Cinnamon Roll Muffins With Cream Cheese Glaze

Name: Cinnamon Roll Muffins With Cream Cheese Glaze
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 48 min
Yield: 12 muffins
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, or 240 grams; 3/4 cup granulated sugar, or 150 grams; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon fine salt; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature; 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes; 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, or 100 grams; 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour; 1/8 teaspoon fine salt; 2 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy, or 90 grams; 1 tablespoon milk, plus 1 to 2 teaspoons more if needed; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; Pinch of fine salt

Imperial June 1, 2026June 1, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 48 minutes, including cooling and glazing

Quick Ingredients

Muffins: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons neutral oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon swirl: 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon flour, 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
Cream-cheese style glaze: 2 ounces softened cream cheese, 1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch of salt

Do This

1. Heat oven to 425°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, flour, and salt into a thick cinnamon swirl paste.
3. Whisk dry muffin ingredients in one bowl and wet muffin ingredients in another.
4. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until no dry flour streaks remain.
5. Layer batter and cinnamon swirl in each muffin cup, then gently swirl with a toothpick.
6. Bake 5 minutes at 425°F, reduce to 350°F without opening the oven, and bake 13 minutes more.
7. Cool 10 minutes, whisk the glaze until smooth, and drizzle over warm muffins.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Cinnamon roll flavor without yeast: You get buttery cinnamon-sugar ribbons and tangy cream-cheese style glaze without waiting for dough to rise.
Soft, bakery-style texture: Buttermilk, sour cream, butter, and a little oil keep the muffins tender and moist.
Easy to share: These bake in a standard muffin pan, so they are already portioned for brunch, breakfast, lunchboxes, or coffee breaks.
Big cinnamon swirl payoff: The brown sugar filling bakes into caramel-like ribbons through the muffin instead of sitting only on top.

Grocery List

Produce: None needed for this recipe.
Dairy: Large eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, unsalted butter, cream cheese, milk.
Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda, fine salt, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, neutral oil.

Full Ingredients

For the Muffin Batter

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, or 240 grams
3/4 cup granulated sugar, or 150 grams
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, or 100 grams
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon fine salt

For the Cream-Cheese Style Glaze

2 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy, or 90 grams
1 tablespoon milk, plus 1 to 2 teaspoons more if needed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of fine salt

Cinnamon Roll Muffins With Cream Cheese Glaze – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the pan and heat the oven

Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or grease each cup well with butter or nonstick baking spray. The high starting temperature helps the muffins rise quickly and gives them a rounded, bakery-style top.

Step 2: Make the cinnamon sugar swirl

In a small bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. The mixture should look like a thick, sandy paste. It should be moist enough to clump when pressed but not runny. Set it aside while you make the batter.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Whisk for about 30 seconds so the leavening is evenly distributed. This helps every muffin rise evenly.

Step 4: Mix the wet ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the 2 eggs until smooth. Add the 3/4 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 6 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is creamy and mostly smooth. A few tiny sour cream specks are fine.

Step 5: Combine the batter gently

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold the mixture together just until no dry flour streaks remain. The batter will be thick and soft. Do not beat it smooth; overmixing can make the muffins tough instead of tender.

Step 6: Layer the batter and cinnamon ribbons

Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of muffin batter into each prepared muffin cup, filling each cup roughly halfway. Sprinkle or dollop about 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon swirl mixture over the batter in each cup, keeping it slightly away from the paper liner edges when possible. Divide the remaining batter over the top, then finish with the remaining cinnamon swirl mixture.

Use a toothpick, skewer, or the tip of a butter knife to swirl each muffin 2 to 3 gentle loops. Keep the motion light and shallow. You want visible cinnamon ribbons, not a fully mixed cinnamon batter.

Step 7: Bake the muffins

Place the muffin pan in the preheated 425°F oven and bake for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 13 minutes, for a total bake time of 18 minutes. The muffins are done when the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted into the muffin portion comes out with a few moist crumbs. Try not to insert the toothpick directly into a cinnamon ribbon, which may look wet even when the muffin is baked.

Step 8: Cool and glaze

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes more. While they cool, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk or mash together the softened 2 ounces cream cheese and 1 tablespoon softened butter until smooth. Add the 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until creamy and pourable. If the glaze is too thick, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it drizzles easily.

Drizzle the glaze over the warm, not hot, muffins. Let the glaze settle for about 5 minutes before serving. The muffins are best when the centers are soft, the cinnamon sugar is still slightly gooey, and the glaze has just begun to melt into the tops.

Pro Tips

Use room-temperature dairy: Room-temperature eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream blend more easily and help the muffins bake with a softer crumb.
Do not over-swirl: A few gentle loops are enough. Too much swirling blends the cinnamon mixture into the batter and removes the cinnamon roll effect.
Keep the cinnamon filling slightly inward: If too much filling touches the paper liners, it can bubble out and stick to the pan.
Measure flour correctly: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour and make the muffins dry.
Glaze while warm, not hot: Hot muffins will make the glaze run off completely. Warm muffins soften it just enough to taste like a cinnamon roll icing.

Variations

Orange cinnamon roll muffins: Add 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest to the batter and replace 1 teaspoon milk in the glaze with fresh orange juice.
Pecan cinnamon roll muffins: Fold 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans into the cinnamon swirl mixture for a nutty, sticky bun-style version.
Maple glaze: Replace the milk in the glaze with 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, then thin with 1 to 2 teaspoons milk as needed.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store glazed muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the softest texture, warm refrigerated muffins in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds before serving. To freeze, place unglazed muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, warm briefly if desired, and add fresh glaze before serving. For make-ahead prep, mix the dry ingredients and cinnamon swirl up to 1 day ahead; keep the dry ingredients covered at room temperature and refrigerate the swirl if made with melted butter, then let it soften slightly before using.

Nutrition (per serving)