This Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake ranks among the finest you will ever bake! It has two layers of cake, with chocolate chips and cinnamon sugar scattered over the top. It is soft, fluffy, and seriously delicious! Serve it slightly warm for the ultimate breakfast treat!

Sliced squares of chocolate chip sour cream coffee cake on brown parchment paper with the center slice on its side.

What You Will Need

Gather these ingredients for this sour cream chocolate chip coffee cake. The bulleted items are the key ones, and they need a little more explanation.

Ingredients in various size bowls labeled as baking soda, baking powder, milk chocolate chips, vanilla extract, cinnamon sugar, unsalted butter, eggs, sour cream, all purpose flour, and granulated sugar on a white marbled background.

Sour Cream. Plain or vanilla full-fat Greek yogurt works here too.
Milk Chocolate Chips. I used Ghirardelli, but any brand you have on hand will work. Semi-sweet chocolate chips are a good stand-in.
Cinnamon Sugar. Some grocery stores sell this ready-made, but it is very easy to mix at home. I suggest 1 part cinnamon to 3 parts sugar for this coffee cake. Store any extra in a small airtight container.

Slices of chocolate chip coffee cake on brown parchment paper with small bowl of chocolate chips placed next to it.

Method at a Glance

Here is a quick run-through of how to make this simple chocolate chip sour cream coffee cake. You will find the full printable recipe, in US customary or metric measurements, in the recipe card below.

All purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda whisked together in a large glass mixing bowl on a white marbled background.

Step 1. Stir the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in a mixing bowl.

Whisked butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large glass mixing bowl on a white marbled background.

Step 2. Cream the unsalted butter until it is smooth and fluffy. Mix in the granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Sour cream coffee cake batter in a large glass mixing bowl on a white marbled background.

Step 3. Add the whisked dry ingredients and the sour cream in turns. The batter will be fairly thick and sticky, but a spatula will help you spread it into the 9-inch square pan.

Sour cream coffee cake batter spread into a nine inch square parchment paper lined ceramic baking dish on a white marbled background.

Step 4. Press half of the batter into the prepared pan.

Chocolate chips and cinnamon sugar added to the top of the sour cream coffee cake batter in a nine inch square parchment paper lined ceramic baking dish on a white marbled background.

Step 5. Scatter half of the chocolate chips over the top, then half of the cinnamon sugar. Do steps 4 and 5 once more.

Baked chocolate chip sour cream coffee cake in a nine inch square parchment paper lined ceramic baking dish on a white marbled background.

Step 6. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350ºF. Let the cake cool a little before cutting and serving.

Storing and Freezing

Store this coffee cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or refrigerate it for up to 5 days.

To freeze, wrap the cooled slices in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, and keep them frozen for up to 3 months.

Sliced chocolate chip coffee cake placed on brown parchment paper.

Useful Tips

I suggest a 9-inch square pan for this recipe.
Coat the pan well with a flour-based baking spray before adding the batter. This makes it much easier to lift the cake out once it has baked.
No cinnamon sugar on hand? It is very simple to make. You can adjust the ratio to taste, but 1 part cinnamon to 3 parts sugar suits this cake well. Store any extra in a small airtight container or jar so you can use it in other recipes too!
This coffee cake is best served slightly warm. For leftovers, warm a square or two in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you freeze chocolate chip coffee cake?

Yes! Wrap the cooled slices in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.

How do you prevent chocolate chips from sinking during baking?

Toss the chocolate chips in a little all-purpose flour before stirring them into the batter, or choose mini chocolate chips, which are lighter and less likely to sink.

What can I use as a sour cream substitute in coffee cake?

Plain or vanilla full-fat Greek yogurt is a good choice.

If you make this Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake or anything else from my site, please give it a star rating and tell me how it turned out in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!