterward! And if that wasn’t enough, I went ahead and poured on a glaze to make it that much more irresistible.

It’s the coffee cake that works all year round, but it’s extra special in the fall. Next time I think I’ll swap the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice when I make another batch of this brown butter coffee cake.

Ingredients for brown butter cinnamon pecan coffee cake

• Butter: Butter is used in both the streusel topping and the coffee cake. We’ll brown a stick in a light colored sauce pan first, before adding it to the other streusel ingredients. The other stick of butter is softened and beaten with the sugar to make the coffee cake portion of this recipe.
• Pecans: You’ll want to chop up whole pecans or purchase bits and pieces. They give the streusel topping the best nutty flavor!
• Flour: Unbleached all purpose flour is what I use when making my coffee cake.
• Sugars: We’ll use both brown sugar and regular sugar for this recipe. The brown sugar works well with the brown butter in enhancing the toffee-like flavor.
• Spices: I’m using ground cinnamon and nutmeg for this recipe. Feel free to swap for pumpkin spice if you’re looking to add more fall flavors.
• Leavening agents: Both baking powder and baking soda are used in this recipe. The leavening agents will react with the milk and yogurt to create carbon dioxide which will help the coffee cake rise.
• Vanilla: I’m generous when it comes to vanilla! The flavor works beautifully with cinnamon, nutmeg, and the brown butter!
• Eggs: are used to add flavor, texture, and stability to the coffee cake. Remember, a coffee cake is a bit more dense than a traditional cake that you would frost. 
• Dairy: We’ll use both plain yogurt and milk for this recipe. They give this cake a delicious texture. It’s sturdy but tender at the same time, just like the way a good coffee cake should be.

How to make cinnamon pecan coffee cake

1. All good things start with brown butter. Add the stick of butter to a light-colored sauce pan and melt the butter and then allow it to brown. Swirl the pan or stir often to make sure the butter doesn’t burn. Pour this into a glass measuring cup and allow it to cool to room temperature before making the streusel topping.
2. When in doubt, add cinnamon pecan streusel topping. Combine the pecans, flour, both the brown sugar and granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Using a fork, whisk these ingredients together. Then, slowly pour in the brown butter as you comb the mixture with the fork to create small crumbs. Pop the streusel in the fridge so that it firms up a bit while you’re preparing the coffee cake batter.
3. Batter and bake. I like to spray a 9-inch springform pan and then use a sheet of parchment paper between the base and the rim to make for easy removable and clean up. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a regular bowl using a hand mixer, whip the butter until pale. Then add the sugar and vanilla and allow them to whip with the butter until smooth. Add the eggs one and a time waiting until each is mixed in before adding the next. Then, we’re going to add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the yogurt first, and then the milk. So it’s ⅓ flour, all the yogurt, ⅓ flour, all the milk, and finally, the remaining ⅓ of the flour. Spread the coffee cake mixture in the prepared pan, sprinkle with the struesel, and bake in the oven until the cake is *just* done. You can check this by inserting a skewer or toothpick in the center of the cake just to make sure you aren’t left with wet batter. Allow the cake to cool in the cake pan for several minutes before removing. If you plan on adding icing, let it cool completely first. Then drizzle with icing to your heart’s content!

FAQs about cinnamon pecan coffee cake

Do you have other flavor suggestions?

I’ve made a walnut and apple version of this cake in the past that was wildly delicious! And you can evenly swap the pecans for walnuts or swirl in some pumpkin butter or apple butter into the coffee cake before baking. 

What does the crumb topping taste like?

The crumb topping has the most amazing toffee-like nutty flavor from the browned butter and the nuts.

How do you make icing for coffee cake?

It’s just ½ cup powdered sugar mixed with a bit of milk to make a thick glaze. 

If you like this coffee cake recipe, you might also like:

• Sour Cream Coffee Cake
• Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel
• Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• The Best Pumpkin Bread
• Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread