Cinnamon Roll Muffins

I made these up for Ron the other day because he seemed kind of bummed that I hadn't made any baked goods (for him) in some time.  He was pretty damn happy when he saw them.  I was pretty damn happy making them.  The smell of cinnamon baking in the oven is up there with my top 10 favorite smells that emanate from the kitchen.  I mixed up a half batch to avoid watching him eat all 12 in one sitting.  Instead, I watched him eat 3 at a time over 2 days.  He even alternated his approach at eating them:  stick on in the microwave to warm up, while waiting, devour one at room temperature, then eat the microwave one, then decide what to do with the third.  

From the small taste that I had, these muffins were pretty dynamite.  The preparation method is pretty unique for a baked good (you place them in a cool oven after a brief rise period), but it is surely a lot less labor intensive than it is to make cinnamon rolls.  (To date, I have attempted 3 times to make cinnamon rolls.  Each one has failed disastrously.)

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

adapted from A Dash of Sass

Yield:  12 muffins

Ingredients

• Dough
• 1.5 c AP flour
• 1/3 c sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tsp active dry or rapid rise yeast
• 2/3 c warm milk (about 100-110F(
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• Filling/Topping
• 2 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 2/3 c brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• pinch ground cardamom
• Icing
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 Tbsp milk or cream

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt.
2. Dissolve the yeast in a measuring cup filled with the warmed milk.
3. Stir milk mixture, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and egg into flour mixture.  Mix well, until very smooth.
4. Divide batter between 12 greased muffin cups and let rest for 15 minutes.
5. While the dough rests, mix together butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom in small bowl using a fork until all of the butter has been incorporated into the sugar and mixture is crumbly.
6. Sprinkle filling evenly on top of rested dough and press the mixture down into the dough with your fingertips (or swirl in with a spatula).
7. Place pan into a cold oven, then set oven temperature to 350F.
8. 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.
9. Cool for at least 30 minutes before whisking the powdered sugar and milk together to form an icing and drizzling it onto the bread.
10. Serve warm!!  Reheat in microwave as necessary.