Cinnamon sugar donut muffins like Dunkin Donuts makes but easier and cheaper made right at home baked in your own oven! Fluffy and delish.
Donut muffins with a cinnamon and sugar coating are light fluffy bites of goodness. The perfect breakfast or brunch treat you can eat for dessert later too. Just one of the best muffin recipes here on The Typical Mom blog. (affiliate links present)
Donut Muffin Recipe
Of course you can use a variety of other ideas for the toppings. When experimenting with pressure cooker donuts I instead melted chocolate and let that harden. With some candies stuck on top of each one, they were a fun edible project to do with the kids.
Air fryer donuts are more similar to these with just a sprinkle of the same ingredients on top and sticks nicely with just a bit of added butter.
Let’s talk a bit about my favorite things when it comes to muffins though shall we?
- You really should get a 24 cup muffin pan, or opt for a quicker baking time with mini muffins.
- I ALWAYS use muffin liners and you should too. They make cleanup easier and grab and go breakfasts a thang. 😉
- No pan, no problem! Use these self standing muffin cups instead!
- This is the best way to store leftovers so they don’t get smushed!
Glazed Donut Muffins
As always when baking anything you should have two bowls handy. One will have your wet ingredients whisked together, while your flour, leavening agent and other seasonings will be mixed in the other. Then incorporate the two well into a smooth batter and you’re ready to bake.
How can I make my muffins light and fluffy?
You’re going to use cake flour instead of all purpose for this reason. This will give it a much fluffier texture, similar to a cake or cupcake somewhat. If you need help with what you have in the cupboard at home, here is a flour substitution chart for reference. Another tip is to always measure flour properly, if not they’ll be dense.
To make them more moist, you’re going to use half and half + buttermilk too. You can make the latter by adding lemon juice to milk. That way you don’t need to make an extra trip to the grocery store, I hate that.
Dunkin Donuts Muffins
If you visit this popular doughnut store you may have tried one of theirs which will remind you of these. I promise you that if these are offered during your Christmas brunch or at a baby shower everyone will ask you for the recipe. 😉 This is what was used for this batch.
- Cake flour will give you that really fluffy texture, just like at a bakery.
- Egg
- Milk + lemon juice = buttermilk
- Sugar
- Softened butter
- Half and half gives them a tender and moistness you won’t get with cow milk.
- Vanilla
- Baking powder and salt
- Cinnamon is added into the batter as well as the top when done.
- Nutmeg is a nice touch
- 2 large bowls
You can easily mix the topping together yourself, or buy it already combined together here. Alternatively you could sprinkle them with powdered sugar. Glazed donuts can be achieved with a mix of confectioners sugar and a bit of water to loosen it up.
Donut Muffins Buttermilk
I really do suggest a metal muffin tin as opposed to a ceramic “pretty” one. The temperature varies significantly if you use the latter so the timing below wouldn’t be adequate as the pan will absorb a lot of the heat. I do like using muffin papers if I have them to avoid cleaning the pan later.
Well these muffins are a good second. You can use our cake mix donuts ingredients and use that instead. Those yield a much more dense cake donuts like texture instead of fluffy. You won’t have a hole in the center but really who cares about that?
Can I use a cupcake pan for donuts?
We’re here to show you how to think outside of the box and do just that! Get the flavors of doughnuts, the texture of a muffin, and use the same pan for cupcakes you already have at home.
If you have run out of liners you can spray it lightly with non stick spray. It will work just fine, just not my preference….but I do run out from time to time (like now).
Time needed: 20 minutes.
Donut Muffins
- Prepare
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together milk and lemon juice to create buttermilk. Set aside. In a medium size bowl, whisk together egg and sugar.
Whisk in vanilla extract, buttermilk and half & half. Whisk in soft butter. In a small bowl mix dry ingredients; sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Then whisk flour mixture into batter until smooth. Grease muffin pan or use muffin papers. - Bake
Now bake the muffins for approximately 18-20 minutes. Check for doneness by touching gently in the center. If they bounce back take them out and set on cooling rack.
- Coat
In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon for topping. Melt butter in the microwave in a bowl. Dip the top of the muffins upside down into butter and then dip into cinnamon sugar mixture. Set on wire rack.
Donut Muffins Jam Filling
During the Fall you could add pumpkin pie spice or crushed nuts like our coffee cake muffins into this mix too! Want to add something in the middle too?? Fill a pastry bag with homemade jam and push into the bottom with a little squeeze. Surprise in the middle is complete!
Doughnut Muffins
And there you have it! Want to make mini muffins so they kinda’ resemble the holes?? You totally can. You’d just need to decrease the baking time to about 12 minutes or so. All ovens vary slightly so start at 10 min. and check the same way as I suggested before.
Yes you can use a toothpick but I think the “finger trick” is better. It is easy to tell, if it bounces back you want to take them out immediately so they don’t continue cooking. If it sinks a bit it needs a few more minutes. Now you can print recipe below and keep it on hand for next time, or just come on back!
But before you jump to recipe below take a peek at one more idea you’ll want to consider after you enjoy these. Using Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits you have got to try our biscuit donuts next! Different, easier, but made in your air fryer or deep fried they are a close second in my opinion. 😉
Our cinnamon roll muffins are fast with no yeast too but with the same great flavors.
Want to see a few of my favorite things that I am totally obsessed with?? Take a peek and see how many you might already have…twinsies!
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Donut Muffins
Ingredients
- 1.5 c cake flour
- 1 egg
- 1/2 c milk
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1/3 c butter softened
- 1/4 c half and half
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp salt
- topping
- 1/3 c sugar
- 5 tbsp butter melted
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Set oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together milk and lemon juice to create buttermilk. Set aside. In a medium size bowl, whisk together egg and sugar.
- Whisk in vanilla extract, buttermilk and half & half. Whisk in soft butter. In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Whisk flour mixture into batter until smooth. Grease muffin pan or use muffin papers. Bake 18-20 minutes and then check for doneness by touching gently in the center. If they bounce back take them out and set on cooling rack.
- In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon for topping. Melt butter in the microwave in a bowl. Dip muffins upside down into butter and then dip into cinnamon sugar mixture. Set on wire rack.