Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

These Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins are the epitome of bakery perfection, incredibly soft and wonderfully moist with layers of sweet, cinnamon streusel baked right in and generously sprinkled on top. I discovered this recipe and instantly knew it would become a favorite for cozy mornings or an afternoon pick-me-up. Each bite delivers that perfect balance of tender cake and sugary, crumbly goodness, making them truly irresistible.

Why You’ll Love These Coffee Cake Muffins

I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect coffee cake muffin, and let me tell you, these are it. What makes them so special is the secret ingredient in the batter that keeps them unbelievably moist. Paired with a generous amount of sweet streusel both inside the muffin and piled high on top, you get that classic coffee cake experience in a portable, muffin form. They’re not overly sweet either, just right for enjoying with your morning coffee or tea.

The Magic Ingredient: Sour Cream

The key to the incredibly tender and moist texture of these muffins is the sour cream in the batter. It adds richness and moisture without making the muffins heavy or greasy. This simple addition makes all the difference between a dry, crumbly muffin and one that’s soft and delightful right down to the last crumb. If you’ve struggled with dry muffins before, this recipe is your answer.

Perfectly Adapted

I found a great base recipe for these muffins and made just one slight adjustment to make the streusel topping even better. I added a little extra butter to the crumb mixture. This helps the streusel clump together nicely and ensures it stays beautifully on top of the muffins as they bake, creating that signature golden, crumbly crust.

How to Make Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

Making these muffins is a straightforward process, perfect for a weekend baking project. You’ll start by preparing the streusel topping and setting it aside. Then, you’ll whisk together the dry ingredients for the batter. In a separate bowl, the wet ingredients are creamed together before the dry ingredients are gently folded in. The assembly involves layering the batter with streusel in the muffin cups before baking them to golden perfection.

Baking Steps

Here’s how you’ll bring these delicious muffins to life in your kitchen. Make sure to follow each step carefully for the best results.

1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set it aside.
2. Make the Streusel: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, and cinnamon for the streusel. Whisk these dry ingredients together. Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter. Use a fork or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry mixture until it forms coarse crumbs. Set this streusel aside.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, measure out the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for the muffin batter. Whisk them together thoroughly. Set this bowl aside.
4. Cream Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer and a large bowl), cream together the softened unsalted butter, vegetable or canola oil, and granulated sugar until well blended and creamy.
5. Add Eggs: Beat in the large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition to ensure they are fully incorporated into the butter mixture.
6. Mix in Sour Cream and Vanilla: With the mixer running on low speed, add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix just until combined.
7. Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the whisked dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until everything is combined and no dry streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
8. Final Fold: Turn off the mixer. Use a rubber spatula to give the batter a final gentle stir by hand. This helps to make sure any ingredients settled at the bottom are fully incorporated.
9. Assemble the Muffins: Place a heaping tablespoon of the batter into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup, covering the bottom. Sprinkle a generous layer of the prepared streusel mixture evenly over the batter in each cup. Divide the remaining batter among the cups, spooning it directly on top of the streusel layer. Finally, sprinkle the remaining streusel generously over the top of the batter in each muffin cup.
10. Bake: Place the filled muffin tin into the preheated oven. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. The muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, without any wet batter clinging to it.
11. Cool: Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes before gently lifting each one out. Transfer the baked muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storing Your Muffins

These muffins are wonderful enjoyed warm right out of the oven, but they also store beautifully. Once they have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, you can freeze them. Wrap each cooled muffin individually or place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to three months. Just thaw them at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy one.

Frequently Asked Questions About Coffee Cake Muffins

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