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French Breakfast Puffs
A batter of all-purpose flour, shortening, egg, and milk goes into a muffin tin, with a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg folded in for the doughnut-like aroma. After 20 minutes in the oven, each warm puff rolls first in melted butter and then in a cinnamon-sugar mix — the butter helps the coating grip. The result is a crackly sugar shell over a soft, cake-tender crumb. Twelve puffs, 45 minutes total, no deep-frying needed.
Equipment
- Oven
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ⁄ 3 cup shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup butter, melted
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 350°F and grease 12 regular-size muffin cups with shortening or cooking spray.
- 2Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together in a small bowl. In a separate large bowl, stir the shortening, one-half cup of the sugar, and the egg until well combined.
- 3Gradually stir the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Don't overmix the batter here, or the baked puffs will turn out tough.
- 4Divide the prepared batter evenly among the greased muffin cups.
- 5Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the tops turn light golden brown and the bottoms are fully set.
- 6Mix the remaining one-half cup of sugar and the ground cinnamon in a shallow dish. Pour the melted butter into a second shallow dish.
- 7Roll the hot baked puffs first in the melted butter, then coat them completely in the cinnamon-sugar mixture while they're still warm.
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftover puffs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Reheat: Warm them in the microwave for 10 seconds to soften the butter and sugar coating before eating.
- Tip: Make sure to roll the puffs in the butter and sugar while they're still hot so the coating sticks properly.
