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This Cinnamon Swirl Mug Muffin Makes A Cozy, Healthy Breakfast Minutes
This cinnamon muffin in a mug has been my go-to on busy mornings when everything feels a little chaotic, but I still want a warm, homemade breakfast. Here’s why I’ve made it more times than I can count, and why you should, too:
- Soft, fluffy, and moist texture with a cinnamon swirl – This mug muffin tastes like a sweet, moist vanilla muffin with a warm cinnamon ribbon that instantly takes it up a notch.
- Ready in 2 minutes – Mix everything right in the mug, pop it in the microwave, and breakfast is done before you even have time to think about skipping it.
- Actually good for you – I love that it’s naturally gluten-free, nut-free, packed with nourishing flaxseed and coconut flour, and has no refined sugar.
Whether you need a sweet, healthy treat or are just craving a healthy-dessert-for-breakfast situation, my cinnamon muffin in a mug is sure to satisfy. Especially with a scoop of almond ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top… just saying. Make it with me!
“Yum! I just made this as an alternative to my usual eggs for breakfast. I topped mine with a little whipped heavy cream just to add a little bit of decadence. It is delicious, and I love the addition of flaxseed meal.”
-Ann
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my muffin in a mug recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- 2 Healthy Flours – I used a combination of Wholesome Yum Organic Coconut Flour (which absorbs just the right amount of moisture) and Golden Flaxseed Meal, which work together to give this mug muffin an amazing texture. You can also use brown flaxseed meal instead of golden, but I prefer golden because it’s milder. I don’t recommend substitutions for the coconut flour, because it’s very unique and absorbent compared to anything else.
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This is the sweetener I always use because it keeps baked goods (and microwave mug muffins!) super moist. Plus, it tastes and measures just like sugar, is natural, and has no aftertaste.
- Milk Of Your Choice – I used unsweetened coconut milk beverage this time, but have also made this recipe with almond milk and dairy milk.
- Unsalted Butter – I originally used unrefined coconut oil in this recipe and you still can, but it tasted very coconutty. If you’re not a fan of that, use butter like I do now, or choose a refined coconut oil for a neutral taste that’s still dairy-free. But my personal favorite option in my testing without dairy was butter-flavored coconut oil.
- Egg – For structure and rise. For an egg-free option, replace the egg with 1 extra tablespoon of golden flaxseed meal + 3 extra tablespoons of milk. The result will be more dense, though.
- Baking Powder, Sea Salt, & Cinnamon – For lift, flavor balance, and of course, that cinnamon swirl. You can add a splash of vanilla extract if you like, too.
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How To Make A Muffin In A Mug
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a microwave-safe mug, stir together the coconut flour, golden flaxseed meal, Besti, baking powder, and sea salt.
- Add the wet ingredients. Add the egg, milk, and melted butter or coconut oil. Stir until smooth with no dry spots. Let the batter sit to thicken a bit.
- Make the cinnamon swirl. In a small bowl, mix the remaining Besti and cinnamon. Spoon it over the batter in a little pile, then gently swirl a couple of times. Don’t overmix to keep that ribbon effect!
- Microwave the muffin in a mug. You can also bake in the oven if your mug is oven-safe. Enjoy your cinnamon mug muffin while it’s still warm — and I highly recommend whipped cream on top!
My Recipe Tips
- You can add a little more milk if the batter seems too thick, but be careful not to add too much. It should look similar to a flax egg, so on the thicker side.
- Grab a pretty large mug or ramekin. The batter will expand a lot as it cooks, more than doubling in volume, then settle and shrink to its final size. If your vessel is too small, it’ll overflow.
- I prefer a butter knife for folding in the cinnamon mixture because it’s long and skinny, and easy to make nice swirls. A small spoon can also work. I don’t recommend a larger spoon, that tends to just mix it all into a uniform mixture and it’s not the same.
- If you want to keep the entire recipe in one mug: You can melt the butter in the mug first, then stir in the dry ingredients, and finally the eggs and milk. I just prefer the way it’s written here because the dry ingredients mix better that way. I just use a 3-4 oz mini bowl to melt the butter. Another mug works, too.
- Insert a toothpick into the center of the muffin. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it’s ready.
- Feel free to add mix-ins: Try stirring in raspberries, blueberries, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts (like pecans or walnuts) instead of the cinnamon swirl.
Muffin In A Mug (With A Cinnamon Swirl!)
By
It takes just 2 minutes to make my cinnamon swirl muffin in a mug! It's soft, moist, and sweet, with no refined sugar or white flour.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In a mug, mix together the coconut flour, golden flaxseed meal, half of the Besti (1 tablespoon / 14 g if making one serving), baking powder, and sea salt.
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Add the egg, milk, and melted butter or coconut oil. Stir well, until smooth, making sure no dry ingredients are left at the bottom. Let it sit for 2 minutes to thicken.
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Optional step: Depending on your coconut flour, if the batter is very stiff, you can thin it out with more milk, a tablespoon at a time, until thin enough. It should be easy to stir, but not liquid; the amount will depend on your brand of coconut flour.
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In a small bowl, combine the remaining Besti and cinnamon. Spoon the cinnamon mixture in a heap in the center of the mug on top of the batter. Use a small spoon or butter knife to fold or swirl just a couple of times. (Don’t over-stir to keep the marble effect.) Level the top with the back of the spoon if needed.
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Microwave option: Microwave the muffin in a mug for 1-2 minutes on high power, until set. Check that an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Oven option: Bake in an oven-safe ramekin or mug at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) for 10-20 minutes, depending on your container's shape.
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Let the mug muffin cool for a few minutes to improve its texture. Enjoy warm.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 mug muffin, or the entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the perfect texture and nail the cinnamon swirl.
- Storage & meal prep: This is generally a make-and-eat recipe, but you can keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days if you need to. You can even meal prep several at once.
- Reheat: Warm it back up in the microwave. If it feels a little dry, I like adding a small pat of butter before reheating.
- Note on serving size: I made it the entire mug for a filling meal, but I’ve also enjoyed half as a snack, and that was plenty for that purpose.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Muffin In A Mug
More Recipes In A Mug
If you liked this mug muffin, here are a few more cozy recipes you can whip up just as easily in your favorite coffee mug:
236 Comments
Jessica
0Delicious! I have made this twice now. The second time I used a custard dish, and once it cooled a bit I lifted it out onto a plate. What a beautiful little cake serving for one! Thanks for the recipe! PS I used almond flour in place of the coconut flour, and butter in place of the coconut oil, and it turned out great!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Jessica! Great idea to make it in a custard dish.
Jenn
0Hi, 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
0Hi 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!
Betsy
0I 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
0Thank you, Betsy! I’m glad you liked it. I use the Fat Secret recipe calculator. Net carbs subtract fiber and erythritol 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?
Fran
0Hi Maya! I love your recipes! What is a Fat Secret recipe calculator? Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Fran! I’ve actually since switched over to using the USDA Food Database for all my nutrition info.
Stacy Yeager
0Was it just me, or was this WAY too sweet and way too much cinnamon?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi 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.
Terry S.
0I 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.
Terry S.
0Good 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
0That’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.
0So, 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
0Thank 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!
Lizzie Royer
0I just made this and it is SO GOOD!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Lizzie!
Gwyn
0I 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
0Thank you, Gwyn! That glaze sounds like a delicious addition!
Becky S.
0Thanks for the sweetener comparison and conversion chart – I really needed that!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0You’re welcome, Becky! I’m glad it’s helpful!
Vanessa Annabel Tate
0Hi, 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
0Hi 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.
Tracie Fisher
0Love 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
0Hi 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.
Estelle Jordaan
0This 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
0Thank you, Estelle! I’ll need to try that variation.
Lynz
0I 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
0Hi Lynz, I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for the detailed notes. That creme frache glaze sounds yummy!
Erin Hackett
0Hiya! 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
0Hi 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!
Rachael B
0It worked! Used 4 oz unsweetened applesauce instead of the oil. Did not add the extra water. So good! Thanks!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Rachael! Good to know that worked!
Rachael B
0This sounds delish! Could you use unsweetened applesauce in place of the coconut oil to reduce the fat? Thanks!
Kristen
0Delicious! I used almost flour in place of flax seed meal and it worked perfectly!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Kristen! I’m glad the almond flour substitution worked out for you, too.
Mez
0Just 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
0You’re welcome, Mez! Sounds like a perfect Saturday morning treat.
Elaine
0This 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
0Thank you, Elaine!