Cinnamon Swirl Muffins with Cream Cheese Glaze

Ah, muffins. It's be awhile since we last danced. Months, in fact. Not only because we spent a month in Oregon, but also because I just can't remember the last time I made muffins. The hubby has been chowing down on breakfast burritos for awhile now, so I decided to give him a breakfast break. He's nutty about cinnamon, so I knew this recipe was right up his alley.

Now, about these muffins. So good! They taste like a cinnamon roll, but without the hassle and elbow grease of dealing with yeast. In fact, they are super easy. I threw them together in about 20 minutes. The muffins are moist, and I love the ribbon of cinnamon-sugar goo running throughout the muffin. Another thing I love about this recipe? It makes 8 muffins. That's fantastic news for a 2-person household. The glaze tastes very much like cream cheese, so if you are a person who likes a more subtle cream cheese flavor (like me) you might want to add more sugar and milk to the glaze to diffuse the flavor a bit. You'll end up with more glaze than you need, but a more toned down flavor.

A funny side story for the day- the hubby and I went to the gym today. After I was satisfied with the amount of cardio I'd done, I joined the hubby on the basketball court to shoot the ball around. I don't think I've even picked up a basketball since high school. I couldn't believe how heavy it was to shoot, and even to pick up. Basketball, much like riding a bike, was something I obviously took for granted as a kid because I never once thought about the weight of a basketball. Things like that are funny. Like hoola hooping. Have you ever tried to hoola hoop as an adult? Awk-ward.

Anyhoo, my arms are spent and my tummy is happily full of cinnamon swirl muffin. Happy Friday indeed :)

Ingredients:

Muffins:
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar (divided)
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter + 1 tbsp, melted (divided)
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Glaze:
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp butter, softened
1 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. To make muffins- In a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup melted butter, milk, egg, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp sugar, cinnamon, and 1 tbsp melted butter, forming a paste. Add wet ingredients (milk/egg mixture) to the dry ingredients (flour/sugar). Mix gently and only until ingredients are just combined. Add cinnamon mixture to the bowl, but do not completely mix in. You want a swirl of cinnamon goo running through the muffins. Spoon mixture into muffin tin. Bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool muffins completely before glazing.
3. To prepare glaze: Combine cream cheese through vanilla in a small bowl. Add more milk (if needed) until you reach a desired consistency for dipping. Dip the muffin tops into the glaze before placing on a cooling rack to set completely. Let glaze completely set before storing muffins.

*Recipe adapted from Recipe Girl*