Description
These easy cinnamon sugar donut muffins are soft, tender, and cake-like! Baked until golden, then brushed with melted butter and dunked in cinnamon-sugar, they’re super simple to whip up. Sour cream adds rich flavor that reminds you of an old-fashioned donut, no deep frying required. Recipe makes 12 muffins.
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line a 12-cup standard muffin pan with baking cups; spray baking cups lightly with nonstick spray.
- Make muffins: Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter, oil, and sugars in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in egg and vanilla. Combine sour cream and milk in a small bowl. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream mixture (begin and end with flour mixture), just until incorporated.
- Fill each baking cup 3/4 full of batter.
- Bake muffins: Place muffin pan in the oven and bake for 5 minutes at 425°F. Without opening the oven door, reduce temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 14 minutes (for a total baking time of 19 minutes), until muffins are light golden, tops spring back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
- Let muffins cool in pan on a wire rack for 3 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
- Cinnamon-sugar coating: Place wire rack with muffins over a piece of wax paper or parchment. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush warm muffin tops with melted butter and dip in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.
- Muffins are best freshly baked. Store any leftover muffins overnight in an airtight container. Reheat for about 15 seconds in the microwave or for about 10 minutes in a 300°F oven before serving.
Notes
Nutmeg: Adds rich, nutty flavor to the muffins. If you don’t love nutmeg, use 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg for a more mild flavor. If you opt for freshly grated nutmeg, use 1/8 teaspoon or 1/4 teaspoon. Freshly granted nutmeg is much stronger than pre-ground nutmeg.
Freeze leftover muffins: Wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze muffins up to 2 months for best texture and flavor. When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat in a warm oven (325°F) for 10 minutes or until heated through before serving. If desired, re-brush the tops with melted butter and dip in fresh cinnamon sugar.
Make ahead and freeze: Bake muffins and let them cool completely on a wire rack (do not add the melted butter and cinnamon-sugar topping). Wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a warm oven (325°F) for 10 minutes or until heated through. After reheating, brush the tops with melted butter and dip in cinnamon-sugar for a just-baked finish.
Recipe inspired by King Arthur
