These muffins are the absolute favorite of CAL HOLLIS (Nashville, Tennessee). Cal loves to mix the dry ingredients and shake the cinnamon on top of the muffins. His big sister, GENTRY ANNE, is terrific with the whisk, so she helps with the wet ingredients. They enjoy Sunday mornings at their family’s mountain house with their parents and Nana, SUSAN GENTRY WILLIAMS (also of Nashville). The kids share that Nana’s muffins smell wonderful when baking and taste delicious!
MUFFINS:
2 large eggs
⅔ cup whole milk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cups sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
CINNAMON SUGAR TOPPING:
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin tins with baking cups.
2 TO MAKE THE MUFFINS, in a bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla.
3 In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4 With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold the egg mixture, along with the melted butter, into the flour mixture and stir only until the ingredients are moistened and combined. (Do not overmix or you will have tough muffins.) Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter, using an ice-cream scoop.
5 TO MAKE THE TOPPING, in a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle a little topping on each muffin. (Susan uses an old salt shaker.)
6 Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before removing from the pan. These freeze well.
MAKES 2 DOZEN MUFFINS.