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Cardamom Spiced Coffee Cake Muffins

5 from 4 votes
Time: 40 minutes
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If you love coffee cake you are going to love these MUFFINS! They are a tender, delicious coffee cake with tiger stripes of cardamom spiced sugar. The streusel topping is crunchy and full of even more cardamom spiced flavor. Top that with a creamy glaze and you have the best Cardamom Spiced Coffee Cake Muffins ever!

Try out my Cardamom Syrup if you have any leftover cardamom pods, or these easy and delicious Cardamom Cookies.

Drip of cream glaze on the cardamom spiced coffee cake muffins

I love my mornings with a steaming cup of black coffee. But, I love them even more with one of these Coffee Cake Muffins to go along with it. The warm cardamom and spices wake up my senses, not to mention the textures: fluffy cake, crunchy streusel, and a creamy glaze. YUM!

Plus who doesn’t like a really good muffin in the morning?! Confession: I ended up freezing a whole extra batch of these muffins so I could have one whenever I wanted.

Why You’ll Love This Coffee Cake Muffin Recipe

  1. These aren’t your ordinary Coffee Cake Muffins- they are packed with freshly ground cardamom and pumpkin pie spices! This amps up the coffee cake flavor while making them super unique.
  2. Perfect for any time of the day- breakfast, a midday snack, meal prepped lunches, or an evening sweet treat.
  3. Done in under an hour- you heard me, simple ingredients and easy elements that whip together in under an hour.

I recently became obsessed with this Amish Apple Fritter Bread from my friend Anne, so you’ll have to try that too!

a cardamom spiced coffee cake muffin without the glaze

Ingredients in Cardamom Spiced Coffee Cake Muffins

Cardamom Spiced Sugar- This adds a sugary spiced stripe to the muffins. It also adds moisture and extra flavor.

  • granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cardamom

Cardamom Spiced Streusel- It seriously tastes like a crumbled spiced cookie on top of your muffin. So delicious!

  • unsalted butter, all- purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cardamom

Coffee Cake Muffins- This is a classic coffee cake batter EXCEPT it has browned butter which adds an amazing depth of flavor. I give instructions on how to brown butter in my recipe notes below.

  • browned unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, Greek yogurt.

Cream Glaze (optional)- These muffins taste great with or without the glaze. The option is yours and I included it because traditional coffee cake has a glaze.

  • heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar
Ingredients for coffee cake, cardamom sugar, and streusel

How to Make Cardamom Spiced Coffee Cake Muffins

Start by preheating your oven and preparing a 12 cavity muffin pan. You can use baking cups, parchment paper, non-stick cooking spray or even butter.

Cardamom Spiced Sugar and Streusel Topping

Make these first because it is going to make assembling your coffee cake muffins easier if everything is prepared before you start filling your tins. And we do not want the coffee cake batter to sit too long because it will make your muffins tough and dry.

ONE. Cinnamon Spiced Sugar whisk together your granular sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cardamom in a small bowl.

TWO. Cardamom Spiced Streusel use your hands or a fork to blend the butter, all purpose flour, granular sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cardamom. You want it to become a sandy mixture.

Muffin Batter

THREE. Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt.

FOUR. Combine the wet ingredients: browned butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract.

FIVE. Alternate adding and folding in the dry ingredients and Greek yogurt: half of the dry ingredients, half of the Greek yogurt, the remaining dry ingredients, the remaining Greek yogurt. Doing this in batches helps to keep us from over mixing the batter. Look at mine below, it will not be a completely smooth batter but will be delicious!

Coffee cake batter ready

Assembling the Cardamom Spiced Coffee Cake Muffins

SIX. Add a scoop of coffee cake batter and smooth it out so it covers the bottom of each cavity.

SEVEN. Sprinkle Cardamom Spiced Sugar mixture into to each cavity and press down gently into the coffee cake batter.

EIGHT. Top with another scoop of coffee cake batter and smooth it out.

NINE. Press the streusel into your coffee cake batter.

Baking the Coffee Cake Muffins

TEN. Bake the muffins for a total of 20 to 22 minutes. They should spring back to the touch or a toothpick test should come out clean.

ELEVEN. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing and transfering to a wire rack to cool completely.

TWELVE. Whisk up the cream glaze and top each muffin with some.

Storing Information

The best part about these muffins is they keep and store beautifully. Just make sure they are in an airtight container or reusable bag.

At room temperature they will last up to 2 days (if you glazed your muffins I recommend refrigerating them, dairy spoils). In the refrigerator up to 1 week, and in the freezer up to 3 months.

Recipe Substitutions

Cardamom. I prefer fresh green cardamom that is hand grinded with a mortar and pestle, but you can always use ground cardamom you buy at the store.

Greek yogurt can be subbed out for equal amounts of sour cream.

Pumpkin pie spice. Use the stuff you buy at the store or mix up your own: cinnamon (1 teaspoon), all spice (1/2 teaspoon), and nutmeg (1/2 teaspoon). These measurements will make enough for you to use in your muffins without waste.

Heavy whipping cream can be subbed out for any kind of milk (the consistency will not be as thick and silky though).

Stack of cardamom spiced coffee cake muffins

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Do coffee cake muffins have coffee in them?

No. Coffee cake muffins and coffee cake do not have coffee in them. They are commonly enjoyed with coffee which was where they got the name “coffee cake.”

Can I freeze coffee cake muffins?

Yes! I love making a few batches and throwing them in the freezer. They make for great snacks, breakfast on the go, or a part of meal prepping. Just be sure to store them in an airtight container or reusable bag. They will last up to 3 months.

Can I use ground cardamom instead?

Yes, you can definitely use ground cardamom in this recipe. Just keep in mind the cardamom flavor will be a tad more mild than if you used hand ground cardamom.

What does cardamom taste like?

Cardamom is a very strong and pungent flavored spice that tastes sweet, spicy, with hint of floral to it. It is a highly underrated flavor in my opinion. It is most frequently seen and tasted in chai spiced tea.

Where can I buy cardamom pods?

Cardamom pods can be found at your local grocery store in the spice aisle or online. I find the green variety is the easiest to track down in the United States.

Bite of muffin

More Breakfast and Muffin Recipes You Might Like:


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Enjoy Entirely, Elizabeth
Coffee Cake Muffin on a plate with glaze dripping from a spoon onto the muffin.

Cardamom Spiced Coffee Cake Muffins

Elizabeth Swoish
These Cardamom Spiced Coffee Cake Muffins are moist, flavorful, and topped with not only a crunchy streusel topping, but a thick creamy glaze as well. They are easy to make in the comfort of your own home and taste better than the ones at the bakery!
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Servings 12 muffins
Calories 377 kcal

EQUIPMENT

  • 12 cavity muffin pan

INGREDIENTS
 
 

Cardamom Spiced Sugar

  • cup granulated sugar
  • cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; - or combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice
  • ¾ teaspoon cardamom - freshly ground is best

Cardamom Spiced Streusel

  • 4 tablespoons butter - unsalted
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • cup granulated sugar
  • cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice - or combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice
  • ¾ teaspoon cardamom - freshly ground is the best

Coffee Cake Muffins

  • ½ cup unsalted butter - browned and cooled to room temperature*
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs - room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt - room temperature

OPTIONAL Cream Glaze

  • 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS
 

Cardamom Spiced Sugar

  • In a small bowl whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cardamom. Set aside.

Cardamom Spiced Streusel

  • In another small bowl blend together (with a fork or hands) the butter, all purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cardamom. It should be a sandy mixture, set aside.

Coffee Cake Muffins

  • Preheat oven to 425 °F and center oven rack. Prepare a 12 cavity muffin pan with baking cups, parchment paper, nonstick cooking spray, or oil.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (See recipe notes for more information on browning the butter).
  • Add the eggs and vanilla. Whisk until incorporated and the color of the mixture has lightened.
  • Fold half of the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until almost incorporated. Add half the Greek yogurt and fold.
  • Add the remainder of the dry ingredients, fold, and then the rest of the Greek yogurt, fold. Only fold until the mixture comes together, do not over mix it.

Constructing Muffins

  • Into your prepared muffin pan, add a small scoop (about 2 tablespoons) of coffee cake batter and smooth it so it covers the bottom of each cavity.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of the Cardamom Spiced Sugar mixture to each cavity and press it down gently into the coffee cake batter.
  • Top that with another almost full scoop of coffee cake batter (about 3 tablespoons).
  • Top each muffin with Cardamom Spiced Streusel (about 1 tablespoon) and lightly press it into the coffee cake batter.
  • Bake in the oven for 5 minutes at 425 °F, reduce the oven heat to 350 °F and bake for another 15 to 18 minutes. The muffins spring back to the touch and a toothpick test should come out clean.
  • Allow them to cool in the muffin pan for 10 minutes before removing, and then fully cool on a wire baking rack.

OPTIONAL Cream Glaze

  • Whisk together the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until fully incorporated and airy.
    NOTE: Add more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze and more heavy whipping cream for a thinner glaze.
  • Drizzle over your muffins and serve.

VIDEO

RECIPE NOTES

Storing Information:

  • At room temperature, covered, for one to two days.
  • In the refrigerator, covered, for one week.
  • In the freezer, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to three months. 
 

How to Make Browned Butter:

  1. Over medium-high heat melt your butter in a pan. Stir constantly until your butter because light brown and smells nutty (about 5 minutes).
  2. Immediately pour into a heat safe bowl to stop the cooking process. Place in the refrigerator until cooled but soft (about 30 minutes). 

Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Tried this recipe?Feel free to share a rating and comment below. Don’t forget to tag me on social media, or use the hashtag #EntirelyElizabeth – I would love to see what you’ve made!
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By Elizabeth Swoish on September 14th, 2021
Elizabeth Swoish holding a camera up to her eye taking a photo.

About Elizabeth Swoish

Elizabeth Swoish is the founder and CEO of Entirely Elizabeth. She is a self-taught foodie and mocktail enthusiast with a business degree in data analysis. Read Elizabeth's food journey or connect on your favorite social media channels.

8 thoughts on “Cardamom Spiced Coffee Cake Muffins”

  1. 5 stars
    Wow, these muffins look absolutely delicious! I avoid dairy and eggs in baking but do you think I can make them with vegan butter, flax eggs and plant yogurt like coconut yogurt? Anyhow, great recipe!

    Reply

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