Cinnamon Dumplings with Apple Cider Syrup

This is a recipe I pull out for winter breakfasts and yes I know that the nutritional value is probably minimal and that I might as well feed the children a bowl of Hershey bars with milk but I never claimed this was a health-food blog.

This can't be any more sugary than pancakes or waffles, right? And with the apple cider syrup you're at least getting a smidgen of vitamins in there, right?

I won't even tell you about the night a couple weeks ago when Andrew was gone on business and I fed the kids chocolate cake for dinner . . .

For dumplings:
1 ½ cup flour
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, in pieces
1 ½ tablespoons whole milk
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

For syrup:
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
4 c apple cider

Yogurt or whipped cream for topping

Combine dry ingredients for dumplings (flour through cinnamon) then cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add milk and eggs and stir until it forms a ball.

Separate the dough into about 24 1/2-inch balls and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook sugar and water over medium without stirring until sugar melts and turns amber, 14 min. Cook two more minutes then whisk in apple cider. Bring to a simmer and drop in balls, cooking until golden brown (20 min). Top with yogurt or whipped cream.

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