A family favorite, these Cinnamon Muffins are tender and sweet and filled with lots of cinnamon flavor.
You can expect to find muffins on the table at our house weekly. Along with these Cinnamon Muffins you can find these Brown Sugar Muffins, Chocolate Chip Muffins, or Banana Muffins.
We are a muffin loving family, and these Cinnamon Muffins are one of the most loved muffins in our house. I can always see my kids’ eyes light up whenever they smell these baking in the oven!
I found this recipe in an old family cookbook years and years ago, and they have continued to be a go-to for us.
I love that they are easy, fast, and that they always disappear. And that they are made with pantry staples! When all else fails, I know that I’ll have the ingredients on hand to make up a batch of these muffins.
Ingredients
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour.
- Sugar: You will need sugar for both the muffins and the cinnamon sugar topping.
- Baking Powder: For years, I made this recipe as I found it in an old family cookbook – with 4 teaspoons of baking powder. But I recently retested with cutting out a teaspoon, and they worked great, so only change to the recipe is the amount of baking powder.
- Cinnamon: You will also use cinnamon in both the muffins and the cinnamon-sugar topping.
- Salt: This is to balance the flavors – I like to use sea salt, but table salt will work as well.
- Milk: You can use what you have on hand – I usually use 2%. 1% or whole will work, and you may even be able to get away with skim milk or a nut milk, although I have not tested those. For an extra moist muffin, you could also use buttermilk.
- Oil: I will typically use vegetable oil, but any light oil should work. You could even use melted butter for more flavor.
- Eggs: You’ll need 2 large eggs. If you have time to set them out for about 30 minutes so that they are room temperature, it is best.
How to Make Cinnamon Muffins
In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients and whisk them together.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, and eggs.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in.
Gently stir it all together. You don’t want to over mix.
Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray, or line with paper liners, and divide the batter evenly.
Combine the remaining cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle that over the top of the batter. Bake until the muffins are cooked through and a tester comes out clean.
Cinnamon Muffins Video
If you want to see how these muffins are made, watch the video above.
Storing and Freezing
Storing: Store any leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature. They are best if you eat them within a couple of days, but they should be good for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Don’t want all of the muffins now? These freeze well. I like to place the cooled muffins on a baking tray and place this in the freezer for about an hour. Once the muffins are frozen, transfer them to a freezer safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. You can remove them one at a time and let them thaw at room temperature or place them in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
Variations
Want to make this cinnamon muffins recipe a little extra special? I’m not going to lie – I think they are pretty perfect the way they are, but here are some changes you can make if you want to change them up.
- Add raisins or dried cranberries
- Instead of sprinkling the cinnamon sugar on top, make a streusel topping
- Add a couple teaspoons of vanilla extract to the batter.
- Replace the cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice.
- Make a simple glaze from powdered sugar and milk and drizzle it over the tops.
Looking for more easy muffin recipes?
Classic Bran Muffins
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Oatmeal Muffins with Applesauce
Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins with Coconut
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Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder*
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Grease 18 muffins cups.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- In another bowl, beat together the milk, vegetable oil, and eggs. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined – don’t over mix.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared muffin cups.
- In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the tops of the batter filled cups.
- Bake the muffins until a toothpick instead in the center comes out clean, 13-15 minutes.
Ashley says
Can I substitute the oil for unsweetened applesauce?
Deborah says
I haven’t tried it myself, but I’m guessing that it would work!
Natalie K. says
Easy and yummy, lots of cinnamon flavor.
Lynne says
Loved how easily these came together. I mixed them by hand and just until everything was blended.
I popped them into the oven and realized I had forgotten to put the eggs in. oops
They raised up did not fall and were so tasty.
Thank you.
sai says
perfect! I used melted butter, almond milk, 8g of baking powder and they came out amazing
Joanne says
This recipe was so easy and the muffins tasted so good!! I will definitely make these again and again. They were moist and tasted like Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. I kept them in my fridge for a whole week and took as needed for work and they tasted fresh and so soft. Thanks for the recipe!
Fran says
Can I sub brown sugar for the granulated white sugar?
Deborah says
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would be worth trying! If you do try it, let me know how it goes!
Alexis says
This recipe is awesome!!!
Kelsey says
Hey Deborah. Is the recipe supposed to be one tablespoon of baking powder? Your recipe notes make it seem like it should be one teaspoon instead? Wanted to clarify before I make these:)
Deborah says
Hi Kelsey – I use 1 tablespoon. For years, I used 4 teaspoons, but did cut back to 1 tablespoon (which is 3 teaspoons). I have had some readers cut it back to even 2 teaspoons successfully, but I always use the 1 tablespoon.
Katie says
Can you add half a cup more oil to make it more moist?
Deborah says
I think more oil would just make them greasy. You might try adding some sour cream or Greek yogurt, although I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure how they’d turn out.
Melissa says
This is a great recipe and similar to an old one that I lost and can’t find. However, the original recipe I had called for dipping the entire muffin in melted butter and then in cinnamon sugar. Try it! It makes them even more amazing and decadent!
Hayden says
This recipe was perfect for someone like me, who needed a recipe with ingredients I already had at home, and simple since I don’t bake very often. They came out perfect, and I’ll make some more for Thanksgiving!
Kimberly says
This is the worst muffin recipe I ever tried!
To avoid dry muffins with a strange taste,
Replace the tablespoon of baking powder with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 4oz of fat free sour cream or non fat plain Greek yogurt and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
Hannah says
I too thought the TB of baking powder was way too much. The muffins came out bitter. 🙁
Hiii says
I loved this so much thank you 🙏
Nancy says
Can I substitute butter for the oil? If so, how much? Thanks
Deborah says
You can! I would substitute in 1/2 cup of melted butter for the oil.
Aurora L. says
THIS RECIPE IS ACTUALLY SO GOOD BRO IT FR TASTES LIKE CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH. I used pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon because i didnt have cinnamon but it still tasted rlly good and i drizzled sweetened condensed milk on them and sprinkled the pumpkin pie spice x sugar mix onto them after drizzling the condensed milk and it made it way better. Yall fr need to try this recipe its so good.
Candice Corbin says
This is absolutely amazing, made them for the daycare, and the staff also enjoyed them! Printed this off to be used again!
Cassandra says
These muffins are excellent!! I was having a hard time finding muffin recipes that did use sour cream or buttermilk (not a big fan of the taste with those ingredients). Love these cinnamon muffins, and my 6 yo approved too!!
Moorgan Hart says
This was a nice breakfast addition. They’re a good filler; it’d take me ~4 to fill up from empty. Kind of reminds me of the KFC biscuits w/ cinnamon and sugar added; maybe a little thicker.
I usually add honey to the KFC biscuits, but because these’re already sweet I think a mildly sweet (e.g. blackberry) jam would go best with it. I put in the 1 tbsp of baking powder the ingredients list showed, but they didn’t really change shape or size much. I’m not sure if it affects it, but I’m only about a km above sea level.