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!
Table of Contents
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.
How to Make Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
- 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
Chef Tips
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.
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!
📋 Recipe
Mini Cinnamon Streusel Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
For the Muffin Batter:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp vegan butter, melted
- 1 flax egg (instructions follow)
- ½ cup coconut milk
For the Streusel Topping:
- ⅓ cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup organic brown sugar
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ cup vegan butter, softened
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ 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.
- Make a slight well in the center of the dry ingredient mixture, then add the wet ingredient mixture.
- 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.
- Evenly distribute the batter between your prepared mini muffin tins.
- 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.
- 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.
- Spoon the streusel topping evenly over the muffin batter in each cup, pressing lightly to help it stick.
- 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!
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:- 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.
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy
those muffins look so good!
Ginny McMeans
Thanks so much Caralyn! You are so sweet!
Ginny McMeans
Haha! Yes, vegan butter. Thanks for the heads up and I fixed it. Not full fat coconut milk in the can and you can use any non dairy milk that you like.
The Food Hunter
I could easily start my day with a few of these
Kate @ Diethood
Now that's comfort food for me! :)) The streusel topping just takes it over the top. Gorgeous muffins!!
AND! I'd LOVE to have 2 hours in the morning with a dozen of them! :)))
Martha @ A Family Feast
That looks like the perfect streusel topping! Yummy!
Angie
What wonderful comfort food! I love little muffins!
Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom
I had no idea you were a computer operator. I totally get needing more coffee especially when working at the computer all day for hours!
Stephanie
Looks like a delicious way to start the day! Thanks for sharing that recipe, and your morning routine! #client
Bea
It sounds like you got your morning routine down pat and those mini muffins must be a great addition to the first and second cup coffee. Great!!!
Amy @ A Healthy Life For Me
I could take one of these muffins..or two... or three right about now.
christine
that sounds A LOT like my morning. I just have to get up super early to have it as "alone" time. I don't do anything until the keurig has given me a cup! Then I "relax" by the computer doing blogger tasks until the kids wake up and the craziness starts.
Heather / girlichef
Oh my gosh, these sound delicious. I have to make a few dozen muffins for the swim team next week, and these have to part of them!
Ashlyn @ Belle of the Kitchen
Gorgeous muffins, Ginny! And my mornings always start with a big cup of coffee as well! 🙂
Erin @ Texanerin Baking
These look so moist and I love the streusel on top!
Ginny McMeans
Thank you Erin - You are so sweet!
Cookin Canuck
I have to limit my computer time, too...it's hard some days! I love that these muffins are mini...just enough to have a taste without overindulging.
Michelle
Streusel is one of my favorite things! These muffins look delicious!
Andi @ The Weary Chef
Your quiet mornings sound so heavenly! I can't even tell you the chaos that is my house from 6-8am. I am definitely not able to sit quietly at my computer when I wake up! I do have coffee ASAP though. Next time I'm going to try to have one of these muffins too!
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files
Cinnamon streusel mini muffins are going on our holiday brunch menu! What could be more perfect to munch on while unwrapping presents and drinking coffee?!
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet
Coffee is a must first thing in the morning! I'm thinking these muffins need to be too!
Colleen (Souffle Bombay)
I'd like to start MY day with one of these lovelies!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor
What a great way to start the day! I love that cinnamon streusel topping.
Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos
These muffins look delicious - the perfect way to start the morning!
Nutmeg Nanny
These muffins look amazing! Love all that topping...yum!
Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy
My boys love muffins for breakfast, these look so delish! I love that topping!
Aimee B.
These look beautiful! Do you think I could get away with Ener-G egg replacer instead of flax? It's all I have on hand. 🙂
Ginny McMeans
Yes Aimee! That is no problem and any egg replacer would work. 🙂
Aimee B.
Awesome, thank you! <3
Tea
Made these for brunch today and they are awesome!!! Not too sweet, even with the streusel. I don't have a mini muffin pan but I got six regular sized muffins from the recipe. Thank you!!
Ginny McMeans
Fantastic Tea! Thanks for letting me know. Someone else made them full size and put a picture on Instagram. They looked awesome and your sound like they turned out as bigger muffins too. 🙂
Melissa from HungryFoodLove.com
My husband loves anything with cinnamon. He will be very very happy if I surprise him with these.
Jenn
How did I miss this recipe before? Yum!!! These look delicious!
Christine McMahan
Could you sub whole wheat or part ww for the white flour?
Ginny McMeans
Yes Christine you sure can. I have done this before also. Thanks for your interest 🙂
Melissa
These look so good. I have silicone cups but they're regular sized. I do have a mini muffin tin. Will they come out of an oiled tin easily or is it better to just make 6 regular muffins in the silicone? I look forward to making these. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Ginny McMeans
Yes, they will come out in the larger silicone pan Melissa but the cook time will be different. I would guess they would need about 15 minutes. If you use the mini pans, I would lightly oil them. Hope this helps.
Dawn
Is the coconut milk full fat from the can or just regular coconut milk or any other non dairy milk?
Thanks
Dawn
Ginny McMeans
Just regular coconut milk Dawn. I'll change the recipe and make it clearer. Thanks!
Lizzy
to make 12 regular size muffins would I need to double the recipe as well as the cook time?
Ginny McMeans
Double the recipe would work Lizzy but I'm not sure if it would make the whole 12 muffins. Not sure about the volume of the muffin tins. You may only get 10. Give it a try though. Yes, I would also say bake for 20 to 25 minutes which is double.
Ben Myhre
Oh boy, do I love streusel. This looks excellent!
Kelly @ trial and eater
I wish these were my breakfast right now! They look delicious and especially with a nice cup of coffee.
Amy Nash
The texture on that crumb topping looks like perfection! I would have a hard time not eating six at once, lol!
Chichi
OH how Love streusel topped goodies. These look delish.