If you’re like me, then you like a little coffee cake with your streusel, which is why these Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins—starring alternating layers of extra-moist cake and cinnamon-sugar crumbles—are a breakfast dream.
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While I’m all for a classic slice of coffee cake (hello, raspberry sour cream coffee cake!), there’s just something about the appeal of a handheld breakfast. So you can skip the forks and either spoon the batter directly into a greased muffin pan or use your muffin wrappers of choice.
I first published this recipe in 2012, and I’ve made it many times since then. The recipe below is the original, tried-and-tested favorite, but I’ve given the images a glow-up. It’s the “plain” version of my blueberry coffee cake muffins.
“Coffee cake” is just the name of the dish, there isn’t actually coffee in the ingredients, since this type of muffin/cake is commonly served with a cup of coffee.
Why You’ll Love These Muffins
- Jumbo, bakery-style muffins.
- Extra-moist with a light and fluffy texture.
- Quick and easy to whip up.
- Simple ingredient list.
- Delicious served warm and slathered with butter.
Although traditionally served for breakfast or brunch, the truth is, they’re just as good as an anytime snack as they are as dessert!
This recipe is made using basic ingredients you likely already have on hand. I’ve also provided substitutions when possible.
- Flour: All-purpose flour provides the perfect crumb.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Both are needed to help the muffins rise.
- Softened butter: Unsalted butter is my go-to because it allows you to easily control the salt level of any given recipe. You’ll need slightly softened butter for the streusel and room-temperature butter for the batter.
- Oil: Vegetable oil keeps the muffins moist, tender and fluffy. Neutral-flavored olive oil or melted coconut oil can be substituted.
- Sugar: I prefer to use brown sugar in the streusel and granulated sugar in the batter, but all brown- or all-white sugar would work. Bottom line: Use what you have on hand!
- Cinnamon: The perfect warming spice.
- Eggs: Two eggs bind everything together, add structure and create lift.
- Sour cream: The secret to extra-moist and bakery-worthy coffee cake. It lends a touch of tang while ensuring these muffins have the ultimate light and fluffy texture. You could use Greek yogurt as a substitute.
- Vanilla extract: For flavor. Have you ever made homemade vanilla extract? It requires just two simple ingredients!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
My favorite part of these muffins is the cinnamon-sugar crumbles. So, not only are we adding it to the top, but we’re layering it within each muffin, too.
You’ll need flour, sugar, cinnamon, and slightly softened cubed butter. It’s important that your butter is only slightly softened so that the streusel maintains its structure during baking. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients by using a fork.
Pro Tip: Don’t overmix the streusel or you’ll end up with a paste. It should be the consistency of wet sand.
- Prepare the streusel topping.
- Combine dry ingredients. Use a whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set it aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Beat together the butter, oil and sugar until well mixed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and then gradually beat in the flour mixture, sour cream and vanilla just until combined.
- Spoon into a jumbo muffin pan. Layer the batter and streusel in the prepared muffin pan by spooning a portion of the batter, then a sprinkle of streusel, topped by another portion of batter and a final sprinkle of streusel on top.
- Bake. Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.
- Cool and devour! Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool slightly in the muffin pan before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.
I love to serve these hot from the oven slathered with homemade butter. Whip up a bowl of my fave Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing and your breakfast or brunch spread is complete!
Kelly’s Tips for Recipe Success
- Don’t over mix the batter. Doing so will toughen up the gluten in the flour and lead to dense muffins.
- Don’t open the oven while the muffins are baking or you’ll risk causing the muffins to deflate.
- Feel free to fold in blueberries or diced strawberries to add a pop of fresh fruit flavor in every bite.
- Keep any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature and store for up to four days.
With four tiny taste-testers, muffins are a food group in our house. Here are my go-to recipes:
- Mini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Banana Granola Muffins
- Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins with Streusel
- Mini Sour Cream Doughnut Muffins
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
For the streusel:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white or packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened and cubed
For the batter:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the streusel:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a muffin pan with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the butter, and using a fork, mash the mixture together until well combined. (The streusel should be the consistency of wet sand.) Set it aside.
Make the batter:
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set it aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, oil and sugar on medium speed until well mixed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, and then gradually beat in the flour mixture, sour cream and vanilla just until combined.
- Layer the batter and streusel in the prepared muffin pan by spooning a portion of the batter, then a sprinkle of streusel, topped by another portion of batter and a final sprinkle of streusel on top.
- Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool slightly in the muffin pan before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.
Kelly's Notes:
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Doing so will toughen up the gluten in the flour and lead to dense muffins.
- Don’t open the oven while the muffins are baking or you’ll risk causing the muffins to deflate.
- Keep any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature and store for up to four days.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Batter recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour.
I have made this recipe about a hundred times. It is pretty much foolproof. We sell it as jumbo muffins in our food turck. I often make a couple of batahcs of streusel ahead and keep it in containers in the fridge. That way I can just whip up the batter and get baking.
It is one of our top two itmes and customers come back again and again and get quite cross when we sell out.
This recipe will make six jumbo muffins. I fill the cups to the top using all the batter. Cook time for jumbo muffins is 33 min. Thay puff up beautifullly and are pretty much irristiable.
Thanks for sharing,
Love reading this, Margaret, and I’m so glad you and your customers are enjoying the recipe!
Hi, I was wondering if freezing the muffins after they are done would work, and then defrosting and warming by putting in a toaster oven?
Thanks!
Hi Lesley! That should work, but the texture of course won’t be as great as if they’re baked fresh. Let e know if you try it!