These sour cream coffee cake muffins are tender, moist and buttery, with a deep caramel note from brown sugar and toasted almonds. Each muffin hides a gooey ribbon of brown sugar, roasted almonds and cinnamon, and is finished with a brush of melted butter and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. I’ve baked three batches of these over the last two weekends because they disappeared almost instantly — a sign of a very successful recipe.
Why three batches? Because family and neighbors kept snatching them up before I could take photos. If you want them to last, you’ll need to hide a few.
Need a reason to get teenagers out of bed in the morning? Put a pan of these muffins in the oven and watch what happens. The aroma of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon will do most of the work. (A pan of bacon helps, too.)
These muffins perfume the entire house with warm, comforting scents and taste every bit as good as they smell. The recipe is a muffin-sized adaptation of a sour cream coffee cake I received from a friend years ago. That original coffee cake bakes in a bundt pan with a rich filling running through the center. Turning it into muffins makes the same flavors faster and simpler to serve, while keeping the dense, tender crumb the cake is known for.
Why I sometimes prefer coffee cake muffins
First, muffins bake faster. You still get all the same aroma and richness, but muffins finish in about 40–45 minutes, roughly 30 minutes less than a large coffee cake. That matters when eager hands and hungry voices are asking, “Are they ready yet?” over and over.
Second, muffins are individual portions. I bake these in jumbo muffin tins for a generous serving size, but you can also use regular-size muffin tins if you prefer smaller portions. Jumbo muffins still feel like a treat without the commitment of a large slice of bundt cake.
Third, muffins freeze beautifully. Wrap each one individually and store them in the freezer for busy weekday mornings. Pull out a muffin, reheat briefly, and you have a bakery-style pastry without the coffee shop price or the morning rush.
They make a lovely breakfast, a perfect afternoon snack, and an indulgent after-dinner treat.
Note: Using jumbo muffin tins makes it easier to layer the thick batter and the filling. Regular-size muffin tins work fine if you prefer smaller portions.
📖 Recipe
Jumbo Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins
12 jumbo muffins or 24 regular-size muffins
*This recipe makes 12 jumbo-size muffins or 24 regular-size muffins and can easily be halved. The muffins freeze well and are best served warm. Tender coffee cake muffins filled with a gooey mixture of brown sugar, roasted almonds and cinnamon — perfect any time of day.
Ingredients
- 3 sticks butter (salted), melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups sour cream
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon salt
For the filling
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- ½ cup coarsely chopped dry roasted unsalted almonds
Topping
- 4 tablespoon butter (salted), melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix the filling ingredients together in a small bowl, cover and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk, combine the melted butter and both sugars on medium speed until blended, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt.
- Switch the mixer to the paddle attachment. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture and beat on medium-low for about 30 seconds, scraping the bowl once or twice, until the flour is incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Line 12 jumbo muffin cups with paper liners and fill each about one-third full with batter. Distribute the filling evenly among the muffins, then top with the remaining batter. For regular-size muffins, divide accordingly. Bake for 40–45 minutes for jumbo muffins (slightly less for regular size), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs but no raw batter.
- Cool the muffins in the tin on a wire rack for 5–10 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter and mix the cinnamon and sugar for the topping in a small bowl.
- Carefully remove the muffins from the tin and place on a wire rack. Brush each muffin with melted butter and immediately sprinkle generously with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Serve warm if possible. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or wrap individually and freeze for up to 1 month.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 24
Serving Size: 1
Amount per serving (approx.):
Calories: 357
Total Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Cholesterol: 67mg
Sodium: 252mg
Carbohydrates: 42g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 28g
Protein: 4g
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