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Busy, busy, busy this morning! With my little one screaming for attention, cooking for a family get-together this evening, and trying to get the house in order, time is a luxury. On a hectic morning like this, I need a quick healthy breakfast that will keep me satisfied. This 2-minute mug muffin recipe is perfect.
When I have no time whatsoever, mug muffins are my favorite.
Microwave mug cakes and mug muffins like this make a perfect quick breakfast! They take so little time that you can make them even when you think you don’t have time for breakfast. Seriously, with a 2-minute muffin as an option, there are no excuses. Now you have the time. The combination of protein and healthy fats will keep you full through lunch.
This particular mug muffin has a gorgeous cinnamon swirl, which creates amazing flavor dimension. I adore anything with cinnamon, even more so when it’s swirled into something. Sharing this with my husband or daughter makes me feel like I’m starting the day on the right note! It’s a generous size, so it’s definitely big enough to share for two – but you can have one on your own if you’re hungry.
Coconut oil in this recipe provides delicious moisture you’d expect from a muffin and provides tons of nutritional benefits, too. I love incorporating it into recipes as a healthy fat. It contains caprylic acid, lauric acid, and capric acid, all of which are unique medium-chain fatty acids. These are easier to digest than other fats, don’t get stored as fat as readily, and have anti-microbial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties. (Sources here and here.)
Who knew a minute muffin that tastes so good can be so healthy?
Another great thing about this mug muffin is that it’s very friendly toward a wide variety of food allergies without sacrificing taste. A combination of coconut flour and golden flaxseed form the flour blend used here, so it’s gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free. Even if you don’t have allergies, you may have kids that need quick snacks at school. This one works well because it doesn’t break the nut-free rule that many schools have, it’s easy to pack, and it’s absolutely delicious. When my daughter starts school, I’ll definitely be including this one in my repertoire as part of her lunches!
You can enjoy this mug muffin straight out of the mug for easy cleanup – one mug and that’s it! I like to top it with homemade whipped cream with no sugar added and just dig in with a spoon. Another fantastic way to eat this is to run a butter knife along the edge, flip it over a plate, and cut into slices. This way you can top it with grass-fed butter, nut butter (if you’re not nut-free), or your favorite spread.
Do you like your mug muffins plain, or topped with something? I’d love to hear your ideas or feedback in the comments!
2-Minute Cinnamon Swirl Mug Muffin Recipe (Paleo, Low Carb):
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Video Showing How To Make Cinnamon Swirl Mug Muffin:
| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time |
| servings (1/2 of a large muffin) | 2 minutes | 1.5 minutes |
| 2-Minute Cinnamon Swirl Mug Muffin (Paleo, Low Carb) This quick 2-minute cinnamon swirl mug muffin is light, moist, and fluffy. Paleo, low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free, and nut-free.
|
- 2 tbsp Coconut flour
- 1 tbsp Golden flaxseed meal
- 1/4 tsp Gluten-free baking powder
- 1 pinch Sea salt
- 1 large Egg
- 2 tbsp Coconut oil (melted)
- 2 tbsp Erythritol (or any granular sweetener of choice)
- 1/2 tbsp Cinnamon
- Mix coconut flour, golden flaxseed meal, gluten-free baking powder, and sea salt in a mug. Add half of the erythritol (1 tbsp if making one serving).
- Add the egg and coconut oil. Stir well, until smooth. Let sit for a minute to thicken. Add some water one teaspoon at a time if the batter is stiff (it should be easy to stir, but not liquid; the amount will depend on your brand of coconut flour). Level the top with the back of a spoon.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining erythritol and cinnamon. Place the cinnamon mixture in a heap in the center of the mug on top of the batter, then use a spoon to swirl just a couple of times. (Don't over-stir to keep the marble effect.) Level the top again with the back of a spoon.
- Microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until set. (If you prefer to use the oven, bake in an oven-safe ramekin at 350 F for 10-20 minutes, depending on the shape of your ramekin.)
Net carbs per serving: 2g
You'll love my low carb cookbook & meal plans!
- LOW CARB MEAL PLANNING STARTER KIT: 7-day low carb meal plan, printable templates, shopping list, recipes, and more!
- 30 DINNERS IN 30 MINUTES COOKBOOK: 30 easy low carb recipes, all under 30 minutes to make and 10 ingredients or less!
Want to use a different sweetener? Check the natural low carb sweeteners guide & conversion chart!
Want more low carb, gluten-free ideas for muffins? Try these:
kage2015 says
I’m ready to jump on this mug craze. Single serving and this sounds so satisfying.
Bee says
I wish there was an easy way to do this without a microwave. We broke up with ours 2 years ago. But I’ve had something similar to this and it sounds amazing. Don’t mind me, just reminiscing.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Bee, Not a problem – you can make this in the oven too! Just use an oven safe ramekin at 350 F. I’m not sure about the exact time in the oven, but just watch it and take it out when it’s firm and golden. I would start checking every couple of minutes after 10 minutes.
nicoleleemcneil says
Mmmmm! What a yummy breakfast! I love the ease & versatility of mug cakes — and I like your healthy twist 🙂 thanks for sharing !
Infoélla says
Yum!! Such a delicious snack idea!! Must try this 🙂
Samantha says
I LOVE this recipe, it’s so good, and that’s an understatement! I use stevia instead of the erythritol, cause it’s what I usually have and use. I make a cream cheese “drizzle” and put that all over it and do a happy dance… cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, stevia, and some water. I just wanted to ask though, are the nutritional facts for half of the muffin? Awesome recipe, thanks so much!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you Samantha! That drizzle sounds amazing, I’ll have to try it next time. The nutrition facts are for half the muffin (it’s big!!) but of course that doesn’t mean you can’t have two servings. 🙂
Samantha says
It is pretty amazing, I do recommend trying it! That’s what I thought, I was just making sure 🙂 and I usually do have the two servings lol! Thanks you so much for responding!
marietteferreira says
Great for a yummy quick breakfast. Prep time is more like 6 min. I know it’s not a big difference, but I like planning rather meticulously. Enjoying one right now. Delicious.
Lynn says
Just made this for breakfast…..terrific!
Mona says
Hi. This sounds great. What do you recommend in place of flaxseed?
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
You can try almond flour. The texture will be a little different, but it can still work.
Annie says
Just made this and then shared with my cousin! It’s incredible!!! I don’t think I’ve had this satisfying of a dessert since starting keto. Oh, and I topped mine with low carb cream cheese frosting… just butter, cream cheese, sweetener and vanilla. =)
Becki says
Have made this a couple of times now for breakfast and it is soooo good! Warming and comforting on a cold morning – like a cinnamon bun, porridge and cake had a baby!!
Eva Wardyla says
Maya, I made this today and it was delicious! Thank you!
Heather says
Is there a substitute for coconut flour?
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Heather, Unfortunately not for this recipe. Coconut flour absorbs a lot of moisture, so using something else wouldn’t work the same way and multiple other ingredients in the recipe would have to change. I do have a molten lava Nutella mug cake recipe that may be easier to adjust without coconut flour – since that one only calls for 1/2 tablespoon of coconut flour, you may be able so substitute it with 1 whole tablespoon of almond flour instead. I know it’s a totally different flavor, but it’s still a mug cake so thought I’d mention it. 🙂
acpigott says
It was delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you!
Emily says
This is so delicious!! It makes a low carb lifestyle so much easier. Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you, Emily! Totally agree – sometimes you need treats like this even when eating low carb.
Niki says
I made this a few days ago. I found I had to add quite a bit of liquid, and cook it for 3.5 mins (900w) oven, but they came out really well. Will definitely make again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
I’m glad you liked it, Niki! The cooking time in the recipe is based on my 1100W microwave and the mug I used, but can take a little longer with a lower power oven or different mug. For anyone else that isn’t sure about timing, you’ll know it’s done when the top is firm and spring-y.
Danielle says
Would it be ok to make the batter ahead of time? Maybe the night before, then cook it in the morning.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Danielle, I wouldn’t recommend making the batter the night before. The baking powder won’t work the same way, so the muffin won’t rise. If you really wanted to, you could pre-mix the first four dry ingredients in advance to save a small amount of time, but I wouldn’t add the wet ingredients or do the rest of the steps until right before cooking. Otherwise, another alternative would be to make the entire muffin the night before (including heating), but of course the downside is it wouldn’t be as fresh or warm the next morning. If you can, I’d recommend just making the whole thing right when you’re going to eat it. 🙂
Rachael Potter says
Could I use honey instead of artificial sweetener?
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Rachael, I recommend a granulated sweetener rather than a liquid one like honey. I’m not sure if honey would work or not, since it would change the overall wet/dry ratio in the recipe (let me know if you try it). Just one thing to keep in mind, erythritol is actually a natural sweetener (not artificial), but any other granulated one will work the same way. You could use coconut sugar if you prefer not to use a sugar-free sweetener. I have a comparison of natural sweeteners and conversion chart here – hope that helps.
Regee napz says
This was super! I used stevia and tapioca syrup (+/-1 T) for the sweetener. I’ve tried several recipes but this is the best! The texture is really cake-like and not gooey…..and there’s no nuts.
Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you, Regee!
Elaine says
This is delicious! I normally have high hopes for low carb baked goods, but then am disappointed. Not so with this mug muffin. I did use Splenda because that’s the granular sweetener I have. I’ll definitely be making this again. Thanks Maya!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you, Elaine!
Mez says
Just made this and it was delicious! A great and different way to get my tablespoon of flax seeds in for the day without just sprinkling it on my meals. This is going to be my Saturday morning treat. Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
You’re welcome, Mez! Sounds like a perfect Saturday morning treat.
Kristen says
Delicious! I used almost flour in place of flax seed meal and it worked perfectly!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you, Kristen! I’m glad the almond flour substitution worked out for you, too.
Rachael B says
This sounds delish! Could you use unsweetened applesauce in place of the coconut oil to reduce the fat? Thanks!
Rachael B says
It worked! Used 4 oz unsweetened applesauce instead of the oil. Did not add the extra water. So good! Thanks!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you, Rachael! Good to know that worked!
Erin Hackett says
Hiya! New to the paleo thing and trying to find batters I can make the night before… would this be ok in the fridge overnight?
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Erin, In general, anything with baking powder (including this mug cake) will not be the same if the batter is stored overnight. It starts to react right away. If you want to make it the night before, I’d recommend leaving out the baking powder when preparing and add that in right before cooking the next morning. Otherwise, you could mix all the dry ingredients ahead of time (including the baking powder but leaving out the wet ingredients), and just add the wet ones when ready in the morning. Hope that helps!
Lynz says
I just finished making one of these and it is *so good* that I’ll probably have it again for breakfast in the morning! I halved the recipe, since I don’t trust myself to have the self-control to stick to just one portion :p The half-size fit perfectly into one of the ramekins I usually use to make individually-portioned custards.
A few notes:
-I microwaved my half-sized one for 1m15s, which I think was a little too long, as it’s a tad more dry than I would have liked. Still delicious, though.
-I only had ground brown flaxseeds; they worked quite nicely too!
-I don’t mind dairy, so I topped it with a teensy bit of salted butter right out of the microwave, which moistened the top quite nicely. Next time I’ll probably reduce the coconut oil a little bit and add the butter directly to the batter.
-Again, since dairy and I get along, I went ahead and added more! I wanted to emulate a cream cheese dressing but realized, after midnight when everything is closed, that I don’t have any on-hand. I do, however, have creme fraiche, and a dollop of that (with a little more powdered Swerve dusted atop it) went a long way toward hitting the traditional glaze flavour.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Lynz, I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for the detailed notes. That creme frache glaze sounds yummy!
Estelle Jordaan says
This was amazing! I used egg white powder instead of flax and made a cream cheese frosting… and finished the serving. Perfect dessert for a cold winter night!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you, Estelle! I’ll need to try that variation.
Tracie Fisher says
Love the detail. I made 1 serving and it was good, but I overcooked it for sure! Came out way too dry, microwaved for 2 full minutes. Whew, lesson learned, haha. Will try again… maybe tomorrow 🙂
I don’t have or really like coconut oil. Can I replace with butter or olive oil? I replaced with butter tonight but probably only a half tablespoon.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Tracie, Microwaves vary, so start with 90 seconds and then check if it’s done before adding more time if needed. You can replace the coconut oil with butter (same amount). It will probably be dry if using only 1/2 a tablespoon – use a full tablespoon for 1 serving (half the recipe), or 2 tablespoons for the full recipe.
Tracie Fisher says
Omg, made this again tonight! Used 1 tbsp of butter and microwaved for 1 minute. Soooo good. Last night it was dry and hard. Tonight light, fluffy and buttery! My life is complete! Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
You’re welcome, I’m glad it worked this time!
Vanessa Annabel Tate says
Hi, I notice this makes 2 portions, if I split mix between 2 ramekins instead of a single mug and microwaved together would this still work – so hubby and I each feel like we’ve had our own dessert? Getting really fed up with sugar free jelly now and would love something quick to make like this. (Following very low carb to keep my BG down as diabetic). Thanks, Vanessa
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Vanessa, Yes, you can absolutely split it between two ramekins! You may need to reduce the cooking time, so just check on them at 15 second increments after 45 seconds, until firm.
Becky S. says
Thanks for the sweetener comparison and conversion chart – I really needed that!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
You’re welcome, Becky! I’m glad it’s helpful!
Gwyn says
I love this recipe! I halved the recipe so it would be 1 serving and made a butter glaze to put on it:
1 Tbps utter
.5 Tbps heavy cream
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 Tbps Swerve confections sugar substitute.
This helped kick my sweet tooth the other day. Super sweet and I didn’t use all the glaze. The mug recipe is amazing and I will be using it again in the future.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you, Gwyn! That glaze sounds like a delicious addition!
Lizzie Royer says
I just made this and it is SO GOOD!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you, Lizzie!
Terry S. says
So, so excited to find this! So yummy! I had to tweek it a bit as I can’t have some of the ingredients. I used 4 tbsp. almond flour in place of coconut flour, 1 tbsp. Hemp protein powder in place of flaxseed because I didn’t have any, 2 tbsp. ghee as I can’t have coconut anything, 1 1/2 tbsp. maple syrup instead of the erythritol, I used 1/4 tsp. cinnamon just because I don’t care for too much cinnamon. It’s perfect for me this way! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I’m new to the Paleo thing, I actually have a bunch of allergies and paleo is the closest thing I can get and be able to tweek as needed for me. I can’t wait to try your others. Love the mug things as no one else in my family is ready to make all the switches. I’m working on them just for health reasons. Keep on cooking!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you, Terry! I’m so glad you were able to make adjustments that worked for you, food restrictions can be tough. I hope you continue to try more of my recipes!
Terry S. says
Good to know about the baking powder, thanks for that tip. I plan to mix dry ingredients the night before so it will be easier to put together in the am before work.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
That’s a great idea, Terry! Dry ingredients can be mixed in advance. Just don’t mix with the wet ones until right before cooking, because otherwise the baking powder won’t work well.
Terry S. says
I used almond flour, I just had to use a bit more. I just added 1 tbsp. at a time till it was a cake like consistency. I also used hemp protein powder.
Stacy Yeager says
Was it just me, or was this WAY too sweet and way too much cinnamon?
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Stacy, Sorry that the sweetness and cinnamon weren’t to your liking. I haven’t heard this from others but feel free to adjust as needed.
Betsy says
I made this following the recipe, and found it delicious! The next day however, I added up the net carbs in each ingredient and came up with a much higher number than your nutritional facts. Bummer. I was looking forward to adding this to my routine.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you, Betsy! I’m glad you liked it. I use the Fat Secret recipe calculator. Net carbs subtract fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carb count. Other than that, this makes a huge mug cake so it’s 2 servings. Maybe that was the difference in the numbers you got?
Jenn says
Hi, can this be made and then re-heated? I’m really sick right now so am relying on my mom to make my breakfast in the mornings and leave it out for me for whenever I get up x
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Jenn, Yes, you can reheat it but it’s best fresh (basically just like any other muffin). Sorry to hear you are sick – hope you feel better soon!