Dirt Bombs {Duffins}

The grand finale of the weekend was making Dirt Bombs. A cross between a cinnamon sugar doughnut and a muffin "Duffins". Dust off your muffin tins folks, and start thinking of who you'd like to share these muffins with. The dough can be refrigerated for up to three days if you don't want to bake all 12 muffins at the same time. 

I have made these several times, and they are Joe's favorite. He only has two favorite sweets. Dirt Bombs and chocolate chip cookies. If you have weekend guests during the holiday season, the dirt bombs can be made ahead and you can store them in a Ziploc bag and successfully reheat them. I wrap them individually in a paper towel, and microwave at full power for 15 seconds. They're perfect like that. I think it's the cardamon that appeals to me. Yum!

 I am not sure where the recipe originated from, but when I did a Google search, it appears that a bakery in Cape Cod is flaunting this delicious muffin on the menu. 

Here's the recipe I use:

Yield: 12 muffins

3 cups AP flour, minus 3 tablespoons
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cardamon

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk

Topping

¾ cups unsalted butter, melted
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400º F. Place the rack in the center position. Generously grease a 12-cup standard muffin pan.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cardamon into a mixing bowl. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl down half way through. Mix in the eggs. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk in two additions, mixing gently by hand to incorporate all the flour. The batter will be on the stiff side, but airy. Don’t over mix or beat the batter as this will make the muffins tough. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, without smoothing the tops. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. As soon as the muffins are cool enough to handle, turn them out onto a wire rack.

Add the melted butter to a bowl. In another bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon. Dip the muffins (top, sides and bottom) in the butter, using a pastry brush -if necessary- to cover areas not buttered by dipping. Immediately roll the muffins in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature.