Cinnamon Love & a Dash of Vanilla

Now that it is Autumn, I can concentrate on all the delicious Autumn flavours- the pumpkin, apples and the cinnamon-y goodness. This post is dedicated to my friend Natalie (hi Natalie!), who shares my love for cinnamon rolls. These cinnamon roll muffins are so easy to make, and a fraction of the calories of a Cinnabon.

If you, unlike me, have managed to resist scoffing the entire pan, these muffins can be frozen for another day. Best enjoyed warm, with a cup of tea or coffee :-)

CINNAMON ROLL MUFFINS
Recipe adapted from The Baker Chick
Yields 10-12 muffins

Ingredients:

Dough

100g brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
250ml buttermilk
1 egg
375g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt

Filling

130g brown sugar
30g butter, softened
1 tsp cinnamon

To Finish:

4 tbsp icing sugar
2-3 tsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190C. Grease a 12 hole muffin tin and set aside.
2. Sift the salt, bicarbonate of soda and plain flour into a bowl. Set aside.
3. Make the dough: In a bowl, whisk together the egg brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Add the buttermilk and whisk until incorporated. Add the flour into the mixture and stir with a spoon until flour is mixed in. Make sure you don't overmix. 
4. Tip mixture out onto a floured surface and knead lightly for a minute or two. Roll out into approximately 24" x 12" rectangle.
5. Mix the cinnamon and brown sugar together in a bowl. Spread the softened butter all over the dough and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top. Roll the dough up, starting from the long side of the rectangle.
6. Cut the roll into 1.5-2 inch thick pieces and place into the muffin tin, spiral side up.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 12-15minutes, or until golden brown.
8. Cool for 5 mins before transferring to a cooling rack.
9. Mix the icing sugar and water in a bowl until no lumps remain. Stir in the vanilla bean paste. Drizzle over the muffins with a spoon, or if you prefer a neater look- use a piping bag.

Notes:

• I find that these muffins harden once cold, so nuke in the microwave for 15-20secs to enjoy the warm cinnamon goodness
• The original recipe states a yield of 12 muffins. I must cut mine in very generous portions as I only managed 10 and a bit!