Who doesn't love a warm muffin that's soft, moist, and topped with a crumbly, cinnamon-filled streusel? These easy bakery-style coffee cake muffins with streusel topping are a cozy treat that's perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a quick snack!
Whether paired with a cup of coffee or enjoyed on their own, these muffins are a hit every time. If you know me, and you've been around here long, you know my obsession with muffins. These muffins are inspired by my blueberry streusel muffins and my sour cream chocolate chip muffins, all equally mouthwatering in their own way.
TL; DR Summary - Coffee Cake Muffins
- 👩🏼🍳 Cook Level: Easy/Beginner
- ⏱️ Cook Time: ~20 minutes
- 📖 Dietary Info: Gluten, dairy, egg
- 😋 Taste: Buttery, cinnamon, fluffy, moist
- 💖 Why You'll Love: These cinnamon coffee cake muffins bring together all the elements of a classic coffee cake in a portable, muffin form.
- 🍽️ Best Paired With: These fluffy coffee muffins are amazing when served alongside a breakfast tater tot nachos spread, a yummy broccoli cheddar quiche, or served as an opposite sweet breakfast to a lemon blueberry loaf cake.
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Tried and True Tips and Reminders
- USE A SCALE! I highly recommend investing in a good quality kitchen scale. Measuring in grams versus a regular measuring cup yields such different and varying results when you bake. Baking is science, so using a scale will give accurate measurements every single time.
- Switch from the whisk when mixing the batter to a spatula as you fold in the flour, this yields an airy texture and less chewy, as a whisk is intended to whisk volume to the eggs, and over-whisking or mixing can cause the batter to get gummy.
- Let the batter sit on the counter for an extended period of time. When the batter rests, it gives the leavening agents (baking soda, baking powder) to marry and build up so that when the muffins bake, it'll help the texture, mouthfeel, and rise.
- Leave room in between the muffins in the muffin tin itself. That might mean using more than one muffin tin to bake with. This gives the muffins some room to rise up higher and fluffier when they bake.
The Main Ingredients
For the Streusel Topping:
- Light Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: These bring sweetness and depth, creating that classic crumb topping.
- Melted Butter: Helps bind the streusel and gives it that crumbly texture we all love.
- Cinnamon: The warm, aromatic star of the show, adding a spicy kick to the topping.
For the Muffins:
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of any good muffin, providing structure.
- Room Temperature Eggs: These ensure the batter mixes evenly for a smooth texture.
- Sour Cream: The secret to moist coffee cake muffins with a tangy flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a hint of sweetness and rounds out the flavors.
- Oil: Keeps the muffins moist without overpowering their flavor. Avocado or olive oil works perfectly.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: A dynamic duo for leavening, creating fluffy and airy muffins.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
- Gluten - instead of all purpose flour, you can use a gluten-free version. I would suggest a 1:1 flour as this is a very reliable swap.
- Dairy - use almond milk and a dairy-free sour cream instead of the regular milk and regular sour cream.
- Coconut sugar - swap out the brown sugar for coconut sugar if you desire. I would not take out all of the sugar for coconut sugar as this recipe was not intended to be made that way, and it will change the overall bake color and texture a bit.
How to make bakery style coffee cake muffins
Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine the sugars, flour, and cinnamon. Melt butter, pour it over the dry ingredients, and stir until coarse crumbs form. Pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes to set while you prepare the muffins.
Step 2: Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a muffin tin with muffin liners. Whisk the room temperature eggs and sugars in a large bowl until combined. Add in the oil, milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract, mixing the wet ingredients until smooth.
Step 3: Gradually fold in the dry ingredients-flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon-until just combined. Avoid over-mixing to keep the muffins light and fluffy.
Step 4: Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Mistakes I've Made (to avoid!)
- Remember to take out the eggs and sour cream ahead of time to ensure that it combines smoothly. I've used very cold eggs and sour cream and it leaves some chunks of sour cream and in my experience, does not yield great results.
- Don't be afraid of using a lot of streusel topping! This is what adds the texture and the flavor of the coffee cake muffin.
- Do not remove the muffins from the pan immediately, they will fall apart and they still need some time to cool before being taken out of the tin.
Coffee Cake Muffins FAQs
All-purpose flour works best, but you can substitute with gluten-free 1:1 flour for a gluten-free option.
Absolutely! Store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or freeze for up to 3 months.
Yes, Greek yogurt is a great alternative if you don't have sour cream.
Make sure the batter is thick enough to hold the topping and that the streusel is chilled before adding it.
Place the muffins in an airtight container and store on the counter. These muffins will last for up to 3-4 days. Placing them in the fridge will actually cause them to dry out. Wrap any remaining muffins, or all of them if it's meant for a batch freeze, in either plastic wrap or place in ziplock bags, labeling the date in which they were baked. They will last up to two months in the freezer. To thaw, take them out and let them defrost in the fridge overnight.
Try out these other drool worthy muffin recipes!
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Coffee Cake Muffins
Equipment
- 1 kitchen scale
- 1 whisk
- 1 spatula
- mixing bowls
- measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Muffin tin
- 12 Muffin liners
Ingredients
For the Streusel
- 64 grams flour ½ cup
- 100 grams cane sugar ½ cup
- 100 grams light brown sugar ½ cup
- 6 tablespoon butter melted
- 2 tablespoon cinnamon
For the Muffin
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 100 grams cane sugar ½ cup
- 100 grams light brown sugar ½ cup
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup oil olive or avocado oil
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 256 grams all purpose flour 2 cups
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
For the Streusel
- In a medium bowl, combine both sugars, flour, cinnamon, and salt together.
- Melt the butter in a separate bowl, then pour into the sugar mixture and mix using a spatula to form a crumbly streusel texture.
- Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to set.
For the Muffins
- Start by preheating the oven to 375° and line a muffin tin.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars and the eggs until combined.
- Pour in the oil, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk again to incorporate, then add the sour cream.
- To the same bowl, add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Whisk until the batter just comes together, do not overmix.
- Using a cookie scoop, divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin, filling each ⅔ of the way up.
- Top each of the muffins with a generous amount of streusel topping. Place the muffin tin in the oven for 18-20 minutes. Let cool before serving.
Barbara says
I’m not a baker but these coffee cake muffins were SO EASY to make! Not to mention how delicious they are. They didn’t last long! Next time I make them I am doubling the batch and freezing them.
Andrew says
All I can say is WOW. These muffins are the fluffiest I ever made. I love the top of them too. SO GOOD!!!!!