Coffee Cake Muffins

Enjoy warm and comforting Coffee Cake Muffins any time of the year. This classic recipe combines easy to find ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.

one large coffee cake muffin sitting on a blue check napkin

If you love coffee cake, then you will love these muffins. These individual servings are perfect for on-the-go or snacking any time. They are topped with a delicious streusel topping. Bake a batch to share with your friends and family.

These taste great with homemade Apple Butter!

Ingredient Notes

ingredients for coffee cake muffins on a white table
  • Sour cream: You can use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, if needed.
  • Egg: Always use fresh eggs in baked goods.
  • Butter: Unsalted works best. You can use salted butter, but reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
  • Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar is recommended, but you can use light brown sugar if necessary.
  • Pecans: You can use another type of nut for the crumble topping, including almonds or walnuts.
ingredients for streusel topping in a bowl including brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon

Tips to Make These Muffins

sliced butter layered over flour in a glass bowl with a pastry blender in it
  • Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture. You can also use two forks to cut the butter into the flour. The butter should be no larger than oat-sized.
coffee cake muffin batter in a glass bowl on a white background
  • Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just incorporated. The mixture will be thick.
coffee cake batter in a pan before baking
  • Crumble the streusel mixture in your hands while sprinkling over the batter to create large pieces.
  • Optional glaze: Drizzle the muffins with a simple glaze made by whisking together 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Freezing

You can freeze these muffins. Wrap them individually in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Place in a freezer bag, seal and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw them at room temperature or unwrap and heat in the microwave for about 20 seconds.

Other Flavors

You can add more flavor to the coffee cake muffins by adding a mix in. Simply fold in one of the following ingredients just before transferring to the muffin tin.

  • Strawberry: Fold in 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh strawberries.
  • Blueberry: Fold in 1 cup blueberries.
  • Apple: Fold in 1 cup coarsely chopped tart apple such as Baldwin, Braeburn, Fuji, Gala or Granny Smith.
  • Carrot Cake: Fold in 1 cup loosely packed grated carrot.
five coffee cake muffins sitting on a check blue kitchen towel with a cinnamon stick garnish on the side

Other Muffin Recipes

Instead of making a traditional coffee cake, try these individual muffins. They are delicious and buttery. Enjoy for breakfast or snack any time of the year.

one large coffee cake muffin sitting on a blue check napkin

Coffee Cake Muffins

Yield: 12 standard size muffins
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
This is a classic coffee cake recipe in muffin form with a crumbly streusel topping.
5 from 8 votes

Ingredients 

  • ½ cup pecans, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ cup sour cream, or Greek yogurt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin-tin with paper liners.
  • In a medium bowl, combine chopped pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Cut 8 tablespoons of butter into ½ inch pieces and sprinkle evenly over flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until butter is oat-sized.
  • Remove 1 cup of the flour-butter mixture and stir into reserved brown sugar mixture until combined to make streusel. Scoop out 3/4 cup of streusel for muffin batter and set aside.
  • Cut the remaining tablespoon of butter into the remaining streusel until streusel resembles a crumble, then set aside for topping muffins. Add baking powder and baking soda to remaining flour mixture and stir to combine.
  • In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Add liquids to flour mixture and stir until just combined. Add the 3/4 cup reserved streusel to flour mixture and stir until streusel is just distributed throughout batter. The batter will be thick.
  • Divide batter among 12 muffin cups and sprinkle generously with streusel topping, pressing lightly with the back of a spoon, so that streusel sinks slightly into batter.
  • Bake 22 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Substitutions:
  • Pecans: You can use another type of nut for the crumble topping, including almonds or walnuts. You can also omit the nuts, if desired.
Optional Glaze:
  • Drizzle the muffins with a simple glaze made by whisking together 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
Freezing:
  • You can freeze these muffins. Wrap them individually in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Place in a freezer bag, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature or unwrap and heat in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Do not freeze with the optional glaze.
Other flavors:
You can fold in one of the following ingredients before transferring to the muffin tin, if desired.
  • Strawberry: Fold in 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh strawberries.
  • Blueberry: Fold in 1 cup blueberries.
  • Apple: Fold in 1 cup coarsely chopped tart apple such as Baldwin, Braeburn, Fuji, Gala or Granny Smith.
  • Carrot Cake: Fold in 1 cup loosely packed grated carrot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 296kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 43mg, Sodium: 259mg, Potassium: 121mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 370IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 54mg, Iron: 1.2mg
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Author: Ashley C.
If you try this recipe, don’t forget to leave a review below or share a photo and tag @spoonfulofflavor on Instagram.

Recipe originally published in 2013 and updated with new photos, process shots and tips in July 2020.

7 comments on “Coffee Cake Muffins”

  1. These were fabulous! This will definitely be added to our after school treat list! 

  2. Just made these. Perfect for our afternoon snack. Although I am going to save some for breakfast tomorrow. These would be perfect to grab and go! Delicious and easy to make.

  3. Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try this with the family.

  4. Your muffins look and sound delicious, I love the look of the streusel topping!

  5. I absolutely LOVE coffee cake! Your idea to make it into muffins is fabulous! 🙂

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