• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Cleverly Simple
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index (Search)
    • View ALL Recipes
    • Main Dishes
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Venison
      • Casseroles
      • Freezer Cooking
      • Pizza and Pasta
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
      • Cake
      • Cookies
      • Pies
    • Salad
    • Side Dishes
    • Slow Cooker
    • Soup
  • Farmhouse
    • Farmhouse Renovation
    • Farmhouse Living
  • About
    • Meet Lynette
    • Contact
    • Travel
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Farmhouse
  • About
×

Home » Recipes » Breakfast Recipes » Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

By Lynette on January 12, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Jump To Recipe Print Recipe
Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting in 9x13 baking dish

This coffee cake with a cream cheese filling is one of the easiest coffee cake recipes you will ever make. The cake is moist and buttery with its layers of crescent rolls with a fluffy cream cheese middle that takes it to the next level.

Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting in 9x13 baking dish

Who doesn’t like a rich and sweet breakfast treat with a hot cup of coffee on these chilly winter mornings? And what makes this recipe so unique is that it’s quick and easy to make using crescent rolls with a homemade filling. It’s semi-homemade.

recipe card for coffee cake with cream cheese filling

Yes, again this is a precious recipe discovered in my grandma’s recipe box. She called it crescent roll coffee cake. I remember this recipe and enjoyed it as a child. I also knew it was a keeper because my grandma had her handwritten notes on it so I knew she made it often.

ingredients to make coffee cake

Ingredients

You’ll need just a few simple ingredients for this recipe. The crescent rolls take on a butter flavor of their own despite the fact they are store bought. Combine that with the homemade filling and cinnamon sugar topping and you have a real winner!

For the Cake:

Crescent rolls are the star of this show and are so easy to use! I do recommend using the name-brand crescent rolls as the off-brands can have a different flavor. That’s my personal experience but sharing it with you to make this the best recipe yet.

  • Crescent Rolls

For the Filling:

The filling is super creamy and fluffy thanks to the addition of egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla added to the softened cream cheese.

  • Cream Cheese
  • Egg Yolk
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla

For the Topping:

To top it all, a crunchy sweet topping mixture is made with a combination of chopped pecans, sugar, and cinnamon mixed in a small bowl. Pecans are optional, but I highly recommend them.

  • Sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Chopped Pecans
close up of baked coffee cake

Directions

Prep: Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish and preheat your oven to 350˚F.

First Layer: Press to the bottom of the baking dish one (8 count) crescent roll dough from the tube. Pinch the edges so it forms an even layer. Brush with egg white.

Second Layer: In a large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, vanilla and egg yolk until light and fluffy. Spread over the first layer of crescent rolls.

Third Layer: Roll out another (8 count) crescent roll tube and pinch all the edges. Add to the top of the cream cheese layer and brush with the remaining egg white.

Top Layer: Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and pecans in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the entire coffee cake.

Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

side view of coffee cake with cream cheese filling

Coffee Cake Notes:

Soften the cream cheese: To really get that fluffy texture, make sure to set the cream cheese out for 20 minutes at room temperature to get it really soft so that it incorporates best with the other filling ingredients. Keep whipping it until it is very fluffy!

Crescent roll dough: When rolling out the third layer, it’s easiest to roll the crescent roll out on the countertop and pinch all the edges together before adding it as the layer above the cream cheese.

Chill once served. Because this recipe contains cream cheese, you’ll want to chill the recipe after serving it. It will store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Looking for More Coffee Cake Recipes?

  • Apple Pie Filling Coffee Cake
  • Apple Coffee Cake
  • Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
side view of coffee cake with cream cheese filling

Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

  • Author: Lynette
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This coffee cake with a cream cheese filling is one of the easiest coffee cake recipes you will ever make. The cake is moist and buttery with its layers of crescent rolls with a fluffy cream cheese middle that takes it to the next level.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 (8 count) crescent roll tubes
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 16 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1 ½ cups sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  1. Prep:  Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.  Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.
  2. First Layer: Roll out one tube of crescent rolls and press into the bottom of the baking dish.  Pinch all the edges to remove the perforations.  Separate the egg white from the yolk and set the yolk aside. Brush the crescent dough with ½ of the egg white.
    crescent roll layer in baking dish
  3. Second Layer: In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar, vanilla, and the egg yolk until light and fluffy.  Spread over the prepared crescent roll layer.
    cream cheese layer of coffee cake in baking dish
  4. Third Layer: Roll out the remaining tube of crescent rolls and pinch together all the perforations.  Place on top of the cream cheese layer.  Brush with the remaining egg white.
  5. Top Layer: Stir together ½ Cup of sugar, cinnamon, and pecans.  Sprinkle over the third layer.
    coffee cake ready to bake with cinnamon sugar pecan topping
  6. Bake: Bake in a preheated 350˚ F oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Equipment

13x9 baking pan

13×9 Baking Pan

Buy Now →
hand held mixer with beater

Hand Held Mixer

Buy Now →
set of 3 glass mixing bowls

Mixing Bowls

Buy Now →

Notes

Soften the cream cheese: To really get that fluffy texture, make sure to set out the cream cheese for 20 minutes to get it really soft so that it incorporates best with the other filling ingredients.

Crescent roll dough: When rolling out the third layer, it’s easiest to roll the crescent roll out on the countertop and pinch all the edges together before adding it as the layer above the cream cheese.

Chill once served. Because this recipe contains cream cheese, you’ll want to chill the recipe after serving it. It will store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Pecans:  If you prefer to leave out the nuts, you totally can!  I like the crunch and flavor they bring to this recipe but they are an optional addition.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving (2×2″ slice)
  • Calories: 234
  • Sugar: 13.2
  • Sodium: 282.5
  • Fat: 13
  • Carbohydrates: 26
  • Protein: 1.6
  • Cholesterol: 26.8

Keywords: Cofffee Cake with Cream Cheese Icing, Crescent Roll Coffee Cake

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @cleverlysimple on Instagram and hashtag it #cleverlysimple

« Candy Cane Cookies
Ramen Noodle Salad »

About Lynette

Lynette is the home cook, recipe tester and photographer for Cleverly Simple which she created in 2010.  Most of her recipes come from the treasured recipe box passed down from her great-grandma, grandmother, and mother.

Lynette’s recipes and projects have been featured in Country Living, Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful and others.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

welcome image

Lynette Rice head shotHi, I’m Lynette. My desire is to help women who feel uninspired weave time honored recipes into their routines to create a sense of simplicity. Most of my recipes come from the treasured recipe box passed down from my great-grandma, grandmother and mother. And I want to share them with you.  Learn more.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Join Me On Pinterest!

Visit Cleverly Simple 's profile on Pinterest.

Footer

Cleverly Simple logo

Copyright © 2010 – 2021, Cleverly Simple®. All Rights Reserved.

No content on this site may be reused in any fashion without written permission. By using this site, you are agreeing to the site’s terms of use. Cleverly Simple® is a registered trademark of Cleverly Simple, LLC.

  • About
  • Contact
  • PR/Media
  • Disclosure/Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2022 CLEVERLY SIMPLE