Cinnamon and brown butter breakfast muffins

Cinnamon is my new favorite spice.In fact,I'm so obsessed with it that I crave for something 'cinnamony' every now and then and I cannot take my mind off it,until I get a bite.And no...I'm not pregnant.But I'm still nursing my toddler and I need my nutrients!So most of the days my poor hubby has to stop by 'Cinnabon' on his way back from work to buy his wife some lovely cinnamon rolls.See what a sweet hubby I've got...The best in the world!
The other day as I was browsing through my favorite blogs,I was smitten by these muffins at the Smitten kitchen.And I had this sudden urge to bake some.The dishes were piled up in the kitchen sink and the laundry had to be done.But all that could wait.... this couldn't!I simply had to bake some.It was an emergency!!
So off went a batch into the oven.Quick and easy to put together,these muffins are a lovely addition to the breakfast table.The nuttiness of the brown butter and the subtle twist of the cinnamon blends together perfectly.

They did puff up beautifully......

CINNAMON BROWN BUTTER BREAKFAST MUFFINS(makes 12 standard sized muffins)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon(My addition.Not in the original recipe.)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk

Method:
Preheat oven to 350F/180C.Grease or line a muffin tray with paper liners.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and ground cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside.
Beat softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
Mix in 1/3 of flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of buttermilk, repeating again and finishing with the flour mixture. Mix only until combined.
Spoon into muffin cups, filling only 3/4 of the cups.Take care not to overfill.
Bake muffins for 20 to 25 minutes or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Keep them in the tray for 5 minutes and then transfer them in to a wire rack.

While the muffins are still in the oven,prepare the brown butter and the cinnamon sugar.

BROWN BUTTER,CINNAMON SUGAR COATING

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

Method:
In a small saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat,stirring frequently, until brown bits form on the bottom and it gives a warm,nutty smell.
Immediately remove from heat and set aside.
Combine 2/3 cup sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

TO COAT MUFFINS:

As soon as the muffins are cool enough to touch,take each muffin and roll the top and upper edges in the browned butter.Do not neglect the wonderful brown bits at the bottom of the pan.
Let any excess butter drip off.
Gently roll in cinnamon-sugar.
Arrange on a tray and serve warm.