Did you ever have that moment growing up when you open your eyes, smell what mom is making for breakfast, and run does the stairs as fast as you could, overflowing with excitement?
For me, that was crumb cake.
Side note: we always called it coffee cake growing up…but it doesn’t have any coffee in it! I guess it is just so good it deserves to be eaten with a cup of coffee.
Crumb cake, though, is most often served in a big pan and it takes time to bake. I found in the last few years, crumb cake has become a special occasion breakfast item. I didn’t have the time to get up early enough to prepare and bake it before needing to head to work. And that’s just plain wrong. Something this delicious starts your day off on the right foot, and it needs to be enjoyed more often.
So instead, crumb cake muffins have been my new go-to. I whip up a batch on Sunday. Wrap them each in a little plastic wrap. Then in the mornings, on my way out the door, I just grab a muffin, peel back the wrapper, and enjoy the little bundle of goodness. Easy-peasy.
Each bite is like a warm, fluffy, cinnamony hug. I’m a big fan.
The recipe is pretty standard for a muffin. Dry ingredients – whisk. Wet ingredients – whisk. Combine. But then when I am putting them in the muffin tin, I like to swirl in some cinnamon-sugar goodness. And then of course top it with the cinnamon crumble. Too good to be true.
So I have a little test for you. Make these on Sunday night. Wrap them up (if there are any left after your taste-testing). And then tell me how good your Monday is, when it is started off with this little guy. I promise – you won’t be disappointed.
Print Recipe
Cinnamon Crumb Cake Muffins
Ingredients
Muffin Base
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (I prefer dark brown, but light will work)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk, full fat
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon Crumb Topping
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar (I prefer dark brown, but light brown will work)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 tablespoons butter, cold
Cinnamon Swirl
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
Muffin Base
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 10 liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour buttermilk into a measuring cup or small bowl. Add in melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Create a well in the middle of the dry mixture. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients. Gently incorporate it all together with a whisk. Mix until just combined — be careful not to over mix.
Cinnamon Crumb Topping
- Put the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in the base of a food processor. Blitz briefly to combine. Add in the butter in 1 tablespoon chunks. Blitz in the food processor until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture is relatively uniform. The mixture should hold when pressed together.
Cinnamon Swirl
- In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.
Putting it all together…
- Spoon a heaping tablespoon into the bottom of each muffin liner in the muffin tin.
- Spoon a heaping teaspoon of the cinnamon swirl (sugar mixture) in each muffin liner, on top of the batter.
- Spoon another heaping tablespoon into each muffin liner. Now, you will have 3 layers in each muffin liner — batter, sugar mixture, batter.
- Finish off each muffin liner with the cinnamon crumb topping. Using clean hands, press a handful of the mixture in your palms, then gently break up the mixture into the muffin liner. This will make little clumps and pieces of the cinnamon crumble mixture. Be generous! Use the topping to your preference (I use the whole mixture).
- Bake at 375 degrees for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted removes cleanly.
- Let the muffins cool at least slightly before enjoying. To keep fresh overnight (or a few nights), wrap each muffin in saran wrap. These will keep for about 2-3 days at room temperature. They can be frozen, but let thaw and come to room temperature (about one day) before enjoying.
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