Cinnamon Roll Muffins – Quick & Easy Breakfast Treat

Everyone keeps asking for this cinnamon roll muffins recipe, so here goes nothing. I started making these last month when I was craving cinnamon rolls but absolutely did NOT have two hours to wait for dough to rise. Like, who has that kind of time on a Tuesday morning?

These cinnamon roll muffins are basically all the best parts of a cinnamon roll—the sweet cinnamon swirl, the buttery flavor, that cream cheese glaze—but in muffin form that you can make in under 30 minutes. Game changer.

I think I first saw something similar on Pinterest maybe a year ago? Or was it Instagram? Honestly can’t remember. But I tried making them and the first batch was… not great. They were dense and didn’t have enough cinnamon flavor. Basically just regular muffins pretending to be cinnamon rolls. Not acceptable.

Took me three tries to get these right. Three. But now they’re perfect and I make them at least once a week because my kids are obsessed.

Why Cinnamon Roll Muffins Are Better Than Regular Cinnamon Rolls :

Look, I love a good cinnamon roll as much as the next person. Maybe more. But sometimes you just don’t have the time or energy for yeast dough, you know?

These muffins give you that same cinnamon-sugar experience without all the waiting and kneading and rising. You mix up the batter, swirl in the cinnamon filling, bake for 18 minutes, and boom—you’ve got warm cinnamon roll muffins ready to go.

The best part? They actually taste like cinnamon rolls. Not just “cinnamon-flavored muffins” but actual cinnamon roll flavor with that signature swirl running through them and cream cheese frosting on top.

My neighbor tasted one last week and genuinely asked if I’d bought them from a bakery. So yeah, I’m taking that as a win.

What Makes These Different From Other Muffin Recipes :

Here’s the thing—the secret is the cinnamon swirl. You don’t just mix cinnamon into the batter like a regular muffin. You actually create a separate cinnamon-butter-sugar mixture and swirl it through the batter before baking.

Sounds fancy but it’s actually super easy. Takes maybe two extra minutes. And that’s what makes these cinnamon roll muffins taste authentic instead of just like cinnamon muffins.

Also, the cream cheese glaze. Don’t skip it. I tried once because I was out of cream cheese and they were just… sad. Still good, but sad.

Cinnamon Roll Muffins Recipe :

Ingredients :

Okay, here’s what you need. I usually make a double batch because they disappear SO fast in my house.

For the Muffins:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk (I use whole milk but 2% works fine)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter if you’re feeling fancy)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Swirl:

• 1/4 cup butter, melted (use real butter, not margarine—trust me)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (maybe a bit more if you’re cinnamon-obsessed like me)

For the Cream Cheese Glaze:

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened (leave it out for like 30 minutes beforehand)
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons milk to thin it out

Shopping tip: I always keep cream cheese in my fridge now specifically for these muffins. And don’t buy the pre-ground cinnamon that’s been sitting in your cabinet for three years—get fresh stuff. Makes a difference.

How To Make Perfect Cinnamon Roll Muffins :

Step 1: Preheat Your Oven

First things first—preheat your oven to 375°F. And line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray it really well with cooking spray. I prefer liners because cleanup is easier and I’m lazy.

Step 2: Make the Cinnamon Swirl Mixture

In a small bowl, mix together your melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. It’ll form this thick, paste-like mixture. That’s exactly what you want.

Set it aside for now. This is what makes these taste like actual cinnamon rolls instead of just cinnamon-flavored muffins.

Step 3: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Just whisk it until it’s combined—doesn’t have to be perfect. We’re making muffins, not building a rocket.

Step 4: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl (or a large measuring cup if you want fewer dishes to wash), whisk together milk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until JUST combined. The batter will be lumpy. That’s normal. Don’t overmix or your muffins will be tough and nobody wants tough muffins.

Step 5: The Swirl (Most Important Part)

Okay, so here’s where the magic happens. Spoon about half your muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups—fill them about halfway.

Now take your cinnamon mixture and drop small spoonfuls on top of the batter in each cup. Then add the rest of the muffin batter on top of that, filling the cups about 3/4 full.

Take a knife or toothpick and swirl it through each muffin in a figure-eight pattern. This creates those beautiful cinnamon swirls. Don’t over-swirl or you’ll just mix everything together. Three or four swirls per muffin is perfect.

The first time I made these I swirled like crazy and ended up with just brown muffins with no visible swirl. Learn from my mistakes.

Step 6: Bake

Bake for 16-18 minutes until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. My oven runs hot so mine are usually done at 16 minutes, but every oven is different.

They’ll smell AMAZING while baking. Like a cinnamon roll shop. Your whole house will smell incredible.

Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Step 7: Make the Cream Cheese Glaze

While the muffins are cooling (or still in the oven—I usually make this while they bake), beat together softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat until combined. It’ll be thick, so add milk one tablespoon at a time until you get a drizzle-able consistency. You want it thick enough to stick to the muffins but thin enough to actually drizzle.

Drizzle (or spread, I won’t judge) the glaze over the warm muffins. Or wait until they’re completely cool if you have more self-control than I do.

My Tips For the Best Cinnamon Roll Muffins :

Don’t Overmix the Batter

This is probably the most common muffin mistake. When you overmix, you develop the gluten too much and end up with dense, tough muffins. Stir until you don’t see dry flour anymore, then STOP. Lumpy batter is good batter.

Room Temperature Ingredients Work Better

I’ve made these with cold eggs and milk straight from the fridge and they still turn out fine, but room temperature ingredients mix together more easily. If I remember, I take the egg and milk out like 20 minutes before I start baking.

But honestly? I forget like half the time and they’re still delicious.

The Cinnamon Swirl Needs Enough Cinnamon

Some recipes call for less cinnamon but I think that’s just wrong. These are CINNAMON roll muffins. You need that strong cinnamon flavor. I use a full tablespoon and sometimes even a bit more.

If you’re one of those people who thinks there’s such a thing as too much cinnamon, we can’t be friends. Just kidding. Kind of.

Warm Muffins = Better Glaze Coverage

I’ve found that glazing the muffins while they’re still slightly warm makes the glaze melt into them a little bit, which is amazing. If you glaze them completely cool, the glaze just sits on top (still good, just different).

Do whatever you prefer. There’s no wrong answer here.

Variations I’ve Tried :

Cream Cheese Filling: I’ve added little dollops of sweetened cream cheese in the middle before adding the top layer of batter. SO GOOD. A bit messy but worth it.

Pecans: Threw some chopped pecans into the cinnamon swirl mixture once. My husband loved it. My kids picked them all out. Your mileage may vary.

Extra Glaze: Sometimes I double the glaze recipe because we’re obsessed with cream cheese frosting in this house. No shame.

Maple Glaze: Tried substituting some maple syrup for the milk in the glaze once. It was different but really good—kind of like those maple-cinnamon rolls you get at fancy bakeries.

Why These Cinnamon Roll Muffins Are Perfect For Busy Mornings :

So I’m not a morning person. At all. The idea of making actual cinnamon rolls from scratch before school on a Tuesday is laughable. But these? These I can handle.

Mixing up the batter takes maybe 10 minutes. Baking is 18 minutes. By the time I’ve had my first cup of coffee and checked my emails, they’re done.

My kids eat them in the car on the way to school (not my proudest parenting moment but whatever, we’re all just trying to survive here). And they’re actually getting some milk and eggs and flour, so I’m calling it a balanced breakfast and moving on with my life.

Weekend Brunch Status :

These cinnamon roll muffins are also clutch for weekend brunch. I made them when my in-laws visited last month and my mother-in-law asked for the recipe, which basically never happens because she’s one of those people who’s amazing at baking and I’m… not.

Felt pretty good about that, not gonna lie.

They’re also great for bringing to potlucks or bake sales or whatever because they’re individually portioned and you don’t need plates or forks. Just grab a muffin and go.

My Honest Thoughts on Cinnamon Roll Muffins :

Look, are these exactly like homemade cinnamon rolls made from scratch with yeast dough? No. But are they pretty darn close while taking a fraction of the time and effort? Absolutely.

And honestly? Sometimes I think they’re better because you get more of that crispy muffin top surface area for the glaze to soak into. With regular cinnamon rolls, only the top gets frosted. With these, every bite has a bit of that cream cheese glaze situation happening.

Plus they stay fresh for like 3-4 days in an airtight container (if they last that long, which they don’t in my house). You can even freeze them and reheat them in the microwave for 20 seconds when you want a quick breakfast treat.

The first batch I made lasted exactly 8 hours before they were gone. These current ones I made yesterday? There are three left and it’s not even noon. So yeah, they’re a hit.

If you’re intimidated by yeast or just want cinnamon roll flavor without the time commitment, try these cinnamon roll muffins. Seriously, they’re so easy and everyone will think you’re a baking genius.

Let me know if you make them! I’m always curious if other people add different things to the swirl or use different glazes. I’m still experimenting myself. 🥐😊