Pumpkin Spice Donut (muffins)

I actually made a Muffin tin Monday meal this morning...scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes with syrup, apple sauce and pineapple all nestled in my Wilton Fall silicone tins...the ones with leaves and pumpkins...but the picture looked awful. I'm still working on how to take pictures without a flash...without a tripod. I borrow my brother's tripod often, but when it's not here, my pictures are fuzzy...so I'm posting a muffin recipe instead.

The original recipe calls for a Donut pan...I used my mini muffin tins instead because I have them and I like the bite size convenience. This recipe made 4 dozen mini pumpkin donut muffins. I found the recipe on  a blog that sent me to Blue Eyed Bakers. I can't remember the other blog.

They were amazing fresh out of the oven dipped in melted butter and cinnamon sugar, but the next morning, the cinnamon sugar had melted (I guess) and they were still good, but not great. They were soggy and sticky and a mess for my boys to eat. I'm thinking that they were still too hot when I left the house and covered them with syran wrap? So I sugared 2 dozen and froze the other 2 dozen unsugared  and I'll try them this weekend and leave them uncovered and let you know! 

My go to recipe has been Tasty Kitchen's "muffins that taste like donuts". They are amazing, so I might just go back to that recipe for holiday gifts. 

Petite Pumpkin Spice Donuts

For Donuts:
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk

For Coating:
1/2 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1-2 tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat oven 350 F. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices together and set aside.

In a large bowl (or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the mixture and stir until just combined, careful not to over mix.

Using a pastry bag or a steady hand and a spoon, fill each donut cup with the batter.  The donut cups should be fairly full, but not overflowing. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until donuts spring back when gently pressed (if you're using a larger donut pan, allow them to bake for 12-15 minutes).  Turn donuts out onto a wire rack and allow to cool for a few minutes.

While the donuts are cooling, melt butter in one bowl and combine the sugar and cinnamon in another.  When donuts are still hot (but not too hot to touch), quickly dip each donut in melted butter, then coat in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Serve immediately.

*Note: If you're not going to serve the donuts immediately, you can bake them up to a day in advance and store them in an airtight container.  Do not coat them in the butter/cinnamon-sugar mixture until just before serving or they may get soggy.

You can also adapt this recipe for mini muffins.  Just bake muffins for 10-12 minutes then follow the same procedure for coating.

I'm joining StoneGable for On the Menu Monday. Enjoy the recipes!

I also plan on trying these recipes for the holidays! What is your favorite holiday treat recipe? I'd love to know! I've hosted or cohosted a cookie exchange for the past 4 years and I love seeing the creativity unfold around the holidays. I wish y'all lived closer! I'd love to have you join us!

Christmas Crack

Coconut Joy Candy

Cookie Balls