Snickerdoodle Muffins

Have you ever come across a recipe that just demands to be made right. this. instant? One that no matter how many other things you have on your list of things to make, jumps right to the top? You’re so excited to make them, dancing around in front of the oven waiting for them to be done so you can take that first bite. Delicious smells fill the air. The anticipation almost overwhelming you. And then…

Total disappointment. They’re not at all what you envisioned. You’ve fallen for their siren song, and you’re left feeling deceived. That’s exactly how I feel about these muffins.

They had me at Snickerdoodle. Add a tang of sour cream to the mix, and I couldn’t resist. If I had sour cream in my fridge at that moment, I would have been off the couch and in the kitchen in record time. But it was in my shopping cart the very next day, and the next chance I had, I was whipping these up.

When they finally cooled, I was more than ready to tear into them. Expecting to have my mind blown by the awesomeness of these muffins, I was slightly surprised when I got to the center and tasted... nothing. Well, not nothing. There’s a hint of tang from the sour cream, and just a touch of spice, but it’s mostly just bland. I was so disappointed. These were supposed to be life changing muffins!

In retrospect, I suppose I should have known. It's not a bad recipe. Not at all. It's moist and fluffy--everything you want your muffin to be. It's just the nature of the beast. Snickerdoodles get all their flavor from the cinnamon and sugar coating. With a flat cookie, you get the flavor in every bite. Even with a cupcake, you get a bit of flavorful frosting with each bite. But muffins? Not so much. Oh well. They can’t all be winners. Even the ones you have such high hopes for.

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Snickerdoodle Muffins
Adapted from eat me, delicious and Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
Makes about 16 muffins

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup sour cream

Topping:
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray, or line with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, nutmeg, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Add flour mixture and sour cream alternately, beginning and ending with the flour, until just incorporated.
4. In a small shallow bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar for topping. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out muffin batter one at a time and drop into cinnamon sugar mixture, rolling to coat. Place coated mixture in muffin tin. Bake until golden brown, about 20-22 minutes. Let cool completely.