Coffee Cake Muffins

These coffee cake muffins combine the best of both worlds – fluffy, tender muffins crowned with mountains of buttery, cinnamon-speckled streusel that’ll make your kitchen smell like heaven. They’re what happens when your favorite coffee cake and muffin have a delicious baby.

That streusel topping isn’t just any topping – it’s a glorious pile of sweet, buttery crumbles that create the perfect contrast to the soft muffin beneath. Each bite delivers that satisfying crunch followed by pillowy cake texture. Fair warning: you might find yourself picking off the streusel topping before even getting to the muffin (no judgment here – we’ve all been there).

Ingredients

For the muffins:

• ¼ cup (57 g) melted butter
• ¼ cup (60 ml) avocado oil or vegetable oil
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar, tightly packed
• 1 large egg + 1 egg white, room temperature preferred
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature preferred
• 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons corn starch (cornflour in UK)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the streusel topping:

• 1¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, tightly packed
• ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, melted

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners. The paper liners prevent sticking and make cleanup easier – if you don’t have liners, grease the cups thoroughly with butter or baking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine your ¼ cup (57 g) melted butter and ¼ cup (60 ml) oil. Stir well until fully integrated – this combination gives you the flavor of butter with the moisture-retaining properties of oil.
3. Add ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar and ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar to the butter-oil mixture. Stir until completely combined and no sugar lumps remain. The mixture should look slightly grainy but uniform.
4. Mix in 1 egg, 1 egg white, and 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract. Stir vigorously until the mixture becomes smooth and slightly lighter in color, about 30-45 seconds of good mixing. Then add ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk and stir until incorporated. The mixture may look slightly curdled – this is normal!
5. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together 1¾ cups (220 g) flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons corn starch, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt. The cornstarch is the secret to tender muffins – don’t skip it!
6. Using a spatula (not a whisk), gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined with no dry flour pockets visible. Stop mixing as soon as the ingredients are incorporated – you should still see some small lumps. Overmixing activates gluten and creates tough, dense muffins.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ⅔ full (around ¼ cup batter per muffin). Leave room for the streusel topping. Set aside while you prepare the streusel.
8. For the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1¼ cups (156 g) flour, ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar, and ¾ teaspoon cinnamon until well combined.
9. Pour 6 tablespoons (85 g) melted butter over the dry streusel ingredients. Using a fork (not a spoon), stir until the mixture forms pea-sized crumbles. If the mixture seems too wet, add 1-2 tablespoons more flour. If too dry, add 1-2 teaspoons more melted butter.
10. Using your fingers, generously pile the streusel over each muffin, using about 2-3 tablespoons per muffin. Gently press the streusel into the batter slightly so it adheres, but don’t push it all the way in. The streusel should look like a small mountain on top of each muffin.
11. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). The tops should be golden brown and feel firm when gently pressed.
12. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The muffins will be very tender while hot and firm up as they cool.

Smart Swaps

• Replace buttermilk with plain yogurt or sour cream (1:1 ratio) if you don’t have buttermilk on hand
• Substitute whole wheat flour for up to half the all-purpose flour for a nuttier flavor and more fiber (may need to add 1-2 tablespoons more liquid)
• Add ½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) to the streusel for extra crunch
• For a dairy-free version, use coconut oil instead of butter and almond milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar instead of buttermilk

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Replace sugars with ¼ cup (60 ml) monk fruit sweetener plus 2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup in the muffin batter (reduces carbs by 15g per serving)
• For the streusel, use ⅓ cup (80 ml) allulose and ¼ cup (60 ml) brown sugar substitute (reduces carbs by 12g per serving)
• Substitute ¾ cup (90 g) almond flour for ¾ cup (94 g) of the all-purpose flour to lower the glycemic impact
• Add 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed to the batter for extra fiber, which slows sugar absorption

Pro Tips

• Room temperature ingredients really do make a difference! Set eggs and buttermilk out 30 minutes before baking
• For bakery-style domed tops, start baking at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes, then reduce to 375°F (190°C) for the remaining time
• Make a double batch of streusel and freeze half for your next baking project
• These muffins freeze beautifully for up to 3 months – microwave for 20-30 seconds from frozen for a quick breakfast