Iced Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

I love to bake and always tend to do it a little more when the holiday season hits. One of my favorite spices to use is cinnamon; it's warm and sweet and fragrant--perfect for holiday treats. These iced cinnamon streusel muffins are warm and sweet too, like a hug. A sweet cinnamon streusel is laced throughout the muffin, plus more is sprinkled on top, then the whole thing is drizzled with icing. They're soft and tender, like a good coffee cake, and make a cozy Saturday morning in PJs feel a little extra special. With cocoa or coffee, they'll no doubt be the perfect Christmas morning breakfast for little (and big) hands to grab as they unwrap gifts. 

Iced Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 egg plus 1 egg white

1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup butter, melted

Streusel

¼ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces 

Icing

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons half and half

Preheat oven to 375° and either coat a standard muffin tin with baking spray or line with cupcake liners.

For the muffins: mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. In a smaller bowl whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, and melted butter; add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

For streusel: mix all ingredients together, using a fork to mash the sugar and flour into the butter. You want to combine all ingredients but still have a crumb consistency.

Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of the streusel mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup, top with muffin batter until cup in just below halfway full, then sprinkle another ½ teaspoon of streusel over the batter. Fill each muffin cup with the remaining batter. Use a toothpick or skewer to gently swirl the batter and cinnamon streusel in the center, then top the muffins with the remaining streusel. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the muffins are baking, mix together confectioners' sugar and half and half until smooth and creamy, adding additional half and half if the consistency is too stiff. When the muffins are finished baking, remove them from the pan and allow to cool completely before drizzling with the icing. Enjoy!