Gluten-Free Coffee Cake Muffins feature an irresistible cinnamon-swirl center, and sweet crumble topping. Moist, tender, and easy yet impressive, they're perfect for brunch and the holidays!
Why you’ll love this recipe.
“Moist and tender” are rarely used to describe gluten-free baked goods, but that’s exactly what you’ll get with these easy yet impressive Gluten-Free Coffee Cake Muffins. A cinnamon-sugar mixture pulls double duty as both a gorgeous cinnamon swirl through the center of each muffin, and sweet crumb topping. These gluten-free muffins will genuinely knock your socks off. Perfect for brunch or the holidays!
Easy Gluten-Free Coffee Cake Muffins
I grew up loving my Mom’s coffee cake recipe, which came from an old church cookbook and contained boxed pudding mix. She’d bake it in a loaf pan, and I’m telling you, there was nothing better than a fat, cinnamon-swirled slice.
Inspired by its super-moist texture, I created these Gluten-Free Coffee Cake Muffins which are rich, tender, and don’t require pudding mix.
I also turned what’s traditionally a loaf-pan recipe into muffins because gluten-free quick breads can become gummy in the center if they’re not baked long enough.
Individual muffins are much easier to bake through, plus they’re perfect for sharing!
Watch How to Make Them
Main Ingredients Needed
This recipe contains two special ingredients that help guarantee the muffins turn out moist and tender. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Gluten-free baking flour blend: I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour blends. Be sure whatever blend you use contains a binder like xanthan gum.
- Vegetable or canola oil: I like using oil instead of butter in muffin and quick bread recipes because it helps ensure a tender baked good.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the muffin batter, while brown sugar is used for the cinnamon swirl / crumb topping.
- Cinnamon: For cozy flavor.
- Eggs: Help bind the batter and give the muffins structure.
- Sour cream and buttermilk: These are the two ingredients that make the muffins so moist!
- Butter: Is used in the cinnamon swirl / crumb topping to hold the mixture together and give it a nice crunch.
Wait, There’s No Coffee in Coffee Cake?
It’s a common misconception that coffee cake contains coffee, but the name comes from the fact that this sweet treat is perfect for pairing with a cup of coffee.
The more you know!
Make-Ahead Muffins
As with most gluten-free baked goods, but especially with gluten-free muffins and cupcakes, these Coffee Cake Muffins are best starting on day two, so plan on making them a day ahead of serving if possible.
Resting for a day allows the muffins to soften and helps ensure they don’t crumble.
That said, these muffins do peel right out of the muffin liners AND are incredibly moist and tender after cooling, so you can bake then serve them on the same day in a pinch.
Alrighty, let’s bake!
How to Make Gluten-Free Coffee Cake Muffins
Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients.
To the bowl of an electric stand mixer, or large glass bowl if using a hand mixer, add granulated sugar and vegetable oil then mix until well combined, about 30 seconds.
Next, mix in eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla extract.
Step 2: Alternate the dry ingredients and remaining wet ingredients.
In a separate mixing bowl, stir together gluten-free baking flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add half the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl then mix to combine.
Add sour cream and buttermilk, then mix to combine. Finally, add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Make Your Own Buttermilk
It’s easy to make your own buttermilk! For this recipe, add 3/4 teaspoon distilled vinegar to a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Fill the rest of the way up with milk (any kind), then let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. Voila!
Step 3: Make the cinnamon swirl / crumb topping mixture.
In a separate mixing bowl, add brown sugar, cinnamon, gluten-free baking flour blend, and melted butter then stir with a fork until well combined.
Step 4: Layer the muffin batter and cinnamon swirl.
Line two 12-cup muffin tins with 15 paper liners total. If your tins aren’t nonstick, then spray the tops of the pans with nonstick spray.
Add 2 Tablespoons of muffin batter to each cup, then use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to spread the batter across the bottom of the liner. Next, add a slightly heaping teaspoon of the cinnamon swirl mixture and spread it out slightly.
Not Looking for Perfection
We aren’t looking for perfection here. Just make sure the bottom of each muffin liner is covered with batter so the cinnamon mixture doesn’t touch the bottom of the pan and burn.
Add 2 more Tablespoons of batter to each cup, spreading it out to cover the cinnamon swirl mixture, then top each muffin with a slightly heaping Tablespoon of the crumb topping.
Gently but intentionally press the crumb topping into the batter to make sure it sticks when the muffins puff up and bake.
My Favorite Measuring Scoop Set
I highly recommend a 2-Tablespoon measuring scoop for this recipe – otherwise it can be a lot of scooping! This is my favorite set. It’s great to have on hand for baking cookies, too.
Step 5: Bake.
Bake the muffins at 375 degrees for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through.
Let the muffins cool in the tins for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Ok I have to tell you, anytime I hear from my photographer or videographer, who aren’t GF, that they especially enjoyed a recipe of mine when shooting, I do a happy dance.
BOTH of them weighed in to say how incredible these are!
That said, I know these muffins are going to blow your mind, and the best part is nobody would ever guess they’re gluten-free.
I hope you love each sweet and tender bite – enjoy!
More Gluten-Free Baked Goods
- Gluten-Free Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
- Gluten-Free Strawberry Muffins
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
- Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread
- Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free baking flour blend WITH binder, see notes
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
For the Cinnamon Swirl/Topping:
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup gluten-free baking flour blend WITH binder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons butter, melted then slightly cooled
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees then line 2, 12-cup muffin tins with 15 liners total. If your muffin tin isn't non-stick, spray the top with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- To a medium-sized mixing bowl add the gluten-free baking flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt then mix with a fork to combine and set aside.
- To the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large glass bowl if using a hand mixer, add the vegetable oil and sugar. Mix on medium-high speed until well combined, 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low until the first egg is just combined before adding the second egg along with the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add half the dry ingredients into the bowl then mix until just combined. Add the sour cream and buttermilk then mix until just combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients then mix to combine. The batter will be thick.
For the Cinnamon Swirl / Topping:
- To a medium-sized mixing bowl add the brown sugar, gluten-free baking flour blend, and cinnamon then stir with a fork to combine. Add the melted butter then mix to combine.
- Scoop 2 Tablespoons muffin batter into each of the lined cups then spread into an even layer with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. This does NOT need to be perfect – just be sure to cover the bottom of the muffin liner in batter.
- Scoop a slightly heaping TEASPOON of the cinnamon swirl mixture on top of the batter then top with 2 more Tablespoons batter and spread into an even layer – again this does not need to be perfect.
- Top each muffin with a slightly heaping TABLESPOON of the remaining cinnamon swirl mixture then gently though intentionally press the topping into the batter to ensure it sticks.
- Bake the muffins for 16-20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through.
- Let the muffins cool in the tins for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
Notes
- I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. Your results may vary if using a different GF flour blend.
- Feel free to use plant-based butter to keep this recipe dairy-free.
- Use the spoon and level technique for measuring flour vs scooping the measuring cup directly into the bag or container of flour to avoid adding too much flour to the recipe. Spoon the flour inside a measuring cup until it heaps over the top then use the back of a knife to level it off.
- Plan ahead! For the best results, do not plan on eating these gluten-free muffins the day they’re made. They’re easy to get out of the muffin liner, plus the texture is best starting on day 2.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Images by Ashley McLaughlin
