This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclaimer for details.
A few weeks ago, I was making a new batch of my vegan sour cream, and as soon as I nailed the creamy, tangy texture, I knew exactly what I wanted to bake next: these vegan coffee cake muffins!
These muffins are inspired by the ones you’d find in a cozy coffee shop, but made completely dairy-free and eggless. The sour cream gives them such an extra-rich texture!
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Coffee Cake Muffins
If you’re a fan of cozy, bakery-style treats, these vegan coffee cake muffins will definitely be a favorite! They’re a smaller, grab-and-go version of my cozy spiced maple coffee cake.
And unlike my coffee and walnut loaf, there’s no actual coffee in the batter…just that classic “coffee cake” flavor that pairs so well with a cup of coffee.
Emily’s Recipe Notes:
- Flavor: Sweet vanilla muffin base swirled with cinnamon and topped with a buttery streusel crumble.
- Texture: Ultra-moist and fluffy.
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Customizability: Don’t have dairy-free sour cream on hand? You can swap in your favorite plain plant-based yogurt and still get that rich, tender crumb.
Ingredients You’ll Need
🧾 Ingredient Highlights & Easy Swaps
Each ingredient in these vegan coffee cake muffins plays a key role in creating the moist texture, warm spice, and buttery cinnamon streusel crumb topping that makes this recipe so special. Here’s what you’ll need, plus a few easy substitutions.
🥄 Vegan Sour Cream
This is the secret to getting that classic, moist texture you expect from a traditional coffee cake. Use a store-bought option like Forager’s vegan sour cream or try my homemade vegan sour cream recipe.
🌾 All-Purpose Flour
All-purpose flour provides structure and a soft crumb. Be sure to use the spoon-and-level method for accurate measuring (or measure with grams). King Arthur’s unbleached flour is my go-to for consistent results in vegan baking.
🥛 Soy Milk
Soy milk thins the batter slightly which helps the muffins rise. Any unsweetened plant-based milk will work, including almond, oat, or cashew milk.
🍂 Ground Cinnamon
This warm spice is used generously in both the muffin batter and the cinnamon streusel topping, adding cozy flavor throughout.
🧈 Vegan Butter
You’ll need vegan butter for both the muffin base and the crumb topping. It adds richness and helps the streusel crisp up beautifully in the oven.
I prefer Violife, but any high-quality plant-based butter will do. If you want more options, check out my post on the best vegan butters for baking.
How to Make Vegan Coffee Cake Muffins
Exact ingredient quantities are in the recipe card below!
Make the cinnamon streusel topping in a medium bowl by mixing the dry streusel ingredients, then cutting in the vegan butter until the mixture forms medium-sized crumbs.
In a large bowl, cream together the vegan butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and vegan sour cream, mixing until smooth.
Then add the room temperature soy milk and stir until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients on top.
Gently fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
Fill each muffin liner about 1/4 full with batter. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar over the batter.
Then, add more batter to fill the cups about 3/4 full. Do not overfill.
Top each muffin with a generous spoonful of cinnamon streusel and lightly press it into the batter so it sticks. Then, bake!
🧪 Why This Recipe Works
This vegan muffin recipe uses tested techniques and ingredients to create light, fluffy texture with rich flavor.
Vegan sour cream adds moisture and structure to the batter. It also helps create a tender crumb without the need for eggs. (It acts as an egg substitute here).
The high initial oven temperature gives the muffins a quick lift. Reducing the temperature partway through makes sure they bake evenly without drying out.
The cinnamon streusel topping bakes into a crisp, sweet layer that contrasts with the soft center. A little cinnamon sugar inside each muffin adds extra warmth and flavor throughout.
Dairy-Free Coffee Cake FAQ
Yes, you can bake the batter in an 8×8-inch square pan. Spread half the batter, sprinkle cinnamon sugar, then add the remaining batter and top with the streusel. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
You can use any unsweetened plant-based yogurt. I prefer Forager’s Unsweetened Cashew & Coconut yogurt for cakes.
Lightly press the cinnamon streusel topping into the muffin batter before baking. Also, avoid overfilling the muffin tins.
Yes, these muffins freeze well. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or toaster oven until warmed through.
More Vegan Muffins
Vegan Coffee Cake Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel
Rate this RecipeIngredients
- ⅓ cup salted vegan butter, 80g – softened
- 1 cup granulated cane sugar, 200g
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, or 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup vegan sour cream, 160g – or sub. plain dairy-free yogurt
- ¾ cup dairy-free milk, like soy milk- room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, 240g – spooned (not scooped) into the measuring cup from the bag and leveled
- ½ tsp table salt
- 2 tsp baking powder, 7g
Cinnamon Sugar
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 30g
- 2 ½ tbsp light brown sugar, 20g
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp salted vegan butter, 28g – softened
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and line 2 standard muffin pans with paper liners (makes 12 muffins).
- Make Filling: Mix the ground cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.3 tbsp granulated sugar, ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
- Make the cinnamon streusel topping in a medium bowl by mixing the dry streusel ingredients, then cutting in the vegan butter until the mixture forms medium-sized crumbs.¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 ½ tbsp light brown sugar, 2 tbsp salted vegan butter, 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, cream together the vegan butter and sugar with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and vegan sour cream, mixing until smooth. Then whisk or mix in the room temperature soy milk.⅓ cup salted vegan butter, 1 cup granulated cane sugar, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, ¾ cup vegan sour cream, ¾ cup dairy-free milk
- Add the dry ingredients. Gently fold the flour, baking powder and salt into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp table salt, 2 tsp baking powder
- Assemble the muffins. Fill each muffin liner about 1/4 full with batter. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar over the batter, then add more batter to fill the cups about 3/4 full. Do not overfill. Top each muffin with a generous spoonful of cinnamon streusel and lightly press it into the batter so it sticks.
- Bake the muffins at 425°F for 6 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 22–24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Recipe notes
- Sour cream substitute: You can use any unsweetened plant-based yogurt in place of the vegan sour cream. My favorite dairy-free yogurt for baking cake is Forager’s Unsweetened Cashew + Coconut Yogurt.
- To make as a coffee cake: Pour the batter into a greased 8×8-inch pan instead of muffin tins. Layer with cinnamon sugar and top with streusel. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Freezing: These muffins freeze well. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.
- Storage: Keep muffins in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Freeze for longer storage.
Did You Make This?
Leave a star rating and a comment below to let others know how it turned out for you!
Did You Make These Vegan Coffee Cake Muffins?
I’d love to know! Leave a star rating and comment below!