If you've ever found yourself torn between the sweet, sugary embrace of a doughnut and the cozy, crumbly allure of a muffin, my Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Muffins are here to save the day. Featuring a crispy, sugary exterior that gives way to a moist, tender interior bursting with cinnamon flavor, this sweetly spiced duffin recipe is sure to become a family favorite.Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
Preheat oven: Arrange your oven rack to the middle position. Preheat your oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit for mini muffins and 425-degrees Fahrenheit for standard size muffins. Lightly grease the tins of your muffin pan and set aside. (Why? Greasing your muffin tin will ensure your muffins release easily. I don't recommend using paper liner as the muffins will stick to them.)
Cream butter with sugars: In a medium size bowl with a hand-held mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars together on HIGH speed for 1 minute. Stop and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Then, continue to beat the mixture on high until creamy and smooth, about 2 additional minutes.
Add eggs, yogurt, and vanilla: Add the eggs (2 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk), yogurt, and the vanilla extract to the bowl. Beat the mixture on MEDIUM speed for 1 minute. Stop and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Continue to beat on medium speed for 1 additional minute, or until combined. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl again before moving on to the next step.
Add leaveners and spices: To the bowl, add the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and cinnamon. Mix on LOW until combined.
Add flour and milk, alternating the two: To the bowl, add half of the flour (1 ½ cups) and mix on LOW to barely combine. Then, add half of the milk (½ cup) and mix again on low to barely combine. Repeat, adding the remaining flour, barely mixing, and adding the remaining milk, before mixing again – but this time mix until the batter until the ingredients are JUST combined. The batter should be thick and relatively lumpy. (Tip: Take care not to over-mix the donut muffin batter. Over-beating will lead to dense, dry muffins. I like to pulse the ingredients together to prevent over-mixing.)
Add batter to prepared muffin pan: Carefully spoon or pour the doughnut muffin batter into the prepared muffin tins. If making mini muffins, fill each about ¾ full. If making standard muffins, fill the cups all the way up to the top, but don’t overflow them.
Bake the muffins according to the instructions below:Mini muffin baking instructions: Transfer the raw donut muffin batter to the oven and bake at 350-degrees Fahrenheit for 11-13 minutes, or until the mini muffins are pale golden in color and a toothpick inserted into the center of a doughnut bit comes out clean.Standard muffin baking instructions: Transfer the raw doughnut muffins to the oven and bake at 425-degrees for 5 minutes. Keeping the oven door closed, reduce the oven temperature to 350-degrees. Continue to the bake muffins at 350-degrees for 14-16 minutes, or until the donut muffins are pale golden in color and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
While doughnut muffins are baking, make topping: Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in the microwave on 50% power and then set aside to let cool. In a small bowl, mix the sugar with the cinnamon and then set it aside.
Cool: Remove the donut muffins from the oven and place the muffin pan on a wire rack. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing from the muffin tins.
Dip in butter, roll in cinnamon sugar: Working with one donut muffin at a time, use a pastry brush to spread the melted butter all over the muffins, or simply dip the muffins into the melted butter. Next, roll the muffin in cinnamon sugar or simply sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the muffins. Then, transfer the cinnamon sugar donut muffin to the wire rack and repeat the process with the remaining muffins.
Serve and enjoy: Serve your baked doughnut muffins warm or at room temperature. Alternatively, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple days.
Notes
Butter: Take the butter out of the refrigerator, cube it, and let it sit on the counter at room temperature while you measure the remaining ingredients. The butter doesn’t need to be completely softened, you just want to remove the chill and let it soften slightly.
Flour: These cinnamon sugar donut muffins are very soft and tender in texture, like cupcakes. If you prefer a traditional denser donut, omit the cake flour, and use 2 2/3 cup All Purpose Flour (320 grams) instead.
Nutritional information is an estimate based upon 18 servings (18 standard muffins). Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.