I absolutely love this cinnamon cupcake recipe! It makes cupcakes that are tender, moist, and packed with cinnamon flavor.

What more could you want in a cinnamon cupcake, right?!

The Cinnamon Cupcake Batter

This cinnamon cupcake recipe is based on my classic vanilla cupcake recipe. I upped the ante to include 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon to really pack these cupcakes with cinnamon flavor.

This gives them a delicious cinnamon flavor without being too overpowering.

My biggest tip when making this cinnamon cupcake recipe is to be sure not to overmix the batter! Overmixed batter can lead to dense, chewy cupcakes.

By mixing the batter just until the ingredients are combined you are guaranteed tender, soft cupcakes.

The Cinnamon Buttercream

Now just making a cinnamon cupcake wasn’t enough. I wanted to make cinnamon buttercream too!

When you’re frosting a dozen cupcakes, you don’t need a ton of frosting. To make just the right amount, I modified my American buttercream to make a 1/4 batch.

Once I was happy with the volume of frosting this recipe makes, it was time to figure out the perfect amount of ground cinnamon.

With the dusting of cinnamon on top of the frosting, I find you don’t need more than 2 tsp of cinnamon in the frosting. However, you can add more or less to suit your palette.

Substitutions and Swaps – Cinnamon Cupcakes

This cinnamon cupcake recipe use quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have them all on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make:

• All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend if needed.
• Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar as it will change the texture of these cupcakes.
• Ground Cinnamon – There really isn’t a substitute for the cinnamon in this recipe! It’s the star of the show 🙂
• Whole Milk – You can also use full fat yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
• Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe. Canola or sunflower oil would work great!
• Egg – If you have an egg allergy you can try using 1 flaxseed egg or 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce instead.

Substitutions and Swaps – Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.

Tips for Making the Best Cinnamon Cupcakes

• Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Mix your cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
• One batch of batter can also be used to make one 9×13-inch cinnamon sheet cake. Bake it at 325 F for 33-38 minutes.
• Make these cinnamon cupcakes vegan or dairy free! Use your favorite type of dairy free milk to replace the buttermilk and heavy cream and use vegan butter sticks in place of the butter.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you make this cinnamon cupcake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media.

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