These Snickerdoodle Muffins are my husband’s favorite muffins, because he loves a treat he can enjoy with a hot mug of coffee.
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The first time I handed him one, his eyes lit up. Now he always asks me to make them, and I don’t mind one bit, since cinnamon always puts me in the mood for Christmas.
To make this recipe, I start with a cinnamon sugar crumble, then stir together a soft batter with sour cream and melted butter. Half of the crumble goes into the batter, and I pile the rest on top.
What You’ll Learn
- How I make moist snickerdoodle muffins with sour cream.
- How I make the buttery cinnamon sugar crumble.
- Why half of the crumble goes inside the muffins.
- How I store and freeze them for busy mornings.
Why You’ll Love It
These taste just like the classic cookie, only soft and big enough for breakfast. The cinnamon sugar topping bakes up a little crunchy, and it’s my favorite part.
Muffins don’t have to be boring! These are simple to make in a few bowls, and they look like something from a bakery.
I make them all year, but they’re an especially nice treat during the holidays. If you love baking for breakfast, my Blueberry Zucchini Bread is another favorite with a cup of coffee.
Snickerdoodle Muffins Ingredient Notes
You probably have most of these pantry staples already, but a few really matter here.
Sour cream: This is the secret to moist muffins. It adds tang too, which reminds me of snickerdoodle cookies.
Melted butter: Use unsalted butter, and let it cool before it goes in so it doesn’t start to cook the eggs.
Ground cinnamon: It goes in the batter and the crumble, so make sure yours is fresh.
Softened butter for the crumble: This is the second batch of butter, and it should be soft enough to cut in with a fork.
How to Make Snickerdoodle Muffins
I preheat the oven to 350°F, line a muffin pan or muffin tin with paper liners and give the liners a light spray. Then I make the crumble by mixing sugar, flour and cinnamon and cutting in the butter with a fork until crumbs form.
In a large bowl, I whisk together the dry ingredients, which are the all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt and baking soda.
In a medium bowl, I lightly beat the eggs and stir in the sugar, melted butter, sour cream and vanilla extract.
The wet ingredients go into the flour mixture, and I stir just until it’s combined. Half of the crumble gets stirred into the muffin batter. I spoon the batter into the muffin cups, and the rest of the crumble goes on top.
They’re done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean. I let them cool until they’re easy to handle, then move them to a cooling rack.
When the coffee’s on and you’re ready to bake, the card below has all of the exact amounts.
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My Best Tips
- Spray the paper liners: A light spray keeps that sugary crumble from sticking to the paper.
- Don’t overmix: Stir just until the flour disappears. Overmixed batter makes tough muffins.
- Scoop evenly: A large cookie scoop puts the same amount of batter in every cup, so they all bake evenly.
- Pile on the crumble: Press it on lightly so it stays on top as the muffins rise.
Substitutions & Variations
Greek yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt should work in place of the sour cream. I haven’t tested it, but the two are close in thickness and tang.
Cream of tartar: Classic snickerdoodles get their tang from this. A pinch in the dry ingredients is a fun addition if you have it.
Mini muffins: You can bake these in a mini muffin pan, but they’ll need much less time, so watch them closely.
Brown sugar crumble: Swap some of the sugar in the crumble for brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
How to Store Muffins
Room temperature: Keep the muffins covered for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze cooled muffins in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Thaw them on the counter, then warm one in the microwave for a few seconds.
Snickerdoodle Muffins FAQs
How do I keep muffins moist?
It all comes down to the fat. These have butter and sour cream in the batter, so they stay soft. Pull them from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.
Why did my Snickerdoodle Muffins sink?
They were likely underbaked, or the batter was overmixed. Test the center with a toothpick before you take them out, and keep the oven door closed early on.
Can I make these Snickerdoodle Muffins with oil?
I use melted butter for the flavor, and I haven’t tested these with oil. The cinnamon and butter are what make them taste like the cookie.
What makes a muffin taste like a snickerdoodle?
It’s that mix of cinnamon, sugar and a little tang. The sour cream brings the tang here, and the crumble brings the rest.
Pour yourself a cup of coffee, and be sure to leave a comment if you give these a whirl!
More Muffins and Breads
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Blueberry Muffins with Lemon Glaze
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Blueberry Zucchini Bread
Snickerdoodle Muffins
Video
Ingredients
Muffins
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ÂĽ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large eggs slightly beaten
- Âľ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crumble
- â…” cup granulated sugar
- â…“ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Spray the paper with non-stick cooking spray.
- For the crumble, mix together the crumble sugar, flour and cinnamon. Using a fork, cut in the butter until crumbles are formed; set aside.
- For the muffins, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt and the baking soda; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, using a fork or a whisk, lightly beat the eggs. Stir in the muffin sugar, melted butter, sour cream and the vanilla extract. Stir the wet mixture into the flour mixture just until combined. Stir half of the crumble into the batter.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups. Top with the remaining crumble. Bake for 24 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool until easily handled, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is an estimate from an online calculator, not medical advice, and depends on your portion size.
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I didn’t have sour cream so blended up 1 cup of cottage cheese until smooth and added that instead.  They turned out amazing, so good, now with extra protein.  Great recipe! Â
Can the batter be made the night before? Then cook them in the morning.
I made these tonight to go with our ham and bean soup. They are wonderful. I did cut the sugar in half for the crumble and it was fine. Thanks for sharing this recipe.Â
Can you make these as mini muffins. Â If so, how long and at what temperature should I cook them.
I did make the large size and they were awesome!