Donut Muffins: Cinnamon Sugar Recipe Plus Jam and Maple Variations

Donut muffins are tender butter muffins flavored with nutmeg, baked in a standard muffin tin, then brushed or dipped in melted butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar while still warm. They taste like a baked cake doughnut, need no frying or doughnut pan, and come out of the oven in about 20 minutes. One batch makes 12 muffins, and the same batter takes a spoonful of jam in the center or a maple glaze on top.

The nutmeg is what gives these muffins the familiar doughnut-shop taste. Creaming the butter and sugar gives a finer, more cake-like crumb than the melted-butter method used for most quick muffins, which helps the texture read as doughnut rather than breakfast muffin.

Ingredients (12 muffins)

Prep: 20 min · Bake: 20 min · Total: 40 min

For the muffins:

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the coating:

• 1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

If you weigh your flour, the site’s cups to grams converter for baking ingredients handles other flours and sugars too.

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin well, including the top surface. Paper liners work, but the coating sticks better to bare muffins.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Beat the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
5. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk in two parts, and mix on low speed or by hand only until no dry flour shows.
6. Divide the batter among the cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
7. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
8. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift the muffins out.
9. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. While the muffins are warm, brush the tops and sides with melted butter (or dip the tops), then roll them in the cinnamon sugar.

How do you make jam-filled donut muffins?

Jam-filled donut muffins use the same batter with about 1 teaspoon of jam hidden in the middle of each one. There are two common ways to add it:

• Layering: spoon a tablespoon or two of batter into each cup, add 1 teaspoon of jam, then cover with the rest of the batter so the jam is fully enclosed. Jam left at the edge tends to sink and burn on the bottom.
• Piping after baking: once the muffins cool, push a piping tip or the handle of a wooden spoon into the side or top, then pipe in jam from a bag. This gives the most doughnut-like result and keeps the jam bright.

Thick jams and preserves hold their place better than thin jelly. Raspberry and strawberry are the classic choices. Coat jam-filled muffins in plain granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar.

How do you make maple donut muffins?

Maple donut muffins skip the cinnamon-sugar roll and get a maple glaze instead. Whisk 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup and a pinch of salt until thick but pourable, then dip the tops of the cooled muffins and let the glaze set for about 15 minutes. A drop or two of maple extract makes the flavor stronger, because maple syrup alone is mild once mixed with sugar. You can also swap 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar in the batter for maple syrup. Larger swaps change the moisture in the batter, which the guide to baking with honey, maple syrup and other sugar substitutes explains.

Why are my donut muffins dry or dense?

Dry or dense donut muffins usually come from too much flour, overmixing or overbaking. Spoon flour into the cup and level it instead of scooping, or weigh it. Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears, since extra stirring builds gluten and makes the crumb tough. Start checking at 18 minutes, because muffins keep cooking in the hot tin. Cold eggs and milk can make creamed butter seize into small lumps, so bring them to room temperature first.

Why won’t the cinnamon sugar stick?

Cinnamon sugar sticks only to a warm muffin with a fresh layer of butter on it. Once the muffins cool completely, the butter firms up and the sugar slides off. Coat them within 10 minutes of leaving the tin, and press each muffin gently into the sugar instead of sprinkling it on. The same warm-coat method is used for the topping on these coconut vanilla muffins with a cinnamon-sugar top.

Can you make donut muffins in a mini muffin tin?

Yes, the batter makes roughly 30 to 36 mini muffins. Fill each cup about three-quarters full and bake at the same 350°F (175°C) for about 10 to 13 minutes. Minis are easier to dip and roll, and they work well as party bites or in lunchboxes; the article on lunchbox muffins for kids covers freezing and packing.

How do you store donut muffins?

Donut muffins taste best the day they are baked, while the coating is still crisp. Keep leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for 1 to 2 days; an airtight box softens the sugar coating. To freeze, wrap uncoated muffins well and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw, warm briefly in a 300°F (150°C) oven, and coat them in butter and cinnamon sugar. Do not taste the raw batter, since uncooked flour and eggs can carry harmful bacteria, as FoodSafety.gov advises.

Quick answers

Can I use oil instead of butter in donut muffins?

Yes. Use 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil and whisk it with the sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla instead of creaming. The muffins come out moister but less cake-like, with a little less buttery flavor.

Can I use buttermilk instead of milk?

Yes. Replace the milk with the same amount of buttermilk and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to the dry ingredients. Buttermilk gives a slight tang and a softer crumb, close to an old-fashioned cake doughnut.

Do I need a doughnut pan?

No. A standard 12-cup muffin tin is all this recipe needs. In a doughnut pan the same batter bakes in about 10 to 12 minutes because the rings are thinner.

Can I leave out the nutmeg?

You can, but the muffins will taste like plain vanilla muffins with a cinnamon top. Freshly grated nutmeg is stronger than ground, so use about half the amount.