Cranberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This Cranberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake is soft, festive, and bursting with tart cranberry flavor—made ultra moist with Hiland Dairy Sour Cream.

Recipe and image compliments of Laura from Lolo’s Home Kitchen

Print Recipe

Cranberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Prep Time40

Cook Time55

Cool Time15

Servings:

Ingredients

Coffee Cake

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) Hiland Dairy Butter room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup Hiland Dairy Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons Hiland Dairy Milk
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
⅔ cup chopped pecans

Topping

⅓ cup brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 Tablespoons butter cold
⅔ cups chopped pecans

Icing

¾ cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch square (2 quart) baking dish.
In a medium size bowl, whisk together the 1 ½ cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat the 1 stick butter and ¾ cup sugar together for about 3 minutes until creamy and fluffy. Scrape the sides down halfway through.
Add the 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix again for a minute. Next, add the ½ cup Hiland Dairy Sour Cream and mix again until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add half of the dry ingredient mixture and the 2 Tablespoons milk, mix on low until just combined. Then add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined again.
Add the 2 cups of cranberries and ⅔ cups of chopped pecans then mix them in by hand until combined.
Pour the cake mixture into the baking dish and set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the ⅓ cup brown sugar, ½ cup flour and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Next add the 4 tablespoons of cold butter. Use a fork or even your hands to mix the butter into the dry mixture to form a crumbly mix.
Sprinkle the crumb topping over the cranberry cake batter evenly. Bake for about 45-55 minutes. Check at 45 minutes, a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean. If not, bake for another 3 minutes then check again and continue until baked.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly while you make the icing.
In a small bowl, whisk together the ¾ cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon Hiland Milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Add more powdered sugar for a thicker icing and more milk for a thinner drizzle.
Drizzle the icing over the warm cake, slice and serve!

A close-up of cranberry sour cream coffee cake on a plate as a stream of vanilla glaze is poured over the crumble topping. Fresh cranberries surround the plate, and the soft, golden cake interior with tart cranberries is visible in the broken pieces.

Perfect for holiday brunch, winter mornings, or a cozy weekend treat

With quick prep, easy ingredients, and big flavor, this coffee cake is a go-to recipe for busy holidays and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser every time.

Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Perfect holiday flavor – Tart cranberries + warm cinnamon streusel = total Christmas magic.
Ultra soft and moist – Sour cream gives this cake a soft and bouncy texture.
Quick to make – No complicated steps
Great for entertaining – Feeds a crowd and looks beautiful on a brunch table.
Make-ahead friendly – Even better the next day!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Cake Ingredients

All-purpose flour
Baking powder + baking soda
Salt
Butter
Sugar
Eggs
Hiland Dairy Sour Cream
Vanilla extract
Fresh or frozen cranberries
Chopped Pecans

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

Flour
Brown sugar
Cinnamon
Cold butter

Icing

Powdered sugar
Milk
Vanilla

How to Make Cranberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Mix the Dry Ingredients: Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Make the Batter: In a stand mixer, mix the butter and sugar. Then add the eggs, vanilla, sour cream and mix again. Add the dry ingredients and milk and mix. Then add the cranberries and pecans and mix those in by hand.
Make the crumble topping: In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add the cold butter and use a fork, pastry cutter or your hand to crumble it all together.
Bake: Pour the mixture into a greased 9 inch baking dish and spread evenly. Then sprinkle the crumble topping over the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Ice and Serve: While the cake cools, whisk the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the top of the coffee cake, cut and serve!

Tips for the Best Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Use full-fat sour cream for the softest texture.
Don’t thaw frozen cranberries—add them frozen to avoid streaking.
Measure your flour correctly (spoon and level!) so the cake stays tender.
Add orange zest for even more holiday flavor.
Let it cool at least 15 minutes before slicing so the cake sets.

A plate of cranberry sour cream coffee cake topped with a cinnamon-pecan crumble and vanilla glaze sits on a rustic table alongside a baking dish with missing slices, a bowl of fresh cranberries, and a small pitcher of cream. The slice on the plate shows bright pops of red cranberries and tender cake crumbs.

Soft yellow cake squares studded with bright red cranberries are topped with a thick, golden-brown pecan streusel and a light drizzle of glaze.

Tart, tender, and beautifully festive—it’s the holiday bake everyone will love!

Serving Ideas

This Cranberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake is perfect for:

Christmas morning breakfast
Holiday brunch spreads
Office potlucks
Cozy weekend baking
Gifting to neighbors or teachers

Enjoy it warm with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa for the ultimate holiday treat.

More Holiday Recipes You’ll Love

And if you’re interested in creating more deliciousness with Hiland Dairy products, be sure to check out Hiland Dairy’s recipes too (including some created by yours truly!).