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Home » Recipes » Breakfast

By Kaleigh McMordie - December 19, 2016, Updated April 15, 2022

Healthy Coffee Cake with Greek Yogurt

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
piece of healthy greek yogurt coffee cake with a bite taken out on a plate with text overlay.

Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy this healthy coffee cake made with Greek yogurt and whole wheat flour. With a delicious cinnamon streusel swirl and crumb topping, this lightened up coffee cake is a great brunch treat or snack! 

A piece of greek yogurt cinnamon crumb coffee cake with a bite taken out of it on a white plate with a gold fork.

Torn between a simple, sweet breakfast treat and a more nutritious option for feeding a brunch crowd? There's no need to choose when you can make a few healthier swaps in this delicious cinnamon crumb coffee cake made with Greek yogurt! It's the perfect solution to hosting brunches, a snack for your morning coffee, or a make-ahead friendly breakfast for your family.

Why You'll Love This Coffee Cake

This deliciously moist coffee cake is perfectly spiced with warm cinnamon, has just the right amount of sweetness to be a breakfast (versus a dessert disguised as breakfast) and has a delightful crumb topping and streusel swirled throughout. Let's be honest, who can resist a good crumb topping? It can be whipped up fairly quickly with just a few ingredients, makes your house smell heavenly while it bakes, and is the perfect accompaniment to eggs, bacon, fruit, and of course, a nice cup of coffee! Since it's a little more nutrient-dense than your average coffee cake, it's better for filling you up longer and not leaving you with a sugar hangover.

What Makes It Healthy?

Greek yogurt takes the place of butter and/or sour cream in this coffee cake. It adds moisture (and a protein boost!) with less fat. I also used whole wheat pastry flour for extra fiber, but with a texture that's still nice and tender. I cut the sugar so that there's still sweetness, just not too much.

two images of ingredients needed for Greek yogurt coffee cake and ingredients for crumb topping.

The Ingredients

For the cake batter:

  • Plain Greek yogurt - use any level of fat that you like or have on hand.
  • Eggs
  • Oil - I like avocado oil, but other neutral oils like canola or grapeseed work well too.
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla
  • Whole wheat pastry flour - You can also use white whole wheat four, which is a lighter than typical red wheat flour
  • Baking soda & baking powder
  • Cinnamon
  • Salt

For the crumb topping:

  • Brown sugar
  • Flour - I use the same whole wheat flour as in the cake
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Butter - I like salted butter.

How To Make Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake

3 image collage showing steps for making crumb topping for greek yogurt coffee cake.

Make the Cinnamon Crumb Topping

  1. In a bowl, mix the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  2. Use a fork or you fingers to 'cut' or mash the butter into the flour mixture. Mix just until you have some large crumbs and a few smaller ones.
  3. Refrigerate until you're ready to use it in the cake.

Tip: Use a bigger bowl than you think you'll need to avoid making a big mess!

9 image collage showing steps for making greek yogurt coffee cake.

Make the Coffee Cake

  1. In a large bowl, use a whisk or hand beaters to mix the yogurt, oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until well mixed. You can also use a stand mixer if you'd like.
  2. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Whisk or beat just until everything is evenly moistened. You don't want to over-mix.
  3. Spread half of the batter into a square metal pan that's been greased and floured.
  4. Top with half of the crumb mixture.
  5. Spread the remaining batter over the crumb mixture.
  6. Top with the remaining crumb mixture.
  7. Bake at 350 until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges with just a few barely moistened crumbs, about 20-25 minutes.
  8. Cool the cake before cutting into squares.

Tips for Perfect Coffee Cake

  • Careful not to over-mix the batter once you add the flour to avoid a tough crumb.
  • Use a metal pan for more even baking. Ceramic dishes tend to bake the outside more quickly than the center, resulting in dry edges.
  • Careful not to over-bake, as the cake will dry out if it's in the oven too long.
closeup view of greek yogurt cinnamon crumb coffee cake cut into pieces on a wooden serving tray with white plates stacked behind it.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

This cake is great for making ahead! You can make it up to 2 days in advance and store covered at room temperature. Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator after a couple of days.

More Crowd-Friendly Brunch Recipes

  • Healthy Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake
  • Healthy Green Chile Mexican Breakfast Casserole
  • Overnight Mushroom Artichoke Strata
  • Everything But The Bagel Lox Frittata
  • Easy Eggs Benedict Quiche

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

Print

Healthy Coffee Cake with Greek Yogurt

A piece of greek yogurt cinnamon crumb coffee cake on a white plate with a gold fork.
Print Recipe

★★★★

4 from 5 reviews

Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy this healthy coffee cake made with Greek yogurt and whole wheat flour. With a delicious cinnamon streusel swirl and crumb topping, this lightened up coffee cake is a great brunch treat or snack! 

  • Author: Kaleigh
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12-16 servings 1x
  • Category: breakfast
  • Method: baked
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the Streusel:

  • ⅓ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 3 tbsp cold butter, cubed

For the Cake:

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ⅓ cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease and flour an 8 x 8" baking dish.
  2. To make the streusel, whisk the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or fork (or your fingers) cut in cold butter cubes until mixture forms small crumbs. Refrigerate until you're ready to top the cake.
  3. To make the cake batter, beat together the oil, Greek yogurt, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl with a hand mixer or whisk. You can also use a stand mixer.
  4. Add the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined and moistened, scraping down the sides when needed.
  5. Spread half of the batter into the baking dish. Sprinkle half of the streusel topping over the batter.
  6. Spread remaining cake batter over the streusel, then sprinkle with remaining streusel.
  7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few dampened crumbs on it.
  8. Cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Notes

  • Careful not to over-mix the batter once you add the flour to avoid a tough crumb.
  • Use a metal pan for more even baking. Ceramic dishes tend to bake the outside more quickly than the center, resulting in dry edges.
  • Careful not to over-bake, as the cake will dry out if it's in the oven too long.
  • Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.

Keywords: healthy coffee cake, Greek yogurt coffee cake, cinnamon crumb coffee cake with greek yogurt

Did you make this recipe?

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About Kaleigh McMordie

Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian in Abilene, Texas, as well as a member of the Baby Led Weaning Dietitians Network. Kaleigh can be found at kaleighmcmordie.com.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deb says

    September 13, 2023 at 3:06 pm

    Except for the yogurt, this is a regular coffee cake recipe. Not low-fat or healthier. I modified it by using one egg white and 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce in place of the vegetable oil.
    Also the recipe has too much sugar. I reduced it to 3 Tblsp brown sugar and used 1/3 cup Allulose to make up for the rest. Without all the fat and sugar, my recipe was adequately sweet and moist. I also used a little more cinnamon.

    ★★

    Reply
  2. Marilyn Lazarus says

    January 22, 2023 at 6:19 pm

    My husband and I thought the cake was too dry (may be our oven) as we had to bake it ten minutes longer because it was not done in the middle. I could not get the topping to be crumbly at all. I used coconut sugar instead of brown sugar. I used white whole wheat flour for the topping. I followed the instructions but it just didn't come out like yours. I used avocado oil instead of vegetable oil. I used monk fruit & erythritol sugar alternative instead of the granulated sugar. It was sweet enough. I used white whole wheat flour instead of pastry flour because that's all I had. Is there a video so I could watch what you did? I'd like to try it again but not if I get the same result. Any suggestions? Thank you.

    ★★★

    Reply
  3. Irene says

    December 17, 2022 at 2:56 pm

    I make beautiful cake for myself but my sweet husband is have he like very I want Know many colories one pieces thank you

    Reply
  4. Yasmeen says

    May 03, 2021 at 12:12 pm

    If I’m using a 9 x 13 size glass pan, how long should I bake the cake for?

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      May 04, 2021 at 7:11 am

      Hi Yasmeen, I would double the recipe for a 9x13 pan and bake for the same amount of time!

      Reply
      • Breanna says

        May 30, 2022 at 8:56 pm

        I doubled recipe and it was only half done at 25 minutes in this size pan. Ended up taking somewhere around 35

  5. Kevin says

    February 15, 2021 at 2:37 pm

    I'm not a seasoned baker but once in a while I'll bake something to satisfy my rare craving for something a little sweet. I made this coffee cake this morning for President's Day. It was way better than I expected; it was moist, flavorful, and not overly sweet. I used extra-virgin olive oil and I couldn't even taste it in the cake which was my initial concern. I also used unbleached, whole-grain wheat flour and it was perfectly fine. For the streusel I added finely chopped walnuts. One downside is my convection oven which doesn't bake evenly. If I follow the toothpick method for doneness, then the center will be cooked while rest of the cake will be overcooked and dry. Not wanting a dried out cake, I baked this one for 28 minutes and didn't check it with a toothpick. The center was definitely moister than rest of the cake but at least rest of the cake wasn't overcooked.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kevin says

      February 15, 2021 at 2:39 pm

      BTW, I used an 8" round cake pan and not a square pan.

      Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      February 15, 2021 at 6:05 pm

      Hi Kevin, I'm so glad you liked the recipe! Thanks for sharing your tips. Walnuts in the topping sound wonderful.

      Reply
  6. Mikala says

    December 25, 2020 at 4:48 pm

    This recipe turned out great! Easy to follow and simple ingredients. Will never not use Greek yogurt again! Thanks for the recipe! My whole family loved it as well, and I will be making again!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  7. Sue says

    December 11, 2020 at 9:35 pm

    Can I substitute dark brown sugar for the streusel topping?

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      December 12, 2020 at 9:38 am

      Yes!

      Reply
  8. Desiree says

    May 22, 2020 at 9:29 pm

    Hi, I definitely plan on baking this cake - it looks and sounds delicious. I couldn’t find nutrition info for the recipe. Would you be able to tel me?

    Thanks so much!
    Desiree

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      May 23, 2020 at 1:44 pm

      Hi Desiree,
      I don't provide nutrition info for my recipes, but you can use one of the many free online calculators to get a rough estimate. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Desiree says

        May 24, 2020 at 12:50 pm

        Okay, I’m back. Made this coffee cake today and it is delicious! Crunchy crumb topping and moist and tender Inside. This will definitely be a staple at my house.

        ★★★★★

      • Kaleigh says

        May 24, 2020 at 2:22 pm

        I'm so glad you liked it, thanks for leaving a review!

  9. Jim Halpert says

    January 28, 2020 at 1:12 pm

    Can't wait to make this for my friends and family. Thanks for the free recipe

    Reply
  10. Gwen says

    February 04, 2019 at 10:20 am

    This recipe is great. Used it as a base to healthify even further by using oat flour and coconut sugar. Also halved the amount of sugar in the cake part. It was the perfect amount of sweetness for us this way, had a great tender/crumbly texture, and seemed healthy enough that we could actually eat it for breakfast!

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      February 05, 2019 at 7:42 am

      I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe!

      Reply
  11. JP says

    August 15, 2017 at 4:45 pm

    This is an excellent recipe. Made it today. Usually these healthier recipes do not come out very well, but this coffee cake has a good flavor and you can not tell it's yogurt. These recipes are how I strive to eat the majority of the time and anything I have tried previously, NEVER taste this good. I like how there is a little butter in the recipes and low little sugar. Thank you very much for posting these recipes. I will be trying more!

    Note:
    *I substituted about 1/2 of the sugar within the cake only with coconut sugar.
    *I baked the cake for about 38 min. total, in a glass 8x8 pan. However, my oven usually takes a bit longer to cook anything.

    Reply
  12. JP says

    August 15, 2017 at 1:20 pm

    Does anyone actually try this or just say, "sounds yummy"?

    Reply
    • JP says

      August 15, 2017 at 4:41 pm

      This is an excellent recipe. Made it today. Usually these healthier recipes do not come out very well, but this coffee cake has a good flavor and you can not tell it's yogurt. These recipes are how I strive to eat the majority of the time and anything I have tried previously, NEVER taste this good. I like how there is a little butter in some of the recipes and low little sugar. Thank you very much for posting these recipes. I will be trying many more!

      Note:
      *I substituted about 1/2 of the sugar within the cake only with coconut sugar.
      *I baked the cake for about 38 min. total, in a glass 8x8 pan. However, my oven usually takes a bit longer to cook anything.

      Reply
      • Kaleigh says

        August 15, 2017 at 6:24 pm

        Hi JP,

        I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! I also find that many healthier baked good taste pretty bad. Thanks for stopping by and for your notes on the recipe!

      • JP says

        August 26, 2017 at 6:30 pm

        PS. My husband literally did not believe me when I told him that this was not sour cream coffee cake! lol It's THAT good!

      • Kaleigh says

        August 26, 2017 at 6:47 pm

        So glad y'all enjoyed it!

  13. Sasha @ Eat Love Eat says

    January 04, 2017 at 3:41 am

    This coffee cake looks lovely! I could eat a slice right now 🙂

    Reply
  14. michelleferrand says

    January 01, 2017 at 10:04 pm

    This looks so good and crumbly!

    Reply
  15. Elaine @ Dishes Delish says

    December 27, 2016 at 7:25 pm

    Yummy! I love coffee cake and this looks so moist and delicious!

    Reply
  16. Kelli (The Healthy Toast) says

    December 19, 2016 at 7:28 pm

    This looks delicious! As a kid I would just eat the top and the center of the coffee cake as they were always the sweetest, most moist parts but this cake looks perfectly moist throughout. I'll definitely be giving this a try next weekend 🙂

    Reply

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