Snickerdoodle Muffins

When I was little, Mama made cinnamon toast for me on special mornings. It was buttery, crusty with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar and warm from the oven. When my children were little, I made cinnamon toast for them and Snickerdoodle Cookies. They were (and are) a favorite in our house. Snickerdoodles warm  from the oven with a crusty layer of cinnamon and sugar..... what's not to love? I saw a recipe for Snickerdoodle Muffins and knew I had to try it! YUUUMMM! Saturday morning breakfast reached a new level today!

Just a few adjustments to the original recipe and my kitchen smelled like Mama's did when I was little. (In the South, we were little, not young!) Recently, I ordered some baking items from King Arthur Flour's website. One of my friends, Barb, touted the virtues of their Cinnamon Chips (just like mini chocolate chips), so that was added to my order. Boy, am I glad I listened to Barb! They are tiny bits of magic! I added them to the Snickerdoodle Muffins and what a wonderful surprise when you bite into one! If you don't have the Cinnamon Chips, add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the flour mixture.
Either way, if you love Snickerdoodle Cookies, you'll love these muffins!

Snickerdoodle Muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or 1/2 cup cinnamon chips
1 cup oatmeal (regular, not instant!)
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, oatmeal and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine 4 tablespoons melted butter, egg, milk and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients. Stir until the dry ingredients are barely moistened. (Stirring too much will make tough muffins!) Spoon batter into greased muffin pans. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until tops spring back when gently touched. Remove from pans.  Cool slightly.
Dip muffin tops in melted butter, then in sugar and cinnamon mixed together.

Helen's Tips: Take muffins from the oven and immediately turn them on their sides (bottoms almost up) to keep them from becoming soggy on the bottom!

If you use self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt.