Here is a recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins. They have all the flavor of a classic cinnamon sugar donut—the soft, tender crumb, the butter brush, and the crunchy, sweet coating—but they are baked in a muffin tin, so you don’t have to deal with frying.
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins
These are sometimes called “Love Muffins” or “Baked Donut Muffins.” They are light, fluffy, and dangerously easy to eat.
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
· ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
· ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
· 2 large eggs, at room temperature
· 1 ½ tsp baking powder
· ¼ tsp baking soda
· ¾ tsp ground nutmeg (this gives the “donut” flavor)
· 1 tsp vanilla extract
· ⅔ cup (160ml) buttermilk (or milk with 1 tsp lemon juice)
· 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
· ¼ tsp salt
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
· ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
· 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
· 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin thoroughly or line with paper liners (if using liners, grease the inside of the liners too, as the batter likes to stick).
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda until combined.
- Alternate Dry and Wet: Stir the salt into the flour. Add half of the flour to the batter and mix gently. Add all of the buttermilk and mix. Finally, add the remaining flour and mix until just combined. Do not overmix; a few tiny lumps are fine.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups (they will be fairly full). Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Prepare Coating: While the muffins bake, melt the ½ cup of butter in one small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 1 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.
- The Donut Treatment: Let the muffins cool in the pan for only 5 minutes. They need to be warm for the coating to stick.
· Working one at a time, take a warm muffin and roll the top and sides in the melted butter.
· Immediately roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture, using your fingers to pat the sugar onto the sides.
· Place the coated muffin on a wire rack to set. - Serve: These are best enjoyed the day they are made, while the coating is still a little crunchy and the inside is soft.
Tips
· Don’t skip the nutmeg: It is the secret spice that makes these taste like real cake donuts rather than just vanilla muffins.
· Work fast: The sugar sticks best when the muffins are warm and the butter is wet. If the muffins cool down too much, the coating will fall off.
· Variation: For a Churro-style effect, add a pinch of salt to the cinnamon sugar.
Enjoy your delicious, baked “donut” experience