Quick and Easy Cinnamon Bun Muffins
Sometimes when I post a recipe here, it can be something that I’ve been planning for a long time. Buying the specific ingredients, figuring out a time of when I can bake and take photos, thinking up ideas for the photos. I’ve been known to tease Trevor with recipe ideas for weeks on end.
Other times though, a recipe will come from something I think up just after getting out of bed. I’ll be drinking my morning coffee, checking my email, thinking about what to make for breakfast…and then wham! The next thing I know, I’m preheating my oven and sifting my flour.
However, those last-minute recipes don’t always make it here. I’ve had lots of spontaneous baking moments that turned out to be epic failures, never getting to the photography stage (90% of the time, we do eat them though. They aren’t blog-worthy, but they’re still edible).
This recipe was a rare exception. It started with a craving for cinnamon buns. I’ve made cinnamon buns in the past and I know from experience that they can take a while, especially if you’re waiting for the yeast to rise. Instead I went in search for a simpler and less time-consuming recipe.
I came across a great recipe at allrecipes.com. It was quick, easy and most of all, the results solved my mid-morning cinnamon bun craving. To speed up the baking process even more, I used Imperial brand’s cinnamon spread in place of the usual butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. I used to love this stuff on hot toast when I was in university, back when I still craved cinnamon buns, but didn’t have the time to bake.
The results were sticky, gooey and cinnamon-y delicious. The best part was I still had the rest of the morning to do whatever I wanted.
Quick and Easy Cinnamon Bun Muffins
Ingredients:
Muffins
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cold butter/margarine
- 1 cup milk (I substituted almond milk)
- 1/2 cup Imperial Cinnamon Spread
- Sprinkling of raisins (optional)
Icing
- 1/3 cup icing sugar
- Milk
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 350*F. Prep your muffin tin by greasing or lining with baking liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry cutter, finely cut in the cold butter/margarine. Create a well in the center of the mixture and add milk. Stir until a sticky dough forms.
- Flour your hands. On a well-floured surface, knead the dough 8-10 times. Roll out into a rectangle, about 12-14 inches in length.
- Soften or melt the Imperial Cinnamon Spread in the microwave. Spread on the dough rectangle, taking care as to not getting too close to the edges. Sprinkle with raisins.
- Carefully roll one side of the rectangle to the other to create a log, taking care that the cinnamon spread doesn’t ooze out. Using a knife or thread, cut the dough log into 12 equal buns. Place each bun in the prepared muffin tin or baking liner.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from muffin tin and let cool on wired rack.
- Create icing by mixing the powdered icing sugar and a tiny bit (less than a tbsp) of milk in a bowl. Gradually add more milk as needed, but try to keep the icing thick. Drizzle over the muffins.
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com
Just a heads up that this icing recipe will dry on the muffins if not eaten within two days. It you aren’t planning on eating/serving them this quickly, I would suggest making the icing ahead of time and use as needed.
