I just baked a batch of coffee cake muffins, and oh, what a treat!
The combination of the buttery sponge, cinnamon filling, crunchy topping, and sweet glaze is too good to be true.
Seriously, these things are insanely tender – they practically melt in your mouth.
Whether you’re enjoying a lazy morning at home or looking for the perfect companion for your afternoon coffee, these muffins promise to deliver.
Why You’ll Love These Coffee Cake Muffins
Bakery-Style Indulgence: They’re fluffy, tall, and overflowing with crunchy streusel on top. And they cost a fraction of what you’d pay in a bakery.
Perfect Texture Combo: The soft and tender muffin base contrasted with the crunchy cinnamon streusel offers a delightful textural experience in every bite.
Easy to Customize: The basic recipe is a perfect canvas for adding nuts, fruit, or chocolate chips.
Impressive Presentation: With layered streusel and glossy vanilla glaze, these muffins not only taste delicious but also look impressive.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the muffins and streusel, providing structure and a tender crumb.
- Granulated Sugar ad Brown Sugar: White sugar sweetens the muffins, while the brown sugar brings caramel notes to the cinnamon swirl and topping.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leaveners help the muffins rise, creating a light and fluffy texture.
- Salt and Cinnamon: Balances the sweetness and adds a warm, spicy note to both the muffin batter and the cinnamon swirl, enhancing the coffee cake vibe.
- Unsalted Butter: Offers richness and moisture, and creates a crumbly texture in the streusel.
- Eggs: Bind the batter, providing structure and helping the muffins rise.
- Sour Cream & Buttermilk: Contribute to the moistness and tangy flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Infuses the muffins and glaze with a sweet, aromatic flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: The base of the glaze, offering a sweet, smooth topping that drizzles perfectly.
- Milk: Thins the glaze to the ideal drizzling consistency.
How to Make Coffee Cake Muffins
If you’re a coffee cake fan, you’ve got to try this muffin version ASAP. They’re perfect for a weekend baking project or a special breakfast treat.
Check out how easily they come together:
1. PREP: Set the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a muffin tin with liners.
2. MIX: In separate bowls, combine the wet and dry ingredients until well blended (add the sugar to the dry bowl). Gently combine the two by hand into a smooth batter.
3. SWIRL: Stir the brown sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon swirl filling in a small bowl.
4. STREUSEL: Mix the topping ingredients until clumpy in another bowl.
5. LAYER: Spoon half the batter into the pan, add the cinnamon swirl, then top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle the streusel over each.
6. BAKE: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to 375°F for about 15 minutes. Let cool.
7. GLAZE: Mix the glaze ingredients until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled muffins. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Coffee Cake Muffins
Before you grab a cup of coffee and get mixing, read these handy tips.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Get the eggs and dairy ingredients out of the fridge 20-30 minutes early for better incorporation into the batter.
- Spoon and level the flour. You’ll get too much if you scoop the flour into the measuring cup. Instead, spoon it in and level it flat with the back of a spoon.
- Don’t overmix. Stir the wet and dry ingredients until just combined to avoid tough muffins.
- Bake in two trays. Bake 6 muffins in a 12-count muffin tin. This gives better heat flow and allows the muffins to bake up and dome over, like you see in bakeries.
- Cool slightly. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Then cool further before glazing so they don’t go soggy.
- Variations. Add chopped nuts to the streusel, substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar in the batter, use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, add chocolate chips, or add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the batter for a hint of coffee flavor.
How to Store
There’s something so nostalgic and comforting about the aroma of cinnamon, butter, and vanilla filling the air.
It takes me right back to cozy weekend mornings as a kid.
As a result, these don’t last long in my house. But here’s how you can store leftovers (if you have some):
To Store: Place cooled muffins into an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: Wrap cooled muffins tightly in plastic wrap or foil, then place in an airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To Reheat: For a freshly baked taste, wrap the muffins in foil and warm in a 325°F oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, microwave for 20-30 seconds for a quick warm-up.
More Muffin Recipes You’ll Love
Red Velvet Muffins
White Chocolate Chip Muffins
Banana Blueberry Muffins
Apple Cider Donut Muffins
Lemon Raspberry Muffins with Glaze
Coffee Cake Muffins
12
servings20
minutes20
minutes461
kcalThese coffee cake muffins are everything I love about classic coffee cake but in a convenient handheld package. They’re sweet, spiced, and melt in your mouth moist.
Ingredients
- For the Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- For the Cinnamon Swirl
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
- For the Streusel
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- For the Vanilla Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) and line a standard muffin tin with paper liners (or grease the cups with cooking spray).
- Make the Muffins: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, blend the melted butter, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing by hand just until incorporated. Set aside.
- Make the Cinamon Swirl: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar with the cinnamon. Set aside.
- Make the Streusel Topping: In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, flour, and melted butter until crumbly.
- Spoon a layer of muffin batter into each muffin cup, filling about 1/3 full. Sprinkle a generous layer of the cinnamon swirl mixture over the batter. Top with another layer of batter, filling each cup to about 3/4 full. Finally, sprinkle the streusel topping over each.
- Bake for 5 minutes then reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Make the Vanilla Glaze: When the muffins are cool, whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 2-3 tablespoons milk until smooth. The glaze should be pourable but thick.
- Drizzle the cooled muffins with the vanilla glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. Get the eggs and dairy ingredients out of the fridge 20-30 minutes early for better incorporation into the batter.
- Spoon and level the flour. You’ll get too much if you scoop the flour into the measuring cup. Instead, spoon it in and level it flat with the back of a spoon.