Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins

With their flavorful cake-like interior and crackly cinnamon-sugar top, these simple breakfast treats are a cross between muffins and coffee cake. Not too sweet, they make a great side to your morning eggs or fresh fruit cup. Try a few of the variations listed, such as the Banana-Coconut or Almond-Apricot; or come up with one of your own. The possibilities are endless, when you start with this easymuffin recipe.

Top ideas for dinner tonight:

• 30-minute (or less) spring dinners
• Quick and easy chicken dishes
• Garden-fresh entrée salads

ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl stir together flour, the 1/2 cup sugar, the baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In a small bowl beat egg with a fork; stir in milk and the 1/3 cup melted butter. Add egg mixture to flour mixture all at once. Stir just until moistened (batter will be lumpy).
3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.
4. Meanwhile, combine the 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Cool muffins in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups. Dip muffins into the 1/4 cup melted butter, then into sugar-cinnamon mixture. Serve warm. Makes 12 muffins.
5. Berry Breakfast Muffins: Prepare as above, except fold 1 cup fresh berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries) or chopped strawberries into batter.
6. Almond-Apricot Breakfast Muffins: Prepare as above, except fold 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots, 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract into batter.
7. Banana-Coconut Breakfast Muffins: Prepare as above, except fold 3/4 cup finely chopped banana and 1/3 cup shredded coconut into batter.
8. Toffee-Chocolate Breakfast Muffins: Prepare as above, except fold 1/3 cup toffee pieces and 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate pieces into batter.
9. Peanut Butter-Chocolate Breakfast Muffins: Prepare as above, except increase milk to 2/3 cup and whisk 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter into egg mixture. Fold 3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces into batter.