Cinnamon Streusel Mini Muffins
Ginny McMeans
Published:
December 18, 2014
Last Modified:
August 4, 2025
Cinnamon streusel mini muffins are sweet and subtly spicy, filling your kitchen with an irresistible aroma as they bake. They have a crunchy crumble topping that melts in your mouth with every bite!
Each morning, I get up out of bed and go directly to the kitchen. No stopping for anything. Not only to the kitchen but to the coffee pot for a fresh mug. No breakfast yet, not awake. Off to the computer.
There is quite a bit of technological and social work behind a blog. The morning is when I sit and relax with my coffee, all by myself, looking over pretty food photos and inventive recipes. I pin, tweet, yum, share, heart, flip, tumble and stumble. These are actual actions!
I also find a lot of inspiration during this time, making notes of things I want to try or ideas I have. After catching up on my email, there are photos to edit and a bit of writing to do for my next post. Relaxing, sipping, reading, editing, commenting…All of a sudden an hour is gone and so is my coffee. Back to my kitchen for a second cup and a little bite to eat.
That’s where these cinnamon streusel mini muffins come in. They are just the thing I want when I need a little snack to sustain my morning computer work, but am not ready for a full breakfast just yet. They give off serious coffee cake vibes but come in the most perfect little package. Have just one–or a few!
Ingredients for Cinnamon Streusel Mini Muffins
For the Muffin Batter:
- All-purpose flour – I used plain all-purpose flour here, but you can use cake flour too. With cake flour, the muffins will be softer and more tender, whereas AP flour produces muffins that have an airier but also chewier crumb.
- Organic cane sugar – Not all granulated sugar is vegan, but organic cane sugar is!
- Ground cinnamon – The other half of the all important streusel flavor profile! Warm, sweet, and lightly spicy.
- Baking powder – A leavening agent which will make your muffins fluffy and soft.
- Salt – Doesn’t make the muffins taste salty, rather it makes them taste sweeter and accentuates the natural flavor of the cinnamon.
- Melted vegan butter – You can use any vegan butter you like, but I have found that nut-based butters don’t work as well here. Whichever variety you choose, be sure to use unsalted butter.
- Flax egg – In place of a regular egg, flaxseed meal can be used as it helps retain moisture and bind the other ingredients together. Instructions for mixing a flax egg are below.
- Coconut milk – I used full-fat coconut milk in this recipe as heavier, denser milk will give a richer muffin batter.
For the Streusel Topping:
- Whole wheat flour – Gives a nutty, more flavorful taste and aroma to your streusel topping. It is superior to white all-purpose flour for this type of thing!
- Organic brown sugar – I recommend organic brown sugar as you can be sure it is vegan. If you want, you can try coconut sugar in its place. It is also vegan, but has a richer flavor.
- Organic cane sugar – The success of your streusel topping depends on the combination of both brown and regular sugar. Again, opt for organic here.
- Softened vegan butter – Make sure your vegan butter for the streusel topping is at room temperature, but not too soft or melted. You want it to be easy to break up, but not mushy.
- Ground cinnamon – Echoing the cinnamon flavor that is in the muffins themselves.
- Ground nutmeg – Has a nutty, spicy flavor that compliments the cinnamon so nicely. For even more flavor, buy whole nutmeg (always in the spice aisle of the market) and grate it on a microplane.
How to Prepare a Flax Egg
Preparing a flax egg is simple! As it needs to sit for a few minutes, I recommend doing this before you start working on the muffin batter itself:
- Combine 1 Tbsp of ground flax seeds with 3 Tbsp water.
- Whisk the ingredients until cohesive and set aside. After about 5 minutes, the mixture should be thick and gelatin-like.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and setup. Preheat your oven to 350℉ and lightly oil a 12-hole mini muffin pan or use paper or silicone liners. In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cane sugar, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix. Use a whisk or rubber spatula to stir and combine the dry ingredients together. It is especially important that the baking powder get evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a separate small bowl, whisk the melted butter, prepared flax egg, and coconut milk until well blended.
- Add wet to dry. Make a slight well in the center of the dry ingredient mixture and add the wet ingredient mixture.
- Stir. Use a rubber spatula or spoon to mix until just combined–it’s important not to overmix here! A few lumps and bumps are okay.
- Divide. Evenly distribute the batter between your prepared mini muffin tins.
- Combine streusel ingredients. In a bowl, combine all ingredients for the streusel crumb topping: whole wheat flour, brown sugar, cane sugar, softened vegan butter, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
- Mix. Use a rubber spatula or spoon to press and stir the cinnamon sugar mixture together. Eventually the butter will break into smaller pieces and the mixture will take on a sandy, crumbly texture–this is what we’re looking for.
- Sprinkle. Spoon the streusel topping evenly over the muffin batter in each cup. Press it lightly into the batter to help it adhere.
- Bake. Bake your mini muffins in your 350℉ oven for 10-12 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the tin and allow them to cool on a wire rack
- Serve! I recommend enjoying these delicious muffins while still slightly warm from the oven. They taste great with a cup of coffee or tea!
Watch Us Make Cinnamon Streusel Mini Muffins
Tips From Ligia
For an extra-crispy streusel topping:
Chill the topping mixture in the refrigerator for about 15-30 minutes before sprinkling it over the muffin batter. This helps prevent the streusel from melting and spreading too much during baking.
To help your muffins cook evenly:
Use a cookie scoop, ice cream scoop, or a measuring spoon when dividing your muffin batter into the cups. This will ensure that each cup gets the same amount of batter, which will in turn help the muffins to rise at the same rate and cook evenly.
How To Store
At Room Temperature Allow your cinnamon muffins to cool completely on a wire rack, then transfer them to an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag. Store the muffins at room temperature in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight for 1-2 days. If the muffins are still slightly warm when you store them, place a sheet of paper towel at the bottom of the container to absorb any excess moisture.
Freezing These mini muffins freeze beautifully! Just package them up as described above, making sure to use a freezer bag or freezer-proof storage container. They will keep this way for 2-3 months. If you want your muffins to last even longer you can take the extra step to wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place them together in the same bag or container. The individual wrapping will help prevent freezer burn and keep the muffins fresh for an extended period–up to 6 months.
Thawing The muffins take no time to defrost so you can just take them out of the freezer and be enjoying them in about 30 minutes!
Mini Cinnamon Streusel Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
For the Muffin Batter:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp vegan butter, melted
- 1 flax egg (instructions follow)
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
For the Streusel Topping:Â
- 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup organic brown sugar
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
- 1/4 cup vegan butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ and lightly oil a 12-hole mini muffin pan or use paper or silicone liners. In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cane sugar, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- Use a whisk or rubber spatula to stir and combine the dry ingredients together.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the melted vegan butter, prepared flax egg, and coconut milk until well blended.Â
- Make a slight well in the center of the dry ingredient mixture, then add the wet ingredient mixture.Â
- Use a rubber spatula or spoon to mix until just combined–it’s important not to overmix here! A few lumps and bumps are okay.Â
- Evenly distribute the batter between your prepared mini muffin tins.Â
- In a bowl, combine all ingredients for the streusel crumb topping: whole wheat flour, brown sugar, cane sugar, softened vegan butter, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.Â
- Use a rubber spatula or spoon to press and stir the cinnamon sugar mixture together. Eventually the butter will break into smaller pieces and the mixture will take on a sandy, crumbly texture–this is what we’re looking for.Â
- Spoon the streusel topping evenly over the muffin batter in each cup, pressing lightly to help it stick.Â
- Bake in the 350℉ preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the tin and allow them to cool on a wire rack.
- Enjoy while still slightly warm from the oven, or at room temperature!Â
Video
Notes
How to Prepare a Flax Egg
Preparing a flax egg is simple! As it needs to sit for a few minutes, I recommend doing this before you start working on the muffin batter itself:Â- Combine 1 Tbsp of ground flax seeds with 3 Tbsp water.Â
- Whisk the ingredients until cohesive and set aside. After about 5 minutes, the mixture should be thick and gelatin-like.Â
