Kid-Friendly Coffee Cake Recipe Made with Bisquick (No Nuts)
Sneak Preview: Mix up this Kid-Friendly Coffee Cake made with Bisquick the night before and bake it the next morning. Or, whip it up after you drink your morning coffee and bake it immediately. Delicious either way!

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The following people may be affected beneficially by this Coffee Cake with Bisquick:
- Picky eaters
- Toddlers and kids
- Harried cooks
- Beginner cooks
- Night owls (You can make it the night before)
- People who like sweets with their morning coffee
- Sentimental members of my family who have eaten breakfast at my sister’s house
This family recipe comes from my niece, Derinda. She describes it as “the coffeecake Mom always made on Saturday when I was a kid. Now my kids LOVE it. I like it because I can prepare it at night, put it in the fridge, and cook it in the morning.”
Thanks, Derinda, for sharing.

The original recipe includes no nuts, chocolate, unusual spices, or flavorings, making it perfect for kids or people with allergies.
HOWEVER…(it’s hard to leave well enough alone)
I added pecans (1/4 cup) and chopped semi-sweet chocolate (1-2 ounces) to the cake pictured below, and it was delicious! I can only imagine what it would taste like with almonds, chopped candy bars, butterscotch chips, etc.
Two ways to distribute the cinnamon-sugar topping:
- If you want your cake to have deep valleys full of cinnamon-sugar-buttery-goodness as you see in the first picture, make the topping as Derinda does. Melt the butter and stir with a spoon. Drop it over the dough
2. If you prefer a more even topping, do it like her mother, Kay. Cut cold butter into sugar-Bisquick mixture with a fork or rub it with your fingers, then sprinkle evenly over the dough.
Note to my friends who think I never use a mix: Sometimes there is not enough daylight or energy for baking from scratch, no matter how much you want to. Thank goodness for baking mixes in those times. Besides, it’s the way we’ve always made this family tradition.
Kid-Friendly Coffee Cake was adapted from a recipe on the back of the Bisquick box.
More Breakfast Goodies:
- Glazed Flaky Biscuits Made with Whey (or Buttermilk)
- Homemade Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Oatmeal Pop-tarts
Recipe Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.

Coffee Cake Recipe made with Bisquick (No Nuts)
Ingredients
- 1-1/3 cup Bisquick
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons melted butter
- ½ cup cold milk
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup Bisquick
- ¼ cup softened or cold butter – See Third Step
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Grease 8 or 9-inch round layer pan. (Square will also work.)
- Stir together Bisquick and sugar in medium bowl. In separate bowl, melt butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. (I use a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup). Add milk and egg to butter and whisk well. Combine liquids with Bisquick and stir just until mixed. Spread in prepared pan. Don’t worry if there doesn’t seem to be enough batter. The topping adds a lot.
- Mix sugar. cinnamon and Bisquick with softened butter and distribute evenly over the top of batter in the pan. OR mix sugar, cinnamon and Bisquick together with a fork. Cut butter into dry ingredients with a fork or your fingers and sprinkle over batter in the pan.
- Bake until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. 13-14 minutes if using 9-inch pan; 20-21 minutes if using 8-inch pan.
- Serve warm.
Paula Rhodes, author
I’m a retired home economist, wife, mother, grandmother, and creator of Saladinajar.com. I believe you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Here you’ll find time-saving tips, troubleshooting advice, and confidence-inspiring recipes to make life in the kitchen more fun, appetizing, and satisfying.