In just over 30 minutes, you can have the great taste of cinnamon rolls in a muffin. Easy to make with lots of sugar, cinnamon, nuts, streusel, and a glazed top. You can indulge your inner child with these delicious muffins.
Introduction
We all love cinnamon rolls, but dealing with the yeast-based dough is more than we want to do. This is a much easier and quicker way to calm that cinnamon roll urge. Get the same great taste with these easy step-by-step photo instructions.
But making cinnamon rolls is a pain. I have done it, I can do it, but it is too much work to make only a few (cooking for two, remember...) and too dangerous to have a dozen around the house (too many calories.)
A muffin is much quicker and easier. Pack it with the same great ingredients, and you have a recipe you will love.
I added a jumbo muffin option, made the technique more to my liking, and made a few more changes for my taste.
My Rating
A very nice 5. Not a top "it's the best in the world" cinnamon roll, but still excellent.
📋Ingredients
The Flour
This used all-purpose flour, but you can add a bit of whole wheat if you want. I do not recommend going over 25 percent.
The Nuts
Either walnuts or pecans are good choices. Or you can skip the nuts.
Walnuts are the traditional nut to use but use the nuts you like. You will need about ¾ cups, and they should be chopped small.
🧁Muffin Size
This recipe is for 12 regular or 6 jumbo-size muffins. Make them the size you want, just cook to the endpoint and not by time along.
A good coat of PAM is usually enough to allow the muffins to come out easily. But use cupcake papers if you want.
⏰How Long
There are a few variables like your exact oven temperature, your pan, and how full you fill the liners.
Standard size muffins will take about 15 minutes. Jumbo muffins will be a bit more, about 18 minutes.
When are they done?
Please do not cook by time on this recipe. There are three ways to check if your muffins are done baking.
First, you can press lightly on the top of the muffin, and if it pops back quickly and leaves no indentation, it is done.
The second and my favorite is the toothpick test. Just insert a toothpick in the top to about the center of the muffin. It is done when the toothpick comes out clean. Yep, it is "old school."
Third, an internal temperature of 200°.
📖Muffin Recipes
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 °.
In a mixing bowl, mix until combined 1 ½ cup flour, ⅓ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ tsp salt.
In a second bowl or 2 cup measuring cup, combine ½ cup milk, ½ cup vegetable oil, and 1 egg. Whip until the egg is blended.
In a third bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of butter, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup chopped nuts, and a pinch of salt.
Mix wet into dry and just mix enough to combine. Prep a muffin pan. You can make 12 standard size muffins or 6 jumbo size muffins. Spray well with PAM or add cupcake papers.
Fill the muffin tin about ½ to ⅔ full. That will be a heaping ¼ cup into the six cups. Top with the brown sugar mixture.
Bake until the top is brown and the edges are browning more. About 15 minutes for standard size muffins or about 18 minutes for jumbo muffins, so pay attention. If not sure, you can check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer for 200° or a little more. Remove the muffins from the pan as soon as removed from the oven.
Mix ⅔ cup of powder sugar with 1-2 teaspoons of milk and a few drops of vanilla. Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes, then top with the frosting.
📖Recipe
Cinnamon Roll Muffins
Ingredients
Dry
- 1 ½ cup flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ cup chopped nuts - walnuts or pecans
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
Wet
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
Topping
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup chopped nuts
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
Frosting
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 teaspoon milk
- 2 drops vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 °.
- In a mixing bowl mix until combined 1 ½ cup flour, ⅓ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ tsp salt.
- In a second bowl or 2 cup measuring cup combine ½ cup milk, ½ cup vegetable oil, and 1 egg. Whip until the egg is blended.
- In a third bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of butter, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup chopped nuts, and a pinch of salt.
- Mix wet into dry and just mix enough to combine. Prep a muffin pan. You can make 12 regular size muffins or 6 jumbo size muffins. Spray well with PAM or add cupcake papers.
- Fill the muffin tin about ½ to ⅔ full. That will be a heaping ¼ cup into the six cups. Top with the brown sugar mixture.
- Bake until the top is brown and the edges are browning more. About 15 minutes for standard size muffins or about 18 minutes for jumbo muffins, so pay attention. If not sure, you can check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer for 200° or a little more. Remove the muffins from the pan as soon as removed from the oven.
- Remove the muffins from the pan as soon as removed from the oven.
- Mix ⅔ cup of powder sugar with 1-2 teaspoons of milk and a few drops of vanilla. Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes then top with the frosting.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Smoke warning! This may smoke up your kitchen some if it overflows. Place a cookie sheet on the rack under the muffin tin in-case of overflow.
- Never use baking powder with aluminum.
- Please do not cook by time on this recipe. There are three ways to check if your muffins are done baking.
1) First, you can press lightly on the top of the muffin, and if it pops back quickly and leaves no indentation, it is done.
2) The second and my favorite is the toothpick test. Just insert a toothpick in the top to about the center of the muffin. It is done when the toothpick comes out clean. Yep, it is "old school."
3) Third, an internal temperature of 200°. - Good at room temperature for 3-4 days an
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Originally Published March 29, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Bernard Spilsbury
It was a flop for me. They came out like crumble topping. But I used convection and not conventional top and bottom.
Tried again with double the amount of liquid and baking powder, and mixed all ingredients together in one bowl with a mixer, conventional oven and it worked. But I got 36 of our regular sized European muffins out of this recipe. Your 6 muffins must be gigantic family sized muffins equal to 6 of our small ones.
Veena
Delicious. Substituted flax seed powder most mix for egg ..
Don
Dan
How do I get the top ten for each year? From 2010 to 2015?
Thanks!
DrDan
All the lists are in the recipe index under 101's Top Posts.
DrDan
Gina
These look absolutely delicious! Quick question, do you think they could be made in the same way without any nuts? I'd like to make them later, but I have a friend with nut allergies.
Gina
Oh and one more question, sorry, is that 400 convection or conventional?
DrDan
conventional. I rarely use convection baking unless another recipe I trust does.
DrDan
Yep just leave them out.
Dan
Gina
Perfect, I'm going to have to try these later this week I think. Thanks for the easy recipe!