Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

This easy recipe is for the coffee cake lovers like myself. Fluffy cinnamon muffins covered in cinnamon streusel, does it get much better? Made with melted butter and buttermilk, these muffins are fluffy and tender. The piece de resistance, though, is the cinnamon streusel. And there is a lot of it!

Similar to my Blueberry Crumb Cake and Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins, these muffins are covered in buttery cinnamon streusel topping before baking. The cinnamon sugar crumbles caramelize in the oven for the perfect finished texture and flavor.

Not only are these muffins nice to look at, but they also taste heavenly too. Afternoon coffee is calling, and it wants one of these delicious muffins! Love muffins, try any one of my Muffin Recipes for your next brunch.

You Will Love These Cinnamon Muffins!

• This recipe is quick and easy.
• Cinnamon streusel fills and coats these delicious muffins.
• The muffins are melt-in-your-mouth tender thanks to melted butter and buttermilk in the batter.
• Each muffin is like your own personal coffee cake.
• Cinnamon streusel muffins are perfect for quick breakfast, weekend brunch, and afternoon coffee.

Ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour
• Granulated Sugar
• Light Brown Sugar (packed)
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Ground Cinnamon
• Salt
• Eggs (room temperature)
• Buttermilk
• Unsalted Butter (melted)
• Pure Vanilla Extract

See the recipe card for ingredient quantities.

Instructions

PREP - Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease with cooking spray and set it aside.

MAKE THE STREUSEL - Mix the flour, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to use.

MIX THE LIQUID INGREDIENTS - In a medium-sized bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, {lightly beaten} eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.

MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS - Whisk the flour, ground cinnamon, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.

MAKE THE MUFFIN BATTER - Stir the buttermilk-egg mixture and melted butter into the dry ingredients, being careful not to over-mix the batter.

HINT: Over-mixed muffin batter results in tough, dense muffins.

SCOOP AND BAKE - Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup a little less than halfway. Sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoon of streusel into each cup. Cover with remaining muffin batter. Divide the remaining streusel on top of each muffin.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs.

Substitutions

• Buttermilk - whole milk
• Granulated Sugar - light brown sugar

Variations

• Gluten-Free - Use Cup4Cup Flour.
• Blueberry - Stir in one cup of fresh blueberries.
• Chocolate Chip - Fold in ½ cup of semi-sweet or white chocolate chips.
• Nuts - Stir chopped pecans or walnuts into the streusel.

Try this Raspberry White Chocolate Muffin variation of this recipe. It uses buttermilk too!

Expert Tips

1. Do not over-mix the muffin batter. Muffin batter requires minimal mixing.
2. Prevent soggy muffins. After baking, allow the muffins to cool for five minutes in the muffin tin before removing them and transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
3. Add nutmeg. Stir in a ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg for an additional warm, spicy flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you know when muffins are done baking?The tops with be golden brown and when a toothpick is inserted into the center of the muffin, it will come out clean.

How do you make homemade buttermilk?Combine one cup of milk with one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Let the mixture sit for 1 to 2 minutes before using.

Can I make this muffin recipe using a mixer?For best results, mix muffin batter by hand. This allows you better control and prevents the possibility of over-mixing the batter. Like with scones, muffin batter requires little mixing.

Why are my muffins dry?You have either over-baked your muffins resulting in a loss of moisture or over-mixed the batter prior to baking. As stated above, over-mixing results in tough, dense muffins.

If you make the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments on my website! Take pictures, tag me and share them with me on Instagram or Facebook.