My son asked me this morning, “Hey, what’s that crumbly cinnamon stuff you put on top of muffins? Make that, like, all the time.” Streusel! Yes! We are a family obsessed with streusel. When I was a little girl, I asked my mom if she could make a whole pan of just streusel, skipping the coffee cake part. (She said no.) When my sister was in the early days of a modeling career, her then-boyfriend baked a streusel coffee cake for her and was shocked to discover she’d eaten the entire thing while he was away at work. Two sticks of butter plus a cup of sour cream, strutting down the runway—nice!
If your family also swoons over cinnamon-brown-sugar-butteriness, baking the coffee cake as individual muffins is one way to encourage sharing. We’re big fans of the little Buddha coffee cakes at Lucia’s, which gild the lily with a drizzle of icing, so I do the same. You could skip that step, though, and enjoy the muffins as is, preferably warm, with a cup of coffee, on a tray with a little bouquet of flowers, served to you in bed by a seriously cute kid (or two, or more).
Happy (almost) Mother’s Day!
Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook
Makes 12 muffins
Note: Using full-fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream yields a lighter crumb, but the two can be used interchangeably.
Muffins
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick + 3 Tbsp. cold butter (1/3 lb.), cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 oz. pecans, toasted & chopped (optional)
2/3 c. full-fat Greek yogurt
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
Icing
1/2 c. confectioners sugar
4-5 Tbsp. whipping cream
Generously butter a 12-cup muffin pan, including the top of the pan.
In the bowl of a food processer, pulse together the flour, sugars, salt, and butter to a coarse meal. Transfer 1/2 c. of the mixture to small bowl and stir in cinnamon and pecans (if using). Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Add the remaining flour mixture and stir until just combined. (Batter will be quite thick; do not overmix.)
Divide batter among 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle with streusel topping & press lightly into the batter.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together confectioners sugar and whipping cream, adding enough cream so glaze is thick but can pour off a spoon. Drizzle icing over warm (not hot) muffins and serve. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container.
