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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast

    Cinnamon Muffins

    Published: Jul 18, 2022 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links

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    muffins with wrappers peeled off and text overlay at the top
    collage of cinnamon muffins with text in the center

    These cinnamon muffins are easy to make, but they pack a strong cinnamon punch! There's cinnamon in the batter, as well as a swirl of cinnamon brown sugar running through the middle of the muffin. And, there's cinnamon sugar baked on top too, of course!

    cinnamon muffin broken in two on white plate with pat of butter on one half

    Note: this post was originally published in 2021 and updated in 2022 with improved instructions and photos.

    Cinnamon may be considered somewhat of a "common" flavor, but I think it deserves to be celebrated! And in this cinnamon muffin recipe, cinnamon really is at the forefront.

    First, the muffin batter itself includes cinnamon. Plus, there is a nice crunchy topping of cinnamon brown sugar. And, for an added cinnamon surprise, there is a ribbon of cinnamon brown sugar running right through the middle of the muffin!

    These cinnamon muffins are the perfect thing for a quick breakfast, or as an accompaniment for afternoon tea. Plus, they freeze well so you can keep some on hand when you're craving something sweet!

    Jump to:
    • Recipe ingredients
    • Equipment needed
    • Step by step photos
    • Tips and tricks
    • Storage instructions
    • Substitutions and additions
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Related recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Recipe ingredients

    cinnamon muffin ingredients on white tray with text labels

    Ingredient notes

    • Oil: you can use any neutral oil you have in your cabinet for these cinnamon muffins. I used canola oil, but any vegetable oil would work fine, or even grapeseed oil if you have it.
    • Milk: I used 2% because that's what I had in my fridge, but whole milk or skim milk would also work well.
    • Brown sugar: I used dark brown sugar for these cinnamon muffins because I prefer the extra molasses-y flavor. But, light brown sugar would be ok to use too.

    Equipment needed

    In addition to the basics (bowl, whisk, measuring cups/spoons), a few additional pieces of equipment will come in handy for this cinnamon muffin recipe:

    • 12-cup muffin tin: you just need the standard-size cupcake/muffin tin that makes 12 muffins.
    • cupcake liners (optional): you can use any type - either paper, foil, or reusable silicone. If you don't have liners, you can just grease the muffin tin very well.
    • kitchen scale (optional): in the recipe card, I provide both volume and weight measurements, so a scale is optional. But, if you have a kitchen scale, I prefer to use the weight measurements because it's more accurate and efficient.

    Step by step photos

    1. First, fill a 12-cup muffin tin with liners, or grease the muffin tin well. Set aside. Also, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).

    hand placing brown paper liners in muffin tin

    2. Then, mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar for the cinnamon sugar topping. Set it aside for now.

    small container of cinnamon sugar being mixed with metal spoon

    3. Next, whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

    dry muffin ingredients being whisked in glass bowl

    4. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients with the brown and granulated sugars.

    whisk mixing wet muffin ingredients in glass bowl

    5. Then, add the dry ingredients into the wet in a few batches, whisking gently in between each addition. Whisk just until the flour is incorporated - don't overmix! There will be a couple lumps still and that's ok.

    whisk mixing flour into wet muffin ingredients
    cinnamon muffin batter being whisked in glass bowl

    6. Retrieve the prepared muffin tin. Fill each muffin tin about ⅓ of the way full.

    metal measuring cup pouring muffin batter into paper liners set into muffin tin

    7. Then, sprinkle some of the cinnamon sugar mixture across the surface of each partially-filled muffin.

    small spoon sprinkling cinnamon sugar over muffin batter in muffin tin

    8. Now just top off the muffins with the rest of the batter.

    metal measuring cup pouring muffin batter overtop cinnamon layer in muffin tin

    9. Distribute the rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the cinnamon muffin batter.

    hand sprinkling cinnamon sugar over muffin batter in muffin tin

    10. Bake the cinnamon muffins until the tops are firm, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with no wet batter. The muffin tops should look a little crackly and nicely browned, like this!

    baked cinnamon muffins resting in metal muffin tin

    Tips and tricks

    • Before adding it to the rest of the wet ingredients, inspect the brown sugar. If it has a lot of lumps, break them up first with your fingers or a fork. Once the brown sugar is in the batter it will be really difficult to break up those lumps.
    • If you really like cinnamon, you can up the amount of cinnamon in the cinnamon sugar topping from 1 ½ teaspoons to a full 2 teaspoons. I made this recipe both ways, and I kind of like the lesser amount while my husband prefers the more cinnamon-y version!
    • To create a pleasing "ribbon" effect of cinnamon sugar running through the center of the muffin, it helps to apply the center layer of cinnamon sugar evenly across the surface of the batter, rather than just in the center. But, it will taste amazing either way so don't sweat it too much!
    • If you are measuring the flour by volume rather than by weight, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and sweep the excess off with a flat edge (like a butter knife). If you use the measuring cup to scoop the flour out of the container, the flour will compress and you will get too much flour in the recipe.

    Storage instructions

    • These cinnamon muffins will keep for 2 - 3 days at room temperature, stored in an airtight container.
    • After about a day, the brown sugar cinnamon topping on the muffins can lose some of its crispiness. To bring back some of that delicious crunch, you can re-heat the cinnamon muffins in a toaster oven for 1 - 2 minutes.
    • If you want to keep the muffins for longer, you can freeze them! They will keep for 2 - 3 months in the freezer. I like to wrap them individually, or store them in a quart or gallon zip-top bag. Here is a good resource on how to freeze muffins.

    Substitutions and additions

    • I like using oil in muffins because it gives a nice soft texture to the muffins. But, if you like the flavor of butter, you can replace half or all of the oil with melted and cooled butter. If using butter, use room-temperature eggs and milk in the batter.
    • If you don't like or don't have nutmeg, feel free to leave it out. Or, you can replace the pinch of nutmeg with another warm spice, such as ground ginger, cloves or allspice.
    • To take this cinnamon muffin recipe to the next level, try mixing in a handful of raisins, mini chocolate chips, or chopped nuts.

    Recipe FAQs

    Do my eggs and milk have to be at room temperature?

    For some of my baking recipes, like this one for Brown Butter Apple Muffins, I call for the eggs and milk to be at room temperature. While that certainly won't hurt anything here, I did use the eggs and milk straight from the fridge for this cinnamon muffin recipe.

    Usually adding cold milk and eggs to anything with butter will cause the batter to curdle, but since oil is used in this recipe instead, I was still able to get a smooth batter that rose well, even with cold milk and eggs.

    How do I make sure the cinnamon muffins are moist?

    First, make sure to measure the flour accurately. Too much flour in the muffin batter can make the muffins dry. So, spoon the flour from the container into the measuring cup, rather than using the measuring cup to scoop the flour out of the container. Or, better yet, use the weight measurement provided in the recipe card.

    Also, do not overmix the muffin batter. Overmixing the batter can make the muffins tough. Stop mixing once the flour is all moistened, even if there are a few lumps left.

    Finally, do not overbake the cinnamon muffins. Overbaking the muffins can also make them dry.

    Do I need to use cupcake liners for this recipe?

    I prefer to use liners - it takes the stress out of wondering whether you greased the tin enough for the muffins to come out! But, I have been able to remove these cinnamon muffins fairly easily from a well-greased, unlined tin (unlike my recipe for blackberry buttermilk muffins!).

    If you don't want to use liners, just grease the tin well with non-stick cooking spray, including the top of the tin. This is to prevent the edges that puff up over the top of the cup from sticking.

    cinnamon muffin on white surface with cinnamon sticks on the side

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    If you’ve tried this recipe, please leave a star rating and/or review in the comments section below, I would love to hear from you! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. And sign up for my weekly newsletter to get recipes delivered straight to you!

    Print

    📖 Recipe

    Cinnamon Muffins

    cinnamon muffin FI
    Print Recipe
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    5 from 5 reviews

    This muffin puts cinnamon front-and-center! There's cinnamon in the batter, plus a cinnamon brown sugar topping, and even a ribbon of brown sugar cinnamon in the center!

    • Author: Kate
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 25 minutes
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 12 muffins 1x
    • Category: dessert, breakfast, snacks
    • Method: bake
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    For the cinnamon sugar topping:

    • 3 tablespoons (40 g) packed brown sugar (dark or light)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon (see note 1)

    For the muffin batter:

    • 2 cups (248 g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled, or measure by weight)
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • pinch nutmeg
    • ½ cup (105 g) granulated sugar
    • ⅓ cup (71 g) packed brown sugar (dark or light)
    • 2 large eggs
    • ⅔ cups (158 ml) neutral oil (vegetable, canola, etc.)
    • 1 cup (237 ml) milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
    2. Place cupcake liners in the cups of a 12-cup muffin tin, or, spray the muffin tin well with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
    3. In a small bowl, mix together the 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar and 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar topping. Set aside.
    4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and pinch of nutmeg. Set aside.
    5. Place the brown sugar for the batter into a separate large bowl. If there are any lumps in the brown sugar, break them apart with your fingers or a fork. Then, add in the granulated sugar, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla. Whisk together until evenly combined.
    6. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in a few batches, whisking gently in between each addition. Whisk just until combined (a few lumps are ok - do not overmix).
    7. Fill each muffin tin about ⅓ full with the batter. Then, sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the surface of each layer of batter. Then, top off each muffin with the remaining batter. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top of each muffin.
    8. Bake in the preheated oven for 22 - 26 minutes, or until the top of the muffin is firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (a couple crumbs are ok, but no wet batter). 
    9. Let the muffins cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to continue cooling.

    Notes

    1.   For extra cinnamon flavor in the cinnamon sugar topping, feel free to increase the amount of cinnamon from 1 ½ teaspoons to 2 teaspoons!
    2.   You can store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 - 3 days, or keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
    3.   The nutrition information below was calculated using 2% milk. The nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brand, type, and exact amounts of ingredients used. This nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full disclosure policy.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 muffin
    • Calories: 274
    • Sugar: 18.4 g
    • Sodium: 122 mg
    • Fat: 13.6 g
    • Saturated Fat: 2.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 35.1 g
    • Fiber: 0.8 g
    • Protein: 3.9 g
    • Cholesterol: 33 mg

    Keywords: cinnamon muffins, cinnamon muffin recipe, brown sugar cinnamon muffins

    Did you make this recipe?

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Michelle Pikel

      February 08, 2021 at 9:09 pm

      Ok, so how hungry was I if I made these within 15 minutes of receiving the recipe! I had them ready when my kids arrived home from school! Warm cinnamon muffins and a glass of ice cold milk was the perfect end to their school day. The muffins were moist and flavorful! Since we love cinnamon, I did up the cinnamon to 2 teaspoons as you suggested. Kids and I both give the cinnamon muffins a full five star rating!! They were so easy to make too!! Thanks for starting our week off with a delicious treat!! Happy Valentine's Day!!






      Reply
      • Kate

        February 09, 2021 at 12:55 pm

        Michelle I am so happy that you and your kids enjoyed the cinnamon muffins and that you found the recipe easy to make, this comment made my day! 🙂 Happy Valentine's Day to you too! <3

        Reply
    2. Amily

      April 11, 2021 at 7:19 am

      Can I substitute butter for oil? Never like oil in pastry.

      Reply
      • Kate

        April 11, 2021 at 4:27 pm

        Hi Amily! Yes you can substitute melted butter that has cooled down slightly for the oil. The texture of the muffin may be a little drier but I think it will still work well! I found some more info on subbing butter for oil in this article, hopefully this will be helpful! https://www.nigella.com/ask/using-butter-instead-of-oil-in-muffins

        Reply
    3. Karen

      April 02, 2022 at 10:04 pm

      I made these today and I think I ate 2 and my husband ate the rest he has fallen in love with them and has asked me to make some so he can take to work






      Reply
      • Kate

        April 03, 2022 at 11:56 am

        Karen I'm so happy that you and your husband enjoyed the muffins! Thank you for sharing your feedback 🙂

        Reply
    4. Karen

      April 02, 2022 at 10:05 pm

      I made these today and I think I ate 2 and my husband ate the rest he has fallen in love with them and has asked me to make some so he can take to work






      Reply
    5. Mia

      May 11, 2022 at 10:08 pm

      I made these this morning and my batter turned out really thick. I'm not sure if that was right, I followed the recipe all the way through, and double-checked measurements as I went. but the batter turned out quite thick (maybe two cups of flour is too much?). I only managed to get 11 cupcakes and I barely had batter left to cover the top (thankfully, I managed to spread it out to cover it all).

      i have yet to try them, but I'm hoping they still turn out good/okay

      Reply
      • Kate

        May 12, 2022 at 9:54 am

        Hi Mia thank you for trying the recipe! One thing that could have happened is that you had too much flour - if you used the measuring cup to scoop out the flour from the container instead of spooning it into the measuring cup, that could result in extra flour being added. On my newer recipes I have been including weight measurements for the ingredients to ensure accuracy, so I will make a note to update this one with weight measurements as well. I could have also done a better job explaining the "spoon and level" technique in the post itself, so I will go back and do that when I update.

        It's also possible that the eggs you were using could have been a little on the small side? Either way, I hope the muffins still taste delicious, and I appreciate you giving me your feedback on the recipe!

        Reply
    6. Nickole

      May 30, 2022 at 9:19 pm

      Amazing!! 2nd time makings them this weekend. This time I decided to add some chai to the milk. So yummy! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!






      Reply
      • Kate

        May 31, 2022 at 9:24 am

        Wow adding chai to the milk sounds like an amazing way to "spice" up these muffins (haha sorry for the bad pun!). So glad you like the recipe Nickole! 🙂

        Reply
    7. TheresaBecker

      September 12, 2022 at 12:05 pm

      I consider myself a terrible baker, but even I could make these muffins. They are so easy and delicious. I added cut up apple which really took the recipe to the next level.






      Reply
      • Kate

        September 13, 2022 at 10:06 am

        Theresa I am so happy that you enjoyed the muffins and that you found the recipe easy to work with 🙂 Adding chopped apple sounds like a wonderful addition that would pair so well with the cinnamon, yum!!

        Reply
    8. L

      January 30, 2023 at 10:13 pm

      Could you substitute applesauce instead of oil in this recipe? Maybe it would give it a hint of apple/cinnamon muffin?

      Reply
      • Kate

        January 31, 2023 at 9:27 am

        I haven't tried it myself, but I think you could! And I bet the flavor of the apple would go nicely with the cinnamon as you say 🙂 I did some quick research, and it looks like you can either try subbing half the oil for applesauce, or even all the oil. So try either 2/3 cup applesauce (and no oil), or 1/3 cup applesauce and 1/3 cup oil. If you do try it please let me know how it turns out for you!

        Reply
    9. L

      January 30, 2023 at 10:15 pm

      Could you substitute applesauce for the oil?

      Reply

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