Cinnamon Muffins with Crunchy Topping (traditional, gluten free, and vegan options)

I came up this recipe while vacationing with my family on Sebago Lake in Maine. We were staying at a friend’s beautiful lake home that they so graciously let us use. The house had a full kitchen and many basic supplies. We had gone to the store to pick up our groceries for meals and my flour supplies for any random pancakes or such that needed to be made. One morning, another “I need a muffin” morning, I wanted to make muffins but realized that I didn’t have any of my normal muffin ingredients with me...no cocoa....no blueberries….no lemons…no chocolate chips. BUT… I did find cinnamon in the house. So my tweaked gluten free cinnamon muffins were born.

These muffins have become a favorite for me. I love them because they are delicious, and I love them because I always have the ingredients I need to make them. (Who doesn’t always have cinnamon lying around?)  They taste like coffee cake and could easily be made in a 9 inch round pan or a 9 inch(ish) spring form pan rather than muffin tins if you prefer. The baking time would likely be about 35-40 min if you choose to do this, oh, and grease the pan.

The crunchy streusel style topping really throws these muffins over the top. And the recipe for the topping below actually makes twice as much as you need…but rather than adjusting the recipe I keep making the extra and just store it in the fridge in a zippered plastic bag. That way I’m ready for round two of cinnamon muffins in a week or so, and the topping is already done. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Cinnamon Muffins with Crunchy Topping (traditional, gluten free and vegan options)

Muffins

2 ¼ c. flour mixture of choice (I use 1 1/8 c. brown rice flour and 1 1/8 c. sorghum flour                            tweak  for traditional : use white or whole wheat flour)

1 1/3 c. sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon (can use more or less to taste)

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp xanthan gum

¼ tsp salt

1 c. rice milk product of choice or other dairy free milk (tweak for traditional: use cow’s milk)

2 eggs beaten (tweak for vegan:  use vegan egg replacer or use 2 TBS ground flaxseed plus 5 TBS water wisked together)

½ c. oil ( I like grapeseed)

½ tsp vanilla

Topping (vegan or traditional)

2 TBS softened butter (Tweak for vegan: use regular or soy free non-hydrogenated margarine)

¼ c. brown sugar (packed)

¼ c. brown rice flour (Tweak: for traditional use white or whole wheat flour)

Prepare topping first. Smash ingredients together with a fork until fine crumbles form. Set aside if fridge. Fluff with fork as needed before adding to muffins.

Combine all dry ingredients. Stir with wisk to combine. Combine wet ingredients and wisk together. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and fold together until combined. Spoon into greased or paper lined muffin tins. Top with previously prepared crunchy topping.

Bake 375 F for 20-22 minutes until muffins feel spongy and spring back. Cool in tins for 5-10 minutes then remove if desired.