Do you like cinnamon rolls? All that ooey - gooey goodness first thing in the morning. My husband loves them but they take time to make. So when I saw this recipe in Cooking Light I wanted to try this cinnamon roll muffin version of them. My husband loved them.

You make a batter that goes on the bottom and the top and a pecan-brown sugar filling in between.

Yogurt, cream cheese and powdered sugar makes a delightful frosting. I think a cream cheese frosting would work great too.

Are they the same as cinnamon rolls - not really but they are very good and go together quickly.

After I had made these yummy muffins, I was online looking at some other recipes at the Cooking Light site. I found reviews for the Cinnamon Roll Muffins. Many said they were dry. We did not think that at all. I wonder if using white flour made a difference? That's what I used instead of whole wheat flour(which the recipe called for) - since I was out.

Maybe next time I will try with whole wheat to see if that makes them dry. In the meantime, we are enjoying them. I hope you do too.

Recipe Print

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Ingredients

FILLING:

Cooking spray

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk

2 teaspoons butter, melted

MUFFINS:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

GLAZE:

1/3 cup 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 ounce 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray or use cupcake liners.

2. To prepare filling, combine pecans and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a small bowl; toss to combine. Add buttermilk and butter, stirring until smooth.

3. To prepare muffins, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through baking soda) in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Place 3/4 cup buttermilk and next 4 ingredients (through eggs) in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed for 2 minutes. Add flour mixture to buttermilk mixture; stir just until combined.

4. Place 1 tablespoon batter in each muffin cup. Top evenly with filling. Spoon remaining batter over filling. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans.

5. Combine yogurt, powdered sugar, and cream cheese, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle over muffins.