Double Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

It's been a very strange day...

I left this morning after glancing at the forecast which said a high of 90. I failed to note that thunderstorms were also in the forecast...

As I walked to my first class a massive black dense storm cloud descended upon campus. Naturally I sought shelter.

In the Material Sciences and Electrical Engineering building (which has a cafe, which is why I was there) I got an iced caramel mocha (yum!) and also saw a man walking his cat.

Yes, he was walking his cat, on a leash.

Needless to say the cat was not very cooperative.

Then in physics lecture my professor attempted to attach a bullet-proof vest wearing monkey to the ceiling with a magnet, and proceeded to shoot it with a small cannon.

In an attempt to make some sense of my day, I decided to bake muffins. Baked goods always make sense.

No funny business here,  just dry ingredients + wet ingredients + sugary streusel.

Wet goes into dry and is just barely combined. I'm serious now, no more than twenty seconds of stirring. The secret to tender muffins is not over-mixing.

 Resist the urge to keep stirring, even if though it's lumpy. I promise, it's for the best.

The lumpy batter gets spooned into the muffin pan and sprinkled with the sweet buttery streusel. Finger licking is definitely allowed.

It's oven time!

The key to high rising muffins is preheating the oven till it's screaming hot (as in 500 degrees hot) and then reducing the heat as soon as the muffins go in. This initial blast of heat leads to especially lofty morsels.

Look how tall these little guys get!

Warning: These muffins fill the kitchen (and surrounding areas) with an intoxicating aroma. They are super cinnamon-y and have a light tender crumb. The streusel caramelizes on top lending a crunchy exterior and contrasts beautifully with the soft cinnamon flecked interior. These muffins are for sharing and restoring normalcy to crazy days. Or for any day really. They're downright delicious.

I hope your day made more sense than mine, but if not, make these muffins. Warm muffins have a way of straightening anything out.

Happy Wednesday, enjoy!

~Maddy

Double Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

 For Muffins

2 cups  All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil 
2 large eggs

For Streusel Topping

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin or line with muffin papers.

Mix dry ingredients as much as you want in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl whisk together wet ingredients.

Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir for NO MORE THAN 20 SECONDS! Lumps are ok.

Prepare streusel by combing flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add butter and rub into flour mixture with fingers until crumbly.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Cups will be about 3/4 of the way full.

Sprinkle streusel  evenly on muffins.

Place in oven and reduce heat to 400 degrees.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool (or not).