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MINI FRENCH BREAKFAST PUFFS

These Mini French Breakfast Puffs are light, fluffy muffins perfect for breakfast. Baked in under 15 minutes, they’re dipped in warm, melted butter and coated in sweet cinnamon sugar for a delightful treat. A quick and delicious way to start your day!

INGREDIENTS

Cinnamon Sugar Mix:

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

French Breakfast Puffs Muffin Batter:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup vegetable shortening (at room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg (at room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted, for dipping the muffins after baking — do not add to the batter)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Prepare the Oven and Pan: Adjust your oven rack to the second position from the top (just above the center) and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously coat a 24-cavity mini muffin pan with a flour-based baking spray.
  • Make the Cinnamon Sugar Mix: In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and cinnamon until evenly combined. Set aside.
  • Mix the Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  • Cream the Wet Ingredients: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the vegetable shortening and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  • Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Alternate adding the milk and dry ingredients to the wet mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. The batter will be thick but easy to scoop.
  • Fill the Muffin Pan: Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to evenly divide the batter among the mini muffin cavities.
  • Bake: Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the muffins are a light golden brown and spring back when touched.
  • Coat the Muffins: While the muffins are still warm, dip each one in the melted butter, ensuring they are fully coated. Immediately roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Serve and Enjoy: Serve the breakfast puffs warm and enjoy their soft, fluffy texture with the perfect hint of cinnamon sweetness!

BROWNIE COOKIE SANDWICHES WITH COOKIE DOUGH BUTTERCREAM

These brownie cookie sandwiches are decadently rich and fudgy, filled with swirls of light, fluffy cookie dough buttercream. Bet you can’t resist!

INGREDIENTS

For Brownie Cookies

  • 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter
  • 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (175 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 3/4 cup (95 g) bread flour, spooned and leveled (substitute with more all-purpose if needed)
  • 1/4 cup (25 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

For Cookie Dough Buttercream

  • 12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups (300 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3–4 tablespoons heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

To Heat-Treat Flour: Before baking, heat treat the flour for the buttercream. Spread it evenly on a clean, dry baking sheet, using 1/2 cup more than required to ensure you have enough. Bake at 300°F for 5-8 minutes, checking the temperature every 2 minutes with a digital thermometer. Stir the flour each time and rotate the pan in the oven. Continue baking until the temperature reaches 165°F, then remove from the oven and let it cool completely.

For Brownie Cookies: Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt over a double boiler on medium heat, stirring often. Once melted, remove from heat and stir until smooth. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before transferring to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, bread flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • Once the chocolate mixture has cooled slightly, add the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix on medium-low speed until fully combined. Add the vanilla and stir to incorporate.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, mixing until the flour is fully incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Using a small cookie scoop or a kitchen scale, measure out cookie dough balls. For consistency, each dough ball should weigh approximately 0.07-0.08 ounces. Space the dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center of the cookies slightly puffs and cracks. Avoid overbaking.
  • Remove the cookies from the oven and, while they are still warm, gently nudge the edges inward using the inside arch of a fork or swirl a round cookie cutter around the edges to form uniform rounds. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 8-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For Cookie Dough Buttercream

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and flour. Add this mixture to the butter mixture in increments of 1/2 cup while mixing on low speed. Once all of the sugar and flour have been incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat for one minute.
  • Add the vanilla and salt, mixing until combined.
  • Gradually add heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until the buttercream reaches your desired consistency. It should be smooth and fluffy, but firm enough to hold its shape when piped.

Assembling the Sandwiches

  • Pipe a swirl of cookie dough buttercream onto the flat side of one cookie.
  • Place another cookie, flat side down, on top and gently press together.
  • Optionally, sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
  • If needed, refrigerate the cookie sandwiches to set.
  • Serve chilled or at room temperature.

NOTES

  • Ensure the flour is heat-treated and cooled completely before using it in the buttercream.
  • Store the cookies tightly covered in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days.
  • To freeze, place cookies on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour (or until firm). Then wrap the cookie sandwiches in plastic wrap and store in a large freezer bag for up to 2 months.