Cinnamon Sugar Muffins
These cinnamon sugar muffins hit that perfect spot between breakfast and dessert. The muffins themselves aren’t too sweet, but the buttery cinnamon-sugar coating gives them that irresistible snickerdoodle-like finish. I make these whenever I want something comforting but don’t feel like putting in too much effort – the batter comes together in one bowl and they’re done in about 25 minutes.
They’re at their absolute best still slightly warm, when the coating is a bit crispy and the inside is tender and soft. I’ll often bake them on weekend mornings, but they also make a great after-school snack or coffee companion. Just don’t skip the coating step – that’s what makes them special.
What you need for Cinnamon Sugar Muffins
Ingredients You’ll Need For This Recipe
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredients You’ll Need For Topping
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup melted butter
How to make Cinnamon Sugar Muffins
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. If you’re using dark-colored metal pans, keep an eye on them as they tend to brown faster.
2. Start by whisking together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. The nutmeg is what gives these muffins that warm, bakery-style flavor, so don’t skip it! Give it a few good stirs to make sure the baking powder is evenly distributed – you don’t want any surprise bitter spots in your muffins.
3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil until it looks like wet sand. Now, add the egg and beat until the mixture becomes lighter in color and a bit fluffy – about 30 seconds of vigorous whisking should do it. Pour in the milk and vanilla, whisking until everything’s well combined.
4. Here’s the important part: add dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two batches, stirring gently with a rubber spatula just until you don’t see any more dry flour. The batter will look a bit lumpy, and that’s exactly what you want – overmixing will make your muffins tough.
5. Fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full – I find an ice cream scoop works perfectly for this. They should each get about 3 tablespoons of batter. Give the pan a couple of gentle taps on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
6. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when you lightly press them with your finger. Another tell-tale sign they’re done is when you can see a few small cracks on top and the edges are just starting to turn golden brown.
7. While they’re baking, mix cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl. Melt butter in a separate bowl. As soon as the muffins are cool enough to handle (but still warm!), brush each one with melted butter – be generous here! – and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Make sure to coat all sides, even the top.
These are best enjoyed while still a bit warm, when the butter has made the cinnamon-sugar coating slightly crispy on the outside while the inside stays soft and tender.
🔍 Recipe Notes & Tips
- Skip paper liners and grease the tin directly for a crispier exterior
- Room temp ingredients mix better – set eggs/milk out 30 mins before
- Don’t overmix! Lumpy batter = tender muffins
- Check at 16 mins if using dark pans
- No nutmeg? Use cinnamon in the batter instead
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- Perfect with coffee, hot chocolate, or chai tea
- Serve warm (10 secs in microwave refreshes day-old muffins)
- Great for breakfast with fresh fruit on the side
- Make a quick cream cheese spread for extra indulgence
🎯 Make it Work for
- Bake Sales: Package individually in clear bags
- Brunch: Serve in a basket lined with cloth napkins
- Kids’ Parties: Make mini versions, bake 11-13 mins
- Holiday Gift: Layer dry ingredients in a mason jar with recipe attached
- Potluck: Double batch – these always disappear fast
📦 Storage & Leftovers
- Counter: 2-3 days in an airtight container
- Freeze: Up to 2 months (freeze before adding cinnamon-sugar coating)
- To reheat: Thaw overnight, warm slightly, then coat in fresh cinnamon sugar
- Don’t store them in the fridge – makes them dry and stale faster.
Cinnamon sugar muffins
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Topping:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. If you’re using dark-colored pans, watch them closely as they tend to brown faster.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. The nutmeg gives the muffins their warm, bakery-style flavor, so don’t skip it! Stir well to evenly distribute the baking powder.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the egg and beat until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffy – about 30 seconds of whisking. Then pour in the milk and vanilla, whisking until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two batches, gently stirring with a rubber spatula until the dry flour disappears. The batter should be slightly lumpy – overmixing will make the muffins tough.
- Fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full (about 3 tablespoons per muffin). Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and the edges start to turn golden brown. You’ll also notice a few small cracks on top when they’re done.
- While the muffins are baking, mix cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl and melt butter in a separate bowl. Once the muffins are cool enough to handle (but still warm), brush each one with melted butter and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Coat all sides, including the top.
