These Cinnamon Roll Muffins have a soft buttery muffin base with a brown sugar cinnamon swirl and a homemade vanilla glaze. All the flavor of a classic cinnamon roll with no yeast, no rising time and just $0.27 each.
Real cinnamon rolls take about three hours. These take 35 minutes start to finish, use one bowl of pantry staples, and come out with a cinnamon brown sugar swirl running all the way through the middle instead of just sitting on top. My kids ask for them on repeat, and at $0.27 a muffin I never mind saying yes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Budget Friendly — $3.20 total for a batch
- The double swirl method — half the cinnamon brown sugar goes into the batter and half goes on top, so you get a real swirl through the middle instead of just a sugary lid
- The homemade vanilla glaze takes 2 minutes and makes these look and taste like a professional bakery muffin
- Perfect for after school snacks, quick breakfasts and weekend baking with kids
- Made with simple pantry ingredients you almost certainly already have on hand
- Nut free as written — safe for classroom parties and school snacks, with an easy option to add pecans if your family wants the crunch
If you love easy cinnamon recipes like this one you will also love our Cinnamon Roll Cake, Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls, and Cinnamon French Toast. They are all budget-friendly, made with simple pantry ingredients, and the kind of warm cozy bakes your family will request on repeat.
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
- All purpose flour — the base of the muffin batter. Measure correctly by spooning into the measuring cup and leveling off — too much flour makes the muffins dry and dense. Gluten free all purpose flour works as a direct substitute
- Baking powder — gives the muffins their rise and fluffy texture. Make sure yours is fresh — old baking powder makes flat muffins
- Salt — balances the sweetness and brings out all the other flavors
- Granulated sugar — sweetens the muffin base. The brown sugar in the filling does the heavy sweetness work so the batter only needs a small amount
- Butter, melted and cooled — adds richness and a tender crumb. Make sure it is cooled before adding to prevent cooking the egg
- Large egg — binds the batter together and adds structure. Use at room temperature for the fluffiest result
- Milk — adds moisture and creates the pourable batter consistency. Whole milk gives the richest result but any milk works
For the Filling and Topping:
- Brown sugar, packed — creates the rich caramelized cinnamon roll flavor. Dark brown sugar gives a deeper more molasses-forward result. Make sure to pack the measuring cup for the right amount
- Ground cinnamon — Cinnamon loses its punch after about a year in the cupboard. If yours doesn’t smell strong when you open the jar, use an extra half teaspoon.
- Butter, melted — binds the brown sugar and cinnamon together into a paste that swirls beautifully into the batter and caramelizes on top during baking
For the Glaze:
- Powdered sugar — the base of the glaze. Sift before mixing for the smoothest result
- Milk — thins the glaze to a drizzleable consistency. Add one tablespoon at a time until you reach the consistency you want
- Vanilla extract — adds warmth and depth to the glaze. Pure vanilla gives the best flavor
What You’ll Need
- A 12-cup muffin pan and paper liners. Liners aren’t optional for these — the cinnamon sugar melts and welds itself to a bare pan. Any brand works.
- Two mixing bowls and a small bowl for the cinnamon sugar
- A zip-top bag (optional) if you want to pipe a defined swirl on top instead of sprinkling
Carrie’s Tip: The double swirl is the secret to authentic cinnamon roll flavor in every single bite — stir half the cinnamon brown sugar mixture into the batter before filling the muffin cups and then sprinkle the remaining half over the top before baking. This gives you cinnamon sugar running through the inside and a caramelized crunchy top all at once.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Muffins
Follow along with my simple instructions to learn how I make my cinnamon roll muffins.
Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
Step 2 – In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar.
Step 3 – In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg and milk.
Step 4 – Gradually add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined in a large bowl. Be careful not to over mix the batter.
Step 5 – In a small bowl, stir together the filling/topping ingredients. Stir half of this mixture into the batter.
Step 6 – Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cups, about ¼ cup each. The cups will look about half full — that’s correct. These muffins rise a lot, and overfilling makes the cinnamon sugar topping run over the sides.
Step 7 – Sprinkle the remaining topping mixture on top.
Step 8 – Bake for 12-15 minutes. The tops should be domed and spring back when you press them lightly with a finger. Don’t rely on the toothpick test alone here — the melted cinnamon sugar swirl in the middle will make a toothpick look wet even when the muffins are perfectly baked.
Step 9 – Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 10 – Mix together the glaze ingredients. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the muffins and then they are ready to serve and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Do not overmix the batter. Stir just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined — overmixing develops the gluten and makes the muffins tough and dense instead of soft and fluffy
- Use the double swirl method. Half the cinnamon sugar in the batter and half on top is what creates authentic cinnamon roll flavor all the way through — putting it all on top gives you a topping but not the swirl.
- Cool before glazing. Drizzling the glaze over warm muffins makes it melt and run off completely — wait until the muffins are fully cooled for a beautiful white glaze that stays on top
- Use room temperature egg and milk. Room temperature ingredients incorporate more smoothly and trap more air for a fluffier lighter muffin
- Bigger Bakery Style Muffins – Use tall, bakery-style muffin liners if you have them — they hold in more batter for a taller, puffier muffin top.
Variations and Substitutions
- Cream cheese glaze — swap the vanilla glaze for a cream cheese glaze an even more decadent cinnamon roll experience
- Chopped nuts — fold chopped pecans or walnuts into the cinnamon sugar filling for a crunchy texture
- Apple cinnamon — fold ½ cup of finely diced apple into the batter for a fall twist
- Gluten free — use gluten free all purpose flour as a direct substitute in the same amount
- Extra cinnamon — increase the cinnamon to 4 teaspoons for an even bolder cinnamon flavor throughout
Mini Muffins, Jumbo Muffins, and Other Pans
This batter is flexible, so use whatever pan you have.
- Mini muffins — about 24-30 minis. Fill each cup about two-thirds full and bake 9-11 minutes. Watch them closely; minis go from done to dry fast. These are the ones my kids grab on the way out the door.
- Jumbo muffins — about 6 jumbo muffins. Bake 18-22 minutes and use the springback test rather than the timer.
- No muffin pan? Spread the batter in a greased 8×8 pan, sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar over the top, and bake 22-28 minutes until the center springs back. Cut into squares and glaze. It’s essentially a cinnamon coffee cake and it’s just as good.
What to Serve With Cinnamon Roll Muffins
These are sweet and rich, so they’re best next to something savory and filling. For a weekend breakfast we do scrambled eggs and sausage links, with the muffins in the middle of the table. For a holiday morning, add a breakfast casserole you can put in the oven first and a bowl of orange slices — the muffins bake while the casserole rests. On a school morning, one muffin plus a hard-boiled egg and a banana gets everyone out the door full.
Storage and Freezer Instructions
Room Temperature
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. Place a paper towel in the bottom to absorb excess moisture and keep the bottoms from getting soggy
Refrigerator
- Store in an airtight container for up to a week. Let come to room temperature before serving or microwave for 15–20 seconds
Freezer
- Freeze without the glaze in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature and add fresh glaze before serving
Reheating
- Microwave for 20–30 seconds for a warm fresh-from-the-oven result. Add a fresh drizzle of glaze after reheating for the best presentation
Make It Ahead
- The night before: Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and cover it. Stir the cinnamon brown sugar filling together in a small bowl, cover, and leave it on the counter — don’t refrigerate it or the butter will harden. In the morning you’ll only need to whisk the wet ingredients and combine, which takes about three minutes before the pan goes in the oven.
- Don’t mix the full batter the night before. The baking powder starts working as soon as it hits the liquid, and by morning the muffins won’t rise properly.
- The glaze can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature and whisk in a splash of milk before drizzling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Probably not. This is a thick batter by design — thicker than pancake batter, closer to soft cookie dough that still drops off a spoon. If it’s so stiff you’re scraping it off the spoon in clumps, add milk one tablespoon at a time until it drops off a spoon in a soft, heavy blob. Two things cause a too-thick batter: scooping flour straight from the bag (which packs in extra), and baking at higher altitude. Spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling it off fixes it most of the time.
The batter was overmixed — stir just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined and stop. A few lumps in the batter are completely normal and mean fluffy muffins are on the way.
Use room temperature egg and milk, do not overmix, and make sure your baking powder is fresh — all three together give you the lightest fluffiest result.
Yes — the muffins are delicious on their own with the caramelized cinnamon sugar top but the glaze adds a bakery-quality finish that takes them to the next level.
Yes — brown sugar works as a substitute in the batter and adds a slightly deeper more caramel-forward flavor to the muffin base.
Yes — this recipe multiplies well. Just mix the batter in batches rather than doubling or tripling everything in one bowl at once, since very large batches of batter are harder to mix evenly and can result in overmixed muffins.
The topping melts as it bakes, so if it’s sitting loose on a flat surface it will slide toward the edges. Two things keep it in place: don’t overfill the cups (about ¼ cup batter, roughly half full), and press the topping lightly into the surface of the batter instead of just sprinkling it on so the batter rises up around it. If some still runs into the pan, scrape it up while it’s warm and stir it into your glaze — it’s delicious.
More Easy Muffin Recipes
These Cinnamon Roll Muffins are one of the most requested after school treats in our house. They have all the cinnamon roll flavor with no yeast or waiting and cost just $0.27 each. After 20 years of baking for my family, I know the best recipes are simple enough for a weekday and special enough to make again and again.
If you make them leave a star rating and a comment below — I love hearing whether your kids went back for seconds the way mine always do!
Cinnamon Roll Muffins
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup butter melted and cooled
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup milk
For the Filling and Topping:
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 3 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp butter melted
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp milk (enough to make a good drizzling consistency.
- ½ tsp vanilla
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together melted butter, large egg, and milk.
- Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
- In a small bowl, stir together packed brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and melted butter.
- Fold half of the cinnamon sugar mixture into the muffin batter.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, using approximately ¼ cup batter per muffin.
- Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the tops of the muffins.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add additional milk if needed for a drizzling consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins before serving.
These muffins were such a blast making with the kids. We all love cinnamon rolls as a family so making them as muffins was such a good time. They taste great as well!
This is one of the best recipes I’ve tried in a long time. Thank you for sharing it!
Turned out perfect . love cinnamon
Love making these for breakfast! Loaded with flavor.
Amazing, Awesome Recipe! Will definitely be making this again.
I loved how these turned out! So good!
Hi, What Type/Brand Parchment Paper Liners Did You Use?
Thanks
Any brand will work. I really don’t have a favorite currently.
We love this recipe