Welcome to your new favorite go-to recipe for the most delightful Mini Muffins you’ll ever bake! These tiny treats are bursting with a comforting brown sugar sweetness, a delicate whisper of cinnamon, and are crowned with an irresistible buttery cinnamon-sugar topping that makes them truly addictive. Whether you prefer them classic and plain, studded with rich chocolate chips, or bursting with fresh berries, this versatile recipe has you covered. Get ready to bake a batch of pure happiness!

Mini Muffins: A World of Flavor in Every Bite!

There’s something uniquely enchanting about mini muffins. While we’re undeniably fanatics about all muffins in our household, these miniature versions truly steal the show. Their adorable size makes them perfect for snacking, sharing, or indulging in a quick, guilt-free treat. They’re the ideal companion for your morning coffee, a delightful addition to a brunch spread, or a sweet pick-me-up any time of day. Once you try this recipe, you’ll understand why they’re utterly irresistible!

What sets these mini muffins apart is their incredible flavor profile and perfect texture. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of caramel-like sweetness from brown sugar, complemented by the warm embrace of cinnamon. The batter yields an incredibly moist and tender crumb, beautifully contrasted by a crispy, buttery, and sugary topping that will have you reaching for another, and another!

Beyond the classic version, we’re thrilled to share how easily you can transform these into other mouth-watering varieties: dive into the vibrant flavors of mixed berry, the classic comfort of blueberry, or the rich indulgence of chocolate chip. Get ready to customize your mini muffin experience!

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Mini Muffins:

Crafting these delectable mini muffins starts with a selection of quality ingredients. Each component plays a vital role in achieving that sought-after moist, tender texture and rich flavor:

• Eggs: Using large, room-temperature eggs is crucial. They emulsify better with other ingredients, leading to a smoother batter and a lighter, airier muffin texture.
• Oil: Vegetable or canola oil are excellent choices as they are flavor-neutral, allowing the brown sugar and cinnamon to shine. Oil also contributes significantly to the muffins’ moistness, keeping them tender for longer.
• Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream is a secret weapon for super moist muffins. Its acidity tenderizes the gluten in the flour, while its fat content adds richness. Full-fat Greek yogurt can be a suitable alternative, offering a similar tang and moisture.
• Vanilla Extract: Always opt for pure vanilla extract over imitation. Pure vanilla provides a deeper, more complex aroma and flavor that truly elevates the overall taste of your muffins.
• Milk: Whole milk is preferred for its higher fat content, which contributes to a richer flavor and helps maintain moisture. However, 2%, 1%, or even skim milk can be used, though they may result in a slightly less rich texture. Ensure it’s at room temperature for optimal mixing.
• Brown Sugar: The star of the show! Soft and fresh light brown sugar imparts a wonderful caramel-like sweetness that pairs perfectly with cinnamon. Make sure it’s firmly packed when measuring for accurate sweetness.
• All-Purpose Flour: Standard white all-purpose flour provides the necessary structure. Proper measurement is key to avoid dense muffins. (See our tip below on measuring flour accurately!).
• Baking Powder: This is your primary leavening agent, responsible for the muffins’ rise and fluffy texture. Always ensure your baking powder is fresh for optimal results; you can test its freshness by adding a teaspoon to a cup of hot water – it should vigorously bubble.
• Cornstarch: A lesser-known but incredibly effective ingredient for tender muffins. Cornstarch interferes with gluten development, yielding a softer, more delicate crumb.
• Salt: A pinch of salt is vital for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors in the muffins, preventing them from tasting flat.
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds a warm, inviting spice that complements the brown sugar beautifully. You can adjust the amount to suit your personal taste preference – a little more for a bolder flavor, a little less for a subtle hint.

The Secret to Success: Why Room-Temperature Ingredients Matter

You might notice a common theme in baking recipes: using room-temperature ingredients. This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a fundamental principle for achieving the best possible texture and consistency in your mini muffins. Here’s a deeper look into why it’s so important:

1. Seamless Blending & Even Mixing: When ingredients like eggs, milk, and sour cream are at room temperature, they have a similar density and viscosity. This allows them to combine much more smoothly and evenly with the fats (oil) and sugars in your batter. Cold ingredients, on the other hand, can cause fats to solidify and create a lumpy, curdled batter that won’t bake uniformly.
2. Superior Air Trapping for Fluffiness: Warm fats, such as the oil or any residual butter in your sour cream, are more pliable and capable of trapping tiny air pockets during the mixing process. This trapped air expands in the oven, acting as a natural leavening agent alongside the baking powder. The result is a lighter, fluffier muffin with a beautifully tender crumb, as opposed to a dense or heavy one.
3. Consistent Baking & Optimal Texture: A uniform batter temperature ensures that your muffins bake evenly from the edges to the center. Cold spots in the batter can lead to inconsistent baking, where some parts might be undercooked while others are overbaked, affecting the overall texture and rise. By starting with room-temperature ingredients, you set the stage for a consistent rise and an optimally tender, moist outcome every time.

Mastering the Art: Tips for Baking the Best Mini Muffins

Even though mini muffins are relatively simple to make, a few key techniques can elevate your baking from good to absolutely outstanding. Follow these expert tips for perfectly baked, irresistibly delicious mini muffins every single time:

• Prioritize Room-Temperature Ingredients: As discussed, this step is paramount. Ingredients like eggs, milk, and sour cream should be taken out of the refrigerator at least one hour before you plan to start baking. This ensures they blend seamlessly, leading to a smooth batter and a wonderfully fluffy final product.
• Do Not Over-Mix the Batter: This is perhaps the most crucial rule for tender muffins. Mix your wet and dry ingredients only until no streaks of dry flour remain. Over-mixing develops gluten, which can lead to tough, rubbery muffins. A few small lumps are perfectly fine and even desirable for a tender crumb.
• Accurately Check for Doneness: Mini muffins bake quickly, so keep a close eye on them. To test if they’re done, gently insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. If it comes out with wet batter, continue baking for another minute or two.
• Cool Completely Before Topping: While it might be tempting to slather on that buttery cinnamon-sugar topping immediately, resist the urge! Allow the muffins to cool fully on a wire rack. Applying the topping to warm muffins will cause the butter to melt and soak into the muffin, making them soggy rather than giving you that desired crispy, sugary crust.
• Measure Flour Correctly: The amount of flour can significantly impact your muffin’s texture. Too much flour will result in dense, dry muffins, while too little can make them crumbly. For the most accurate measurement, especially in baking, we highly recommend weighing your flour. Place your mixing bowl on a digital food scale and spoon in the flour until it reaches 225 grams. If you don’t have a food scale, use the “spoon and level” method: spoon flour into your measuring cup until it overflows, then use the back of a straight edge (like a butter knife) to level off the excess, without compacting the flour.

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5 from 3 votes

Mini Muffins

By
Chelsea Lords

These Mini Muffins are a delightful treat, packed with the rich caramel-like sweetness of brown sugar and a comforting hint of cinnamon warmth. The secret lies in a luxurious sour cream and vanilla-infused batter, which creates an incredibly tender and moist crumb. Each muffin is perfectly crowned with a crispy, sugary cinnamon topping, making them absolutely impossible to resist.

Prep Time:
20 minutes minutes

Cook Time:
11 minutes minutes

Total Time:
31 minutes minutes

Yields:
34 miniature muffins

Video

Equipment

• Mini muffin pan
• Cooling rack

Ingredients

This recipe yields 34 mini muffins.

Wet Ingredients

• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream, full-fat, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup milk whole milk preferred, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar soft, firmly packed

Dry Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour see note 1
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cinnamon-Sugar Donut-Inspired Topping (or make a different muffin variation—see note 2)

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously coat a mini muffin pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
• In a medium-sized bowl, lightly whisk the room-temperature eggs. Then, add the remaining wet ingredients (vegetable oil, vanilla extract, sour cream, and milk) and whisk until the mixture is smooth and well-emulsified.
• In a separate, larger bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, cornstarch, salt, and ground cinnamon. Stir well with a whisk to ensure everything is evenly distributed.
• Pour the wet ingredients mixture into the bowl containing the dry ingredients. Gently whisk them together until just combined. It’s important not to overmix; a few small lumps are acceptable and will result in tender muffins. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate any stray flour.
• Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared mini muffin tin, filling each cavity nearly to the top. Bake for 10–13 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with only moist crumbs attached. Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, gently remove the muffins from the tin and place them directly onto the cooling rack to cool completely.
• While the muffins are cooling, prepare the cinnamon-sugar topping. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the unsalted butter. In another small bowl, stir together the light brown sugar and ground cinnamon until well combined. Once the muffins are completely cool, dip the top of each muffin into the melted butter, allowing any excess to drip off. Immediately after, dip the buttered muffin top into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, gently shaking off any excess. Enjoy your perfectly topped mini muffins! (Depending on how generously you apply the topping, you might have a bit leftover. Any excess cinnamon-butter mixture can be saved; once the butter hardens, it makes a delicious spread for toast, sprinkled with any remaining cinnamon-sugar!)

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Accurate Flour Measurement is Key! The perfect muffin texture hinges on precisely measured flour. Over-packing flour leads to dense, dry muffins. For the best results, use a digital food scale. Place your mixing bowl on the scale and spoon the flour into it until you reach 225 grams. This method is far more accurate and quicker than using measuring cups. If a food scale isn’t available, employ the “spoon and level” technique: lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it’s overflowing, then use the flat side of a butter knife to level off the top without compacting the flour.

Note 2: Exciting Muffin Variations:

• Blueberry Mini Muffins: For these smaller treats, large blueberries can be overwhelming. We recommend using frozen wild blueberries, which are much smaller and distribute better. After preparing the batter, spoon it into the muffin cavities and top each with about 6–8 wild blueberries. Gently swirl them into the batter using a toothpick. For an extra bright flavor, consider adding 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest to the batter and replacing 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon of lemon extract.
• Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins: To create these classic favorites, simply fold 1 cup of mini chocolate chips into your dry ingredients before combining with the wet ingredients. Then, proceed with the recipe as directed.
• Mixed Berry Mini Muffins: Prepare the muffin batter as instructed. Next, pulse ½ cup of frozen mixed berries (a blend of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries works wonderfully) in a food processor until they are broken into small, chunky pieces. Distribute the batter into the muffin cavities, then spoon the crushed berries over each. Using a toothpick, gently swirl the berries into the batter for a beautiful marble effect. Bake as instructed, but allow a few extra minutes (2-3 minutes) due to the colder temperature of the frozen berries.

Storage Instructions: For optimal freshness, store your baked mini muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days. If you need to keep them longer, they can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week. For extended storage, freeze them on a sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Always ensure muffins are completely cool before storing to prevent condensation and sogginess.

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Serving: 1mini muffin
|
Calories: 79kcal
|
Carbohydrates: 8g
|
Protein: 1g
|
Fat: 5g
|
Saturated Fat: 2g
|
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g
|
Monounsaturated Fat: 1g
|
Trans Fat: 0.1g
|
Cholesterol: 14mg
|
Sodium: 65mg
|
Potassium: 21mg
|
Fiber: 0.3g
|
Sugar: 4g
|
Vitamin A: 79IU
|
Vitamin C: 0.03mg
|
Calcium: 23mg
|
Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation. Values may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.

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