Caramel Cinnamon Muffins

These muffins have a built-in caramel layer. Butter and brown sugar go into the bottom of each muffin cup before the batter, and as they bake, that mixture melts together into a sticky, bubbling caramel that becomes the top when you flip the muffins out of the pan.

The muffin batter itself is deliberately simple: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, egg, milk, and a little shortening. Stirring only until the flour is just dampened is critical. Overmixing muffin batter develops gluten and gives you tough, bread-like muffins with tunnels running through them. A lumpy batter is a good batter.

Filling each cup three-quarters full gives the muffins room to rise and dome without overflowing. The hot oven creates an initial burst of steam that pushes the muffins up fast, setting the structure before the inside has time to get dense.

Kitchen Tips

• Flip the muffins out of the pan immediately after they come out of the oven. Let them sit even five minutes and the caramel hardens, gluing the muffins to the pan.
• Add chopped nuts or raisins to the butter and brown sugar in the cup before adding batter. They’ll stick to the caramel layer and add crunch or chewiness to every bite.
• A hot oven (425°F / 220°C) is essential for the quick rise. Don’t be tempted to lower the temperature.

Variations

• Apple caramel muffins: Place thin apple slices over the butter and brown sugar before adding batter for a caramel apple version.
• Pecan sticky muffins: Press pecan halves into the brown sugar layer for a sticky bun-style muffin.