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

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.