I packed a sour cream and brown sugar muffin base with cinnamon streusel both inside and out, and in my Streusel Muffin Recipes I reveal a clever little trick that layers the cinnamon streusel throughout.
I didn’t expect these Easy Cinnamon Streusel Muffins to become my go-to, but they did. The muffin base gets a little tang from sour cream and the crumb hides pockets of cinnamon streusel so you get that crunchy, sugary surprise inside and out.
If you’re looking for a Cinnamon Muffins Recipe that actually tastes homemade and not like boxed stuff, this one hits that note, and it works great as Easy Dessert Muffins for guests or for keeping in the freezer. I mess up baking sometimes by overbaking, and these somehow forgive me more than most, which is why I keep making them.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure and carbs, makes muffins light but can be a bit dense.
- Brown sugar: Adds caramel sweetness and moisture, feeds the cinnamon flavor makes them nicely brown.
- Eggs: Bind ingredients and add protein, help rise and give a tender crumb.
- Sour cream: Gives tang, moisture and tenderness, keeps muffins soft for days.
- Butter: Adds rich flavor and moistness, helps the streusel feel flaky on top.
- Ground cinnamon: Warm spice low calorie, gives aromatic sweetness and cozy flavor.
- Milk: Thins batter for perfect rise, adds some calcium and mild dairy flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Boosts sweetness perception, rounds flavors and smells amazing in warm muffins.
- Baking powder: Leavening agent that helps muffins rise and stay light without tasting chemical.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup (240 g) sour cream (plain yogurt works if youre out)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 1/3 cup (75 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the cinnamon streusel 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup (95 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- Pinch of salt
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease the cups; this temp gives a nice domed top.
2. Make the cinnamon streusel: in a bowl mix 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar, 3/4 cup (95 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Cut in 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter with a pastry cutter, two forks or your fingertips until you have coarse crumbs; chill the streusel while you make the batter so it stays crumbly.
3. Whisk the dry batter ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a medium bowl.
4. Whisk the wet ingredients in a separate bowl: 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar with 2 large room temperature eggs until combined, then stir in 1 cup (240 g) sour cream (or plain yogurt), 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, 1/3 cup (75 g) melted and cooled unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Dont overbeat here.
5. Fold the wet into the dry gently until just combined; it should be lumpy and a little thick, dont overmix or youll get dense muffins.
6. Fill each muffin cup about one third full with batter, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the chilled streusel into the center of each cup, then top with more batter to fill the cups about three quarters full. Finish by pressing a bit more streusel on top of each muffin so theyre streusel-packed inside and out.
7. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan once halfway through if your oven is uneven.
8. Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 to 10 minutes so the streusel sets, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling; the streusel gets crispier as they cool.
9. Storage and quick tips: store at room temp in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. To refresh, warm in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes or microwave 15 to 20 seconds. Use plain yogurt if you dont have sour cream, and always keep the streusel butter cold for the best crumbly texture.
Equipment Needed
1. 12-cup muffin tin (with liners or greased cups)
2. 2 mixing bowls (one medium for dry, one for wet)
3. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you have one
4. Whisk
5. Pastry cutter or two forks or your fingers to cut the cold butter into the streusel
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for folding the batter (dont overmix)
7. Ice cream scoop or large spoon to portion batter evenly into the cups
8. Wire cooling rack, oven mitts and a toothpick to test doneness
FAQ
Easy Cinnamon Streusel Muffins Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour: use a 1-to-1 gluten free baking blend (same cup for cup); or try whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier taste but expect a bit denser muffin; spelt flour works too, use about 90% of the amount and don’t overmix.
- Sour cream: plain full fat yogurt is the easiest swap (same amount); or buttermilk for tang, use 1 cup minus 2 tbsp and cut milk a little; or thin Greek yogurt with a splash of milk to match consistency.
- Unsalted butter (muffins or streusel): melted coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil works in the batter (same volume); for the streusel use very cold solid coconut oil or vegan butter and cut into cubes so crumbs form; solid vegetable shortening also ok for a flaky crumb.
- Eggs: flax “egg” (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg, let sit 5 min) for binding; unsweetened applesauce 1/4 cup per egg for moisture though muffins will be denser; mashed banana 1/4 cup per egg adds sweetness and banana flavor.
Pro Tips
1. Keep the streusel ice cold until it’s time to top the muffins. Warm butter makes clumps not crumbs, so if it starts to soften pop the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes. Cold streusel gives that contrast of crunchy top and soft inside.
2. Measure flour by weight or spoon and level the cup. Too much flour is the fastest way to make these dense and dry muffins. If you only have cups, fluff the flour, spoon into the cup, then level with a knife.
3. Fold the batter gently and stop when you still see a few lumps. Overmixing smashes air and gives you flat heavy muffins. Fill cups about three quarters full and press streusel into the center so you get a cinnamon ribbon without deflating the batter.
4. Let muffins cool in the tin for 5 to 10 minutes so the streusel sets, then transfer to a rack. For best texture reheat frozen or day old muffins in a 350 oven for about 5 minutes or microwave 15 to 20 seconds. Its better than eating them straight from the fridge.
Easy Cinnamon Streusel Muffins Recipe
I packed a sour cream and brown sugar muffin base with cinnamon streusel both inside and out, and in my Streusel Muffin Recipes I reveal a clever little trick that layers the cinnamon streusel throughout.
12
servings
378
kcal
Equipment: 1. 12-cup muffin tin (with liners or greased cups)
2. 2 mixing bowls (one medium for dry, one for wet)
3. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you have one
4. Whisk
5. Pastry cutter or two forks or your fingers to cut the cold butter into the streusel
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for folding the batter (dont overmix)
7. Ice cream scoop or large spoon to portion batter evenly into the cups
8. Wire cooling rack, oven mitts and a toothpick to test doneness
Ingredients
-
2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
-
2 teaspoons baking powder
-
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
-
3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
-
2 large eggs, room temp
-
1 cup (240 g) sour cream (plain yogurt works if youre out)
-
1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
-
1/3 cup (75 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
For the cinnamon streusel 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar
-
3/4 cup (95 g) all purpose flour
-
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-
6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
-
Pinch of salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease the cups; this temp gives a nice domed top.
- Make the cinnamon streusel: in a bowl mix 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar, 3/4 cup (95 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Cut in 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter with a pastry cutter, two forks or your fingertips until you have coarse crumbs; chill the streusel while you make the batter so it stays crumbly.
- Whisk the dry batter ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a medium bowl.
- Whisk the wet ingredients in a separate bowl: 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar with 2 large room temperature eggs until combined, then stir in 1 cup (240 g) sour cream (or plain yogurt), 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, 1/3 cup (75 g) melted and cooled unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Dont overbeat here.
- Fold the wet into the dry gently until just combined; it should be lumpy and a little thick, dont overmix or youll get dense muffins.
- Fill each muffin cup about one third full with batter, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the chilled streusel into the center of each cup, then top with more batter to fill the cups about three quarters full. Finish by pressing a bit more streusel on top of each muffin so theyre streusel-packed inside and out.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan once halfway through if your oven is uneven.
- Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 to 10 minutes so the streusel sets, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling; the streusel gets crispier as they cool.
- Storage and quick tips: store at room temp in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. To refresh, warm in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes or microwave 15 to 20 seconds. Use plain yogurt if you dont have sour cream, and always keep the streusel butter cold for the best crumbly texture.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 111g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 378kcal
- Fat: 16.1g
- Saturated Fat: 9.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.13g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.3g
- Monounsaturated: 4g
- Cholesterol: 76mg
- Sodium: 249mg
- Potassium: 90mg
- Carbohydrates: 54.1g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Sugar: 32.1g
- Protein: 5.1g
- Vitamin A: 346IU
- Vitamin C: 0.3mg
- Calcium: 43mg
- Iron: 0.54mg
