Literally months ago a reader asked if I would post details about two of the recipes I mention most frequently here on my blog.
Today is the day!
Growing up, we only had Cinnamon Coffee Cake on Christmas morning. It was a tradition and a culinary highlight of the year. In our home, Cinnamon Coffee Cake is just monkey bread, but it’s made with biscuit dough instead of yeasted dough, which I think makes a big difference.
I have zero pictures of Cinnamon Coffee Cake. Maybe because we’re all too busy eating it to take photos?
I make this a handful of times throughout the year; sometimes for a special breakfast (I like mine with a dollop of plain yogurt on the side, or topped with a little bit of butter) or I’ll make it for dessert when we have company and serve it with some vanilla ice cream.

CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE
STEP ONE: MAKE DOUGH
Combine:
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk (or 1 tablespoon vinegar mixed into just over 1 cup of milk)
- 1/4 cup melted butter (or light-tasting oil)
- 1 egg
Combine dry ingredients together in a bowl and stir with a fork. Whisk the egg into the milk (with the same fork!) and add the liquid ingredients (including the melted butter or oil) to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined (again, I use a fork).
STEP TWO: MAKE CINNAMON SUGAR
In a wide bowl, combine white sugar and cinnamon. I don’t measure this. I’m guessing I use about 1/2 cup sugar and several teaspoons of cinnamon?
STEP THREE: COAT DOUGH BALLS
Grab small balls of the dough with a spoon (or your hand) and drop them into the cinnamon sugar. Toss to coat, then place into a greased 8×8″ pan (or a round bundt pan).
STEP FOUR: PREPARE THE SAUCE
Over medium heat in a medium saucepan melt:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
Whisk until well combined and bubbling lightly, then pour the sauce directly over the dough balls.
STEP FIVE: BAKE @ 375°F/180°C
Different pans bake at very different speeds. If you layer dough in a bundt pan it will take considerably longer than if it’s being baked in a single layer in an 8×8″ pan.
- An 8×8″ pan (glass vs. metal will cook at a different rate) should take 20-25 minutes.
- The silicone bundt pan my family prefers needs 35+ minutes of bake time.
A skewer inserted between balls of dough should come out clean. The dough balls themselves may be cooked through, but the areas where pieces overlap sometimes need a bit longer.
Note:
- I usually prepare the dough, roll the balls in sugar, place them in a greased pan, cover, and refrigerate it overnight. On Christmas morning (or when company arrives), I pull it out of the fridge while the oven preheats, make the sauce, and pour it over the cold dough. It works just as well as making the dough fresh.
UNBAKED CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Growing up, we ate Unbaked Cherry Cheesecake twice a year—both times in December. This was my sister’s/father’s go-to birthday cake (they share the same birthday in mid-December) and then we’d turn around and have it again for Christmas. Since it’s a family favourite, there were no complaints!!
(I’m far more civilized and enjoy my birthday in May, so I spread out my cherry cheesecake consumption.)
This is a simple recipe, but I love it with all my heart.

STEP ONE: MAKE THE BASE
- I use prefab graham cracker crumbs (as in, I don’t crush up full graham crackers). Brand does seem to matter and I swear Honeymaid (Christie) are the best option in Canada.
- I don’t use exact measurements or add sugar to the base. It’s just melted butter and graham crumbs. The ratio is generally about 1 1/4 cups of graham crumbs to 1/4 cup melted butter, but I eyeball it and add more or less of something to make sure it’s holding together properly.
- Once the mixture is ready, press firmly into a baking pan. I usually make enough for a 9×13 and an 8×8 since I tend to be serving a crowd that all loves Unbaked Cherry Cheesecake and we want leftovers for as long as possible.
Once the base is pressed into the pans, refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or up to overnight, so the butter can set.
STEP TWO: MAKE THE TOPPING

Here’s the ratio I use:
- 12 oz of softened cream cheese (beat with electric beaters first)
Mix in:
- 1 cup icing sugar
Only once those two ingredients are combined add in
- 1 cup of whipped cream (not whipping cream; cream that has been whipped) or 1/3 tub of Cool Whip or
Spread this over the graham base. Top with another 1 cup of whipped cream (or 1/3 tub of Cool Whip).
Refrigerate.
(I’m usually doubling this when I make mine.)
STEP THREE: TOP WITH CHERRY PIE FILLING
ED Smith is my favourite.
Done! This can be made a few days in advance and I think it tastes better when it’s been sitting in the fridge for at least a full day.
Whoever requested these recipes—apologies for the delay. This post has been sitting at the bottom of my drafts for months but I didn’t forget about it!!!
Your turn.
- What’s your go-to Christmas breakfast?
- What’s your preferred sweet treat on your birthday?
Header photo by LAUREN GRAY on Unsplash
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These both sound DELICIOUS!!! Are these family recipes that have been handed down to you? I’m thinking the “coffee cake” could be made with biscuit dough from a can as well, to make it even easier. I’m contemplating this for breakfast for an upcoming sleepover my daughter is having. Anyway thanks for sharing the recipes!
They are so good, Jenny.
The cheesecake recipe was my grandmother’s; the coffee cake was a recipe my mom got from a friend in college, I think.
Yes, I’m sure biscuit dough from the can would work, though I’ve never tried it!
We do not have a special Christmas Day breakfast. When I was growing up, my mom would often make cinnamon rolls. I’ve tried making them GF and they were so difficult to make and not that great. So I’ve given up on that. My favorite birthday treat would be macarons from a French bakery. I like the salted caramel ones, too. The kids’ birthday dessert is a big cookie cake which is so so good (we love cookies in our house).
I feel like cinnamon rolls are so beloved, but I tend to feel meh about them and they’re so. much. work!!!
My mom used to make a no-bake cherry cheesecake for Dad on Valentine’s Day. I don’t like that cherry gook, but loved the other part.
About graham cracker crumbs: my friend puts graham crackers in double or triple Ziplocks and runs over the bag with her car! That never ceases to make me smile, just picturing her in the garage, driving back and forth. (I know people who have killed rattlesnakes this way too)
I have never in my life heard of someone crushing graham crackers into crumbs by running over them with a CAR, but this is hilarious and… it would work!!!!
Those look delicious, Elisabeth 🙂
This makes my millennial heart sing. In our family though, unbaked cheesecake has cream cheese mixed with sweetened condensed milk. Deadly.
And hi from Yellowknife! (We make it to NS every couple of years to see our family).
Ohhh. I don’t think I’ve ever had it with sweetened condensed milk but that sounds amazing.
Hi up in Yellowknife. I’ve never been but would love to visit some day.
Yum! Your cherry cheesecake is delectable as I’m sure is the coffee cake based on the recipe!
HAVE I NEVER MADE YOU CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE?? For real? In all our years of friendship.
What is wrong with me? This needs to be my first important task upon returning to Canada.
Haha! On second thought, I may have had some at your parents’?
Yes! Now that you mention it. I think I made it there… and if I recall correctly, I burned it. Oops!