Print

Easy Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donut Muffins (Best Fall Recipe)

cinnamon sugar pumpkin donut muffins - featured image
Print Recipe

These Easy Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donut Muffins are the perfect fall treat—soft, tender muffins with a buttery, crackly cinnamon sugar coating that tastes like a bakery donut but is ready in under 30 minutes. Made with simple pantry ingredients, they’re a crowd-pleasing breakfast or dessert that captures all the cozy flavors of autumn.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (melted, for coating)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for coating)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin generously with butter or non-stick spray, or line with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until just combined—do not overmix; a few lumps are fine.
  5. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
  6. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
  7. While muffins are still warm, melt the ½ cup butter in a small bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together ¾ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
  8. Using a pastry brush, coat the top and sides of a warm muffin with melted butter. Immediately roll the buttered muffin in the cinnamon sugar mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Place back on the cooling rack.
  9. Repeat with remaining muffins. Serve warm for best texture.

Notes

For best results, brush muffins with butter while still warm to ensure the cinnamon sugar coating sticks. Do not overmix the batter to avoid dense muffins. Use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. If you don’t have a pastry brush, dip the tops of warm muffins directly into melted butter.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin donut muffins, cinnamon sugar pumpkin muffins, easy fall recipe, pumpkin muffins, donut muffins, fall breakfast, pumpkin spice

Find it online: https://tinastirs.com/easy-cinnamon-sugar-pumpkin-donut-muffins-best-fall-recipe/