Cinnamon Roll Mini Muffins (Easy Cinnamon Swirl Muffins)

Name: Cinnamon Roll Mini Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 2 cups Clean Crumbs All-Purpose Baking Mix; 1 1/4 cups milk; 2 large eggs; 2 tbsp melted butter; 2 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2 tbsp softened butter; 2 tbsp coconut sugar; 1 tsp cinnamon; 1 tbsp maple syrup; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1-2 tbsp maple syrup; Splash of milk

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Okay, these are basically traditional cinnamon rolls, but we skipped the yeast, the rise time, and the rolling-out-the-dough part and just made them into muffins instead. Soft little bites with a cinnamon swirl through the middle and a maple glaze on top, and it’s all one bowl and a baking mix, so there’s nothing to measure out at 7am except patience.

I made these with my go-to Clean Crumbs All-Purpose Baking Mix, which is really just flour, leavening, and a little protein already doing the boring part for you. Less stuff to drag out of the pantry, the same cozy homemade cinnamon rolls payoff, and it works just as well as a quick mini muffin recipe for a weeknight if cinnamon rolls aren’t in the cards.

Why You’ll Love These

One bowl for the muffin batter, so cleanup is basically nothing
A real cinnamon swirl, not just cinnamon stirred into everything
Maple glaze on top because a muffin without a glaze is really just bread
Mini size means they disappear in two bites, which is either a pro or a con depending on your self control that day
Starts with a baking mix, so you skip measuring flour, baking powder, and salt separately

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the muffins:

Clean Crumbs All-Purpose Baking Mix. This is the base of the batter, and it’s really just flour, leavening, and salt pre-measured into one scoop, with a little protein along for the ride. It’s what gives these muffins their rise and structure without you having to measure three separate dry ingredients.
- No baking mix on hand? Swap in 2 cups of all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. That’s essentially what a baking mix is, just not pre-combined, so the muffins turn out the same either way.
Milk. Thins the batter to a pourable consistency so it fills the mini muffin cups evenly instead of sitting too thick and dense. Feel free to use whole milk or plant-based milk.
Eggs. The structure of the muffins. Two large eggs bind the batter together and help the muffins hold their shape and rise as they bake instead of collapsing.
Melted butter. Adds richness and keeps the crumb moist. Skip it and you end up with a dry, flat-tasting muffin.
Maple syrup. Natural sweetness built into the batter itself, plus that warm maple flavor that carries all the way through the muffin, not just on top in the glaze.
Vanilla extract. Rounds out and deepens the cinnamon flavor. Non-negotiable in anything cinnamon roll-flavored.

For the cinnamon swirl:

Softened butter. Needs to be soft, not melted, so the swirl mixture stays thick enough to actually swirl through the batter instead of sinking straight to the bottom.
Coconut sugar. Sweetens the swirl and gives it a deeper, almost caramel-like edge that tastes closer to a real cinnamon roll filling. Regular brown sugar works as a swap.
Cinnamon. The whole point. This is what gives you that classic cinnamon roll warmth running through the center of each muffin.
Maple syrup. Loosens the swirl just enough to spoon and swirl it, while tying the flavor back to the glaze on top.

For the maple glaze:

Powdered sugar. The base of the glaze. It dissolves smooth instead of leaving a gritty texture the way granulated sugar would.
Maple syrup. Sweetness plus that same maple flavor thread that runs through the batter and the swirl, so the glaze doesn’t taste like a separate afterthought.
A splash of milk. Thins the glaze to a pourable, drizzle-able consistency. Add it slowly, a little milk at a time, about a teaspoon, since it’s easy to thin the glaze out more than you meant to.

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Mini Muffins

Step 1: Mix together the muffin ingredients in a large bowl until just combined. IDivide the batter between a greased mini muffin pan.

Step 2: Whisk together the cinnamon swirl ingredients in a separate small bowl. Spoon a little onto each muffin and gently swirl it into the batter.

Step 3: Bake at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Allow them to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes after removing them from the oven.

Step 4: Whisk together the glaze, drizzle it over the warm cinnamon muffins, and enjoy.

Tips for the Best Mini Muffins

Don’t overmix the batter. Stir until the dry mix disappears and stop there. Overmixed muffin batter is how you end up with tough, dense muffins instead of soft ones.
Swirl gently. A toothpick or the tip of a butter knife dragged through each muffin two or three times is plenty. You want visible ribbons of cinnamon, not the whole muffin turned one uniform color.
Glaze them warm, not hot. Warm muffins let the glaze melt in slightly and get a little glossy. Straight-out-of-the-oven hot muffins can make the glaze disappear into the muffin instead of sitting on top.
Don’t skip greasing the pan. Even with a nonstick mini muffin tin, a cinnamon swirl running through the batter can catch and stick without a little grease helping things along.
If you’ve made cinnamon swirl muffins before and had the swirl sink to the bottom, the fix is the same here: keep your batter on the thicker side and don’t over-swirl. A light touch keeps that cinnamon ribbon suspended right through the middle instead of pooling underneath.

Want a Little Extra Protein?

If you want to lean into the protein side of these a little more, swap a couple tablespoons of the milk in the muffin batter for a spoonful of blended cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. It disappears completely into the batter and adds a little extra staying power without changing the cinnamon roll flavor at all.

Storage

These cinnamon roll muffins store beautifully. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. They also freeze well, which makes this mini muffin recipe an easy one to double. Freeze the glazed muffins in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or give them a few seconds in the microwave for that fresh-baked warm muffin feeling again.

frequently asked questions

Can I make these as regular size muffins instead of mini?

Yes. Divide the batter between a standard 12-cup muffin tin instead of a mini pan, and add a few extra minutes to the bake time, checking for doneness with a toothpick starting around 15 minutes.

Can I use a different baking mix for these cinnamon swirl muffins?

Any all-purpose baking mix you already have on hand should work in a pinch, though bake time and texture can shift slightly depending on the brand. I use Clean Crumbs because it’s simple, clean ingredients and already has a little protein built in.

Do I have to glaze them?

Not at all. They’re plenty good plain or with just a dusting of cinnamon sugar if you want something a little less sweet. The glaze is the finishing touch, not a requirement on these cinnamon roll muffins.

Can I make the batter ahead of time?

These are best mixed and baked the same day since the leavening in the baking mix starts working as soon as it’s wet. If you want a head start, measure out the dry baking mix and the cinnamon swirl ingredients separately the night before, then mix and bake in the morning.

More Easy Muffin Recipes

If these cinnamon roll muffins turn into a whole personality in your kitchen, honestly, same. My cheesy sausage protein muffins cover the savory side of the muffin pan, and the bakery-style brown butter banana bread muffins are what I make when I want something a little more special. And if cinnamon and breakfast is really your love language, my cinnamon roll overnight oats scratch the exact same itch with zero oven required.

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Cinnamon Roll Mini Muffins

Why You’ll Love These