Danish Butter Cookie Crumble Muffins

A cookie with a tall bakery-style muffin — the best of both worlds in one bite.

I’m a sucker for Danish butter cookies, especially the iconic Royal Dansk cookies in the signature blue tin. They melt in your mouth with that smooth, buttery texture and slight crunch that’s impossible to resist. Around the holidays, everyone knows this about me… which means I somehow ended up with more tins than I could eat in a year.

After polishing off an entire tin myself (no regrets), I knew I had to get creative. Since I also love a good muffin, these Danish Butter Cookie Crumble Muffins were born — a soft, fluffy muffin topped with a buttery cookie crumble and melty chocolate. Truly the perfect combination of two favorite treats. Another easy cookie crumble dessert are these Easy Marbled Cookie Cake Cupcakes.

Why You’ll Love These Danish Butter Cookie Crumble Muffins

• So easy — made in one bowl
• Minimal ingredients — simple pantry staples
• Bakery-style tall muffins with a crunchy cookie topping
• Perfect any time of day — breakfast, snack, or dessert
• Great way to use up Danish butter cookies

What Is a Danish Butter Cookie?

Danish butter cookies have been part of Danish culture for generations and are often served to guests or given as gifts. Known for their rich butter flavor and delicate crumb, they’ve become popular worldwide — especially when sold in decorative tins, making them a classic holiday favorite.

The Secret to Good Muffins

• Don’t overmix — stir just until combined to avoid tough muffins
• Don’t make the batter ahead — muffins rise best when baked right away
• Fill cups ¾ full to prevent overflow
• For bakery-style muffins:
  • Fill every other muffin cup
  • Start with a higher oven temperature, then lower it
  • This allows heat to circulate and helps the muffins rise taller

Ingredients

Muffins

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup milk
• ¼ cup vegetable oil (avocado oil works great)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cookie Crumble

• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 cup Danish butter cookies, crushed into small pieces – Royal Dansk

Chocolate

• ¾ cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips (I use HU with cacao, no sugar)
• ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (HU with cacao)

How to Make Danish Butter Cookie Crumble Muffins

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease well.
2. In a small bowl, mix melted butter with crushed cookie crumbs. Stir in 1 tbsp flour until clumps form. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk milk, oil, egg, and vanilla until combined.
5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
6. Gently fold in chocolate chunks.
7. Divide batter evenly into muffin cups, filling ¾ full.
   • For tall bakery-style muffins, fill every other muffin cup.
8. Sprinkle cookie crumble generously on top.
9. Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes, then reduce oven to 350°F and bake for another 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the crumble is golden.
10. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Pro Tips for Bakery-Style Muffins

• Use room-temperature ingredients for even mixing
• Don’t press the crumble down — let it stay loose and crunchy
• If cookies are very buttery, chill crumble for 5 minutes before topping
• For extra height, rest the filled muffin pan for 5 minutes before baking

Variations & Swaps

• No chocolate: Leave it out for a pure butter-cookie muffin
• Extra crunch: Add chopped cookies into the batter
• Mini muffins: Bake at 375°F for 10–12 minutes
• Holiday twist: Add a pinch of cinnamon to the crumble

Storage

Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days.
They also freeze well for up to 2 months — thaw overnight or warm slightly before serving.

Danish butter cookie crumble muffins

Light and fluffy, loaded hunks of dark chocolate and topped with a crunchy Danish butter cookie crumble.

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine danish

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• Makes 6 jumbo or 12 medium sized muffins
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour + 1 tbsp
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup milk
• ¼ cup unsalted butter melted + 1 tbsp
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup Danish butter cookie crushed into small pieces
• ¾ cup dark chocolate chunks of chocolate chips

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups
• In a small bowl, add 1 tbsp of melted butter with the cookie crumbs and mix together well with a fork. Add 1 tbsp of flour to the mixture until it forms clumps
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and set aside
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
• Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not over mix, then fold in the chocolate chips
• Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. If you want tall bakery style muffins, only fill every other muffin tin.
• Sprinkle the crumble on top of the muffins
• Bake at 400 for five minutes, and then turn the temperature down to 350 and bake another 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean, and the crumble is golden brown
• Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes

Notes

Makes 6 jumbo muffins or 12 medium

Keyword bakery style cookie muffins,, butter cookie muffins, cookie crumble muffins,, danish butter cookie crumble muffins, royal dansk muffin recipe

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