Matthew Woolen is a master pastry chef and has worked in a variety of Seattle restaurants, including gastropub Old Sage, Zhu Dang, and a gluten-free restaurant called Capitol Cider.

Matthew Woolen

Coffee cake made from dough instead of batter? You bet! Think of an incredible tasting coffee cake, made in the fashion of a Danish pastry, and you get where we’re going with this recipe.This European spin on an American-style coffee cake is layered with streusel, making it almost muffin-like with loads of cinnamon. Add a dense crumb structure and a cream cheese and jam filling, and you’ll never go back to batter again. We start by making a half-batch of brioche dough and allow it to ferment and chill overnight. Brioche is key here, because it’s incredibly versatile and can easily be made sweet or savory with minor adjustments. Not only that, but the lamination adds texture and mouthfeel, not to mention added moisture from the (tons of) butter. If you don’t consider yourself a fancy pastry connoisseur, just think about the last time you ate an Entenmann’s coffee cake right out of the box (if you’re still doing this, no judgment—they’re delicious!). We guarantee the delicate texture and decadent nature of this recipe will transform how you think about crumby coffee cakes.

Coffee Cake With a Twist