If you’re looking for soft, tender cinnamon coffee cake muffins, that taste like they came from a bakery case theres no need to look any further. These easy to make from-scratch muffins use only a bowl, a whisk and a few measuring utensils to get the job done with big flavors and a really simple, reliable technique.
A streusel topping is mixed with a fork and set aside. Then the cinnamon coffee cake muffins start by mixing the wet ingredients and whisking them into the dry ingredients.That's it! Portion them into the muffin cups, large or regular size, top them with a generous amount of streusel, patting it down slightly and into the oven they go. 20 to 25 minutes later, you have warm muffins with pockets of melted cinnamon chips that taste just like a coffee cake only easier. No fancy equipment and no complicated techniques that can be whipped up in no time are needed.
A few more easy muffins you're sure to enjoy are: Peanut Butter and Jam Muffins, Crunchy Topped Apple Muffins, Double Chocolate Truffled Muffins and Blueberry Crumb Muffins
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How to get bakery style crowns on your muffins
Have you ever baked muffins that came out rather flat than with that nicely rounded dome on top? Assuming the recipe is balanced, there is one more thing you can do to ensure that crown. Refrigerate them overnight.
By portioning out the muffins in their paper liners and refrigerating overnight before baking, they take on a more professional look. The crowns are taller and they have that "just bought from a bakery" look.
Chilling the muffin batter overnight allows the starches in the flour to absorb more moisture from the eggs and liquids. This results in the starches swelling allowing more gluten to form, improving the consistency of the batter allowing for higher crowns, and a more moist tender, taller muffin. This will improve any muffin recipe, not just this one.
Five Reasons to make these coffee cake muffins
- They're super easy
- There's no better tasting muffin
- A bowl, a whisk and a few measuring utensils are all that are needed to make these
- I'm going to tell you how to get those beautifully domed tops
- Tender, moist and bakery style in a muffin that comes together quickly.
Recipe Ingredients
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
FRONT ROW: Unsalted butter, cinnamon
BACK ROW: Brown Sugar, all-purpose flour
Coffee Cake Muffins
FRONT ROW: Baking powder, vanilla, sour cream, baking soda, cinnamon
MIDDLE ROW: Cinnamon Chips, brown sugar, eggs
BACK ROW: Canola oil, all-purpose flour, buttermilk
Main Ingredients
- While any cinnamon can be used for the most intense flavor my go to is Korintje Cinnamon. It's the one I used at the bakery.
- Canola oil is my oil of choice but vegetable oil can also be used.
- Buttermilk, sour cream and oil all contribute to the tenderness of the baked muffins. The cinnamon chips are my latest find. They melt in the muffins leaving extra brusts of flavor. They can be used anywhere cinnamon is used. Hershey's makes the cinnamon baking chips.
- For maximum flavor dark brown sugar is used, but light brown will work also.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Cinnamon Streusel
Step 1. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl. Step 2. Mix with a fork until uniformly blended. Step 3. Add most of the butter but withhold a couple of tablespoons. Step 4. Toss with a fork until the dry ingredients are fully coated and crumbs form. Add more butter a bit at a time if needed. Refrigerate until needed.
Coffee Cake Muffins
Step 5. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Step 6. Whisk them together and set aside. Step 7. Place the eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla, and oil in a large bowl. Step 8. Whisk together until smooth.
Step 9. Add the brown sugar to the liquid ingredients. Step 10. Whisk the brown sugar in. Step 11. Add the flour mixture and Step 12. Whisk it in to make a thick batter.
Step 13. Add the cinnamon chips to the batter. Step 14. Stir them in with a spoon. They'll be caught in the whisk. Step 15. Fill either the regular or jumbo size of paper lined muffin wells ¾ full. Top generously with the cinnamon streusel. Pat it down gently to make sure it sticks. Do not push it into the muffin, Step 16. The baked muffins.
Recipe FAQ's
Coffee cake is typically baked in a pan and served in slices, while muffins are individually portioned and baked in a muffin tin. Cinnamon coffee cake muffins often use the same tender, cinnamon-flavored batter and streusel topping as classic coffee cake, but bake faster and are easier to serve.
To prevent the streusel from sinking, make sure the batter is thick enough to support the topping and add the streusel just before baking. Pressing it lightly onto the batter helps it stay on top as the muffins rise.
It could be several things. If the recipe isn't balanced - too much flour to little liquid - they will be dry or they can be over baked. Another reason is the recipe is correct but the flour was measured in cups. The weight of flour measured by cups can be more or less than what is required depending upon how it got into the cup. The best way to measure ingredients for any baking is to use a scale. The weight will always be the same. Volume can differ. Next, always short time the baking by a few minutes in case the oven temperature isn't correct. Time can always be added but it can't be subtracted. Last, It can be difficult to see how the muffin is browning under brown crumbs so use a cake tester. It should be clean when it comes out.
Storage and Freezing
The muffins can and should be held, unbaked, in their paper cups in the fridge overnight which makes a perfect breakfast or brunch treat.
The muffins can be baked and frozen then wrapped well for several months. They can be thawed at room temperature and then warmed in a 350°F oven for 10 15 minutes.
These muffins will last several days at room temperature if covered.
Expert Tips
- The muffins can be and should be held, unbaked, in their muffin tins overnight which makes them perfect for warm, freshly baked treats for breakfast.
- By using a whisk instead of a mixer, you ensure they muffins will not be over mixed which is crucial to a tender muffin.
- Canola oil is recommended but vegetable oil can also be used.
- Because there is brown sugar and buttermilk in the recipe baking soda needs to be present as well as baking powder. It will neutralize the acid in those ingredients.
Other Quick Recipes You'll Love
A lot of work goes into each of my recipes and my only ask is that if you like the recipe or even the looks of it, please leave me a star rating to help me rank better. It’s important and I appreciate it and I appreciate you.
Coffee Cake Muffins (Bakery-Style & Moist)
Equipment
- 2 regular size muffin tin
- OR
- 2 Jumbo size muffin tins
Ingredients
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (105 grams)
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar (65 grams)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 5 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (90 grams)
Coffee Cake Muffin Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (280 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup sour cream (55 grams)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar (200 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup cinnamon baking chips, optional
Instructions
Cinnamon Streusel
- Place the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir with a fork to combine.
- Add all but 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and toss with a fork to form crumbs. If the mixture is dry and not forming good crumbs, add additional butter a little at a time until the form. Refrigerate until needed.
Coffee Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the wells of 14 regular size muffin tins with paper cups or 7 Jumbo wells. If you only have one pan, hold the extra batter in the fridge and bake it after the first pan is finished and the muffins are removed to cool. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, cinnamon, banking powder, and baking soda together in a medium size bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, buttermilk, sour cream and vanilla.
- Whisk in the brown sugar until smooth..
- Mix in the flour mixture. The batter will be very thick. Stir in the cinnamon baking chips.
- Fill either of the cups ¾ full and generously top with the cinnamon streusel. Pat the streusel down gently but do not push it into the muffin.
- Bake the smaller muffins for 20 minutes. Bake the larger muffins 25 minutes. A tester should come out clean when inserted.
Notes
Nutrition
Suzanne says
Another winner! FYI I made a second batch for a friend using King Arthur gluten free flour which also turned out perfectly.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Suzanne - Great to hear they worked with the GF Flour. One of my sons is GF and he introduced us to TJ's Coffee cake muffins. We love them. These were based on their ingredients.
Kat says
Delicious!!! Keeping jn the rotation!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Kat - happy to hear.
Doug says
I'm a rank baking beginner so the prep time took longer and my gram scale wasn't working. But they came out really well. So thanks for this recipe which should be fun for novices.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Doug - Muffins are a great place to start. Prep is often the most time consuming part of baking so you're fine there. Everything will get better as you bake more. Love that you are starting to bake. Stick around - I have tons more coming up this year.
Sandra says
Nice and simple 👍
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Sandra - perfect for January when we still want to bake but also want to take a break!
Suzanne Canas says
These look amazing!! I’m going to try them asap, I read through the entire recipe and tips for baking, thank you so much for helping me be a better baker!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Suzanne - You are exactly who I am writing for. Thanks for reading it through.
Sooria says
Wonderful. Thank you for allowing us to grow with you.🤗
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Sooria - you're very welcome.
Marian says
Can I use coffee powder instead of cinnamon.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Marian - With all the cinnamon, I think coffee powder is going to be excessive but that's up to you. You can use anything you like but these aren't meant to taste of coffee.
housha says
Very good
elle says
What temperature should the oven be? I wasn't sure the temperature you wrote above? Thank you.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Elle - ot should be 375°F. Thanks for letting me know. I've corrected the recipe.
Victoria Lane says
Cannot wait to try these!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi There - I hope you get to soon