Snickerdoodle Muffins

Remember yesterday when I said there wouldn't be any schmaltzy Valentine posts?  That was before I had a day off.  And time to make muffins.

My Mom used to make these "French Breakfast Muffins" for special occasions growing up. They were from a Junior League cookbook of hers. I can still see that recipe on the page--green font, butter stains around the edges. And there were lots of special occasion breakfasts in our house. Birthdays, of course, but also St. Patrick's and Valentines Day, first day of school, May Day. She is a master ambiance creator.  I don't share that talent, but at least I clear the clutter off the table (you're welcome, Yancey).



This morning when Yancey got off shift, the kids had been waiting by the door for an hour, anxious to open their gifts. Wyatt got a graphic novel, and Loretta, a ladybug umbrella. I started reminiscing about past Valentines Days, which precipitated a string of storytelling. The kids were enthralled.

In third or fourth grade, I was smitten with a pair of shoes at Hilton's Shoes. Most our clothes came from thrift stores or KMart (pity mothers 30 years ago who didn't have Target!), so these shoes were out of my league. They were varsity.  Rainbow canvas, covered toe and heel, with ties up the ankle. I drew them, imagined myself making an appearance at school, and was certain they would make me feel beautiful forever. Unbeknownst to me, my mom saved up some extra money and rode her bike downtown to make the purchase. When she got to Hiltons, the cash had fallen out of her pocket somewhere along the way, and I never got my shoes. I teared up recounting it, and Yancey said, "Why did your Mom even tell you that story if you never got the shoes?" I said I didn't know, but that I had always been glad she did. It's one of the many, many things in my life that's told me I'm loved.

Emily always says that Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate love in all its forms. Though she's been single for much of the time I've known her, she's always the one sending pink cards or calling to say she loves me. I'm soaking it up today, from every little nook and cranny. I hope you are, too.

P.S. Soaking it up from my sweetheart, too. Sarah Murphy, Yancey Kangas, Junior Prom, 1991. If it's true that all you need is love, we've been very rich for a very long time.



Snickerdoodle Muffins
I got so carried away with nostalgia that I've forgotten to talk these up properly. Every mother should have these up her sleeve. One bowl, pedestrian ingredients, but a child's delight. I almost made a cranberry Irish soda bread this morning, but remembered that my goal was so see the kids wolf something down. If your children are anything like mine, they're not big on texture. These are buttery, sweet, yielding pillows--nothing to get in the way of appreciative grunts. This recipe makes only 8 muffins, which I like. If you're serving a crowd, though, you'll want to double it.

1 1/2 c. + 2 Tb. flour
3/4 c. sugar
2 ts. baking powder
1/4 ts. salt
1/4 ts. nutmeg (freshly ground, if possible)
1/2 c. milk
1 beaten egg
1/3 c. melted butter

For topping:
1 ts. cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. melted butter

Preheat oven to 400.

Combine first five ingredients.  Add milk, egg, and 1/3 c. melted butter, mix gently to combine. Butter a muffin tin, and fill muffin cups 1/2 full and bake for 15-20 minutes, until tops are light brown and springy to the touch.

While muffins are still warm, dip in butter and roll in cinnamon and sugar.  Serve warm.

Comments

[sue]

Crazy. My mom used to make these same muffins where I grew up in Nebraska - same name and everything- I used to LOVE them. Since moving out here to Seattle I've had to call home for the recipe. They are ultra-comforting. My sister still makes them for her kids.

[Beth R&V]

That picture is just too precious!

[Angie]

Your photo warms my heart. Sam and I are both smiling. Thanks.

[my spatula]

so so sweet! the photo is fabulous and your muffins look just amazing. i wish i had a few by my side right now with my cup of afternoon tea!

[Mimi]

Yum, yum, yummy! I just made these muffins, and I can't wait to take them to work tomorrow for my coworkers. Thanks for sharing!

[Natalie]

I'm in LOVE with your blog (a little birdie named Bethany hooked me up) and now I'm smiling as I remember the peeps in that photo! I too have a Valentine memory that includes yo mama. I was delivering some cookies for you and Naomi to your old house on Williams. It was Valentines Day and your mom answered the door in her apron. She was gushing about loving to make dinner for her family for the evening instead of going out with only your dad. I remember walking away and longing for the day that I would have a family to lovingly cook for too. Hey wait! I do now and it's something I want to soak up and enjoy. FYI, my mom always put green food coloring in our milk for St. Pat's day. My boy, Oliver reminded me to make the pancakes pink this year for Valentines. It's easy but they love it.

[suddenly sahm]

We call these "French Breakfast Puffs" where I come from...they also appear in the Pioneer Woman cookbook, but my mom has been making these for at least fifty years...glad to see them start cropping up all over. If you haven't had one, you haven't lived. Get thee to the kitchen post haste. Cheers!

[sarahmk]

Natalie!! So nice to see you here and think about you up there in Bellingham, being the amazing mother I'm sure you are.

[April]

I finally had a chance to make these muffins yesterday afternoon for my son, step-daughter, and niece and nephew... you should have seen them DEVOUR them!!! I took some pictures of the 4 of them lined up at the counter covered in crumbs, and I'm going to post them to FB and tag you, so you can see how much they were loved! (And so easy...! I'll do these again for sure!!!) :)

[pds]

Made these this morning. I got 12 muffins out of them. And they were filled 3/4 of the way. Not sure what happened there. I should have realized that if I got 12 muffins, I should have lowered the baking time.

Oops.

Turned out great, just a wee bit crispy around the edges - just like a real snickerdoodle. HA!

I ate one and had to immediately run downstairs to hide.

[Heather Howe]

Oh thanks for the story and the recipe... I was just using stumbupon why we wait to got to the airport to pick up our son who is coming home on leave after a year and half away... so I am going to make these for brunch tomorrow .. Thanks

[Mallory]

I, like many others, stumbled upon this.
At 10pm, middle of the week, I "stumbled" downstairs and promptly made them.

DELICIOUS!

Thanks a ton, totally bookmarking your blog!

[MzMelanie]

That looks EXCELLENT...I need to learn to bake geez.

[Amanda]

My mom always made these muffins growing up. She called them 'puffins.' I was seriously so excited every time I had the chance to eat one warm, right out of the oven! I have kept this recipe ever since. I tragically left it behind with the rest of my recipes when I moved out of the US. Im glad to have found it again! Im making these for dessert tonight!