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    Home » Recipes » Muffins

    French Breakfast Puffs (Cinnamon Sugar Muffins)

    Published: Jun 1, 2020 · Modified: Oct 11, 2022 by Katelyn Theofanis · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · #sponsoredpost · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    French Breakfast Puffs are light, airy vanilla muffins coated in butter and cinnamon sugar. These cake-like cinnamon sugar muffins are easy to make and perfect for a sweet morning treat with coffee. This quick and easy recipe is simply the BEST!

    A close-up of a French breakfast puff with a bite taken out of it.

    Fluffy muffins coated in butter and cinnamon sugar - French breakfast puffs are buttery puffs of heaven. This classic recipe, one I found in my Great Gram's old recipe book, is straightforward. Like cinnamon cake donuts in flavor and texture, these cinnamon sugar muffins are hard to beat.

    Beginning with a cake-like vanilla muffin batter that is subtly flavored with ground cinnamon, the muffins are dipped into melted butter and then cinnamon sugar. As you probably have guessed, French breakfast puffs are the perfect baked treat to serve with coffee.

    Jump to:
    • Cinnamon Sugar Muffins
    • French Breakfast Puffs Origin
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Suggested Equipment
    • Storage
    • Other Delicious Muffin Recipes
    • Expert Tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

    French breakfast puffs are essentially cinnamon sugar muffins, aka cinnamon donut muffins. Thanks to simple flavors, these muffins are a crowd-pleaser. They are a portable breakfast for weekday mornings, perfect for sharing at brunch or holiday breakfasts. You will love this easy recipe.

    • The simple muffin batter is easy to make and uses kitchen staples - you can whip these up any day of the week.
    • Warm muffins are dipped in melted butter and coated in cinnamon sugar.
    • With a flavor profile like a snickerdoodle, these cinnamon donut muffins are DELICIOUS with coffee or tea.
    • Serve any day and time- weekday mornings, weekend brunch, or special occasions. (Your guests with adore these delectable muffins.) Enjoy one of these sweet breakfast puffs for breakfast, as a snack, or after-dinner treat.

    French Breakfast Puffs Origin

    Despite their name, there is nothing French about this classic recipe, which originated in the Betty Crocker Test Kitchen. The original calls for shortening, but this recipe uses butter for better flavor. Cinnamon is added to the batter alongside the cinnamon sugar coating. Unlike classic muffins, breakfast puffs are made with the creaming method (like a cake).

    Ingredients

    • Granulated Sugar
    • Unsalted Butter (softened)
    • Egg (room temperature)
    • All-Purpose Flour
    • Baking Powder
    • Salt
    • Ground Cinnamon
    • Milk

    See the recipe card for ingredient quantities.

    A muffin tray full of cinnamon sugar muffins.

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line a 12-portion muffin tin and set aside.
    2. Cream the softened unsalted butter and ½ cup granulated sugar. Add the egg, mixing until well incorporated.
    3. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
    4. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry. Mix well after each addition.
    5. Portion batter to fill each prepared muffin tin, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes clean.
    6. While the muffins are still warm, dip the top of the muffin into the melted butter and then into the cinnamon-sugar blend until coated. Serve warm.

    Variations

    • Gluten-Free - Use a cup-4-cup gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
    • Mini - French breakfast puffs can be made mini, too - bake them in a mini muffin tin. Cut the baking time down to approximately 11 minutes.

    Suggested Equipment

    • KitchenAid 5 Qt. Artisan Series Stand Mixer
    • DI ORO Seamless Series 11.2 Inch Large Silicone Spatula
    • USA Pan Bakeware Muffin Pan
    • Standard Paper Cupcake Liners
    A close-up of a French breakfast puff with a bite taken out of it in a muffin tin.

    Storage

    Store breakfast puffs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.

    Can you freeze French breakfast puffs? Muffins are freezable. Transfer cooled muffins to an airtight container or freezer-safe zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

    How do you reheat French breakfast puffs? Best served warm, microwave a muffin for 15-30 seconds for that fresh-out-of-the-oven feel.

    Other Delicious Muffin Recipes

    • Mixed Berry Muffins with Buttermilk
    • Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Muffins
    • Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
    • Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
    • White Chocolate Raspberry Muffins
    A stack of cinnamon sugar muffins.

    Expert Tips

    1. For the smoothest batter, sift the dry ingredients to remove any lumps.
    2. Use paper muffin cups or grease the tin before adding the muffin batter.
    3. Dip the top of the muffin in butter or coat the entire thing.
    4. Do not over-mix the batter - the more you mix, the more gluten is developed—over-mixing results in tough, dense muffins.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What do French breakfast puffs taste like?

    Breakfast puffs taste similar to cinnamon sugar cake donuts. A fluffy vanilla muffin is infused with cinnamon, dredged in butter, and coated in cinnamon sugar.

    If you make the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe, and let me know what you think in the comments below! Take pictures, tag #sugarylogic, and share them with me on Instagram or Facebook. 

    📖 Recipe

    A close-up of a French breakfast puff with a bite taken out of it.

    French Breakfast Puffs (Cinnamon Sugar Muffins)

    Katelyn Theofanis
    French Breakfast Puffs are light, airy vanilla muffins coated in butter and cinnamon sugar. These cake-like cinnamon sugar muffins are easy to make and perfect for a sweet morning treat with coffee.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 muffins
    Calories 213 kcal

    Equipment

    • Standing Mixer
    • Muffin Pan

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ⅓ cup unsalted butter softened
    • 1 large egg room temperature
    • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ cup milk

    Cinnamon Sugar Topping

    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter melted

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line a 12-portion muffin tin and set it aside.
    • In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened unsalted butter and ½ cup granulated suagr until light and fluffy.
    • Add the egg, mixing until incorporated.
    • Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
    • Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry. Mix well after each addition.
    • Portion batter to fill each of the prepared muffin tins, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
    • Combine the remaining ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. While the muffins are still warm, dip the top of the muffin into the melted butter and then into the cinnamon sugar blend until coated. Serve warm.

    Notes

    • STORE: Store breakfast puffs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
    • FREEZE: Transfer cooled muffins to an airtight container or freezer-safe zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
    • REHEAT: Best served warm; microwave a muffin for 15-30 seconds for that fresh-out-of-the-oven feel.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 213kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 162mgPotassium: 40mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 314IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag your photo #sugarylogic or @sugarylogic ANY QUESTIONS? Please leave a comment below!

    Did you make this? Leave a review below and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Helen

      November 24, 2020 at 11:00 am

      Some lovely recipes on here! Yum!

      Reply
      • kryan0911

        November 24, 2020 at 4:16 pm

        Thank you so much, Helen! 🙂

        Reply

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    author

    Hi, welcome to Sugary Logic! I'm Katelyn. I am an experienced chef and home cook publishing simple and easy recipes here on my food blog, Sugary Logic. Sugary Logic's recipes will save you time and allow you to create fast and easy meals as sophisticated as any restaurant meal.

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