The best low calorie cinnamon roll muffins

So muffins are an acceptable breakfast but cinnamon rolls aren’t? We can easily work around that with these low calorie cinnamon roll muffins. These muffins have all the flavors of a delicious fluffy cinnamon roll without the kneading, long rise times and effort. And at just 74 calories a muffin, you can have the entire batch for under 500 calories!

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These low calorie cinnamon roll muffins just made breakfast 10x more fun! These muffins are so easy to make, come together in under 30 minutes and somehow it’s acceptable to have something this delicious for breakfast? I mean, I won’t say no to dessert for breakfast – especially when it tastes just like a cinnamon roll! Each muffin has just 74 calories so it’s a no brainer. Have a few of these muffins with your morning coffee or save them for a quick post dinner sweet treat whenever you need it.

Looking for more low calorie muffins? You NEED to try these low calorie triple chocolate muffins and/or these low calorie pumpkin spice muffins!

I am a huge cinnamon roll girly, always was and always will be. When I was on my own weight loss journey, I would have this low calorie single serve cinnamon roll at least twice a week! These low calorie cinnamon roll muffins are the muffins of my dreams. I wish I had created this recipe years ago when I was losing weight. They are soft, fluffy and super moist. Plus, they’re filled with cinnamon sugar and topped with low calorie cream cheese frosting for the ultimate low calorie indulgent dessert! They can easily be stored for a quick grab and go snack too.

Ingredients in low calorie cinnamon roll muffins

Exact ingredient quantities can be found at the bottom of this page.

To make these low calorie cinnamon roll muffins you will need:

Egg – This recipe calls for 1 room temperature egg. To get a refrigerated egg to room temperature, place on the kitchen counter for at least 30 minutes. To get it to room temperature quickly, place in a bowl of warm water for at least 10 minutes.

Stevia or 0 calorie granulated sweetener  – Any sweetener will work for this recipe but keep in mind the conversion. The stevia I used is a 1:2 ratio of stevia to sugar so factor that in when using a different sweetener.

0% fat greek yogurt – 0% fat greek yogurt is much thicker than regular yogurt which is perfect for adding moisture, volume and creating a fluffy muffin.

Whole milk – To add a little fat and moisture. Can be subbed for any milk of your choosing – the calories will likely be lower depending on the milk you use.

Vanilla – No muffin recipe is complete without a dash of vanilla!

Self-raising flour – Perfect for creating that soft, fluffy, bakery-style muffin we love. You can opt for plain/all-purpose flour with the addition of baking powder and baking soda.

Baking powder – To help the muffins rise. 

Ground cinnamon – For the cinnamon swirl.

Unsweetened applesauce – To make the cinnamon swirl you’ll need a little applesauce. Applesauce is super low in calories and works great to replace butter. You can opt for reduced fat butter here if you don’t have any applesauce available, the calories will differ though.

Light cream cheese – What’s a cinnamon roll muffin without the frosting?

0 calorie powdered sweetener – A small amount of powdered sweetener to sweeten the cream cheese frosting. You can also use regular icing sugar here but the calories will be a little higher.

How to make low calorie cinnamon roll muffins

1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C (392°F). Line a 6-count muffin tray with 6 muffin liners and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and stevia until light and fluffy. Whisk in the milk, yogurt and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. 
3. Add in the flour and baking powder and mix until smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the 6 muffin liners and set aside.
4. Make the cinnamon swirl by mixing together the applesauce, stevia and cinnamon until well combined. Transfer to a piping bag and snip off the end.
5. Pipe the cinnamon sugar directly into the muffins and use a toothpick to create swirls of cinnamon sugar in the muffin batter.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
7. Make the frosting by whisking together the cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sweetener until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag.
8. Pipe the frosting onto the slightly cooled muffins and enjoy!

Storage

These muffins are best served warm and fresh out of the oven. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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