Mini Cinnamon Muffins

These mini cinnamon muffins are a bite-sized breakfast treat with a soft crumb and a crunchy streusel topping. They're adorable, packed with flavor, and are the perfect convenient size to take on the go to work or school. And they're easy to make in less than 20 minutes!

Love all things mini? Make these mini blueberry muffins, mini chocolate cupcakes, and mini banana bread muffins next.

I love homemade, bakery-style muffins, and these mini cinnamon muffins are just that! They have a basic buttermilk muffin base with moist, tender crumb. They also have a crunchy, buttery streusel topping, tall muffin tops, and are filled with warm and cozy cinnamon flavor.

Not only are they fluffy and delicious, but they're mini! Like the childhood snack Little Bites, they'll definitely give you a nostalgic feeling. But I promise they taste even better!

Did I mention how easy these are to make? A few simple ingredients go a long way here and you don't even need a stand mixer! Whisking the wet ingredients and folding in the dry ones with a rubber spatula prevents overmixing the batter and always has the best results.

This recipe is a mini version of my cinnamon streusel muffins! If you're a muffin fan, definitely try almond flour pumpkin muffins, bakery-style blueberry muffins, and small batch banana muffins next.

This recipe was made in collaboration with Heinen's. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Dollop of Dough possible!

Ingredient Notes

Here are some notes about the ingredients used. For quantities and full instructions, scroll to the recipe card below.

Ingredients for the streusel

Ingredients for the muffins

For the streusel you'll need:

• Unsalted butter- For the best buttery flavor, use high quality unsalted butter.
• All purpose flour and sugar- These ingredients add crumbly structure and sweetness.

For the muffins you'll need:

• Unsalted butter- Butter adds fat for tenderness and extra rich flavor. Unsalted butter is best so you can have the most control of the muffins' flavor.
• Brown sugar- Brown sugar adds moisture and a warm flavor from molasses. You can use dark or light brown sugar, just make sure it's fresh and moist, not dried out.
• Vanilla extract- Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste enhances the other flavors.
• Egg- A large egg binds the ingredients together and encourages the muffins to rise. Make sure the egg is room temperature so it mixes in seamlessly.
• All purpose flour- This type of flour gives muffins structure and heartiness while keeping the crumb moist.
• Baking powder and baking soda- These leaveners help the muffins rise by adding air bubbles to the batter. Check the date to make sure they're not expired.
• Salt- These muffins need a little salt to balance the sweetness of the sugar. Make sure your salt is finely ground so it mixes in evenly.
• Cinnamon- Any type of ground cinnamon works, from Ceylon to Saigon.
• Buttermilk- This ingredient adds a slight tang and helps create a soft texture by tenderizing the gluten! Pull it out of the fridge with the egg to reach room temperature.

Substitutions

• Flour: Use gluten free all purpose flour if needed. Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour is my favorite!
• Egg: You can replace the egg with a flax egg, which is made by combining 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 2-3 tablespoon water. Just whisk the ingredients together and let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
• Buttermilk: You can substitute plain kefir for the buttermilk. I don't recommend making your own buttermilk for this recipe because the texture won't be the same.

Helpful Equipment and Tools

• You'll need a mini muffin tin lined with mini muffin liners. I used a pan with 24 wells, but it doesn't matter how many yours has. You can usually find mini muffin pans in the kitchenware section of retail stores and the liners in the baking section of grocery stores. If you can't find the baking cups, spray the pan with non-stick spray before scooping in the batter.
• I recommend a small cookie scoop for portioning the batter into the muffin pan. You can also do this with a spoon, but using a cookie scoop is less messy.

Step by Step Instructions

Here's how to make mini cinnamon streusel muffins. Before you start, preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C, line your muffin pan, and set aside. Setting the oven at a high temperature makes the muffins rise quickly for the perfect domed top!

Step 1: First, make the streusel topping by mixing melted butter, flour, and sugar together in a small bowl. Chill in the refrigerator while you make the batter.

Step 2: Whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Then whisk in the vanilla extract and egg.

Step 3: Next, fold in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into the wet ingredients. Do this until the batter is roughly combined with dry patches still remaining.

Step 4: Pour in half of the buttermilk and fold it in until smooth. Repeat with the second half.

Step 5: Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to fill each muffin liner ¾ full and sprinkle the streusel and coarse sugar over each one. You can even top them with a little cinnamon sugar.

Next, place the pan in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350°F/180°C. Bake for 11-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 6: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool to room temperature for about 20 minutes and enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips

• Measure the flour correctly. Make sure the flour is measured correctly, ideally in grams with a food scale. If you don't have a scale, gently scoop the flour into a measuring cup and swipe the excess back into the bag.
• Don't overmix. Overmixing the batter will result in dense, tough muffins. To get a light and fluffy texture, gently mix the wet and dry ingredients until no dry streaks of flour remain.
• Don't overfill. Only fill the muffin liners about ¾ full. If you overfill them, they can overflow in the oven and make a huge mess.

Additions and Variations

• Chopped nuts: Chop up some almonds, walnuts, or pecans and stir them into the batter for some extra crunch
• Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips would complement the cinnamon beautifully.
• Dried fruit: Raisins, dried apricots, or dried cranberries would be delicious folded into the batter.

Storage Instructions

Store your mini muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. I stored mine with a paper towel at the bottom of the container to soak up any excess moisture that could cause the muffins to get soggy. 

Don't store them in the refrigerator because the dry environment can make them go stale.

Freezing Instructions

Let the muffins cool completely before freezing in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.

When you're ready to enjoy, let the muffins thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a couple hours. You can also reheat them in the microwave for 15 seconds or in the oven at 350°F/180°C for 5 minutes for a freshly baked feel.

Frequently Asked Questions