If you’re a fan of coffee cake, you’re going to love these Coffee Cake Muffins—fluffy, moist, and swirled with cinnamon sugar, all topped with a buttery streusel and sweet drizzle. These muffins give you all the cozy flavor of a traditional coffee cake in a portable, individually sized treat. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack on the go!
Why You’ll Love These Muffins
These muffins take all the best parts of classic coffee cake—like the cinnamon swirl, the crumb topping, and the soft, tender crumb—and bake them into easy, handheld portions. Just like my Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake and Banana Coffee Cake, this recipe is perfect for prepping ahead or making when a craving strikes.
They pair beautifully with coffee, tea, or even homemade hot chocolate. You can prepare parts of the recipe—like the cinnamon swirl and streusel topping—ahead of time to streamline your baking process.
Feeling creative? These muffins are a great canvas for mix-ins like chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit!
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, making this an easy recipe to whip up with what you likely already have on hand. Full measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
- Sour Cream – Adds richness and keeps the muffins ultra-moist.
- Milk – Adds tenderness. You can substitute with buttermilk for extra tang.
- Butter – Used both melted in the batter and cold for the crumb topping.
- Sugar – A blend of granulated and brown sugar adds depth and sweetness.
- Cinnamon – The star flavor in every bite. Use fresh cinnamon for best results.
- Flour – All-purpose flour forms the base, but you can use cake flour for a lighter crumb topping.
How to Make Coffee Cake Muffins
1. Prep the oven:
Preheat to 400°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Make the crumb topping:
In a bowl, mix flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter until large and small crumbs form. Place in the freezer until needed.
3. Make the muffin batter:
In a stand mixer or bowl, beat together melted butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and beat again until fully combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine sour cream and milk. Alternately add dry and wet ingredients to the batter, starting and ending with the flour. Set aside.
4. Make the cinnamon swirl:
Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
5. Assemble the muffins:
Scoop a layer of batter into each muffin cup (about halfway full). Spoon cinnamon swirl over batter. Add more batter until cups are about ¾ full. Top with crumb topping and gently press it down so it adheres.
6. Bake:
Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F (without opening the oven) and continue baking for 10–14 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
7. Finish with icing:
Whisk powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and heavy cream until smooth. Drizzle over cooled muffins and enjoy!
Amanda’s Expert Tips
- Proper measuring is key: Spoon and level your flour instead of scooping for accurate results—or use a kitchen scale for consistency.
- Room temperature matters: Let eggs, sour cream, milk, and melted butter come to room temp before mixing to ensure a smooth batter.
- Cold butter for crumble: For a crisp, bakery-style topping, keep your crumble in the freezer until you’re ready to use it.
- Let the batter rest: For tall, domed muffins, refrigerate your muffin batter for at least an hour before baking to hydrate the flour.
FAQs
How can I customize these muffins?
Add-ins like chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or even fruit (like blueberries or diced apples) work great in this recipe!
How should I store them?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. Freeze unglazed muffins for longer storage and glaze after thawing.
Recipe Card
Coffee Cake Muffins
By Amanda Powell
Tender, moist, and filled with cinnamon sugar flavor—these coffee cake muffins are topped with a buttery crumble and a sweet vanilla glaze.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 18 mins
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 381 kcal
Ingredients
Crumb Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 7 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
Muffin Batter:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 tbsp milk, room temperature
Cinnamon Swirl:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Icing:
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- 2–3 tbsp heavy cream