Easy Cinnamon Roll Muffins

I was looking for a new recipe to bring to my mom's group at church for breakfast. Cinnamon rolls are so yummy, but time-consuming and not the easiest to make in large quantity.  These muffins from Joy the Baker caught my eye.  They taste as good as they look! I think having the yeast in them makes them more authentic.


INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 tsp active dry or rapid rise yeast
2/3 cup warm milk (100-110F; low fat is fine)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg

Filling/Topping
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch ground cardamom (optional)

Icing  
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp milk or cream

DIRECTIONS:
* DO NOT PREHEAT YOUR OVEN!!!


In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Dissolve the yeast in a measuring cup filled with the warmed milk, then stir milk mixture, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and egg into the flour mixture. Mix well, until very smooth. Divide evenly between well greased and/or papered muffin tin and let rest for 15 minutes. (*My silicon muffin pans worked well for these as the sugar filling that bubbled out was very sticky on the metal pan but popped right out of the silicon one.) (*Also, these will rise, so do not overfill. Make it come out to an even dozen.)

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.  Sprinkle evenly on top of rested dough and press the mixture down into the dough with your fingertips (or swirl in with a spatula.) (*Be careful not to leave dents in the muffins or they will come out a bit sunken. The ones where I tried to cover back over the sugar with dough came out the prettiest.)

Place pan into a cold oven, then set the oven temperature to 350F.


Bake for about 20 minutes, until bread is lightly browned at the edges and the center of the bread springs back when lightly pressed. Some of the sugar mixture on top may still be bubbling.

Cool for at least 30 minutes before whisking the powdered sugar and milk together to form an icing and drizzling it onto the bread.

Serve warm. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave.


Yield: 1 dozen muffins