Description
Delicious and moist cinnamon swirl muffins topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. These homemade muffins are like a cinnamon roll in muffin form!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–4 tablespoons milk, or more as needed for consistency
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the 1 cup of buttermilk, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together using a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- In a medium bowl, combine the 1/2 cup of softened unsalted butter, 1 cup of packed light brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon. Use a fork or a pastry blender to mash the ingredients together until they form a crumbly mixture.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the tin thoroughly with cooking spray.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the muffin batter into each muffin cup. You want to fill each cup about 1/3 full.
- Sprinkle about 1-2 teaspoons of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the batter in each muffin cup.
- Spoon the remaining muffin batter over the cinnamon swirl in each muffin cup, filling them about 2/3 full.
- Use a toothpick or a butter knife to gently swirl the cinnamon sugar mixture into the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, beat the 4 ounces of softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup of softened unsalted butter together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the 2 cups of powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture, beating on low speed until combined. Once the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Stir in the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Then, add the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
- Once the muffins are completely cool, frost them generously with the cream cheese frosting.
- If desired, you can garnish the frosted muffins with a sprinkle of cinnamon, chopped nuts, or a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Notes
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the muffin batter will result in tough muffins. Mix until just combined.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients, especially for the frosting, will ensure a smooth and creamy texture.
- Cool Completely: Make sure the muffins are completely cool before frosting them. Otherwise, the frosting will melt and slide off.
- Storage: Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes