Streusel Eggnog Cupcakes with Eggnog Glaze

Every year, my little sous chef and I get all excited and giggly when we see eggnog in the stores.  Making your own eggnog from scratch is very easy and worth the effort.  Check out my recipe here.  I've made eggnog cookies, eggnog holiday cake, eggnog cupcakes, eggnog French toast... you get the idea!  We can't get enough of it!  Things tend to get very slow around the holidays with my job, and I had a full today to myself today to do whatever I wanted.  So, of course, I got into the kitchen and came up with these babies.  They are delicious, and the streusel and eggnog glaze take these muffins to a heavenly realm! 

Ingredients:

Yields 12 muffins

Muffins

• 1/4 c butter, softened
• 1/2 c white sugar 
• 1 large egg, room temperature 
• 3/4 c eggnog
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 1 c plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda 
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 
• 1/4 tsp salt 

Streusel

• 1/4 c white sugar 
• 2 tbsp flour 
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1 tbsp butter

Glaze

• 1/2 c confectioners' sugar 
• 1 1/2 tbsp eggnog 
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• Pinch ground cinnamon 
• 1 tsp milk or rum

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a muffin pan with liners.

Prepare the muffins.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar, until smooth.  Beat in the egg.  Stir in the eggnog and vanilla.  In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, until just combined.  Fill the muffin liners 3/4 full.

Make the streusel.  In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter with a fork, until you get a crumbly mixture.  Pour the streusel evenly over the muffins.

Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the glaze.  In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, eggnog, vanilla, cinnamon, and rum (or milk).  If you would like the glaze thicker, add more confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.  Drizzle the glaze over the muffins.  

Enjoy!