Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

I am quite fond of doughnuts.

I am also quite fond of muffins.

I am very fond of having leftover ingredients that I don't typically have around the house as an excuse to find new recipes.

Sometimes everything just falls into place.

Let me just say that cinnamon is definitely in my top five of favorite flavors. If it will fit in a recipe that doesn't include it, I'll add some in. And double it in any recipe in which it already exists. I have a problem...

These light snacks are rolled in a cinnamon sugar coating, giving them the feel of a doughnut, yet in every other aspect are very much traditionally yummy muffins. They accompany your morning cup of coffee perfectly :) 

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins (ever so slightly adapted from Martha Stewart )

10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs

Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
3/4 cup sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted


     1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour (or use pan spray if you prefer) 18 muffin cups.
     2.In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Set aside.
     3. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin.
     4. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down bowl in between.
     5. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the pumpkin mixture and mix well.
     6. Spoon batter to fill 3/4 of each muffin cup.
     7. Bake for 30 mins.
     8. While they are cooking, combine sugar and cinnamon in a wide bowl and melt butter in a small dish.
     9. Let muffins cool enough to handle, and using one at a time, brush with melted butter then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Let cool completely on wire rack.

Fresh out of the oven!

Try to use a wide bowl for the coating, it'll be easier to roll them around. 

Coated and un-coated.

Tower of muffins!

The coating is what makes these so good :)