My Sister's Favourite Coffee Cake Cheesecake Recipe

My Sister's Favourite Coffee Cake Cheesecake Recipe

Contributed by : Jill Kanwischer

jill-kanwischer-20220608231807

Canadian Recipes : Desserts

My sister-in-law Joanne planned a weekend getaway for all the Neilson sisters, sister-in-laws, and—of course—my cousin Ann (who’s basically a sister) at her cozy cottage in Colchester, Ontario. We had a fun-filled overnight with plenty of laughter, heartfelt conversations, music, food, and a few competitive games of euchre. After a long winter’s hibernation, it felt amazing to reconnect and just enjoy each other’s company.

We all pitched in by bringing appetizers and desserts, while Joanne wowed us with a gorgeous homemade lasagna. The showstopper dessert of the weekend was this recipe I discovered online from Mimi at Eats Delightful.

This treat hits all the right notes—amazing textures, a creamy cheesecake-like center, a cinnamon swirl, and a delicious crumble topping. It’s better than your average coffee cake thanks to that rich, decadent middle, and it’s even better than cheesecake because you don’t have to stress about cracks—the crumble top hides everything and just adds to the deliciousness.

I feel so lucky to have a roots crew like this. Everyone should be so blessed!

Total Time

4 hours and 10 minutes

Prepare Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

3 hour and 40 minutes

Recipe Servings

Not Mentioned

Ingredients for
My Sister's Favourite Coffee Cake Cheesecake Recipe

For the graham cracker crust:

2 cups (210g) graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115g) unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly)

For the cinnamon swirl:

1/2 cup (100g) packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder (*see notes)

For the streusel topping:

3/4 cup (90g) all-purpose flour (spoon and leveled)
1/2 cup (100g) packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly)

For the cheesecake filling:

4 (8oz) blocks cream cheese (32oz / 900g total, at room temperature)
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (120g) sour cream (at room temperature)
1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour (spoon and leveled)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs (at room temperature)

For the icing:

1/2 cup (70g) powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

How to Make
My Sister's Favourite Coffee Cake Cheesecake Recipe

Position an oven rack in the center of your oven and another rack on the bottom. Preheat your oven to 325°F.
Make the bottom cheesecake crust: In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crust ingredients until well combined. Pack the mixture into the bottom and about halfway up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Make sure to use a pan with sides that are at least 2 inches high (this is a TALL cheesecake!)
Bake the cheesecake crust in the center of your oven for 8 minutes. It won't look any different, but this helps keep it nice and crisp! Take the crust out and set aside to cool slightly while you prep the rest of the cheesecake components.
Make the cinnamon swirl: Mix together all the ingredients for the cinnamon swirl in a small bowl, and set aside.
Make the streusel topping: Mix and mash together all of the ingredients for the streusel topping in a medium bowl until you have a well moistened and crumbly mixture. Set aside.
Make the cheesecake filling: In a large bowl, combine your blocks of cream cheese and sugar. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cheese and sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth (about 1 to 2 minutes on medium speed). You can do this by hand as well with a wooden spoon, but it'll take some elbow grease.
Add your sour cream, flour, salt, and vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture. Mix together until combined.
Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing after each addition to incorporate the egg into the batter before adding the next egg. Take care not to over mix! Just mix until the egg disappears into the batter.
Assemble: Pour about half of the cheesecake filling over your slightly cooled crust and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the cinnamon swirl filling over top. Carefully drizzle the remaining cheesecake filling on top. It's easiest if you dollop it over the cinnamon sugar so it doesn't get too disrupted and carefully spread the top into an even layer. Run a skewer through the batter to gently swirl everything together - being careful not to hit the bottom crust. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over top.
Fill a large pan with 2 cups of boiling water and place it on the bottom rack of your preheated 325°F oven to create a steam effect. Place the cheesecake onto the center rack of your oven (right above the water filled pan).
Bake your cheesecake in the preheated 325°F oven for 70 minutes with the water filled pan. After the 70 minutes, take the pan filled with water out of the oven, and continue baking the cheesecake for another 20 to 30 minutes. The top of the cheesecake should be slightly puffed up, and the streusel should be evenly browned and crisp. If you gently shake the pan, the center of the cheesecake should still jiggle but the edges should not.
Leave the cheesecake in the oven and cool for 2 hours with the door slightly ajar. The cheesecake will deflate slightly as it cools. I recommend running a thin knife along the edges of the cheesecake after it's cooled for about 30 minutes to prevent sticking.
Cool the cheesecake completely to room temperature, and then chill for at least 4 hours or until fully cooled and set.
Make the icing: In a medium bowl whisk together powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk to combine. If the icing is too firm, whisk in a bit more milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
Take the cooled cheesecake out of the pan, and drizzle the icing over top before slicing and serving.