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Home » Recipes » Christmas Recipes

Christmas Coffee Cake

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: May 14, 2025 | Published: Dec 4, 2023
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Christmas Coffee Cake is a delicious, moist coffee cake with warm spices and dried cherries throughout, plus a double layer streusel and a rich, thick glaze on top. It’s the perfect addition to your coffee and presents on Christmas morning.

A Christmas coffee cake with an orange glaze drizzled over top and red and green gummy candies sprinkled on top set on a white plate on a wooden board.


 

Most years, I'm in charge of Christmas morning breakfast/brunch.

Some Christmas morning favorites at my house include the classic sausage and egg casserole, overnight grits casserole, overnight French toast casserole and if I’m feeling extra generous, maybe some of my homemade biscuits and gingerbread loaves.

My mom and I also love sipping on a poinsettia cocktail, it’s so pretty and festive!

Today though, I’m excited to share with you this stunning Christmas Coffee Cake.

It just announces itself as a special occasion!

It’s loaded with warm spices from cinnamon to nutmeg to cloves and ginger, it’s studded with dried cherries for a festive twist and it’s got two layers of the most delicious, nutty streusel.

Plus, it’s got a thick, rich glaze that beautifully drips down over top. And of course, I’ve got some extra fun, though optional, toppings if you want to finish this off.

Cause it’s the holidays!

A Christmas coffee cake with an orange glaze drizzled over top and red and green gummy candies sprinkled on top.

Also, this smells simply divine as it’s baking. It’ll get you in the spirit for sure!

Everyone is going to be happily snacking on this while opening presents and fixing brunch.

It’s also the perfect pairing for your coffee as you’re trying to wake up. (I know I’m not the only one whose kids get up well before the sun on Christmas morning.)

OK, let’s get baking.

Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make Christmas coffee cake. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

A glass bowl with streusel ingredients layered in and a container of melted butter nearby.
A metal mixing bowl with creamed butter and sugar and a flour mixture added on top.
A coffee cake batter with cherries tossed in flour on top before being stirred on.
A bundt pan with a layer of streusel in the bottom.
A bundt pan with a layer of streusel on top of coffee cake batter.
A filled bundt pan with coffee cake before being baked.
Ingredients for a glaze in separate bowls on a counter.
A small white bowl of a cake glaze with orange zest in it.

I’ve also tested this recipe multiple, multiple times to try out a few different things and I want to share what I’ve learned. It’s all about ensuring YOU have success in your kitchen, too.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Ingredient Notes:

  • Nuts: The streusel calls for pecans or walnuts and if you love a nutty flavor, lightly toast them before you chop them. You could also swap in some shelled pistachios for a green vibe and different festive sort of note.
  • Cherries: We are using dried cherries in the batter. You’ll need 1 (5-ounce) bag. And be sure to toss them with flour so they don’t all just sink to the bottom.
  • Sour cream: This gives the coffee cake it’s signature tang as well as adding tons of richness and moisture to the cake. I highly encourage you to go with the full-fat sour cream for the best flavor.
  • Butter: I use and prefer unsalted butter in my baking so I can control the amount of sodium. If all you have is salted, that’s fine, just reduce the amount of salt in the cake batter to ½ teaspoon.
  • Sugar: You’ll need brown sugar (light or dark is fine) for the streusel and also white granulated sugar for the cake batter. Oh, and powdered sugar/confectioner’s sugar for the glaze.
  • Heavy cream: I highly recommend using heavy cream for the glaze on top. It makes a thicker glaze than you can achieve with a skim or 2% milk. It’s the holidays, let’s go all in.

Now, this coffee cake is a beautiful thing to behold all on its own.

A Christmas coffee cake with an orange glaze drizzled over top and red and green gummy candies sprinkled on top set on a white plate.
Close up of slices of a coffee cake with dried cherries and streusel.

Especially with that thick, rich glaze on top that’s just dotted with specks of orange zest.

But if you really want to take this over the top, or just make it extra festive, I’ve got a few additional topping ideas for you.

Toppings/Garnishes:

  • Add some maraschino cherries on the top to reinforce the cherry flavor on the inside.
  • Swap out the glaze here for a cinnamon spiced glaze to add extra warm flavors.
  • Chop up some red and green candied jelly pieces to sprinkle on the glaze and have stick to the top as a festive look.
  • Or use some candied orange peel for an elegant finisher.
  • My kids will also tell you that you can add red and green sprinkles to anything and make it more Christmas-y. 

So many options!

A Christmas morning coffee cake with an orange glaze with a few slices sliced and one on a separate plate with a fork resting on it.

OK, as mentioned, I’ve made this several times and in a few different ways.

Here are some of my best tips so you can have your coffee cake turn out beautifully.

Tips and Tricks:

  • It’s important to butter and flour your bundt pan REALLY well! It’s so sad to flip the cake and have chunks of it stuck in the pan. The glaze can help cover some mess ups but better to take the time to prepare the pan. Also, I don’t recommend nonstick spray here, it did not work well for me.
  • Be sure to divide the streusel and the cake batter to create different layers. You’ll start by putting half the streusel in the bottom of the bundt pan. Then add ⅓ to ½ of the cake batter. Smooth it out and sprinkle evenly with the remaining streusel. Finish by adding the rest of the cake batter and smoothing it out again.
  • This coffee cake is perfectly done for me at 65 minutes, but check yours at 55 or 60 minutes to make sure it’s not finished early. 
  • Let the coffee cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes then turn it out onto a cooling rack and let cool completely. It’s hard to be patient, but the cake must be completely cooled before you add the glaze.
  • If your cake breaks when you turn it out, don’t despair. Just try and get any chunks out of the pan and back onto the cake. And then use your glaze to cover it up. 
  • Add enough heavy cream to make the glaze pourable, so it can cover the top of the coffee cake and drip down the sides a bit. But don’t add too much, it shouldn’t be runny or it won’t set up.
  • If adding any toppings, be sure they are ready to go so you can sprinkle them on and have them stick to the glaze before it sets up.
Close up of a piece of coffee cake with dried cherries on a white plate.

Last thing, let’s tackle some common questions about making this in advance and storing any leftovers.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make Christmas coffee cake in advance?

Yes! Because this takes a long time to bake and also needs to cool for a couple of hours, it’s a great candidate of a breakfast treat to make ahead of time. Make it up to 1-2 days in advance and store at room temperature.

How do I store coffee cake?

Coffee cake will keep, covered, at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also refrigerate it to extend the shelf life. It will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Can I freeze coffee cake?

Yes, you can freeze coffee cake! Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap in aluminum foil or place in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Label and date it then freeze for up to 4 months.

A piece of coffee cake served on a small white plate with a fork resting to the side.

I hope this delicious coffee cake will help make your December a little more festive. 

And I hope it’s a safe, warm and happy holiday season for you.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

Close up of slices of a coffee cake with dried cherries and streusel.
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Christmas Coffee Cake

Christmas Coffee Cake is a delicious, moist coffee cake with warm spices and dried cherries throughout, plus a double layer streusel and a rich, thick glaze on top. 
Prep Time25 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr
Additional TimeAdditional Time2 hours hrs
Total Time3 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
Yield: 10 -12 servings

Ingredients

For coating the pan:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the streusel:

  • 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (can toast first)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted

For the cake:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 5 oz. dried tart cherries, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Zest of 1 orange

For serving:

  • Maraschino cherries OR
  • Candied orange peel OR
  • Chopped green and red jelly candies

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Smear softened butter into a 12-cup bundt pan to coat VERY well on all sides and in all nooks and crannies. Lightly dust with flour on all sides. (Be sure to be thorough so your cake doesn’t stick to the pan and tear when you turn it out.)
  • Make the streusel. Combine the nuts, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardamom and salt and mix well. Stir in the melted butter and stir to mix. Sprinkle HALF of the streusel in the bottom of the prepared bundt pan.
  • Make the cake batter. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
  • In a separate large bowl, beat the sugar and butter on medium-high speed with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy and pale in color, about 2-3 minutes.
  • With mixer on low speed, add the vanilla and eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides if needed.
  • Alternate adding the flour mixture and sour cream to the batter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
  • Mix the dried cherries with a tablespoon of flour and toss to coat well. Add the cherries to the cake batter and stir to combine. Pour HALF of the batter on top of the streusel in the bundt pan. Scatter the remaining streusel on top of the batter and then pour the remaining cake batter on top.
  • Bake at 325 for 60-65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then invert, streusel side up, onto a serving platter and let cool completely.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream and orange zest until smooth, adding additional heavy cream if needed. Drizzle over the top of the cake. Garnish if desired and enjoy!

Notes

Nuts: The streusel calls for pecans or walnuts and if you love a nutty flavor, lightly toast them before you chop them. You could also swap in some shelled pistachios for a green vibe and different festive sort of note.
Cherries: We are using dried cherries in the batter. You’ll need 1 (5-ounce) bag. And be sure to toss them with flour so they don’t all just sink to the bottom.
Sour cream: This gives the coffee cake it’s signature tang as well as adding tons of richness and moisture to the cake. I highly encourage you to go with the full-fat sour cream for the best flavor.
Butter: I use and prefer unsalted butter in my baking so I can control the amount of sodium. If all you have is salted, that’s fine, just reduce the amount of salt in the cake batter to ½ teaspoon.
Sugar: You’ll need brown sugar (light or dark is fine) for the streusel and also white granulated sugar for the cake batter. Oh, and powdered sugar/confectioner’s sugar for the glaze.
Heavy cream: I highly recommend using heavy cream for the glaze on top. It makes a thicker glaze than you can achieve with a skim or 2% milk. It’s the holidays, let’s go all in.
Make ahead: Because this takes a long time to bake and also needs to cool for a couple of hours, it’s a great candidate of a breakfast treat to make ahead of time. Make it up to 1-2 days in advance and store at room temperature.
Storing: Coffee cake will keep, covered, at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also refrigerate it to extend the shelf life. It will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freezing: You can also freeze leftovers of this coffee cake. Wrap slices of the tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap in aluminum foil or place in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Label and date it then freeze for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 629kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 215mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 45g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!
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Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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