Whiskey Muffin
intro
Tender, warmly spiced muffins infused with smooth bourbon whiskey, finished with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar crust, ideal for cozy fall snacking and holiday spreads.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and muffin tin
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F), then line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper baking liners, or lightly coat each cup with nonstick cooking spray. Set the prepared tin aside while you mix the batter to avoid wasting oven preheat time.
Whisk dry ingredients
In a medium glass mixing bowl, combine 240g all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds to evenly distribute leavening and spices, breaking up any small flour lumps.
Mix wet batter base
In a large ceramic mixing bowl, whisk together 113g cooled melted unsalted butter, 100g packed light brown sugar, and 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar until smooth. Add 2 room-temperature large eggs one at a time, whisking fully to incorporate after each addition, then stir in 120ml whole milk, 60ml bourbon whiskey, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until fully combined.
Fold batter gently
Pour the fully mixed dry ingredient blend into the bowl of wet ingredients. Use a flexible silicone spatula to fold the mixture together just until no dry flour streaks remain; small lumps in the batter are normal and desirable, as overmixing will develop gluten and create tough, dense muffins.
Portion and bake muffins
Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin, filling each paper liner exactly 2/3 full (approximately 3 tablespoons of batter per cup) to prevent overflow as the muffins rise. Bake on the middle oven rack for 18 to 20 minutes at 190°C (375°F), testing doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center of a middle muffin—it should come out with 1 to 2 moist crumbs attached, no raw wet batter.
Coat with cinnamon topping
While the muffins bake, mix 25g (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small shallow dish. As soon as you remove the baked muffins from the oven, brush the warm top of each muffin with the remaining 28g melted unsalted butter, then dip the buttered top into the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat evenly. Let muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Tips
2.Use a smooth, mid-range bourbon or blended rye whiskey for the best flavor; heavily peated scotch or strongly flavored craft whiskey will overpower the delicate cinnamon and nutmeg notes.
3.For a non-alcoholic version, replace the 60ml whiskey with equal parts unsweetened apple cider mixed with 1/4 teaspoon rum extract to replicate the warm, deep flavor profile without alcohol.
OMG these are INSANE. I brought them to my office potluck yesterday and every single person asked for the recipe! The cinnamon crunch top is *chef’s kiss* and the whiskey flavor is so warm and not overpowering at all. I was worried it’d be too boozy for my coworkers who don’t drink, but even they went back for seconds. So easy to throw together too, I didn’t even need to pull out my stand mixer!
Full transparency, I almost messed these up because I forgot to melt the butter for the cinnamon crust first, but even my half-melted butter version turned out SO good. My 8 and 10 year old devoured them before breakfast was even over, they keep asking when I’m making them again. Total game changer for weekend breakfasts, way better than the boring blueberry muffins I usually make.
Made a double batch on Sunday for weekday breakfasts and they held up perfectly all week in an airtight container! I love that the cook time is only 35 minutes, I was able to pop them in the oven while I was packing lunches and didn’t have to spend my whole Sunday in the kitchen. The whiskey adds such a nice cozy kick for early cold mornings. Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I wish the cinnamon crust was a little thicker, next time I’ll double the crumb topping!
As someone who puts whiskey in literally everything, these were made for me. The crust gets perfectly crispy and the inside is so moist, not dry like so many other muffin recipes I’ve tried. I added an extra tablespoon of whiskey because I like that flavor to come through a little more, would highly recommend if you’re a fellow whiskey fan.
Okay I’m literally the worst at baking, I can barely make boxed brownies without burning them, and these came out perfect first try!! The instructions are so straightforward, no fancy steps or weird ingredients I had to run to three grocery stores to find. I was so proud of myself I brought a plate over to my next door neighbor.
Made these for a post-hike snack with my trail group last weekend and they were the perfect pick-me-up. Not too sweet, portable, and that warm cinnamon and whiskey flavor hit so good after being out in the cold mountain air. Will definitely be adding these to my regular hiking snack rotation.
I made these last month for a potluck and they were a massive hit! Quick question — can I make the batter the night before and bake them in the morning? I’m hosting brunch and don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen while my guests are over. I’m planning to serve them with maple bacon and fresh fruit salad.
Wait why have I never thought to put whiskey in muffins before?? The cinnamon sugar crust is so crunchy and the middle is so soft, I ate three straight out of the oven no shame. My roommate said they’re the best thing I’ve ever baked, and she’s brutally honest so that’s high praise.
I swapped the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free baking flour and these turned out perfectly! I was worried the texture would be weird or gritty, but you couldn’t even tell they were GF. My whole family (who all eat regular gluten) loved them at our Sunday dinner last week.
These taste like fall in a muffin. I made them on a rainy Sunday while watching Halloween movies and it was the perfect cozy activity. The warm cinnamon, the hint of whiskey, the crispy top? 10/10, I’ll be making these every week from now until Thanksgiving at least.
Love that this recipe doesn’t require any fancy expensive ingredients! I already had everything in my pantry except the whiskey, which I just borrowed a splash from my roommate’s liquor cabinet (don’t tell him). Total win for a broke college student looking for a fun treat to make for my friends.
Wait has anyone tried making these in an air fryer? I don’t have a working oven right now (long story, involved a frozen pizza and a smoke alarm) and I’m dying to make these. They look too good to wait until my oven gets fixed next week. I’m giving 4 stars in advance because I know they’re gonna slap, just need to know the air fryer hack!
Served these at my monthly brunch club meetup and everyone was raving. I paired them with a whiskey butter spread (just whipped butter, a little powdered sugar, and a splash of the same whiskey I used in the muffins) and it took them to the next level. 10/10, will be making these for every brunch from now on.