Let Me Tell You About These Cinnamon Roll Muffins…

Okay, so picture it: rainy Saturday, my hair’s a mess (truly epic), and I’m rummaging through the pantry for anything vaguely sweet. Regular cinnamon rolls felt like too much faff, but I didn’t want plain muffins either. Enter: my glorious invention slash happy accident—cinnamon roll muffins! They're a little bit sticky, not too fancy, and, I’ll be honest, sometimes they look, um, rustic, but oh do they taste like a hug from your favorite aunt. (Also, way quicker than actual rolls. Sorry, Grandma.)

Why You'll Love This (Seriously, You Will)

I make these on lazy weekends (the ones where you just want to stay in something resembling pajamas till noon) or when we have random guests popping in and I want to seem organized. My crew loses their minds over these because they hit that sweet spot between gooey and crumbly.

Admittedly, the first time I tried making them with the kids, most of the cinnamon swirl ended up on the dog, but hey! It got us laughing, and the muffins still vanished within the hour. And if you hate waiting for dough to rise, trust me, these are the answer to your prayers.

What You'll Need (and Some Cheeky Swaps)

2 cups all-purpose flour – Sometimes I use half whole wheat if I’m feeling virtuous, but truly, use what you’ve got.
¾ cup granulated sugar – brown sugar works too; just gives a deeper flavor (my friend swears by coconut sugar, but that's a hard pass for me).
2 teaspoon baking powder – don't swap this one out unless you like your muffins as flat as my cousin’s sense of humor.
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt – kosher or regular, honestly I can’t tell the difference in muffins.
1 cup milk – any kind, but I usually reach for 2%. Oat milk works in a pinch.
⅓ cup melted butter (plus a smidge more for topping)—If I’m out, I’ve even used olive oil, don’t judge me.
1 egg – room temp if you remember, straight from the fridge if you forget (story of my life).
1 teaspoon vanilla extract—My gran swears by Nielsen Massey, I just use the grocery store bottle (it’s fine!).
For the Cinnamon Swirl:
- ¼ cup soft butter
- ⅓ cup brown sugar – light or dark, both will do
- 1 ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon (I’ve gone wild and used pumpkin spice once; it was, uh, interesting.)
For the Glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk (more or less—just wing it)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla

How To Make 'Em—Let's Dive In!

First, preheat that oven. Aim for 375ºF (190ºC), though I once forgot and did 350º—slightly denser but still tasty. Pop paper liners into your muffin tin, or grease it well if you like washing dishes.
Mix your dry stuff: Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt. I whisk with a fork (my fancy whisk's always missing...)
Wet ingredients: In another bowl, beat the egg, then add milk, melted butter (make sure it’s not scalding hot—learned that the smelly way) and vanilla. Pour that into your dry mixture. Stir gently until just combined. Lumpy batter = Happy muffins!
Swirl time! Mix together the swirl stuff: soft butter, brown sugar, cinnamon. Here’s where I sneak a taste. Take half your muffin batter and blob it into the muffin cups. Dollop bits of the cinnamon mix on top with a teaspoon, swirl it up with a toothpick or knife, then cover with the rest of the batter. Plop remaining swirl over the tops, more swirls for more joy.
Bake 15–18 minutes, depending on your oven's mood. Muffins should look puffy and a toothpick comes out mostly clean (there's always some goo from the swirl—I call this character).
Let 'em cool a few mins before drizzling with glaze (whisk those glaze bits together in a small bowl—I always eyeball it, honestly.)
Move to a wire rack, if you own one. If not, a cutting board does the trick.

Notes From My Many, Many Tries

I keep overmixing the batter, and guess what? The muffins still taste great, just a tad denser.
One time I forgot the baking powder. Friends pretended not to notice—but I noticed.
If you want less sweet, reduce the sugar or add a pinch extra salt (surprisingly good!).
Hazelnuts on top? Tasted great, but were a nightmare to chop. Maybe skip, unless you love that sort of thing.

How I’ve Switched These Up (And One Epic Fail)

Added a handful of mini chocolate chips—kids went feral in a good way.
Doubled the cinnamon in the swirl. It was a bit much, even for me; cut back if that’s not your jam.
Once tried coconut milk instead of dairy. Texture was fine, but the coconut flavor just didn’t jive with the cinnamon, in my humble opinion.
Apple pieces stirred into the batter—this was actually amazing. Would do again!

Equipment—And My Thoughts On Fancy Gadgets

Muffin tin—Standard 12-cup works—if not, just use a baking dish and cut ‘em into messy squares (for real, it works!)
Mixing bowls—at least two, or just wash the one halfway through
Whisk or fork—a fork’s honestly what I use 80% of the time
Toothpick or knife for swirling (‘borrow’ one from the kids!)
Wire rack (if you have it)

Irresistible Cinnamon Roll Muffins for a Sweet Morning

Storing Them—Or Trying To...

Technically, you can keep these in an airtight box or bag at room temp for 2–3 days. But, in my house, they usually disappear within a few hours. If you do have leftovers, they warm up nice in the microwave (8 seconds—no more, or trust me, they get rubbery). Freezer? Yeah, you can, but they lose a bit of magic, just saying.

How We Like To Serve ‘Em Around Here

Nothing fancy: big mug of coffee, muffin in hand. Sometimes we split ‘em and slather on extra butter (naughty!). My friend adds a pinch of sea salt on top for that sweet-salty kick—sounds weird, tastes dreamy. Also, I've served them with scrambled eggs on the side for pure breakfast chaos.

Pro Tips (aka Lessons Learned the Hard Way)

Never rush the swirl stage—it looks weird if you skip it, and the flavor’s funky.
I once left the muffins in the oven too long while chasing the cat, and yeah, they were edible but dry. So, stick within the bake time range if you can.
Don’t substitute the egg with more milk—it just goes... odd. Trust me (learned that while out of eggs once).
If your butter is only half melted, use it anyway. Works out fine. Actually, sometimes I think it makes the texture better?

Oh—and if you want more wise/bizarre baking science, you might enjoy Sally’s Baking Tips, which I’ve used for years. And if you don’t have cinnamon on hand, give this homemade spice blend a whirl. It's not the same, but it's close enough in a pinch.

FAQs—Stuff I Get Asked All The Time

Q: My muffins came out sunken in the middle. Did I mess up?
A: Happened to me last Sunday. It’s probably just underbaked, or sometimes if you open the oven too much—my oven door never seals right, by the way! No biggie; they still taste fab.
Q: Can I prep the batter ahead?
A: I’ve tried leaving the batter overnight—doesn’t work as well. Bake them fresh, but you can mix the swirl stuff the night before.
Q: Is there a gluten-free version?
A: Haven’t tried it myself, but a mate swapped in Bob’s Red Mill GF flour with decent results (a bit more crumbly, she said).
Q: How do I make them gooier?
A: Use dark brown sugar in the swirl, and don’t overbake. Maybe even underbake by a minute (not too much though!).
Q: Can I double this recipe?
A: Yup! Just expect more sticky bowls to wash.

I think that covers it, but if anything’s unclear, leave a comment, or just message me (I check whenever my hands aren’t covered in dough).

Promise me you’ll try these cinnamon roll muffins, or at least use them as an excuse to have something sweet with coffee tomorrow. Life’s too short for boring breakfasts!

Irresistible Cinnamon Roll Muffins for a Sweet Morning