These muffins are tender, full of warm spices, and topped with even more sugary spices and walnuts for some crunch. Even if you’ve never had the original muffins from Mimi’s Cafe you will still totally enjoy these buttermilk spice muffins!
Truthfully, while I have eaten at this restaurant, I have never tried these specific muffins. I made them for a close family friend. He said that the texture was spot on but that mine were a bit more spiced. To me they tasted like applejacks cereal in the form of a muffin. The cinnamon flavor with the cinnamon sugar walnut topping is out of this world delicious.
These muffins are perfect as an indulgent snack or as part of your coffee/tea ritual. I personally loved them with some strong black coffee. I am not a big breakfast eater but sometimes it is fun to shirk my normal routine and have a sugary spiced muffin in the morning!
Normally I hate using baking recipes that use 3 eggs because it doesn’t lend well to halving the recipe. I am the ultimate queen of halving baking recipes because aint nobody need 3 dozen cookies mmkay. However these muffins are flippin’ delicious and they only make 12! Just share the excess muffins and you will be fine.
Also, if you work in a smallish office then 12 muffins is an ideal number of treats to share with your coworkers! Who wouldn’t love a homemade buttermilk spice muffin???
I know cinnamon isn’t a super popular summer flavor but I think that is just nonsense! These buttermilk spice muffin alongside a cup of coffee in the morning works year-round! Don’t box yourself in with spices is basically what I am getting at here.
However if you aren’t up to jazzing up your summer desserts with hefty doses of cinnamon then just save this recipe in your back pocket for the Fall season. The cinnamon spices fill up your kitchen as you bake and it really feels so cozy and romantic.
Muffin Baking Tips for Success!
- Follow the recipe! That means no ingredient substitutions! If you do, and the recipe doesn’t turn out well then sorry not sorry but you opted to change the recipe! Follow the ingredient list and the directions!
- Do not overmix. A helpful tip I use is when combining dry and wet ingredients is switching from an electric mixer to a simple wooden spoon or spatula. Also, count the amount of times you stir! I usually count between 7-10 stirs.
- Do not overbake. I give a baking time of 18-25 minutes because every oven works differently. At the 18 minute mark start keeping an eye on the muffins. When they’re bronzed/golden on top then they are usually good to go!
Some of my other favorite desserts
Cake Mix Cinnamon Oatmeal Rum Raisin Cookies
Ina’s Brown Sugar Swirled Peach Cake
Spiced Persimmon Cake with Tangy Lemon Glaze
Mimi’s Cafe Buttermilk Spice Muffins
These muffins are tender, full of warm spices, and topped with even more sugary spices and walnuts for some crunch.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup softened butter (113g)
- 1 cup white sugar (200g)
- 3 large eggs
- 2½ cups all purpose flour (300g)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice Note 1
- ¾ cup buttermilk Note 2
Cinnamon Sugar Walnut Topping
- ⅓ cup white sugar (60g)
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped (~100g)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice Note 1
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 12-cup muffin (or 2 6-cup tins) with oil. Muffin liners are not necessary but if you choose to use them, spray them with oil as well.
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Cream the softened butter and sugar until light and creamy. This will take about 5 minutes with a handheld mixer on low-medium. Add in the eggs one at a time and beat them in.
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In another bowl combine the dry ingredients, mix them to combine. Alternate between adding the dry ingredients then the buttermilk to the creamed butter, ending with the dry stuff. DO NOT OVERMIX. Once I start mixing in the flour I put away the electric beaters and start using a rubber spatula to gently fold the dry and wet together, it gives me greater control and lessens the chance of overmixing.
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Evenly scoop out the batter into the 12 muffin cups. Top each muffin with 1 tbs of the cinnamon sugar walnut topping.
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Bake for 18-25 minutes (each oven works differently). Muffins are done when golden on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool in muffin tins for 10 minutes then remove and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Cinnamon Sugar Walnut Topping
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In a small bowl combine the sugar, chopped walnuts, and spices. Mix to combine then set aside.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Some other recipes online call for 1 teaspoon of nutmeg in addition to the cinnamon but I have never been that big of a fan of nutmeg so I just used pumpkin pie spice (apple pie spice would work too!). Use whatever spice you like.
Note 2: I make my own buttermilk. For this recipe I poured 3/4 cup of whole milk into a measuring glass then added 1 tbs of white vinegar and then let it ‘sour’ for 15 minutes.
Hi!
Is this recipe for a 12 cup regular sized muffin pan (like cupcake size) or the jumbo sized muffin pan?
Thanks!
Hi Nia! This recipe is for a 12 cup regular muffin pan.