Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Muffins on a cooling rack
Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Muffins

Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Muffins

Recipe by PJ Hamel
437 Reviews 4.6 out of 5 stars
Bake it Easy

This isn’t your typical wholesome, stir-gently, fruit-and-nut-stuffed health muffin. Also known as "dirt bombs," these doughnut muffins are light, lofty, and unapologetically cake-like. With simple flavors like vanilla, cinnamon, and a whisper of nutmeg, they lean more toward an old-fashioned doughnut (minus the frying) than a traditional muffin. They're perfect as is, but if you're looking for something heartier, add a handful of dried fruit or nuts to the batter. 

Prep
10 mins
Bake
15 to 17 mins
Total
25 mins
Yield
12 muffins
A Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Muffins cut in half - select to zoom
A Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Muffins cut in half - select to zoom
Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Muffins stacked up - select to zoom
Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Muffins ingredients - select to zoom
Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Muffins on a cooling rack with bag of cinnamon sugar - select to zoom
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Instructions

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  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin pan. Or line with 12 paper or silicone baking cups, and grease the cups with nonstick spray; this will ensure that they peel off the muffins neatly.

  2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars untill smooth.

  3. Add the eggs, beating to combine.

  4. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.

  5. Add one-third of the flour to the butter mixture, stirring gently to combine. Gently stir in half the milk. Mix in another third of the flour, then the remaining milk. Stir in the remaining flour. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix until the batter is thoroughly combined.

  6. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the cups nearly full.

  7. Bake the doughnut muffins for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they're a pale golden brown and a toothpick or thin knife inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.

  8. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool for a couple of minutes, or until you can handle them. While they're cooling, melt the butter for the topping (this is easily done in the microwave).

  9. Use a pastry brush to paint the top of each muffin with the butter, then sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar topping. Or simply dip the tops of muffins into the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar.

  10. Serve the doughnut muffins warm, or cool on a rack and wrap airtight. Store for a day or so at room temperature.

Tips from our Bakers

  • Want to make "real" doughnuts — but baked, not fried? Spoon the batter into a lightly greased doughnut pan, filling the wells to about 1/4" shy of the rim. Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 10 minutes; remove from the oven, and shake warm doughnuts in a bag of cinnamon sugar (no dipping in butter necessary). The recipe makes 12 to 14 doughnuts, depending on how full you fill the wells in the pan, so you'll have to bake in at least two batches (unless you have two pans).

  • For mini doughnut muffins, prepare the batter as described and portion into a mini muffin pan. Bake at 425°F for 12 to 13 minutes. Yield: about 30 mini doughnut muffins.

  • Looking for a gluten-free version of this recipe? Find it here: Gluten-Free Doughnut Muffins.

  • Join King Arthur baking instructor, Libby Treadway and her son as they bake Doughnut Muffins together from start to finish. Watch Baking Doughnut Muffins With Kids now.

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