One of the infinite reasons I love my family is that we, a group of serious food lovers, never end one holiday feast without a detailed game plan for the subsequent feast. So naturally, at Thanksgiving, we were debating the Christmas brunch menu and realized the possibilities for sweet breakfast recipes are endless. From decadent Chocolate Muffins to Apple Coffee Cake, you can find something for everyone. No one could agree on a frontrunner until one of us mentioned bakery-style coffee cake muffins with streusel topping. Voilà. Unanimous approval! Approval of these fluffy and moist coffee cake muffins isn’t unique to my family. If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing brunch recipe, coffee cake is one of the most universally appealing options (hello, Cranberry Coffee Cake). I mean, what’s not to adore? A tender, buttery cake base, brown sugar crumb topping, plus a drizzle of glaze and warm cinnamon spices? Sign me up! While this easy coffee cake muffin recipe does lean more decadent than my usual lineup of healthy muffin recipes, I still managed to squeeze in a few sneaky swaps to make these a healthy coffee cake muffin recipe without sacrificing moisture or flavor.
Part of the granulated sugar is replaced with honey (the honey’s flavor is divine with the crumb topping).I used Greek yogurt instead of making traditional coffee cake muffins with sour cream. It has the same moisture and tang but is higher in protein and lower in fat.
How to Make Coffee Cake Muffins
Everything you love about Grandma’s Coffee Bundt Cake in single-serving muffin form. The muffins bake up in a jiffy and make it easy for each person to take their own individual serving.
The Ingredients
All Purpose Flour. For fluffy, soft, and tender muffins that melt in your mouth.
Whole Milk. Adds just the right amount of richness without being too heavy.Greek Yogurt. Instead of sour cream, I opted to use similarly tangy nonfat Greek yogurt (like in these Banana Bran Muffins). With protein and probiotics, Greek yogurt is a very nutritional swap.
Cinnamon + Nutmeg + Allspice. With its warmth and appeal, cinnamon is a coffee cake essential. Nutmeg takes things a step further by adding a nutty flavor. Allspice adds a homey, holiday taste. (These Gingerbread Apple Muffins have a similar spice profile.)Honey. Instead of using all refined sugar in this recipe, I supplemented with honey for some natural sweetness (like in these Zucchini Carrot Muffins).Vanilla. Cinnamon coffee cake wouldn’t be complete without the coziness of vanilla. Lemon Zest. I love how an unexpected touch of lemon zest brightens everything up. Streusel Topping. Flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and butter create our wonderful streusel topping. It’s sweet, crumbly, and packed with warm spices. (I use a similar topping on Blueberry Buckle and Almond Berry Coffee Cake.)Glaze. Powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk make up our glaze. It’s truly the “icing” on the (coffee) cake!
The Directions
Storage Tips
To Store. Muffins can be stored in a paper towel-lined airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To Freeze. Freeze muffins in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy as desired.
Recommended Tools
Muffin Pan. A must-have for making coffee cake muffins.Muffin Scoop. Essential for even baking, and it makes the muffins more fluffy too.Whisk. Once you try this smaller, more convenient size, you’ll never want to go back.Mixing Bowls. With an array of sizes, this durable set will help you prepare all the ingredients for this recipe.
These coffee cake muffins with streusel topping make me SO excited for a festive brunch!
Healthy Breakfast Casserole
1 hr 20 mins
Fruit Salad
25 mins
Air Fryer Bacon
10 mins Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe. (And the planning of our next holiday menu—which I hope includes Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins.)
Cream Cheese Banana Bread
1 hr 5 mins
Strawberry Bread
1 hr
Apple Bread
1 hr