Mini Muffins

5 from 3 votes

Mini Muffins packed with caramel-like sweetness from brown sugar, a hint of cinnamon warmth, and a rich sour cream and vanilla batter. Finished with a crispy cinnamon-sugar topping, they’re impossible to resist!

Prep Time20

Cook Time11

Total Time31

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Keyword: Mini Muffins

Servings: miniature muffins

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $7.67

Equipment

Ingredients

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

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously coat a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, add the eggs. Whisk. Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk until smooth and emulsified.
In a separate, larger bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Stir to mix.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Whisk together until combined. Use a spatula to scrape the edges of the bowl. Be careful not to overmix.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling cavities 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 moist crumbs. Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Gently remove the muffins from the tin and place them onto a cooling rack. Allow the muffins to fully cool on the rack.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. In another bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Dip the top of each cooled muffin into the melted butter, letting the excess drip off. Then dip the buttered muffin top into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, shaking off the excess. (Depending on how generously you top your muffins, you might have a bit leftover. Save any excess; once the butter hardens, spread it on toast and sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon-sugar!) Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Note 1: The key to nailing the perfect muffin texture is all about the flour. If you pack in too much, you’ll have dense/dry muffins. My tip? Place your mixing bowl on a food scale and spoon in the flour until you hit 225 grams. It's faster and more accurate than measuring cups! If you don’t have a food scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then use the back of a butter knife to level off the top.

Note 2: Muffin variations:

Blueberry Muffins: Large blueberries might overpower the mini muffins. Use frozen wild blueberries, which are much smaller in size. After preparing the batter, add it to the muffin cavities and top each with about 6–8 wild blueberries. Swirl them into the batter using a toothpick. (For an extra burst of flavor, you can add some lemon zest to the muffin batter and replace 1 teaspoon vanilla with 1 teaspoon lemon extract.)
Chocolate Chip Muffins: Simply add 1 cup of mini chocolate chips to the dry ingredients and proceed with recipe as directed.
Mixed Berry Muffins: Follow the recipe to prepare the batter. Next, pulse 1/2 cup of frozen mixed berries in a food processor until they’re broken into small pieces. Distribute the batter into the muffin cavities and spoon the crushed berries over each. Using a toothpick, gently swirl the berries into the batter. Bake as instructed, but allow a few extra minutes due to the cold berries.

Storage: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 2–3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze on a sheet pan and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Nutrition