These fun little bites of heaven are a French Breakfast Puffs recipe I got from my friend, Aline–the same friend who gave me Aline’s Brazilian Corn Cake. She is from Brazil, and everything she makes is delicious. One year she gave me a bag of these French Breakfast Puffs for a Christmas treat. I ate one and immediately hid them from my family. Right after I finished hiding them, I messaged her to get the recipe.
There’s a hint of nutmeg in the puff, and when you combine that with the butter they’re dipped in and the sweetness of the cinnamon-sugar coating, you will find that they don’t last long. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.
These French Breakfast Puffs are made in a mini-muffin tin. You can technically make them in a normal muffin tin, but it’s really fun to eat them as bite-sized puffs. They are also a recipe that you want to get the cooking time exactly right (or as close as possible). If they get overcooked, they will be dry instead of nice and moist.
I am so excited for you to try these. They make such a fun and yummy treat. I know they are called breakfast puffs, but I have never actually eaten them for breakfast. You have my permission to eat them any time of day that you want. 🙂
Muffin Recipes for Breakfast, Brunch or Snacks
- Banana Nut Muffins Recipe
- Refrigerator Bran Muffins
- Amazing Fresh Peach Muffins
- Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Banana Zucchini {Bikini} Muffins
- Whole Wheat Banana Muffins with Coconut Oil and Greek Yogurt
STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOS OF HOW TO MAKE FRENCH BREAKFAST PUFFS

Frequently Asked Questions about how to make French Breakfast Puffs
If making them in a regular-sized muffin pan, how long should I bake them?
For a regular-sized muffin pan, fill the muffin cups 2/3 full and bake them at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Make sure to check them at 20 minutes so as to not overbake them.
can I use butter in place of the shortening?
Yes. Butter is a good substitute if you don’t have shortening on hand.
What type of milk is best for this recipe?
Whole milk or 2% milk work best in this recipe because the fat content helps keep them moist. If you only have 1% or nonfat on hand, they will still turn out good, keeping in mind they might be a little dryer.
I’m not a fan of nutmeg. Is there a good substitute?
If you do not like nutmeg, you can leave it out and the puffs will still taste good.
can I double the recipe?
Yes, you can double the recipe with good results.
how should I store the puffs?
The puffs taste the best warm. If you have any leftovers, 😉 store them in a Ziploc bag or an airtight container on the counter for a couple of days.
baker’s tools:
- Mini-Muffin Pan
- Cooking Spray
- Stand or Hand Mixer
- Shortening
- Small Cookie Scoop
- Cooling Rack
- Ziploc Bags
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup shortening
- 2 eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 cup milk (2% or whole work best)
- FOR THE COATING:
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini-muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- First, make the coating by mixing 1½ cups granulated sugar and 1 tbsp ground cinnamon in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Next, in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream the sugar and shortening for at least 1 minute.
- Add eggs and vanilla and mix again.
- Add ⅓ of the milk and ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix. Repeat two more times until you have incorporated all of the milk and flour.
- Put a spoonful of batter into each mini-muffin space, being careful not to fill them more than ¾ full. I use a small cookie scoop to do this.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. The top of the muffins should be springy when done. You may need 1 more minute depending on your oven. Remember to be careful not to overcook them.
- Remove the muffins and place them on a cooling rack. Respray the mini-muffin pan with cooking spray and cook the remaining batter.
- Once you have melted the butter, dip the warm muffins into the butter and then the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Try to get it on all sides. Set the coated muffin back on the cooling rack and repeat with the rest of the muffins.
- Eat while fresh.
- Enjoy!
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