Gluten-Free Cinnamon Streusel Muffins are tender, sweet muffins swirled with cinnamon and topped with a delicious streusel. These gluten-free muffins are just as delicious as any muffin you have ever had!
This recipe defies everything you THINK about gluten-free baked goods. These muffins are tender, light, moist, and do not have a weird aftertaste. They are bursting with sweet cinnamon flavors and are everything you crave in a quality muffin.
Gluten-free baked goods have the reputation of being dried out or having a weird texture. In the worst of cases, the final product also has a weird taste. It can be a nightmare to try to perfect gluten-free baking.
However, with the help of all-purpose 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour, gluten-free baking just got a whole lot easier--and tastier! Instead of a variety of flours and stabilizers, this 1:1 flour blend is not only gluten-free--but it tastes delicious! And it is the perfect base for these Cinnamon Streusel Muffins.
Between the light and airy muffin, the warming spices, and the decadent crumb topping, these Cinnamon Gluten-Free Muffins are everything a good muffin should be--gluten-free or not!
Notes on Key Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Flour: Look for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, like Bob's Red Mill, for best results. If you are not gluten-free, you can use all-purpose flour.
- Milk: Use regular milk or unsweetened dairy-free milk in the muffins.
- Butter: Use unsalted, softened butter to create the streusel topping.
- Eggs: These muffins turn out delicious when made with eggs OR a flaxseed egg substitute, meaning you can enjoy these muffins even if you have an allergy to eggs.
- Oil: Use melted coconut oil or canola oil, whichever you prefer.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar pairs well with the warming spice of cinnamon and helps the muffins retain their light and airy texture. I also use brown sugar to create the streusel.
How to Prepare Gluten-Free Muffins
- Begin this recipe by making the streusel for the cinnamon muffins. Combine the gluten-free flour, cinnamon, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add in the softened butter and use your fingers or a fork to combine the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Set aside for topping muffins.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, oil, and vanilla.
- Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Be sure to just combine wet and dry ingredients until no flour pockets remain, but do not over-mix the muffin batter. Over-mixing the muffins will cause tough muffins.
- Divide the batter evenly between muffin tins. You will need about ¼ cup batter per muffin. I love to use an ice cream scoop to evenly scoop out my muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin.
- Sprinkle ½ to 1 tablespoon of the reserved crumb mixture over each muffin.
- Bake until the muffins are just set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Storage Instructions
Once cooled, you can store these Cinnamon Streusel Muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature and up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Because these muffins are homemade without added preservatives, they can begin to mold after 3 days. You can also freeze gluten-free muffins for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe bag or container.
∗ More Gluten-Free Muffin Recipes ∗
In case you aren't in the mood for Cinnamon Streusel Muffins, I have tested my recipes for Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins, Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Banana Muffins, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins, Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, and Peanut Butter Banana Muffins using 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend in with success.
More Gluten-Free Snack Recipes
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
- Flourless Almond Butter Cookies
- Homemade Granola Bars
- No-Bake Oatmeal Balls
- Homemade Larabars
- DIY Yogurt Tubes
- Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups
If you enjoyed these Gluten-Free Muffins, I would love for you to leave a comment or review below.
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
Ingredients
Cinnamon Muffins
- 1 ½ cups 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk any variety
- ⅓ cup canola oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teastpoons vanilla extract
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
Instructions
For the Crumb Topping
- Combine flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon together in a small mixing bowl. Mix in the butter until just crumbly, using 2 forks or your fingers. Set aside to top muffins.
For the Gluten-Free Muffins
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line muffin tin with muffin liners or grease really well.
- In a large bowl, gently whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk milk, oil, eggs and vanilla until completely combined. Make a well in the center of dry mixture and pour in liquid. Mix until just combined, being cautious to not overmix the batter.
- Scoop ¼ cup of the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the muffin, gently pressing the crumble into each muffin.
- Bake the muffins for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center come out dry.
- Cool on a rack for 10 minutes and then remove muffins from pan. Allow to cool fully before storing.
Carrie Walker
I have Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour - Stone Ground. Would this work in place of the Bob’s Red Mill GF flour?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Carrie, unfortunately no, rice flour will not work as a 1:1 flour blend. It is a blend made with Sweet White Rice Flour, Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Whole Grain Sweet White Sorghum Flour, Tapioca Flour, Xanthan Gum--I am sorry! Any brand gluten free 1:1 flour blend works though!
Rebekah Hopkins
I have almond flour. Would that work in place of the Bob’s Red Mill GF flour?
I’m excited to try this recipe. My son is recently going gluten and dairy free and finding a good gluten and dairy free recipe has been difficult to find.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Rebekah, I would strongly suggest you use a gluten free all purpose flour blend (it does not need to be Bob's Red Mill) Almond flour needs a combination of other flours and stabilizers to work in this particular recipe. I hope that helps.
Peggy Hindt
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! My family loves it. We are gluten/dairy/corn free vegetarians and it is hard to find good tasting recipes that avoid all our allergies. I substituted coconut sugar for the brown sugar and they turned out perfect.
Kristen Chidsey
I absolutely love that you found a recipe your family enjoys that fit your needs! And love that you used coconut sugar!
Maggie
Do you have any suggestions for refined sugar alternatives for this?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Maggie. This is one of the few recipes on my site for a muffin that uses refined sugar. I personally love to use maple syrup. I would use 1/3 cup maple syrup and only 1/2 cup almond milk (if batter appears too thick add in up to 2 more tablespoons milk). And check the muffins after 11 minutes. The will be a bit denser but that ratio should work 🙂
Joanne Morris
I made these muffins yesterday and by mistake I only put 2 tablespoons of butter instead of 4 in place of the coconut oil but they still came out delicious. Even my fussy grandaughter loved them. I would make them again for sure!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you all enjoyed--and you had the bonus of having a lighter muffin 😉
Janet A Remy
I made these today with a homemade gluten free flour mixture from Alton Brown’s sugar cookie recipe. They turned out delicious although I didn’t really care for the taste of the topping. I think it was the coconut oil I didn’t like. It won’t stop me from eating them, though. Next time I am going to try turbinado sugar sprinkled on top.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed the muffins Janet. As for the topping, feel free to use melted butter in place of coconut oil--but turbinado sugar sounds great too.
Janet Remy
I was wondering if I could use butter. Thanks for replying. My 3 year old granddaughter didn’t like the topping. My 5 year old granddaughter said they were the best muffins ever and especially the topping. My son said they were delicious. I will definitely be making these again. Thanks so much for this recipe.
Kristen Chidsey
You are welcome Janet! I love hearing that your family enjoyed.
Stephanie A
These are phenomenal!! I used King Arthur GF flour (that’s what I had) and Bobs Red Mill Egg Replacement. I also made them mini (reduced cook time to 13min 30sec) so my 4 yo would be forced into portion control... too bad that trick didn’t work for me 🤣! Thanks for the delicious recipe!!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!!! I am so so glad you and your daughter loved these!
name
These are AMAZING!!!!!!! I especially loved the crunchy cinnamon topping 🤤 I made them vegan with the egg substitute and as I was whisking the wet ingridents, the cold water caused the coconut oil to solidify a lil bit so I got worried that the batter wouldn’t come out right, but it was totally fine! Next time I make these,I’ll be sure to use room temperature water. I also used King Aruthurs measure for measure GF flour and original flavored almond milk as that is what I had on hand, but I bet the vanilla flavored almond milk makes these even better! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe 🙂
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed these muffins! And thanks for sharing your egg free version. I have a lot of friends here that need egg free recipes <3
c
I tried this recipe out and I'm sugar free. It (apparently) tasted great according to my family and friends! It looked great except... it didn't look ANYTHING like the pics.... :/
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Chloe! I am so glad you enjoyed these muffins. As all ovens and cooks vary, sometimes the end result will appear different but taste the same.😉
Shirley Albertson
Step 3 mentions adding buttermilk, but I don’t see that in the ingredient list. Am I missing something? They sound great and I’m going to try them.
Kristen Chidsey
No, you were not missing a thing Shirley! It was supposed to say almond milk. All is updated now. Sorry about that.
Andrea
These. Are. Amazing.
They've been out of the oven for 20 minutes and I've eaten four. I will be making these again and again. I am new to being gluten and dairy free, and all of my gluten free baking so far has been pretty lackluster. But these are perfect.
Kristen Chidsey
Oh Andrea, that makes me SO SO happy! It is so hard when you have to give up gluten (and dairy to boot--been there, done that) and when you can enjoy food and not miss what you can't have, it is such a great feeling! I hope you enjoy these again and again.
Susan
Hi Katie, in your recipe you have 1 1/4 cups of the GF flour in the crumb topping but in your instructions it doesn't mention the flour. Does the flour go in the crumb topping or not.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Susan, I fixed the recipe to state mix in the flour and it is only 1/4 cup flour. Thanks for the heads up on that mistake 🙂
Taryn
These are currently in the oven and I'm so excited! My only complaint is how much crumb topping is left over. Holy crow. Did not need that much for a dozen muffins!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh sorry you had so much leftover! I will say I piled it on. BUT don't let it go to waste Taryn--freeze the extra crumb topping and use it for the next batch 🙂
Katie
Do these have a gritty texture? I made a different recipe today and they were gritty. Also could I use coconut milk to replace the milk for a bit allergy? I’m trying this recipe this weekend!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Katie! I have never found these muffins to be at all gritty--nor did my husband or kids who are extremely picky 🙂 But I can say I have only tried with Bob's Red Mill GFree Flour blend, so can't attest to other brands. I know that the coconut milk will work to replace the regular milk just fine too. I hope they turn out just the way you want!
Amy HB
Thank you! These muffins tasted amazing and have perfect texture.
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!!! That makes me so so happy Amy!
Sarah
These look like heaven! Making them this weekend - thanks for the recipe 🙂
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!!! Thanks Sarah!
Hallie
These are wonderful but I just wanted to make you aware that on your recipe you say to sprinkle the crumble topping on and bake but as we just discovered that just melts so you may want to edit the instructions to add the crumble after baking the muffins 😉 (Had I thought this through I would would have caught it but when baking with kids one doesn’t always have her faculties fully up and running 😆)
Kristen Chidsey
HAHA! I understand baking with kids can be a challenge. But I actually do bake the crumble on the muffins--I like the way it melts and caramelizes a bit into the muffins. But I am going to try it and add it just to the last 10 minutes to see if that helps it not completely disappear into the muffins. Thanks for sharing that idea 🙂