Cinnamon Muffins Recipe (Better than Starbucks')
These warm cinnamon muffins come with a creamy cream cheese filling, crumbly streusel topping, and a sweet vanilla glaze, making the perfect Fall/Winter coffee treat, just like our cinnamon cookies. They can be made ahead and cost much less than any of Starbucks’ coffee muffins.
It’s coffee time! So how about warm cinnamon muffins with a cup of joe?
These easy cinnamon muffins (a.k.a cinnamon streusel muffins) come with a creamy cream cheese filling and are topped with a crumbly streusel and a sweet vanilla glaze.
They make a comforting breakfast or afternoon treat that can be easily transported to school or work.
Another real plus is that they cost much less than any Starbucks coffee cake muffins and taste just as delicious.
Let’s make them together!
Muffin and streusel origins
The word muffin was first found in print in 1703, spelled moofin. Although the origin is uncertain, it is related to the Low German Muffen which means a small cake and from the Old French moufflet meaning soft bread.
In Britain, muffins – also known as American Muffins -- are a baked quickbread with a shape of a cupcake and a moist, coarse-grained texture.
The fact is, muffins have become popular in many countries. As has streusel!
Streusel is of German origin and consists of a crumbly topping made of flour, butter, sugar, and a flavoring agent such as cinnamon. It’s usually baked on top of baked goods such as cake, breads, pies, and muffins, such as these cinnamon muffins.
Some famous dishes that contain streusel are apple crumb cake (cuca de maçã), streuselkuchen, coffee cake, babka, German apple streusel pie, and apple crisp.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Depending on your dietary restrictions, you can substitute some of the ingredients of our cinnamon muffin recipe.
- All-purpose flour – replace it with the same amount of blanched almond flour if you are on a keto diet, or gluten-free all-purpose flour if on a gluten-free diet.
- Brown sugar – use golden monk fruit if on a keto diet.
- Milk – you may use a plant-based milk for a dairy-free muffin or if on a keto diet.
- Greek yogurt – use a dairy-free yogurt for a dairy-free recipe.
- Granulated sugar – either granulated erythritol or monk fruit.
- Powdered sugar – use powdered monk fruit instead.
- Cream cheese – replace the regular one with dairy-free cream cheese if needed.
- Eggs – if you are allergic to them, use ¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce for each egg.
Cinnamon Muffins Recipe: Variations
Would you like to make variations of our cinnamon muffins? Use the same recipe as the base to make new flavors. Our baking substitutions page and charts can help you with that task for this and many other baking recipes.
- Banana cinnamon muffins: Need to put some overripe bananas to use? No problem! Substitute ½ cup mashed banana for each egg.
- Apple cinnamon muffins or apple crumble muffins: replace each egg with ¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce.
- Pumpkin cinnamon muffins: Add ¼ cup canned pumpkin for each egg called for in the recipe.
How to make cinnamon muffins
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper or coat with nonstick spray. Make sure to also line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and reserve.
- Make the streusel: In a medium bowl, whisk in together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Add the melted butter and whisk until just combined. Then, mix the flour (if needed by hand) until the mixture is moist.
- Transfer the streusel topping to the prepared baking sheet and spread it out to let it dry while making the muffin batter. Make sure to crumble in small and big chunks. Reserve. SEE PIC. 1
- Make the muffin batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the dry ingredients (flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and baking soda. Whisk on low until well combined.
- Then, add the wet ingredients: milk, Greek yogurt, and eggs. Beat until just combined and thick.
- Pour half of the batter evenly into the muffin tins (about 1 ½ tablespoon each tin cup). Reserve. SEE PIC. 2
- Make the cream cheese filling: In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until combined and smooth. SEE PIC. 3 Then, top the center of the muffins with the cream cheese filling (a little less than 1 tablespoon and no need to spread out). SEE PIC. 4 Next, spoon the remaining batter over the filling, making sure to form an even layer. If needed, gently spread out the batter. Top the muffins with the streusel topping, pressing the mixture into the batter. SEE PIC. 5 If you don’t press it, chunks of streusel will fall all over the tin while the muffins are baking.
- Bake the muffins for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool down for 5 minutes before serving.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze (optional): Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together in a bowl until homogeneous, smooth, and without lumps. SEE PIC. 6 If too thick to drizzle over the muffins, whisk in a little more milk. If too thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar.
- Then drizzle over the cinnamon muffins, let sit for 5-10 minutes, and serve. SEE PICS. 7 and 8
Make-Ahead and Storage
You can make these cinnamon muffins up to 4 days ahead. If you skip the cream cheese filling, you may store them in a sealable bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months. It’s for sure one of those easy freezer recipes.
You may also store them in the fridge for up to 7 days.
If frozen, let them thaw before reheating them for 10-15 seconds or until warm.
If you intend to freeze them, only drizzle the glaze on top after they have been thawed and reheated.
PIN & ENJOY!
Cinnamon Muffins Recipe
Equipment
- mixer
- bowls
- spatula
- whisk
- muffin tin
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour use a GF flour (same amount) for a gluten-free treat
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt optional
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
For the streusel topping:
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted (or 1 stick of butter, melted)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour use a gluten-free if desired (same amount)
For the cream cheese filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper or coat with nonstick spray. Make sure to also line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and reserve.
- Make the streusel: In a medium bowl, whisk in together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Add the melted butter and whisk until just combined. Then, mix the flour (if needed by hand) until the mixture is moist.
- Transfer the streusel topping to the prepared baking sheet and spread it out to let it dry while making the muffin batter. Make sure to crumble in small and big chunks. Reserve.
- Make the muffin batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the dry ingredients (flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and baking soda. Whisk on low until well combined.
- Then, add the wet ingredients: milk, Greek yogurt, and eggs. Beat until just combined and thick.
- Pour half of the batter evenly into the muffin tins (about 1 ½ tablespoon each tin cup). Reserve.
- Make the cream cheese filling: In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until combined and smooth. Then, top the center of the muffins with the cream cheese filling (a little less than 1 tablespoon and no need to spread out). Next, spoon the remaining batter over the filling making sure to form an even layer. If needed, gently spread out the batter. Top the muffins with the streusel topping, pressing the mixture into the batter. If you don’t press it, chunks of streusel will fall all over the tin while muffins are baking.
- Bake the muffins for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool down for 5 minutes before serving.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze (optional): Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together in a bowl until homogeneous, smooth, and without lumps. If too thick to drizzle over the muffins, whisk in a little more milk. If too thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar.
- Then, drizzle over the muffins, let sit for 5-10 minutes, and serve.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- All-purpose flour – replace it with the same amount of blanched almond flour if you are on a keto diet or gluten-free all-purpose flour if on a gluten-free diet.
- Brown sugar – use golden monk fruit if on a keto diet.
- Milk – you may use a plant-based milk for a dairy-free muffin or if on a keto diet.
- Greek yogurt – use a dairy-free yogurt for a dairy-free recipe.
- Granulated sugar – either granulated erythritol or monk fruit.
- Powdered sugar – use powdered monk fruit instead.
- Cream cheese – replace the regular one with dairy-free cream cheese if needed.
- Eggs – if you are allergic to them, use ¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce for each egg.
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
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That looks good, I think they look better than Starbucks too!
These are perfect for a breakfast and I love how easy they are to make! Mouth-watering photos!
Thank you Rahul! Yes, these cinnamon muffins are easy to make and so delicious! It tastes like cinnamon rolls.