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These cinnamon roll muffins are moist, fluffy, and have a gorgeous glaze on top! No eggs needed, they make a delicious dessert recipe that come together in no time!
As someone who loves cinnamon rolls, making them as muffins has been a game changer.
This cinnamon roll muffin recipe is the perfect baked good to satisfy ALL your dessert cravings. The muffins are moist and fluffy, and there is a cinnamon swirl throughout and drizzled with a glaze. It’s sweet, cinnamon-y, and straight up delicious.
For such a fabulous looking muffin, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how easy they are to make.
Ingredients to make these muffins
For the muffins.
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk works.
- Apple cider vinegar. Mixed with the milk to create a mock buttermilk.
- Cake flour. While all-purpose flour works, cake flour helps these muffins achieve a lighter and fluffier texture.
- Sugar. White or raw sugar.
- Baking powder. Gives the muffins some rise and fluffiness.
- Salt. Balances out the sweet ingredients.
- Oil. I used canola oil, but any neutral flavored oil works.
- Vanilla extract
For the cinnamon swirl.
- Brown sugar. Choose dark brown sugar if possible.
- Cinnamon
- Butter. When adding the cinnamon swirl, the butter must be piping hot.
For the glaze.
- Powdered sugar. Sifted to ensure there are no clumps.
- Vanilla. Adds a subtle vanilla flavor that works so well with the muffins.
- Milk or water. To thin out the glaze.
How to make cinnamon roll muffins
Muffins are easy to make and these are not the exception: the only thing you’ll need to do is monitor the cinnamon swirl temperature. It should be warm when whisking it into the batter. If your batter has cooled down, simply reheat it. Here is how you’ll make them:
- Make muffin batter: Whisk together the milk and apple cider vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle. Add the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl, followed by the wet ingredients, including the curdled milk. In a separate bowl, whisk the cinnamon swirl mixture.
- Fill and swirl: Line a 12-count muffin tin with muffin liners. Fill half of each muffin tin with the batter. Carefully drop about a half teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar liquid into each muffin, then use a fork to make a few swirls. Add the remaining muffin batter on top. With the remaining cinnamon sugar liquid, carefully add a swirl to the top of each muffin.
- Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until they are puffed up, and a skewer comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the oven. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, drizzle a glaze over the top of each muffin.
Tips to make the best recipe
- The muffins should be completely cooled before adding the glaze on top.
- Do not over-bake the muffins as they continue to cook as they are cooling down.
- Add some chopped nuts (walnuts and pecans are great!) or swap out the glaze for frosting.
Storage instructions
What is the best way to store these cinnamon roll muffins? Here are the best practices for muffin storage:
- To store: Leftover muffins can be stored at room temperature, covered, for up to five days. If you’d like them to keep longer, store them in the refrigerator.
- To freeze: Place the muffins in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to six months.
More muffin recipes to try
Frequently Asked Questions
Using a combination or oil/butter and sugar in the batter guarantees muffins remain moist and fluffy.
If you use vegan butter and dairy free milk, these muffins are perfect for a vegan diet.
Replace the cake flour with all purpose flour.
Switch out the butter for one of these substitutes.
Cinnamon Roll Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins
- 1 1/2 cup milk I used unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 2 3/4 cup cake flour gluten free, if needed
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the cinnamon swirl
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
For the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with muffin liners.
- In a small bowl, whisk the milk and apple cider vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes, to curdle.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the curdled milk mixture, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir until no large clumps remain. Fill each muffin until half filled.
- In a small bowl, mix hot melted butter, cinnamon and brown sugar.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of the mix into each muffin and swirl it a few times into the batter with a fork, careful not to let it completely mix. Add the remaining muffin batter.
- With the remaining cinnamon swirl mix, drizzle on top of each muffin and use a skewer to swirl through.
- Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out mostly clean.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool completely. While cooling, prepare the glaze. Drizzle a spoonful over each muffin and let it set.
Would regular flour work for this recipe?
The cake flour made them so light & fluffy that I call them Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes. Everyone loves them!!! The swirl was difficult to add. I tried to keep the cinnamon/hot butter swirl warm but it was very stiff. I used a skewer to break up the half-teaspoon-size clumps. The “cupcakes” didn’t look as nice as your picture, but the taste was a huge hit!
Could you use just gluten free flour with this recipe?
Hi Lindsey- I’ve never tried it with a gluten free flour, please let me know how it turns out if you do 🙂
These look amazing. I am neither Vegan nor Gluten Free but would love to try these. However, and I have seen these in other recipes, what does “a scoop” of protein powder equate to in regular measurements? I don’t use any of these ingredients on a regular basis and will be going to my local bulk store to get them, so need to know what it is. Thanks in advance for any help!
Hi Rhonda! No worries at all- A scoop is typically 32-34 grams (based on the protein powders I’ve tested this with)- Seeing as you’ve mentioned you don’t follow a vegan or gluten free diet, I’d highly recommend Optimum Nutrition’s Casein protein powder- It works wonders with baking 🙂
How much vanilla do you add to the muffin mix? Did I miss this?
Hi Mallory! Apologies for that- Just a teaspoon! 🙂
These look great, but I have a couple of questions: how are they called flourless when the first ingredient is oat flour (still a grain)? And I see 1 cup egg whites can be substituted for 2 flax eggs? How is that possible? 2 flax eggs are the equivalent to 6 Tbs of moisture…no where near the 1 cup of egg whites. I know that coconut flour requires a lot more moisture to bake with. Just don’t want to have them flop. *I will be using a brown rice protein powder. Thanks.
Hi Katie! Thanks for this comment- I call (along with many other food bloggers/sites out there) any recipe which is based off oatmeal to be considered flourless- That’s how I’ve always approached my recipes and will continue to do so 🙂
The vegan version only requires 2 flax eggs but does not come out as round and fluffy as the egg white counterpart.
Hi there,
I am attempted to make these however when I started mixing the liquids you mention adding Vanillla extract, you don’t have the amount on your ingredients list. How much does this recipe call for?
Hi Audrey! Apologies for that- Just 1/2 teaspoon would be plenty 🙂
Thanks! How many muffins?
This looks amazing! How many muffins does the recipe make?
Hi Jill! I made around 10-11 muffins with it 🙂
Hi! How many muffins does this make? Do you have nutrition/macros?
Hi Jillian! If you add the ingredients into a calorie calculator, it will provide the nutritionals for you 🙂
I’ve heard of udi’s everywhere! I would love to try their English muffins! Anyways, I laughed so hard at the balls reference! Gotta love the chocolate ones 😀 these muffins made me salivate so much! I can’t get over that glaze!
I am a bit confused here……this recipe is called flour-less cinnamon muffins but there is both oat flour and coconut flour in the recipe. That is not flour-less. While they may be flour-less in the sense that there is no conventional wheat flour there is still a form of flour in them. They look delicious don’t get me wrong, but the recipe itself seems a bit misleading.
Hi Jamie! I do apologise for that oversight- When I say ‘flourless’, I did mean white flour free. I do consider oat flour to not be a standard flour on my blog- My other flourless recipes all use oats but no coconut/white flour.
Cheers!
I made sticky buns tonight with a blueberry cream cheese filling. They need to rest overnight so tomorrow I’ll find out if they’re any good. Wish me luck.
What other flour can I use if allergic to oats? These look amazing ?
Hi Jill! Can you use standard wheat or white?
I do tend to have that problem where food just falls into my mouth… especially while I’m baking and/or shooting. Or writing. Or browsing the internet. Or watching YouTube. Or… always? 😆
You and me both! Touche!
This muffin looks so yummy.
Thanks so much, Jennifer!
This recipe looks awesome. I need to find myself some coconut flour and get myself in the kitchen!!
Thanks for hosting WIAW!! 🙂
YESSSS. Coconut flour is my absolute STAPLE!
Rest up my friend, you totally deserve it! These cinnamon bun muffins are like dessert for breakfast! Love it!
🙂 Thanks so much, Lisa!
Say what?! Cinnamon sticky bun?! I may or may not have drooled all over my keyboard. 🙂
Hahaha yay! Cheers, Jenn!
WOWWWW! I think one thing I have been missing since going gluten free a couple years ago has been cinnamon buns. I think these are going to seriously hit the spot!! Thanks for sharingthis recipe!
Thanks so much, Amber! 😀
I’m going to lose any last scrap of HLB status I had, but I hate cinnamon. I love Udi’s, however – I miss their GF bagels! Good luck trying to find GF products in Croatia, though…
Ohhh they have these new bread varieties- The rye is so fluffy!
Hi Arman. Happy Wednesday to you, and I agree that it should be the weekend. Monday and Tuesday wore me out! 🙂 I like the carb-fest you’ve got going on here, my friend. Well done. Have a lovely day, and thanks for hosting!
Thanks friend- Hope you’ve been well!
Gah these are amazing looking! Must make soon. My favorite muffin is the classic blueberry, just so good!
I’m the opposite regarding weekends, I love to be on the go it is how I recharge 🙂
Oh nice! I wish I was more like you!
I love butter rum muffins! I really wish I could find a vegan recipe, probably easy to do but I haven’t thought about it. Have a restful week!
Thanks so much, kind friend!
Clean eating, portable cinnamon rolls? Be still my heart!
I am also looking forward to nothing on the schedule this weekend, before 4 weekends back to back in class or working! It’s so important to recharge when we can. Hope you’re weekend is splendid!
YES! You poor thing- Having such packed days lately- Hope you took good care of yourself, friend!
I can not wait to try this one:healthy&fiber ,protein packed&my fave=cinnamon!YOU!! My favorite muffin is (I make)peanut butter,oatmeal,banana and not to ever forget chocolate chips!the recipe needs to be healthified but the 3/4 cup honey makes this the most beautiful,silkiest batter I’ve ever seen. Found 20 yr ago and made 7 dozen then drove them into philly to hand out to volunteers and witness Olympic torch running thru;))))).I added real(oops) bacon last time EPIC!.willing to share for guidance to healthify…you can take all of the credit .M Susan.have a purrringcozy wknd.
OH wow- That sounds incredible and seriously- NO ONE must ever forget the chocolate chips! 🙂
I would love to have a lazy weekend coming up! I’ll have to wait until next weekend for that since I have work/homecoming this weekend. Hopefully some naps and netflix can help with your stress!
I haven’t had a sticky bun in forever. I love banana nut muffins the best usually, but I’m now realizing it’s been really long time since I had any kind of muffin (like, months). I’d say it’s time to get baking, but we all know that only happens once a month and I already baked something in October, sooo…..lol
Hahahaha let’s call on chef Riley. And I’m still baffled by this whole homecoming prom king queen thing!
I hate how things that are in front of the camera just accidentally fall into my mouth, too! But then again, it’s a quality control thing, right? The ugly ones need to be eaten so they don’t jump into the picture with the pretty ones. It’s kinda of like a high school social scene gone wrong. 🙂 Seriously, though, I love cinnamon buns…so I’m pretty sure I would love these muffins, too!
right? Like the other day, half a jar of frosting just well yes.
I just told Amanda that my favorite muffins are chocolate chip muffins from Dunkin, my favorite as a kid 🙂
I may need to hunt one down!
NOM. Amazing idea to use protein powder and non-dairy milk for the glaze!
😀 Thanks so much, Bri! Sharing the brownie recipe tomorrow! 😀
Oh man, those muffins looks great! The best muffin I had recently with a pumpkin muffin. It’s the season, right? This past week I had oysters, & I do love oysters, so I would say that’s the best thing I’ve had recently.
Oh YES! How good are oysters!
I jjust love when I have all the ingredients in my kitchen! I hope mine turn out as pretty as yours… Out of pure curiosity, how often do you make a recipe before sharing it? I am so impressed by the # of recipes you turn out.
Thanks for the link-up!
Hi Kate! I usually make a recipe 2-3 times, as I want the texture and taste to be right- I’d never post anything I’m not 100% happy with. This being my job means it’s an important aspect for me. I’m also lucky to have a few friends and a fellow blogger living closeby who are honest and open to taste test!
My favorite muffin has to be an almond chocolate chip muffin. So creamy and perfect. Loving the sound of these cinnamon ones!
These are so good- Almond chocolate chip sounds delicious too!
I tried a French Toast Muffin yesterday at Whole Foods. That was pretty legit, but I think I would prefer this one!
Oh wow- French Toast muffins sound amazing!
I have never met a sticky bun I didn’t like! Must try these…they look absolutely scrumptious! I might be getting one of those weekends too…I’m headed to Florida for my mom in law’s 75th, a girl’s weekend. I’m looking forward to a little rest and relaxation!
Oh wow! I hope you enjoyed yourself 🙂 and 75th birthday? Congrats to her 🙂
Oh man. Yes. The stickier the better!!! Sure hope you treat yourself well this weekend and get lots of rest!
Ps – Arman, do you think there would be a substitute for the protein powder!?
Of course 🙂 I’d substitute for a dash more oat flour (not coconut) or even rolled oats- They may come out more flat though- Just a heads up 🙂
Thank you so much, kind friend!
Oh, wow. I need to try these SOON. They look incredible. So.Much.Glaze. 🙂
Thanks so much, Blair!
Those muffins look and sound amazing!
Thank you Trish!
I could barely concentrate on what you wrote after the image of this muffin smacked my retina! I need to go home now and make muffins! ASAP!
Perfect weekend plans! Do it! You deserve it!
oooo you need to wait for the new twist on it coming up- So yummy gummy!
Your weekend sounds perfect – I’m feeling the same lately! I’ve been eating all my old recipes since I’m retaking photos almost every day.
Right? Exhausting!!