I had to dive back into today’s featured title, GHOSTS & THE ANCIENT STONES, to figure something out in ARIEL’S DANG BOOK and I remembered this recipe. I’d meant to feature it back when I was doing the whole new release thing and it somehow got lost in the shuffle. I’m glad I found it because these muffins are yummy and pretty quick to go from making to serving.

French Breakfast Puffy Muffins
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 min
Makes 12 muffins

INGREDIENTS
Muffins
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter softened
1 large egg room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk

Cinnamon Sugar Topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoon unsalted butter melted

INSTRUCTIONS
1 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line a 12-portion muffin tin and set it aside.
2 - In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened unsalted butter and ½ cup granulated suagr until light and fluffy.
3 - Add the egg, mixing until incorporated.
4 - Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
5 - Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry. Mix well after each addition.
6 - Portion batter to fill each of the prepared muffin tins, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7 - Combine the remaining ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. While the muffins are still warm, dip the top of the muffin into the melted butter and then into the cinnamon sugar blend until coated. Serve warm.

TIPS
1. *Sugar - For the topping you can use sanding or raw sugar to give a bit more "crunch" and it makes the muffins look extra special.
2. For REALLY smooth batter, shift the dry ingredients together rather than just mixing them.
3. Do NOT over beat the batter. Do that makes for a denser texture.
4. These are best when served warm but you can reheat them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, depending on your wattage.
5. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or the fridge for one week (7 days). You can freeze them in either an airtight container or a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and then pop them in the microwave to heat, but make sure they are thawed completely! (Personally, the only reason they’d get frozen in my house is if I was making them waaaay ahead of time.)

I actually have no idea if these muffins are truly French or not. All I know is that they are light, yummy with coffee (or tea or cocoa), and that Sade thinks they are French. She likes them. She doesn’t make them because we are talking about Sade here. And…I’ve just decided that I’m going to add them to the breakfast buffet at the hotel in Rochester (again, ARIEL’S DANG BOOK) where the Scooby Gang is currently heaquartered. Or they will be once Sade checks in, and then Caleb and Sinjen show up. Sade is currently enroute from the airport. At the moment, Ariel and Nikos are the only ones there. But back to the muffins, they are good for a mid-afternoon reading break. Or a midnight snack when you have just one more chapter. Obviously, they are perfect for breakfast, brunch–they do pair well with mimosas…just sayin’…–and a light dessert after lunch or dinner. And yes, the punctuation in that last sentence is crazy but I wanted folks to realize that this blog is NOT written by AI. Yeah, yeah, no mini-rants. I’ll save it for another day. Mainly, I just want folks to buy my book and enjoy a light snack while reading it. So, click on any picture with the cover or the title up there in the first paragraph. The link will whisk you off to Books2Read to find your favorite on-line book seller. You can grab GHOSTS & THE ANCIENT STONES in either digital (ebook) or paperback. Let me know if you try the muffins! I hope you enjoy both the title and the treats!