Three cinnamon sugar muffins stacked on a white background with additional muffins and cinnamon sticks alongside.

This cinnamon muffin recipe is a classic in our house for two very good reasons: first up, it’s absolutely delicious, and second, we almost always have the ingredients on hand to whip up a batch! No need to place a grocery order or pop over to the storeโ€”just raid the pantry, grab a bowl, and within a few minutes, you’ll have a batch of fluffy, fresh muffins that will make your house smell amazing. Let’s get baking!

What do I need to make this cinnamon muffins recipe? 

Our favorite thing about these cinnamon muffins is that you never need anything beyond basic baking ingredients. Out of chocolate chips? No problem. No fruit to add? Don’t need it!

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For these muffins, all you’ll need are all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, unsalted butter, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon.

A muffin tin filled in alternating cups with six flavors of muffins and their corresponding mix-ins, such as strawberries, chocolate chips, blueberries, and more.

How do you make cinnamon muffins? 

Get out your muffin pan and your pantry basics, and let’s go!

  1. Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF. Grease the muffin tin or line the muffin cups with paper liners.
  2. Whisk the dry ingredients, minus the sugars, in a mixing bowl.
  3. Stir together the wet ingredients plus the sugars in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir until just combined. Whatever you do, don’t overmix the muffin batter!
  5. Fold in the cinnamon, and then pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
  6. Bake at 400ยฐF for 5 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 350ยฐF for the rest of the baking time. 
  7. Let the muffins cool for a few minutes in the pan, and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Protip: Make your own cinnamon sugar!

Cinnamon sugar is exactly what it sounds likeโ€”a mixture of granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. We typically mix about one tablespoon of cinnamon into 1/4 cup of sugar, but you can play around with this ratio as you’d like. Leftover cinnamon sugar mixture can be used on toast, over oatmeal, in coffee, or anywhere you’d like some sweet cinnamon flavor!

What makes muffins dry?

Overworking the batter is probably the culprit here. You want to mix the dry and wet ingredients together until they are just combinedโ€”there should be no big clumps of flour, but a few little lumps are fine. It is better to err on the side of undermixing the batter!

What makes muffins too moist?

It all comes down to how you store your leftover muffins. Muffins with sugary or crumbly tops, in particular, are prone to turning sticky overnight. The sugar draws some of the moisture out of the muffins and turns them into a tacky mess. To avoid this, put a paper towel or clean tea towel in the storage container on top of the muffins to absorb some of the excess moisture.

How do you make muffins puff up? 

Make your muffins bakery-worthy with rounded tops by following these tips:

  1. Ensure the butter is completely melted before adding it to the wet ingredients.
  2. Trust the process and start baking the muffins at a high temperature, then drop it to finish off the baking time. The high heat gives the muffins some height (but you also need the lower temperature to make sure the muffins bake all the way through).

How do you store leftover muffins?

Muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days. For best results, add a paper towel or clean tea towel on top of the muffinsโ€”for muffins with sugary tops like these, we often put a second paper towel under the muffins before closing up the container. Muffins will be fresh for up to three days.

Freeze muffins in a single layer on a baking sheet, and transfer to a freezer bag or container once they are frozen solid. Freeze for up to three months.

 
Three cinnamon sugar muffins stacked on a white background with additional muffins and cinnamon sticks alongside.

Cinnamon Muffins Recipe

Yield: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes

Adults and kids alike love these cinnamon muffins! The best part is, they require very basic ingredients that you usually keep in the pantry.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • Cinnamon sugar, for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Then whisk in the eggs, milk, and vanilla.
  4. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring just until combined.
  5. Fold in the cinnamon. Then pour the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup 3/4 full.
  6. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar. Then bake at 400°F for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for another 16-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
  7. Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes in the pan. Remove them from the pan and onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Cinnamon sugar is easy to make! We like to mix one tablespoon of cinnamon into every 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Feel free to adjust those amounts to suit your tastes. Leftover cinnamon sugar is excellent sprinkled on hot buttered toast, warm oatmeal, or even stirred into coffee. You'll have no problems finding lots of uses for it!

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 323Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 299mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 2gSugar: 34gProtein: 5g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

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