Cinnamon Puffs

Love, love, love these little nuggets of buttery cinnamony sugary goodness… They’re a cross between a muffin, a cupcake, and a doughnut…

Years ago before I became a Mom I would host a mother’s day brunch for my Mom & sister-in-law.  I did this recipe every year.  I found it in a wonderful Betty Crocker cookbook (I get several recipes from this book, and they never fail).   In this book they’re called “French Breakfast Puffs” I’ve tweaked it a bit to make it my own.

Today my daughter & I attempted, and failed to visit a new church so we headed home, and since we now had a free morning I decided to make a batch of these.

Start by spraying a muffin tin w/ cooking spray (paper cups won’t work for this recipe).  The recipe calls for a standard muffin pan, but I prefer to use a mini-muffin pan as then you can just pop one in your mouth. (One batch will do one pan of puffs).  Preheat oven to 350.

Next add 1/3 cup shortening to your mixing bowl  (as an aside this Pampered Chef measuring cup is wonderful for sticky items like shortening, and peanut butter as you just push up on the bottom to get the gooeyness out!)

Then add 1/2 cup white sugar, and 1 egg to the shortening.

Beat together…

… until it’s creamy yellow goodness…

In another bowl mix together 1 1/2 cups flour with 1 1/2 tsp baking POWDER, and 1/2 tsp salt.

Then add 1/2 tsp nutmeg… just enough.

… and mix all together.

Measure out 1/2 cup of milk

With mixer on low speed alternate adding milk & flour mixture to the egg mixture, and beat until combined.

Then put in muffin cups filling about 2/3.  (I love to use my 1tbsp cookie scoop to do this).

 

Put in oven bake for 25 minutes (adjust time for your oven as needed they should be nice golden brown when done).

Have a cute helper to assist with the clean-up while they’re baking (this step is optional but does add to the fun).

Also, while baking prepare the melted butter, and cinnamon sugar.

Mix 3/4 cup sugar w/ 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon in small bowl.

Melt 3/4 cup butter in another small bowl (do this step just a few minutes before the puffs come out of the oven).

Get out a pretty plate to put them on when they’re ready.

Take them out, and while they’re still hot (you may want a slotted spoon to help with this as the butter, and the puffs are HOT).

Dip in the butter, and then the cinnamon sugar.

The recipe says to serve warm, and while they’re delectable this way… I like them even better the next day they get a little crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside.

Then have your helper do a taste test…

Around here we call just call them “Puffs”

 

1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup melted butter or margarine

1- Heat oven to 350. Spray or grease mini muffin pan.

2- Mix shortening, 1/2 cup sugar, and egg thoroughly.  Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; stir into egg mixture alternately with milk.

3- Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake 20-25 minutes (less if do mini muffins), or until golden brown.  Mix sugar & cinnamon. Melt butter.

4- Roll hot muffin immediately in melted butter (definitely use a utensil to do this), then in sugar-cinnamon mixture.  Serve hot.