For those following a ketogenic diet or simply looking to reduce their sugar intake, these keto cinnamon muffins offer a guilt-free way to enjoy a classic fall flavor. Made with a blend of almond and coconut flour, these muffins boast a fluffy, moist interior and a delightful cinnamon sugar topping. Whether you're seeking a quick breakfast option or a satisfying snack, these muffins are a perfect choice.
Why Choose Keto Cinnamon Muffins?
Traditional cinnamon muffins are often loaded with sugar and refined flour, making them unsuitable for a keto lifestyle. However, this recipe utilizes keto-friendly alternatives to deliver the same delicious taste and texture without the unwanted carbs. These muffins are not only gluten-free and low-carb but also easy to make, requiring only about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Key Ingredients and Their Roles
- Almond Flour: Super fine blanched almond flour provides a delicate, slightly nutty flavor and contributes to the muffin's fluffy texture.
- Coconut Flour: Organic super-fine coconut flour complements the almond flour, adding moisture and structure to the muffins.
- Brown Sugar Substitute: A brown sugar substitute, such as allulose, monk fruit, erythritol, or Swerve, provides sweetness without the impact on blood sugar levels.
- Cinnamon: This warm spice is the star of the show, infusing the muffins with its signature flavor and aroma.
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the muffins, ensuring a tender crumb.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to the muffin's structure and rise.
- Baking Powder: Helps the muffins rise, creating a light and airy texture.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Prepare the muffin tin: Add muffin liners to 6 slots in a muffin tin. Alternatively, you can use 10 or 12 silicone or parchment paper muffin liners. Spray the inside of the liners with cooking spray.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, monkfruit sweetener, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine wet ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, almond milk, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Mix batter: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient mixture. Mix well, making sure there are no lumps.
- Fill muffin cups: Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling them to the top of the liners or about 3/4 of the muffin well.
- Bake: Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The tops should be slightly browned and no longer wet-looking.
- Prepare cinnamon-sugar topping: In a small bowl, combine monkfruit sweetener and cinnamon. In a separate small bowl, melt the butter.
- Add topping: Once the muffins are baked, let them cool. Dip the tops of each muffin in the melted butter, followed by the cinnamon and sweetener.
- Cool and serve: Allow the muffins to cool completely before enjoying.
Tips for Success
- Use super fine almond flour: This will help your baked items come out fluffy and not grainy.
- Ensure ingredients are at room temperature: This helps keto muffins rise and you get a fluffy and light crumb.
- Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing can result in tough muffins.
- Monitor baking time: Ovens vary, so check the muffins for doneness a few minutes early.
- Let muffins cool completely: This prevents them from becoming soggy.
Variations and Additions
- Add nuts or fruits: Incorporate chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, or keto-friendly fruits, such as blueberries or raspberries, into the batter.
- Spice it up: Add a pinch of pumpkin spice or other flavoring to the batter before baking.
- Dairy-free option: Replace the butter with coconut oil and the cream cheese with coconut yogurt or a dairy-free cream cheese alternative.
- Nut-free option: Add cinnamon to coconut flour muffins and leave out the berries. Make a coconut flour streusel topping with coconut flour, butter, cinnamon, and sweetener.
- Cream cheese frosting: For an extra touch of decadence, top the muffins with a smooth keto cream cheese frosting made with monk fruit sweetener (or allulose), heavy cream, and vanilla extract.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
These keto cinnamon muffins are delicious on their own, especially warmed up slightly. They also pair well with butter, cream cheese spread, coffee, latte, or tea.
To store, keep them in the refrigerator if not eaten right away. They’ll keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze these muffins after they’ve baked and cooled. Store in an air tight container for up to 3 months. In your storage container, line the bottom with a paper towel. Place your muffins inside, and then carefully place a second paper towel on top of them. The paper towels will soak up any moisture, preventing your muffins from getting soggy! After storing them in the fridge or freezer, you can easily reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds to warm them up. If they're frozen, microwave them for about 30 seconds so that they thaw before you eat them.
Nutritional Information
Each keto cinnamon muffin contains approximately 4 net grams of carbs.
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