These cinnamon streusel muffins are made with a moist cinnamon muffin, topped with buttery streusel topping and an easy glaze.
These muffins are soft and fluffy on the inside, with a sweet and crunchy topping called streusel. The streusel is made of butter, sugar, flour, and cinnamon, which gives the muffins their special flavor.
When you bite into one of these muffins, you'll taste the warm, spicy cinnamon mixed with the sweetness of the cake.
They're perfect for breakfast or as a snack with coffee or tea. These muffins are easy to make at home and fill your kitchen with a wonderful smell while they're baking.
Whether enjoyed for breakfast or as an afternoon snack, these muffins are sure to satisfy your cravings for a delicious baked good.
If you like baking muffins, check out our apple crumble muffins, healthy breakfast muffins, moist banana mini muffins, and pistachio muffins.
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Why this recipe works
- Streusel topping- these muffins are topped with a delicious and easy one bowl cinnamon streusel topping that creates a crunchy and buttery texture in every bite.
- Texture- these are made with melted butter and greek yogurt which makes these muffins extra moist and tender. They have a soft crumb that melts in your mouth.
- Grab and go snack- these are perfect to make when you need a quick breakfast or snack to grab and go.
- Time- these come together in under an hour from start to finish and are perfect when you are short on time but want to make a delicious muffin.
- Versatile- this is the best muffin base recipe to add many add-ins like chocolate chips, blueberries, crumble topping, etc.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work for this recipe, no margarine, and no coconut oil. Margarine has a weird taste and can ruin the flavor of these delicious muffins.
Eggs- you will need eggs for this recipe. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Flour– I used all purpose flour for this recipe. cake flour will work great as well.
Baking soda and baking powder – baking soda and baking powder help the muffins rise and spread. Make sure that your levelers aren't expired.
Granulated sugar– We like to use granulated sugar, also the most common sugar used in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Milk- Use whole milk for this recipe.
Greek yogurt- you can use either Greek yogurt or sour cream. Get your Greek yogurt to room temperature. Any percent of fat will work for this recipe.
Vanilla extract- Vanilla extract adds extra flavor. For extra vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean extract or an actual vanilla bean!
Kosher salt- you will need about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
Cinnamon- use your favorite brand of ground cinnamon for this. I also added nutmeg for a delicious addition of flavor.
For the streusel topping
Flour– I used all-purpose flour for this recipe, cake flour will work great as well.
Sugar- I used granulated sugar for this recipe. You can use brown sugar as well.
Melted butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Melt your butter in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Instructions
Preheat an oven to 180c (350f) and prep a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Into a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter, sugar, yogurt, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Mix with a whisk until the mixture is well combined.
Add the eggs, and mix until well combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and mix until almost combined. Let the batter sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This step creates the signature domed tops that the best muffins have!
Make the streusel topping
Into a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, kosher salt, and cinnamon, and mix with a whisk.
Add the melted butter and mix until the streusel topping comes together.
Pour the batter into the muffin tins filling almost to the top using an ice cream scooper or a large cookie scooper.
Top the muffins with about 1 ½ tablespoons of the streusel topping and press the streusel topping onto the muffin batter so it sticks and does not fall off while baking.
Bake in a 200c (400f) preheated oven for 5 minutes, and then bake for another 10-12 minutes at 180c (350f) or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow the muffins to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. Top the muffins with a simple two Ingredient glaze and serve!
Expert Tips
- Don't skimp on the streusel. Be generous when sprinkling the streusel topping on each muffin. Press it gently into the batter to ensure it sticks during baking.
- Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full. This allows room for the muffins to rise without overflowing.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and milk. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist muffins and not dense and dry muffins.
- Measure you flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Avoid overbaking! Check your muffins a few minutes before the recommended baking time. They're done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Be patient! I know it's extremely tempting to eat these muffins as they are pulled out of the oven, but let these muffins cool for at least 15 minutes so they will be more firm and won't crumble up.
Faq's
It is important to allow the muffins to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes after baking, and then transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely or eat them warm!
Streusel topping is very easy to make and is made with simple ingredients like flour, melted butter, brown sugar, kosher salt, and cinnamon.
Your muffins may be dry if you overbaked them. Keep your eye on them while they're baking. Also, you may add too much flour. Make sure you measure your flour correctly.
Storing
These muffins will last for up to 3 days stored at room temperature. Cover the muffins with plastic wrap or foil to prevent them from drying out.
Reheating
In a toaster oven:
For best results, use an oven or toaster oven set to 350°F (175°C). Wrap the muffin in aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out, and heat for about 10-15 minutes.
In a microwave:
Place the muffin on a microwave-safe plate and heat for 15-20 seconds. To maintain texture, consider adding a damp paper towel over the muffin before microwaving.
Freezing
To freeze these muffins, first allow them to cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
Place the wrapped muffins in a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing. Label the container with the date and type of muffin for easy identification.
When stored properly, muffins can last in the freezer for up to three months.
To thaw, simply remove the desired number of muffins from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for about an hour, or microwave them for a quick defrost.
Substitutions
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Dairy-free- you can make these muffins dairy-free by replacing the butter with vegan butter, the yogurt with vegan yogurt, and the milk with vegan milk of your choice.
Variations
Apple- chunks of fresh apple are folded into the batter, adding a fruity twist to the traditional cinnamon streusel muffin. Add 1 cup of apple chunks.
Chocolate chips- semi-sweet chocolate chips are scattered throughout the batter, adding rich, melty pockets of chocolate to the muffins.
Orange zest- add orange zest to both the batter and the streusel for a citrusy twist that brightens the cinnamon flavor.
Pecans- chop ½ cup of toasted pecans and add them to the muffin batter for a delicious crunch and nutty flavor.
Cinnamon sugar middle- add a layer of cinnamon sugar in the middle of the muffins as I did for my coffee cake muffins.
Spices- add your favorite spices for cinnamon-spiced desserts! Like nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin spice, ginger, etc.
Raisins- soak your favorite kind of raisins in hot water for 30 minutes, and then add them to the muffin batter.
Cream cheese glaze- top these muffins with a delicious cream cheese glaze. Use the recipe from my cinnamon roll muffins.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- Muffin pan
- Rubber spatula
- Cookies scoop set of 3 (the best cookie scoop we used)
- Muffin liners
More cinnamon desserts
Cinnamon Apple Cake- This cinnamon apple cake is moist and buttery with a tender crumb, filled with apples, and a cinnamon swirl topping, and a drizzle of simple glaze.
Cinnamon Bundt Cake- This cinnamon bundt cake is moist, buttery, and has a tender crumb, is made with a cinnamon swirl and topped with cream cheese frosting.
Homemade cinnamon rolls- These homemade cinnamon rolls are soft, gooey, incredibly light, and fluffy. They are filled with a cinnamon filling and are topped with cream cheese glaze.
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Moist Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins
- ½ cup Butter melted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅔ cup Yogurt
- ¾ cup Milk
- 1 ¼ cups Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ⅓ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 2 Eggs
- 2 ½ cups Flour AP, plain
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
For the streusel topping
- 1 cup Flour AP
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup Brown sugar
- ¼ cup Butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 180c (350f) and prep a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter, sugar, yogurt, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Mix with a whisk until the mixture is well combined.
- Add the eggs, and mix until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and mix until almost combined. Let the batter sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This step creates the signature domed tops that the best muffins have!
Make the streusel topping
- Into a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, kosher salt, and cinnamon, and mix with a whisk.
- Add the melted butter and mix until the streusel topping comes together.
- Pour the batter into the muffin tins filling almost to the top using an ice cream scooper or a large cookie scooper.
- Top the muffins with about 1 ½ tablespoons of the streusel topping and press the streusel topping onto the muffin batter so it sticks and does not fall off while baking.
- Bake in a 200c (400f) preheated oven for 5 minutes, and then bake for another 10-12 minutes at 180c (350f) or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. Top the muffins with a simple two Ingredient glaze and serve!
Notes
- Don't skimp on the streusel. Be generous when sprinkling the streusel topping on each muffin. Press it gently into the batter to ensure it sticks during baking.
- Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full. This allows room for the muffins to rise without overflowing.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and milk. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist muffins and not dense and dry muffins.
- Measure you flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Avoid overbaking! Check your muffins a few minutes before the recommended baking time. They're done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Be patient! I know it's extremely tempting to eat these muffins as they are pulled out of the oven, but let these muffins cool for at least 15 minutes so they will be more firm and won't crumble up.
I.Addison says
Great easy recipe !I made this today for breakfast, my family loved it! I used sour cream and they came out super moist, and it made 18 regular size muffins. I might try this recipe as mini muffins.