Truth time - I tested this easy peach coffee cake with crumb topping at least 3 extra times - it was just that good! It's like a bite of peach cobbler for breakfast. Perfect for lazy mornings or special occasions like Christmas, Mother's Day, or Easter. This recipe is sized for a large group so everyone can enjoy a slice! Vegetarian.

I love a good, tender coffee cake and the cinnamon and fresh peaches in this peach crumble coffee cake are delicious! We layer the ingredients; coffee cake dough, fresh cinnamon peaches, more dough, and a cinnamon crumb topping, for a moist, fruity, refreshing breakfast treat - perfect for holidays or company.

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Ingredients

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

Streusel and peach filling

Soft butter. We use soft butter in our crumb topping recipe. Many recipes use cold butter for the topping but we've found soft butter ensures that all dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed together with the butter, eliminating any dry spots in the final result.

For more info on making streusel topping, see this post for Cinnamon Crumble Topping.

Peaches. We like fresh peaches for this recipe (peeled, pitted, and sliced). However, you can use frozen or canned peaches.

Cinnamon. We like the cinnamon mixed with both the peaches and the crumb topping, but if you're not a cinnamon fan like us, feel free to reduce the amount to align with your tastes.

Coffee cake ingredients

Butter. The key for the batter is to use COLD BUTTER. When you cut cold butter into dry ingredients, it forms tiny flour-coated fat pockets that do two important things. First, it limits gluten development, resulting in a softer, more tender bite of cake. Second, as the cake bakes, the butter melts and releases steam, giving the coffee cake lift and moisture - without making it dense. NOTE: We use unsalted butter in our baking so we can control the amount of butter in the dish.

Greek yogurt. We love the addition of Greek yogurt in this peach coffee cake recipe. It helps keep the cake moist, soft, and tender. Its natural acidity works with baking soda to create extra lift when baking, helping the cake stay light and fluffy.

All-purpose flour. We're keeping it simple with all-purpose flour. We've found there really is a difference in flour brands - we use King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill for the best texture in our baked goods.

How to make peach coffee cake

Make the streusel topping

Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter together with a fork until you have a crumbly mixture. You want all the ingredients to be well mixed, no dry bits left, and the mixture to hold together when pressed between your fingers. Set this aside.

Prepare the peaches

Mix the peach slices (peeled and pitted) with the cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Stir until everything is well combined and place on the stove over medium-low heat.

Cook the peaches, stirring frequently, until they soften and thicken up - this should only take a few minutes, so keep an eye on them. Remove from the heat and set aside while you mix the batter.

Make the batter

Fit the Cuisinart bowl with the steel blade. Add flour, sugar, and small cubes of butter to the bowl. Fit the lid on the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. Don't pulse too long or you will not have a soft, tender coffee cake.

Pour flour-butter mixture into a large mixing bowl. Rub any remaining large pieces of butter between your fingers ensuring the butter is well cut into the flour and sugar. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt - stir to combine. If the butter is soft, place the entire bowl into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to firm up the butter before continuing.

Combine the Greek yogurt, egg, apple cider vinegar, and milk into a large measuring cup or bowl and whisk to combine. Add the milk mixture to the flour-sugar mixture and stir with a spoon just until combined.

Assemble the coffee cake

We're going to layer the batter, peaches, and streusel to create this old-fashioned peach coffee cake. Start by placing about ⅔ of the batter into your prepared dish. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly over the bottom of the dish. Note: This will be a thin layer, but should cover the entire bottom of the dish.

Spread the prepared peaches evenly over the batter in the baking dish. Drop the remaining batter on top in small scoops. Use an offset spatula and spoon to gently hold and stretch the dough (connecting the scoops of batter, like connect the dots) spreading the dough over the top of the peach layer. It's fine if a few peaches peek through - just aim to cover most of them.

Spread the crumb topping over the batter topped peaches. Use as much or as little as you like, we use all of it in this recipe giving us a great texture and flavor on this peach coffee cake.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake is baked all of the way through.

How many pieces do I get in this recipe?

This peach crumb cake is meant to serve a large group and can be cut into as large or small of pieces as you like. We've cut it into 15, 18, 20, 24, and 30 pieces. If you plan on serving a variety of pastry items, we recommend cutting into smaller pieces. Guests love trying a little of everything!

Storing leftovers

This peach coffee cake will last 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in a 300°F oven for 4-8 minutes or until warm. Cover the coffee cake while heating to keep it from drying out too much.

We don't recommend freezing this coffee cake as the peaches can make the dough gummy as it thaws.

Other favorite breakfast pastries

Love coffee cakes? Try our Blueberry Coffee Cake for a Crowd!

FAQ's

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and star rating below to let us know how it turned out!

Warm, buttery, and packed with cheesy, spicy flavor, these jalapeño cheddar biscuits are the perfect savory twist on a classic. Easy to make and ready in just 35 minutes!

If you've been searching for the best jalapeño cheddar biscuits recipe, you've found it! Soft inside, golden outside, and loaded with melted cheddar and bits of fresh jalapeño - these biscuits will steal the spotlight at any meal! This homemade cheddar jalapeño biscuits recipe is perfect for breakfast or holiday dinners, with chili and soups, or simply as a delicious snack.

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Ingredients

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

• All- purpose flour. All-purpose flour produces light, fluffy biscuits. We've found there really is a difference in brands of flour and love the result in our baked goods when using King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill.
• Cheddar cheese. We used a medium cheddar that was pre-shredded, but use a sharp, aged, or white cheddar for even more depth of flavor. Shred your own for extra-credit!
• Jalapeños. Fresh peppers make this biscuit. We removed the seeds but feel free to leave them in for more of a kick!
• Baking powder. Use an aluminum-free baking power like Bob's Red Mill or Rumford. Baking powders with added aluminum, can produce a slightly bitter or metallic taste in your baked goods. 
• Butter. Unsalted butter allows us to control the final amount of salt in the dish. Keep the butter cold!
• Milk. We used 1% milk, but whole milk or 2% milk will also work. We don't recommend non-fat milk.
• Other staples. Baking soda and salt.

Use a kitchen scale! Measuring flour by volume (in cups) is notoriously unreliable, so if you must measure the flour in cups, use the scoop and level method for best results. Our recipe lists the gram measurements and the volume measurements in the ingredients list.

How to make homemade jalapeño biscuits

Cut the butter

Cut the sticks of butter into smaller pieces. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

PRO TIP: Remember to keep the butter cold at all times! Cold butter is key to fluffy biscuits. When the cold butter melts in the oven, the water inside turns to steam, creating pockets of air that lift and separate the layers. If the butter softens before baking, the pockets of steam are lost and you'll have a dense, heavy biscuit.

Prep the jalapeño

First, thinly slice one jalapeño so you have 24-30 slices. These will be used to top each biscuit.

Next cut the remaining jalapeños in half and remove the seeds. Slice each pepper into strips and then cut cross-wise into small diced pieces. Set aside until ready to mix the biscuits.

Mix biscuit dough

Place flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Add the COLD, cubed butter and pulse a few times, following your food processor's instructions. Continue with short, quick pulses until the butter is broken into small pieces. Avoid running the processor continuously, as this can overmix and lead to dense biscuits. Once your butter is cut into the flour, transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Add the diced, fresh jalapeño and shredded cheese to the butter-flour mixture. Stir until well combined. REMINDER: if the butter starts to soften too much, pop the whole bowl into the fridge for 5-10 minutes to firm it back up before continuing with the next steps.

Slowly add part of the milk and stir to combine. Add the remaining milk (I like to drizzle it around the edges of the dry ingredients) and stir just until almost no dry ingredients remain. NOTE: A few small dry spots in the bowl is okay, they'll get mixed in when we bring the dough together. The dough may be shaggy - not smooth - and may not completely hold together yet, that's fine!

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board. Work quickly so the butter stays cold. Gently press the dough together until it holds and any remaining dry bits get mixed together. Lightly pat the dough out, then fold the dough over on itself. This fold helps create flaky layers in the biscuits.

Gently pat the dough to about ⅔ inch thick. Use a 2 inch round biscuit cutter and cut out as many biscuits as possible, transferring them to a silicon- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather the scraps of dough, press them gently back together, pat them out, and cut more biscuits. Repeat until all the dough is used.

Top each biscuit with a slice of jalapeño and brush with melted butter. Place the sheet pan of unbaked, cut biscuits into the refrigerator for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven.

Once the oven is heated and the biscuits have chilled, place the biscuits in the oven and bake until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and serve!

Love biscuits? Try our bite-sized Mini Biscuits!
Easy to make and so cute to serve and eat!

Make ahead of time

These biscuits can be made ahead of time and stored baked or unbaked. Make sure biscuits are always stored in airtight containers.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Since these biscuits have cheese in them, they fall in this category. Store baked biscuits in the fridge for up to a week or freeze them up to 1 month. Make sure they are always stored in airtight containers.

To reheat baked biscuits: If biscuits are frozen, thaw before heating. Place in a baking pan and cover tight - this helps keep them from drying out. Place in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes, uncover and heat an additional 3-5 minutes or until warm. You can also reheat in a microwave in 10 second intervals until warm. They can dry out fast if heated too long in the microwave so heat in short intervals checking after each interval.

Other favorite breakfast pastries

Some biscuit FAQ's

These bright, zesty mini lemon scones are ready in just 30 minutes and bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Balancing flaky and tender textures, they’re made with lemon juice, zest, and a splash of extract for an extra punch. Follow our step-by-step guide for a foolproof recipe that’s sure to impress!

Delicious homemade mini lemon scones, drizzled with a zesty lemon glaze, are perfectly moist and bursting with fresh lemon flavor. These easy lemon scones are made for a crowd, offering bite-sized treats ideal for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet afternoon snack. Whether you're celebrating Mother's Day, Easter, or any holiday, these scones are the perfect way to add a burst of lemon delight to your table.

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Ingredients

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

A great scone strikes a delightful balance between light and dense, with a perfect mix of crispy and soft textures—all while remaining moist and delicious. Achieving this balance may take some practice, but we've broken the process down into clear, step-by-step instructions to help you succeed. Remember: start with quality ingredients!

• Cold unsalted butter. Cold butter is key! As cold butter bakes it creates pockets of steam that result in a flaky, tender texture.
• All-purpose flour. Use a good flour like King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill; it really does make a difference!
• Baking powder. Choose an aluminum-free baking power such as Bob's Red Mill or Rumford. Baking powders with added aluminum can leave a slightly bitter or metallic taste in your baked goods. 
• Milk. Opt for whole, 2%, or 1% - we don't recommend non-fat milk. The fat in the milk helps your scones remain soft and tender.
• Fresh lemons. For a bright, fresh flavor, use both fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice.
• Lemon extract. Using just lemon juice and zest wasn't enough of that delicious lemon flavor we desired, the lemon extract gives us that boost of flavor we're looking for.

Step-by-step instructions for mini lemon scones

Zest and juice lemons

This recipe calls for the zest and juice from 3 large lemons. Start by zesting the lemons with a zester and setting the zest aside until needed. We use this microplane zester in our kitchens, any reliable lemon zester will work - choolse what suits you best.

After zesting, cut the lemons in half and juice them. Measure out the required amount of juice for the recipe and store any leftover juice for another use.

Cut butter

Cut the cold butter into very small pieces. Start by slicing each stick of butter into thin pats (image 1 & 2). Rotate the pats 90 degrees and cut them into strips (image 3). Rotate another 90 degrees and slice to create a small dice (image 4). Once diced, place the butter in a dish and refrigerate while you prep your other ingredients.

Make scone dough

Add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest to a mixing bowl (image 5) and stir until well combined. Next, add the cold, diced butter to the bowl (image 6). Using your hands, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter breaks into small, flat flakes (images 7 & 8).

Ensure your butter-flour mixture is still cold, then add the milk, lemon juice, and lemon extract (image 9). Gently mix using a fork until just combined (image 10)—you don't want to over-mix the dough. The mixture may still be a bit crumbly - that's ok! 

Forming the scones

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured cutting board. If it's still be a bit crumbly, gently bring it together with your hands (image 11 & 12). Divide the dough in half (image 13) and set one half aside. With the other half, shape the dough into a large rectangle about ½ inch thick. Cut the rectangle lengthwise in half (image 14), then cut each strip into fourths (image 15). Finally, cut each square diagonally to form triangles (image 16).

Work quickly to avoid melting the butter, cold butter is essential for a light, crumbly scone. Use a chef's knife or bench scraper for cleaner cuts. Place cut scones on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. For softer sides, position the triangles so they touch; for firmer edges, leave space between them.

Repeat the shaping process with the remaining dough. Once all scones are prepared, chill the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 10 minutes while the oven preheats. This step helps re-chill the butter and promotes a flaky texture.

Bake for 12-14 minutes until lemon scones are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack before glazing.

Make the lemon glaze for scones

When the scones have cooled and you're ready to glaze, add powdered sugar to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice until smooth and creamy. Adjust the amount of lemon juice to achieve your desired glaze consistency: add more for a thinner glaze, ideal for a light drizzle, or use less for a thicker glaze, perfect for a frosting-like layer.

Drizzle or spread the glaze over the scones, adding as much or as little as you like.

Make ahead of time

These scones can be made ahead of time, formed and placed in the refrigerator up to 12 hours before baking. To make further ahead of time, we recommend freezing the scones (see Storing Scones below for more information on this.) Make sure scones are always stored in airtight containers.

Favorite riffs

• This is a very lemon forward scone recipe! For a less lemon-y scone, omit the lemon extract in the scone dough and use milk (instead of lemon juice) in the glaze.
• Add poppy seeds to the dry ingredients for a lemon poppy seed scone. Add roasted, chopped walnuts or pecans, to the dough before shaping and cutting the scones.
• For vegan scones, substitute cold coconut oil for the butter and coconut milk or almond milk for the dairy milk.
• For a subtler glaze that still delivers rich lemon flavor, apply the glaze while the scones are just slightly warm. This allows the glaze to melt and soak in a little, imparting delicious lemon taste without a heavy, noticeable coating.

Storing and freezing

Storing and Freezing baked scones. These scones are best eaten the day they're baked but will last 1-2 days in an airtight container on the counter. The glaze will slowly melt into the scones making them softer over time. If you want to freeze baked scones, omit the glaze, store in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Remove, thaw, and glaze when ready to serve. We don't recommend adding glaze or icing to scones you plan to freeze, as the texture can be compromised in the freezer. 

Storing unbaked scones. Scones are a fantastic item to have on hand for a quick breakfast or when guests visits. Once you've cut and formed your scones, place them on a sheet pan and freeze until solid—about 1-2 hours. Then, transfer the frozen scones to an airtight container and store for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, defrost the desired amount on the counter while the oven preheats, then bake, glaze, and serve as directed.

Other favorite breakfast recipes for a crowd

Some common FAQs

These mini puff pastry chocolate croissants come together quick and easy with just 3 ingredients! They're cute and delicious as a breakfast pastry, mid-day snack, or dessert.

Some days, we just crave a warm chocolate pastry without the hassle or a trip to the bakery! That’s where our 'cheater' chocolate croissant recipe comes in. These mini, bite-sized delights feature rich chocolate wrapped in flaky puff pastry, baked to golden perfection. A quick and easy treat that always hits the spot!

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Ingredients

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

These mini chocolate croissants are incredibly easy to make with just three ingredients! Before we dive in, here are a few key tips to ensure the best results.

• Chocolate. We used mini Hershey chocolate bars because they're easy to find and break into uniform pieces, making them perfect for these bite-sized croissants. However, feel free to use your favorite chocolate - just cut it into small, even pieces for easier rolling. If the chocolate has uneven edges, it may take a little extra time to shape and cut the croissants properly.
• Puff pastry. We used frozen, store bought puff pastry sheets, which can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores. If you're making a larger batch, restaurant food supply stores often carry larger quantities and sizes of frozen puff pastry sheets. Be sure to thaw the pastry according to the package instructions before using.

How to make chocolate croissants with puff pastry

Thaw the puff pastry

Remove the puff pastry sheet from the freezer and thaw according to the package instructions - be sure to plan ahead so it's thawed when you're ready to assemble your bites. We like to thaw our puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight to make sure it is thawed, yet still cold.

Make your egg wash

An egg wash is frequently used in baking. It helps create a beautiful golden brown color and adds a glossy shine to baked pastry. It also helps to seal the edges of pastry together when folding or rolling.

Make your egg wash by adding your egg and water in a small bowl and whisking until well combined. Set aside until ready to use.

Prepare the chocolate and puff pastry

Cut your chocolate into small pieces about ½ inch x 1 inch (image 1) and set aside until ready to assemble croissants. Place the sheet of thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface (image 2). Gently roll the pastry out to smooth out the fold lines (image 3). Cut the pastry square into 4 equal sized strips (image 4). 

Forming our shortcut chocolate croissants

Start with one strip of puff pastry and lightly brush one long edge with egg wash. Then, line up your chocolate pieces along the length of the pastry, close to the egg-washed edge (image 5). Roll the opposite, non-egg-washed, pastry edge over the chocolate (image 6). Continue rolling the pastry edge under the chocolate and press on the egg-washed edge (image 7) to help seal the edge. You'll have a log-roll of the chocolate filled puff pastry (image 8). Repeat with remaining puff pastry strips and chocolate.

Cut into mini sized croissants

Cut each chocolate filled puff pastry roll into 7 equal sized pieces, between each chocolate square (image 9). If using different sized chocolate, just cut each rolled pastry log into 7 equal pieces. Place the mini puff pastry chocolate croissants on a lined baking sheet 1-2 inches apart (image 10).

Bake

Brush the tops and sides of each mini chocolate croissant bite with your egg wash and bake until golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack to cool.

Make ahead of time

You can definitely make these ahead of time. They can be served cold, room temperature, or heated until warm.

You can also form these mini croissants and bake later - DO NOT brush with egg wash until ready to bake.
Store in the refrigerator for up to a day, remove from fridge, brush with egg wash, and bake.
Freeze them on a sheet pan for 2-3 hours, then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer, thaw, brush with egg wash, and bake.

Saving Leftovers

These easy chocolate croissants are best eaten the day they are baked, but they will last in an airtight container on the counter 2-3 days or in the fridge up to a week.

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FAQ's

If you love cinnamon rolls, this mini cinnamon twist muffins recipe is destined to become a delicious addition to holiday breakfasts - Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter - or any brunch spread. They are also vegetarian-friendly.  

Made from scratch, these muffins combine the best of a cinnamon roll with the best of a cinnamon twist donut. Fluffy and soft with sweet cinnamon swirled throughout, these muffins are perfect for a casual breakfast and make a beautiful addition to holiday celebrations. Plus, they're ready in just a few hours, with most of the time waiting for dough to rise or bake.

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Ingredients

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

These twisted cinnamon rolls are made with an enriched dough, which has 'extra' ingredients—like sugar, eggs, milk, and butter—that create a softer, richer dough compared to a standard dough made with just yeast, flour, salt, and water. Here are a few key ingredients to note:

• A high quality flour truly makes a difference. Our top choices for all-purpose flours are King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill. For an even deeper dive, the Everyday Artisan Bread Course is a great resource with real-world test results.
• Honey helps activate the yeast faster and also sweetens the dough. You can substitute sugar for the honey if you prefer.
• We use unsalted butter in our baking to control the salt in the recipe. If using salted butter, we recommend a slight reduction of the salt in the recipe.
• Milk adds richness and softness to the dough. Whole, 2%, and 1% milk all work well. Warm the milk (100°F and 110°F) to help activate the yeast . Too hot, and it can kill the yeast (your dough won't rise); too cold the dough will rise very slow.
• A brush of heavy cream on the top before baking helps keep the muffin tops soft.

How to Make Cinnamon Twist Muffins

These cinnamon muffins may seem like they have a lot of steps, but they're quite simple - I promise! Actual hands-on time is only around 30 minutes - the rest is just waiting for the dough to rise or bake. Here's the breakdown:

• Make the dough (10 minutes): Proof the yeast and mix the dough.
• First rise (1 hour) and mix filling (3 minutes): Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place. Enriched dough doesn't rise a lot, but you'll see some rise. Mix the sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the filling and set aside.
• Shape (15 minutes) and final rise (30 minutes): Roll the dough, add the filling, cut into strips, twist, and place in mini muffin tins for a second rise. Preheat the oven during this rise.
• Bake (15 minutes): Brush the tops of the muffins with heavy cream and bake until golden brown.
• Glaze (5 minutes): Remove muffins from muffin tins, let them cool for at least 15 minutes, glaze, and enjoy!

Make the dough

We're using our KitchenAid stand mixer with the dough hook to make this dough, but you can also mix it by hand or with a hand mixer. Start by combining the yeast, honey, and warm milk in a bowl and let sit for about 5 minutes to proof the yeast (images 1 & 2). The mixture should start foaming and form air bubbles - this activates the yeast and confirms your yeast is good! Add the eggs and mix to combine (3 & 4).

Next, add the flour, melted butter, and salt stirring until fully combined with no dry flour visible (5 & 6). Continue mixing for an additional 1-2 minutes to ensure everything is well mixed and knead the dough a little.

Rise and mix filling

Once the dough is fully mixed, cover the bowl and let it rise in a warm place. Placing it in the microwave or oven (with the light on or off) can help keep the temperature steady and draft-free. With the oven light on, it may rise faster - check it after 45 minutes instead of the full hour. If your home is warm (above 75°F) leaving the dough to rise on the countertop should be just fine.

While the dough is rising, prepare the cinnamon sugar filling by combining the sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl (image 7). Stir until it is well mixed (8) and set aside until it's time to spread on the dough.

Shape and final rise

Roll out the dough and spread filling

After the dough has risen, transfer it to a lightly floured surface (image 9) and roll it into a 19x8 inch rectangle (10). Use a pastry scraper/chopper or knife to straighten the edges for even strips and less waste when cutting. Spread melted butter evenly over the dough, going all the way to the edges (11 & 12). Sprinkle the sugar-cinnamon filling over the buttered dough (13), and spread evenly from edge to edge (14).

Fold and cut the dough into strips

Fold the long edge over so you have a 'dough, cinnamon-sugar sandwich' (image 15). Using a ruler mark every ¾ inch along the dough (16). Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the filled dough into strips (17), you should end up with 24 strips of ¾ inch filled dough (18).

Place twists in muffin pan

Time to twist! If using a metal muffin pan, generously butter each muffin cup to prevent sticking (image 19) . Take a dough strip, twist the two ends in opposite directions to form a twist (20), wrap the twist around your finger (21), and place it into the buttered muffin cup (22).

Repeat with the remaining strips. Lightly cover the dough and place in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.

Bake

Brush the tops of the muffins with cream to help keep them soft as they bake. Bake until golden brown. If using a silicone muffin pan, it might take a few extra minutes for the dough to finish baking and get that golden brown color we are looking for.

Once they are done, remove from the oven. Remove the muffins from the muffin pan while still hot and let them cool on a cooling rack. Cooling them in the pan can make them harder to remove later and also make them sweat and get soggy.

Glaze

Once the muffins have cooled, at least 10 minutes, mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk together to form a simple glaze. Add milk until you get the desired consistency. Use less milk for a thicker glaze that you can spread or more milk for a thinner glaze that you can drizzle. We use a spoon to drizzle our glaze over the tops of the muffins on the cooling rack. Add as much or as little glaze as you like.

Equipment

What mini muffin pan should you use?

We tested these in both metal and silicone mini muffin pans. They both worked great but there were a few differences to note.

A metal muffin pan MUST be buttered before using, skipping this step caused the muffins to stick every time! You don't need to butter the silicone as the muffins pop right out of them.

The silicone pan needs a little longer to bake in order to get that golden brown color. We also found they were a little softer on the sides and rose a little higher while baking, potentially due to straighter sides than the metal pans.

Both pans worked great so use what you have and like.

Favorite Riffs

Include additional 'warm spices' like a dash of ground cloves, nutmeg, or ginger. Add some chopped, roasted nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts) to the filling. Use apple butter in place of the butter on the dough.

Use your favorite frosting. We are using a simple powdered sugar glaze on these cinnamon twist buns but these are equally good with a classic cream cheese frosting, maple frosting, or cinnamon glaze.

Make Ahead of Time

There are many ways to make these ahead of time. We've outlined a few of them here.

Bake in advance

Bake and store unglazed muffins in the fridge (up to 4 days) or in the freezer (up to 2 months). Warm muffins, thaw first if necessary, in a 300°F oven for 2-3 minutes until warm. Glaze and serve.

Freeze unbaked, formed muffins

To freeze and bake at a later date. Make per the recipe through forming the muffinsm but place them in an ungreased muffin tin. Place muffin pan in the freezer and freeze rolls about 2 hours or until they hold their shape. Once frozen, remove from pan, wrap them airtight in a group, or individually, store in an airtight container and return to the freezer.

To bake frozen rolls. Remove the rolls from the freezer the night before baking and place individual muffins in buttered muffin cups. Cover with a linen, wrap in a clean plastic bag and place in the refrigerator overnight. Bake the next morning as directed.

Alternate Baking Method for frozen rolls. Pull from the freezer in the morning, place in individual muffins in buttered muffin cups on the counter for at least 30 minutes while you preheat oven to 425°F. After brushing the top of the muffins with milk, loosely cover your dish with foil and place in the preheated oven. Immediately reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Bake 20-25 minutes covered, remove the foil and bake another 8-12 minutes until golden brown. 

REMEMBER: Do not place a cold dish - especially glass or ceramic - into a hot oven, as the temperature difference can cause the dish to break. If using the alternate baking method for frozen rolls we recommend using metal or silicone muffin pans.

Mixing dough day before

Mix the dough as directed, then cover with an airtight cover (or a piece of plastic wrap) and transfer to the fridge for up to 24 hours. The time in the fridge takes the place of the first rise on the counter. When you're ready to shape the cinnamon twists, pull the dough out of the fridge, let it warm up for an hour or so on the counter, then roll, fill, twist and bake normally.

Some FAQ's

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