For the Muffins

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or a little bit of butter. This helps prevent the muffins from sticking.
2. Get a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Stir everything together until it is fully combined.
3. Grab a separate bowl. Whisk together the milk, the melted butter, the egg, and the vanilla extract. Mix these wet ingredients until everything looks smooth and well blended.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir everything together just until they are combined. It is okay if there are still a few small lumps; do not overmix the batter.
5. Carefully divide the batter evenly among the cups in the prepared muffin tin. Fill each cup about two-thirds full. This leaves space for the muffins to rise while baking.
6. Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for about 15 to 18 minutes. You can tell they are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating

1. While the muffins are baking, prepare the cinnamon sugar coating. In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and the 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Stir them together until they are well mixed.
2. Once the muffins are finished baking, take the pan out of the oven. Let the muffins cool in the pan for approximately 5 minutes before removing them.
3. After they have cooled slightly in the pan, gently remove each muffin. While they are still warm, roll them around in the cinnamon sugar mixture you prepared. Make sure each muffin gets completely covered with the coating.
4. Serve the muffins warm and enjoy their delicious flavor!