Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Anyone not like cinnamon rolls? You’re excused from the room – the rest of us know the warm, rich, comfort of a great cinnamon roll. I tend to avoid the time and work involved in most yeast breads, but I will make a “batter bread” – one that you stir up on a bowl rather than knead. Don’t be alarmed at the seemingly small amount of batter to divide amongst the muffin tin cups, it will rise as the oven warms up and fill the cups.

 

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Batter:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons active dry or rapid rise yeast
2/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg

Filling/Topping:
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
pinch ground cardamom

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoon milk or cream

 

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Combine the milk, oil, vanilla extract and egg in a medium microwave safe bowl. Slowly and gently (like, on medium to low power) warm the mixture until it is just more than lukewarm (100-110F). Combine the slurry with the flour mixture. Mix well, until very smooth, and let rest for 15 minutes. While the dough rests, mix together butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom in a small bowl using a fork until all the butter has been incorporated into the sugar and mixture is crumbly. Divide the batter between 12 greased muffin cups, grease the top of the muffin tin too. Sprinkle evenly on top of rested dough and press the mixture down into the dough with your fingertips (or swirl in with a chopstick, popsicle stick, fork, etc.)

(Note: You really have to mix most of the topping into the muffin batter. If you leave it just crumbled on top, it will melt and then will boil over on top of the muffin tin, rather than being incorporated into the bread.)

Place pan into a COLD oven, then set the oven temperature to 350F. Bake for 20 minutes or until bread is lightly browned at the edges and the center of the bread springs back when lightly pressed.

Cool 20 – 30 minutes. Whisk the powdered sugar and milk together to form an icing and drizzling it onto the bread. Serve warm. They’re also delicious reheated in the microwave.