This Cinnamon Walnut Sour Cream Coffee Cake is not only incredibly easy to make, it’s absolutely delicious! A tender crumb cake with layers of cinnamon sugar streusel and a walnut brown sugar filling… you won’t be able to stop after just one piece.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This sour cream coffee cake is the recipe my family asks for every single Christmas morning — and once you make it, you’ll understand why. Three distinct layers, one 9×9 pan, and it comes out perfect every time: a thick cinnamon streusel on top, a hidden walnut brown sugar filling in the middle, and the most impossibly tender, buttery crumb underneath it all.

I’ve been making this sour cream coffee cake recipe since 2020 and it has never once let me down. The secret is the sour cream — it keeps the crumb so moist and soft that it almost melts in your mouth, even on day two. Full-fat Greek yogurt works as a 1:1 swap if that’s what you’ve got on hand.

What I love most about this recipe: you can prep the streusel and walnut filling the night before, and the whole thing bakes while you’re opening presents. No standing over a stove, no multiple pans, no stress. Just pull it out of the oven, dust with icing sugar, and watch everyone’s eyes go wide.

If you love a good cozy baking recipe, also check out my Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal and Gluten Free Bread Pudding — both are just as crowd-pleasing and low-effort.

Why You’ll Love This Sour Cream Coffee Cake

The streusel is thick and crunchy — not a sprinkle, a full layer. Cold butter rubbed into brown sugar and cinnamon until it looks like wet sand, then baked into golden caramelized clusters. It’s the best part.
The walnut brown sugar filling is the surprise layer. You don’t see it from the outside, but every slice reveals this gorgeous ribbon of cinnamon-walnut goodness running through the middle.
Sour cream = the most tender crumb. It adds moisture without making the cake dense or heavy. Genuinely one of the best baking tricks out there.
It’s a make-ahead dream. Bake it the night before, store at room temp, and warm it slightly before serving. Christmas morning sorted.
Easy enough for a casual weekend, impressive enough for guests. That’s the sweet spot.

Ingredients You’ll Need

(Exact measurements are in the recipe card below.)

For the cinnamon streusel topping:

Cold butter — cold is key here, not softened
All-purpose flour
Packed brown sugar
Ground cinnamon

Walnut brown sugar filling:

Chopped walnuts
Brown sugar
White sugar
Ground cinnamon

For the cake:

Room temperature butter
White sugar
Eggs — room temperature
Vanilla extract
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Sea salt
Low-fat sour cream — or full-fat Greek yogurt as a swap
Powdered/icing sugar — for dusting on top

How to Make Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Step 1: make the streusel

Using a pastry cutter or fork, combine the cold butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Work it until it looks like wet sand with lots of chunky bits — don’t try to smooth it out, those chunks are what bake into the crunchy clusters you want. Pop it in the fridge to chill while you prep everything else.

Step 2: make the walnut filling

Combine the chopped walnuts, brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir together and set aside. This is your middle layer.

Step 3: make the cake batter

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, add half the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Mix in the sour cream. Add the remaining flour and fold with a spatula until completely combined.

Pro tip: the batter is thick and sticky. Add it to the pan in small spoonfuls, then spread with a rubber spatula. If it’s sticking to the spatula, give it a quick spritz of cooking spray — game changer.

Step 4: layer and bake

Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
Sprinkle ALL of the walnut brown sugar filling evenly over the batter layer.
Add about one-third of the streusel on top of the walnut filling.
Spoon the remaining batter over top and spread carefully (the filling will try to mix in a bit — that’s okay).
Scatter the remaining two-thirds of the streusel generously over the top.
Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve straight from the pan, or carefully transfer to a serving plate streusel-side up.

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4.34 from 12 votes

Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe

This Cinnamon Walnut Sour Cream Coffee Cake is not only incredibly easy to make, it’s absolutely delicious! A tender crumb cake with cinnamon streusel topping and a walnut brown sugar filling! You wont be able to stop after just one piece.

Prep Time20

Cook Time55

Total Time1 15

Course: Cake & Pie

Cuisine: American

Servings: squares

Calories: 388kcal

Author: Bailey Campbell

Ingredients

5 tbsp butter cold
¾ cups white flour
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
¼ cup walnuts chopped
1 ½ tbsp brown sugar
1 ½ tbsp white sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups white flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup low fat sour cream

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×9 inch cake pan with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
For the streusel – using a pastry cutter or fork, combine the cold butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. You should end up with a bowl of what looks like wet sand, with lots of big chunks. Don't try to smooth it out. Put in fridge to chill.
For the walnut sugar filling – combine the walnuts, brown sugar, white sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
For the cake – In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar fitted with the paddle attachment for 2 to 3 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, add half the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Then add in the sour cream. Finish by adding the remaining flour mixture and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a spatula or knife. Sprinkle all the walnut sugar filling over the batter, and approximately 1/3 of the streusel topping. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Sprinkle with icing sugar and devour!

Nutrition

The nutrition information provided is calculated based on industry-standard software and should be used as a general guide only. The information may vary depending on ingredient substitutions, cooking techniques, and individual serving sizes. It is the responsibility of the reader to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of the nutritional information provided. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized medical or nutritional advice.

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How to Store Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This cake is honestly best the day it’s made — the streusel stays crunchiest straight from the oven. That said, leftovers keep beautifully:

Counter: wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap for up to 2 days.
Fridge: store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temp before serving, or microwave a slice for 20-25 seconds.
Freezer: wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Note that the streusel softens after freezing — still delicious, just less crunchy.

Make-ahead tip: bake the night before, cool completely, cover with foil, and leave on the counter. Warm the whole pan in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes before serving. Christmas morning sorted.

Delicious Variations to Try

Blueberry sour cream coffee cake: fold 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter before layering. The berries burst as it bakes and create little pockets of jammy goodness throughout.
Cranberry coffee cake: swap the blueberries for fresh cranberries and add a teaspoon of orange zest to the batter. Perfect for Thanksgiving or the holidays.
Chocolate chip sour cream coffee cake: add ½ cup of mini chocolate chips to the walnut filling layer. This might honestly be my favourite variation — the chocolate melts into the streusel and it’s ridiculous.
Gluten-free version: use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup rather than scooping — this keeps the texture light and prevents the cake from drying out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does sour cream do in coffee cake?

Sour cream is the secret to a genuinely moist, tender crumb. The fat content keeps the cake from drying out, and the slight acidity reacts with the baking powder to give you a lighter, fluffier texture. It also adds a very subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the streusel beautifully. Full-fat Greek yogurt works as a 1:1 swap with basically identical results.

Can I make this coffee cake the night before?

Yes, and honestly it’s the move for Christmas morning. Bake it the night before, let it cool completely, then cover with foil and leave it on the counter overnight. In the morning, pop the whole pan (still covered) into a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes to warm through. The streusel softens slightly but it’s still completely delicious.

Can I freeze sour cream coffee cake?

Yes! Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature, or microwave a slice for 30-40 seconds. Fair warning: the streusel loses some of its crunch after freezing, but the flavour is still great.

Why did my coffee cake come out dry?

A few possible culprits: overbaking (check at the 50-minute mark — every oven runs differently), measuring flour by scooping instead of spooning (scooping packs the flour and adds too much), or overbaking. If you’re using gluten-free flour, this one is especially important — always spoon it into your measuring cup. Also make sure your sour cream is full-fat or low-fat, not fat-free, which won’t give the same moisture.

Can I make this without walnuts?

Absolutely. Just skip the walnuts and keep the brown sugar and cinnamon filling — it’s still incredible as a pure cinnamon sugar middle layer. You could also swap the walnuts for pecans, which have a slightly buttery flavour that works really well here.

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