Snickerdoodle Muffins Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Total Time
Prep: 20 min. Bake: 15 min.
It's not quite clear if these are muffins or cupcakes or something in between. What will be clear is that everyone who tries your snickerdoodle muffins will love them.

Updated: Jul. 12, 2024

Breakfast just got delicious, thanks to this snickerdoodle muffin recipe. In fact, these muffins are so sweet and tasty they might be better served as a dessert. Whenever you choose to serve them, your family will be happy you did. And you’ll be happy to know they take only about 20 minutes of hands-on work to prepare.

Chances are good that you already have all the ingredients needed for this recipe for snickerdoodle muffins, and we’re sure you’re already a fan of the classic cookie of the same name, so let’s get cooking on this fresh take on a tasty treat. Even with the baking time, you’re less than 40 minutes away from muffins!

Snickerdoodle Muffin Ingredients

  • Butter: You need 5 tablespoons of butter that’s been left out and softened.
  • Sugar: Yep, there’s a lot of sugar here.
  • Egg: The egg should be at room temperature prior to use.
  • Milk: 2% milk works best for this recipe.
  • All-purpose flour: Without flour, there are no muffins!
  • Baking powder: And without baking powder, the muffins will have the wrong consistency.
  • Nutmeg: A little ground nutmeg goes a long way.

Coating:

  • Butter: This butter isn’t just softened, it’s melted.
  • Cinnamon sugar: Sweet and spicy, as it should be.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the batter

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Beat in the egg, then the milk. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg, then add this dry mixture to the creamed mixture, stirring just until it’s moistened.

Step 2: Bake the muffins

Fill greased miniature muffin cups two-thirds full, then bake the muffins for 14 to 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Let them cool for five minutes before removing them from pans to wire racks.

Step 3: Add the topping

Once they have cooled to a safe touch, dip the muffins in melted butter, then roll them in cinnamon sugar and serve them warm.

Snickerdoodle Muffin Variations

  • Skip the topper: Sure, the buttery, sugary, cinnamon-y topping is tasty, but it’s also more fat and sugar. These muffins will be fine without it.
  • Add chocolate chips or fruit: To add more sweetness and really make these muffins a dessert, add chocolate chips into the batter. To make them tasty and a touch healthier, go with blueberries instead.
  • Use vegan butter and milk: You can substitute in a vegan butter for both steps in which it’s used and the muffins will taste great. Same deal with a soy or almond milk.

How to Store Snickerdoodle Muffins

You can store muffins for up to three days at room temperature in an airtight container, for a few days more in the fridge, or for up to three months in the freezer.

Snickerdoodle Muffin Tips

How can you make these mini muffins regular-size?

It’s super easy to scale these muffins up to full size. Just fill regular-size muffin tins about two-thirds full with batter and bake at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes.

What should I serve with these muffins?

The best pairings are coffee or ice cream. Or both. But you can also serve these snickerdoodle muffins with any classic breakfast food.

Can I use less sugar?

Yes, you can cut back on the sugar. In fact, some people halve the amount of sugar they use and still report loving the muffins.

Snickerdoodle Muffins

Prep Time 20 min
Cook Time 15 min
Yield 2 dozen

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup 2% milk
  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • COATING:
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup cinnamon sugar

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg. Beat in milk. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; add to creamed mixture just until moistened.
  2. Fill greased miniature muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Dip muffins in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts

1 muffin: 116 calories, 5g fat (3g saturated fat), 21mg cholesterol, 114mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.