Make the muffins:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).  
2. Place cupcake liners in each cup of a 12-cup muffin tin (preferred), or generously grease each cup. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons baking powder. Set aside.
4. To a large bowl, add the eggs, 3/4 cup milk, oil, granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract). Whisk together until evenly combined.
5. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and gently whisk just until all the flour is moistened. Don't overmix the batter or it will become tough. There will be some lumps in the batter and that's ok. 
6. Scoop the batter into the cups of the prepared muffin tin. If you are not making the vanilla glaze for the muffins, instead you can sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of coarse sugar on top of each muffin to create a crunchy topping. (This is optional - the muffins taste great all on their own too!)
7. Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 18 - 22 minutes, or until the tops are firm and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean (meaning, there is no wet batter on the toothpick - a few moist crumbs are ok).
8. Let the muffins cool down in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes. Then remove the muffins to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling to room temperature. Unglazed muffins can be stored in an airtight container for 2 - 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Make the vanilla glaze:

1. While the muffins are almost fully cooled, make the vanilla glaze (if using). Add the powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) and a pinch of salt to a small bowl. 
2. Drizzle in about 1 1/2 tablespoons of milk into the bowl. Whisk until combined.
3. If needed, continue to add a few drops of milk at a time, whisking in between each addition, until the glaze is free-flowing but not watery (up to about 2 tablespoons milk in total). (See note 3.)
4. When the muffins are fully cooled, dip the tops into the bowl of glaze, letting the excess run off back into the bowl, before flipping the muffin right-side up. If you notice the glaze is too thick after dipping the first muffin, you can mix in a couple more drops of milk. Likewise, if the glaze is too thin for your liking, mix in a little bit more powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached.
5. Allow the muffins to sit, uncovered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the glaze is set. Store glazed muffins, loosely covered, for up to 1 day.