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GET IT NOWThis 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.
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!)
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.
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Instructions
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.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
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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© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
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:
234 Comments
Stacey
0Yummy! My first mug cake!
Karen T
0OMG! DO NOT use *liquid* sweetner…gag! I didn’t notice until it was too late to use granulated sweetner. I used 1.5 t. liquid and it was terrible. Next time I promise to follow the recipe correctly.
Jacinda Cote
0Can this be made with liquid stevia instead of granular? or is the granular a must? Love your blog!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jacinda, Granulated is probably best because it affects the wet/dry ratio of the batter. But it’s not a huge amount so it’s possible it might work anyway. Let me know how it goes if you try.
Cori
0This was great but I don’t know what I did wrong… I put in the nutritional info and my calculations were 4 grams of carbs, 500+ calories, and 50 grams of fat . The only thing I changed was one tablespoon of almond flour in place of the flax seed.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cori, The recipe makes 2 servings, and nutrition info on the recipe card is per serving. It sounds like the nutrition info you are looking at is for the whole recipe instead of per serving.
Daniella
0I make this all the time now. It is delicious and so easy to whip up. It meets my cinnamon cravings!
Rima
0Ačiū.
Wendi
0Thank you for the recipe, it was different from the Cinnamon Mug Muffin that I have made in the past. For my personal taste, it has too much cinnamon, but I did like the “sugar” on top and “swirled” in – I think that for fear of mixing too much, I didn’t do that very good so maybe it was just that there was too much cinnamon at the top of the muffin, because the bottom 2 slices seemed to taste better to me.
It is a good nut free alternative. Thanks for sharing! And thank you for doing such a good job on all your recipes, I have tried many and have many more to try so I really appreciate you taking the time to share!
May you be blessed for your efforts!
Margie
0I have liked your recipes so far. Just an FYI my google home hub has been able to find the recipes easily and I have been adding them to me good home hub cookbook! I got the home hub for recipes so I don’t dirty up my phone if I can’t find my print outs.
Jennifer
0I like to top mine with “cream cheese glaze” :
I have a table spoon or two of cream cheese warmed up in the microwave oven, stir some sweetener of choice (for me it’s Erytrithol and Stevia 1:1) and pour it over…
Wholesome Yum A
0How do you do that with google. I didnt know there was a cookbook type option!!
Brooke
0Haha, a liiiiittle more than 2 min… gotta take everything out, measure, melt oil, fish out that shell that you biffed .. I usually detest recipes with coconut flour as prominent ingredient, but from me & non-keto hubby .. will make again but will split into 2 & add a touch more erythritol.
Dee
0What other oils can I use? Olive oil or avacado oil?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Dee, I haven’t tried those but you probably can.
Doreen
0This was delicious. Hope to make it again soon.
Amy
0I made this today. I tweaked a couple of things. I did not use the flaxseed (didn’t have them in my pantry), instead used the same amount of coconut flour. I also added 1TBS of coconut powder (I really really love anything coconut). I also used half a large egg add I really dislike the eggy taste. My mix became a little tight, so I added some coconut milk. They turned out awesome. Thank you so much for the recipe!!
Kara
0This is the absolute best version of this muffin! Adding a few splashes of almond milk at the end was a game changer! The last time I tried keto for a few months, I didn’t enjoy this every weekday morning sometimes with eggs and/or bacon and lost 15+ pounds. I’m back to keto being a lifestyle and it’s better than I remembered. It’s made with staple low carb ingredients so I never need to shop. Thank you, and I will be trying more of your recipes soon!
Audrey
0This was the best! Thank you!
Sarah
0For something that was a morning search with almost all the ingredients except the sugar. It was great. It was a new breakfast that replaced my normal 3 eggs and avocado. It was easy to make. It’s a little dry alone but I added some homemade cream cheese icing because with cinnamon rolls it’s a must, it was a perfect combination. This will be my go to. ❤️❤️
Mika
0That was delicious. My 3 year old asked for seconds. I made this recipe as a keto dessert however ill use it again for the kids as a breakfast option. Thanks for sharing!
Tutu
0Love it! I put Keto cream cheese frosting on it! Yum! A Cinnabon copycat that’s Keto friendly!
Paul
0Made it!
Enjoyed it. I used stevia because I can’t find my swerve bag…used less, but will use the full amount next time. Found it hard to get a good swirl with a spoon, might use handle next time.
Thank you!
Jan
0Made the cinnamon mug this morning. Only made 1 serving. Who ever heard of leaving any
in your mug for the next day? It was great! I used the whole egg instead of only half – but it
wasn’t too eggy for me. Its great to have a quick breakfast!
Holly Hayes
0My daughter is allergic to almost everything. All nuts, corn, gluten, all seeds, carrots, grapes, soy, and intolerant to dairy. She can handle most Keto recipes and we love your blog. Any suggestion what I can substitute the flax seed with? Also, for those recipes that include almond flour, what is a good substitute for that??? P.S. i used a lot of your recipes for thanksgivong dinner. It was a hit with my Keto family. I also made regular mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc, etc for the rest of the family.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Holly, Most substitutes for almond flour are flours from other nuts or seeds. However, that’s for low carb, so if your daughter doesn’t need to be low carb, you could try cassava flour. I’m so glad you like the recipes!
Sharon
0Can you make this recipe with almond flour?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sharon, Yes, you can replace the flaxseed meal with almond flour in this one if you’d like.
Kris
0Just made this, and I’m pleasantly surprised. The idea of microwaving muffins has always been weird to me, but since starting keto, cooking is such a hassle, I wanted an easier breakfast. Was a bit dry, and since I’m new to keto, I’m still not used to the very stiffed sweetness. But definitely the best use of erythritol I’ve had since I got the bag of it.
Might top with sweetened heavy whipping cream to alleviate some of the dryness and suit my sweet tooth next time. But definitely enjoyed it. Thanks for the recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, Kris! Have a great day!
Karen
0I love this so much I want to convert it into a bigger version cooked in a loaf pan. How in the world would I do that?
It’s so good with a tablespoon or so of cream cheese smeared on top. I have this for breakfast quite often. So often, I have the recipe memorized!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Karen! I haven’t tried this in a loaf pan. It should work, but not sure what the bake time would be without testing. I’d bake it at 350 degrees and keep checking on it every 5-10 minutes starting at around 40 minutes or so, but would guess it will take closer to an hour to be done. You can tent the top with foil if it starts to burn before a toothpick comes out clean. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Jo
0Hi… Mine came out very dry and crumbly. I did keep adding water till it was easy to stir. Otherwise followed directions exactly. Really need a good keto sweet recipe that’s quick and easy. It’s rough following keto for me being vegetarian. Need something sweet I can turn to sometimes.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jo, It could be the brand of coconut flour you used – try the one that is the link on the recipe card. Otherwise, feel free to add more coconut oil next time which will make it less dry.
Barbara Horan
0Can I substitute golden flaxseed for regular flaxseed?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Barbara, You can! It will have a stronger flax seed flavor that way, though.
Brittany Stewart
0I made this twice and found it to be very dry and dense. I assumed it was a moisture problem since coconut flour needs more liquid and added two tablespoons of heavy whipping cream to the mix when I made it a third time. The result: soft, flavorful, and completely edible.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you for sharing, Brittany! I need to try that next time.
Brianna
0Is there a substitute for the egg? I’m holding the recipe also so would I still need the egg?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Brianna, You might be able to use a flax egg instead.
Rhonda
0Just made this and I loved it. Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Rhonda!
Karen
0Hi, can you tell me how big of a mug I need for this? I have lots of different sizes…
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, I used a 12 oz mug. Any smaller than that and it might overflow, so if yours are smaller you can divide the batter among multiple mugs. Exact cook time will vary depending on mug size and shape.
Joyce
0This was great! Thanks for a great recipe. I also substituted almond flour for the flax seed meal. Worked great. Absolutely delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Joyce! Yes, almond flour is a great substitute here if needed.
Kim Brunko
0Just made the muffins and they turned out perfectly!! I used almond flour in place of the flax because that is what I had on hand. Divided between 2 custard cups and topped with butter when they came out of the oven. I did use my conventional oven. I will be making these on a regular basis. They work into my Keto diet plan. Great job!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you for sharing these tips with us, Kim!
Jen
0Thanks so much for the recipe! Just thought I’d make a suggestion for others who’ve been strictly keto: cut the sweetener, at least in half. I can have a major sweet tooth but since switching to a keto diet, sugar is out. I’m only starting to incorporate other sweeteners and I followed this recipe exactly, but was quite overwhelmed by how sweet it is. Given that adjustment, I’ll absolutely be making this again!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for sharing with us, Jen! I am so happy you enjoyed the muffins!
Jennifer S BRAMMER
0Wow! This is delicious. I subbed butter for the coconut oil and it’s perfect for me! My second attempt I topped it with some stevia sweetened cream cheese. I’m in heaven.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it, Jennifer! Thanks for stopping by!
Ashley O.
0This was amazing! It hit the spot when I needed something sweet! Thank you!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ashley! I am so happy you liked them! Have a great day!
Jen
0Amazing! This was close to my memories of cinnamon muffins. The only tweak I made was to add about 2 TBSP water instead of a few tsp.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked them, Jen! Thanks for stopping by!
Debbie
0Love this! I put a little coconut butter on top and it was like a glaze. Was good with or without it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That sounds delicious with coconut butter, Debbie!
Susan
0Very good. Will use more cinnamon next time but good as posted. Thanks for sharing
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I love cinnamon, Susan! I am glad you like them!
Lisa
0Made this tonight and it was really good. I think next time I’ll add a little cinnamon to the batter also.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That’s a great idea, Lisa! I am so happy you liked it!
Norhala
0Hi Maya – tried this recipe today for the 2nd time. As with my first attempt, it was VERY dry after adding the coconut oil and egg (perhaps my brand of coconut flour or flaxseed meal?) I added 1/4 cup half-and-half to thin before microwaving, and it turned out perfectly. Dropped a pat of butter into the top after cooking, and added another 1/4 cup half-and-half…was very nearly like a breakfast cake! Delicious! May try a touch of clove next time…hmmm… 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Adding a clove is a wonderful idea, Norhala! Thanks for stopping by!
Debbie
0Best low carb mug muffins ever, and I’ve made lots! The texture is perfect, and the flavor is, too! The cinnamon is a must! Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it, Debbie! Have a great day!
GINA ROSATO
0No…Thank you! Love this!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the muffin, Gina!
Elizabeth Sullivan
0This is amazing. So good. Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Elizabeth! I am so happy you liked the muffins!
Marjorie
0My husband was very inquisitive once I took this out of the microwave because we both love cinnamon and it smelled wonderful! We ended up sharing it (it is very large and filling!). When I told him the carb count for half he said with a bite in his mouth “make me another 7!” Absolutely delicious and a great addition for any time of day!
We did substitute the golden flax for almond flour and had a great muffin consistency. So if someone is wondering, it still turns out amazing!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Marjorie! So glad you bother liked it!
Connie Condra
0I just found this recipe. Tried it. Loved it! I was wondering if I could substitute 1 oz of blueberries for the cinnamon.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Connie! Yes, you can!
Liz
0This was amazingly delicious, by far the tastiest low carb “muffin in a mug” recipe I’ve tried so far. Very satisfying, and I love how moist it is! Awesome.
But when I plugged it into MyFitnessPal with the specific brands of things I used (these ingredients of course, used Pyure for the sweetener which is a stevia/ehthyritol blend and only added 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract), it listed it as having 23g total carbs per serving and 16g fiber per serving for 7g net carbs per serving, not 2! Any idea why?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Liz! I’m glad you liked it. The difference was likely the sweetener. Since Erythritol carbs don’t get absorbed, I don’t include them in the carb count. MFP is notorious for including them.
Julie
0Yum! My husband and I shared one for breakfast this morning. But you can’t really even taste the coconut. Just the sweet cinnamon goodness! No complaints from him! I call this one a success!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Julie! I’m glad you both enjoyed it!
Elaine
0Is there any way to add apple to this recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0The carb count would be higher with apples in it but I’m sure you could add some to the batter before cooking.
Alli
0Can this be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge over night?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Alli, Yes, you can, as long as you actually heat it first (microwave or oven). Then you can just reheat. It’s not as good as fresh, but still decent. You definitely don’t want the wet ingredients sitting overnight, because they will react and the muffin won’t rise well when you microwave or bake it in the morning. Otherwise, if you want the fresh taste, another alternative is to mix the dry ingredients the night before, but only add the wet ingredients in the morning.
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.