Mini "Refund" Muffins

Food bloggers are sometimes such a funny group. It is amazing how one little recipe can make the rounds, and how things travel. Just look at the Daring Bakers - up to 30 members, all quickly becoming fast friends, with more people asking to join on a regular basis!

Some recipes just bear repeating, and some stories need to be spread near and far. These muffins are a perfect example of both!

Known once as Snickerdoodle muffins, they were originally posted by Daring Baker Peabody on her blog Culinary Concoctions by Peabody. A stiff muffin batter that is rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked to a warming, comforting treat. She enjoyed them, so she posted about them to share with whomever wanted to try them. Many people did - one of the original comments was that these were the "best muffins ever!"

I guess there is just no accounting for taste, however. Seems one reader made them and didn't like them. Okay, I guess. I don't like everything, most people don't. And everyone has recipes that don't work out, no matter how well we follow the directions. When that happens to me, I just don't make the recipe again (unless I'm positive I screwed up, then I try again.) Life goes on.

But to submit a bill for the cost of the ingredients to the blogger who's recipe you didn't like?

Sad thing - I am not kidding! Someone seriously submitted a bill to Peabody! Does this mean I can submit a bill to every author of every recipe I ever made that I didn't like?

OMG! I would be loaded! Especially if I can bill for the emotional turmoil!

Dear Martha,
I recently tried your recipe for xxxxxxxxxxxx and it was awful! Your instructions were of no help as they were completely and totally impossible to follow! I wasted hours trying to make my xxxxx, the primary compotent for this recipe! Please find enclosed a bill for not only the ingredients, but also the time spend and for the emotional damage your recipe caused me. Sincerely,
All things edible.

Like I said, there is no accounting for taste. The last tray of my mini muffins, now known in blog land as "Refund Muffins" thanks to another Daring Baker, Breadchick and her blog The Sour Dough, has just come out of the oven. My children could not wait until the last batch was done to try them - the entire house smells warm and comforting, with cinnamon and nutmeg scenting the air! So far from their little taste test I've heard, "Yummy!" "These are the best ever!" "MmmmcanmmmmImmmhavemmmmmore?" "I just can't stand it, not being allowed to have another one!" (That last comment was followed by an 8 year old stomping out of the room in a pout, until I told him he could have some in his lunch at school, then he stopped stomping.)

So I guess it is time for me to write my own letter:

Dear (Mr.) Peabody,
Please find enclosed the bill for the ingredients used in making your Snickerdoodle muffins. I made them, a total of 60 mini muffins, and they were.....

Oh wait! I can't send her a bill - we loved them! They were so good!

Peabody - I give to you the most honest testament any baker can give to another:


Snickerdoodle Muffins

from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, at room temperature
¾ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp cream of tarter
¾ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 and ¼ cup sour cream (I ran short of light sour cream so used plain yogurt for the balance)
2 and ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar and 2 TBSP cinnamon mixed together for rolling

Makes 12 -14 regular muffins, or 60 mini muffins

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare muffin tins with cupcake papers and lightly grease with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and cream of tarter and set aside. Using a stand mixer on medium low speed or by hand, cream the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy (about 3 to 5 minutes). Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and mix until each egg is fully combined with the sugar, butter, vanilla mixture. If you are using a stand mixer, turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture and the sour cream alternately to the egg-butter mixture. Start with the flour and end with the flour. Scrape the bowl occasionally to get all the ingredients combined thoroughly. Do not over mix though. The dough will be firm but not clumpy.

Using an ice cream scoop or soup spoon, scoop out muffin batter one at a time and drop into a shallow bowl filled with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll the muffin around in the mixture until it is covered completely in cinnamon sugar.

Once the muffin dough-ball is completely covered in cinnamon sugar, place dough-ball in prepared muffin tin.

Bake them for approx. 12-14 minutes for mini muffins, or 20-22 minutes for normal muffins, or until they are golden brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from tins to allow the cinnamon sugar crust to firm up. Serve warm.