Donut Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
Donut Pumpkin Muffins are light and fluffy with the delicious flavors of pumpkin, warm fall spices, and a sweet cinnamon sugar coating. These are perfect for breakfast on the go or an after-school snack for the kids. All you need is some pumpkin puree, fall spices, and other basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
If you love donuts, try our Dunkin Donuts French Cruller recipe easily made with egg whites, powdered sugar, and milk. Looking for dessert cuisine? These Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are delicious and made simply with basic ingredients like baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour. For something lighter, you can make these Churros with simple ingredients including butter, nutmeg, cinnamon sugar, and flour.
It is undecided whether muffins began in France or Germany. Some say the name comes from the French word Moufflet, which means soft bread. Others claim it was the Germans who made them first, naming them “muffe”, which means small cake.
Whoever made them first, we sure are glad they did. Today, there are literally hundreds of thousands of muffin recipes from sweet to savory. Also known as pumpkin doughnuts, these tasty little muffins are sweet and delicious with pure pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spices, and simple ingredients you will probably be able to find in your pantry.
These pumpkin donut muffins with a cinnamon sugar mixture on top are great for breakfast, dessert, or a snack anytime. Does your family love pumpkin? If you are looking for more pumpkin recipes, we have them! Try our scrumptious pumpkin cheesecake pancakes for Thanksgiving breakfast.
They’re totally delicious with tiny cheesecake bites inside. In a hurry for something sweet? This five-minute pumpkin fudge only needs five ingredients. If you really love pumpkin, this Pumpkin Pot Roast is perfectly tender and seasoned with a hint of pumpkin pie spice.
Ingredients needed:
To make this easy pumpkin doughnut muffins recipe, gather the ingredients below. Then, when you are ready to begin, find our recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and directions.
- Pure canned pumpkin puree: Not pumpkin pie filling.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda: Not baking powder.
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Vegetable oil: Or whichever oil you prefer.
- Large eggs
- Packed brown sugar: You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar for this recipe.
- Granulated sugar
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cloves
- Kosher salt
Cinnamon-sugar coating:
- Unsalted butter: Melted.
- Granulated sugar
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cinnamon
How to make donut pumpkin muffins from scratch?
- Preheat: First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a muffin pan with butter or non-stick baking spray.
- Mix dry ingredients: While you wait for the oven to heat, whisk flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and cloves in a medium bowl until well combined.
- Mix wet ingredients: Then, in a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin and both sugars before beating in the vanilla extract, oil, and eggs.
- Combine the two: After, mix the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture just until there are no lumps, and fill muffin cups about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake muffins: Next, bake muffins for 18 to 20 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean when they are done. Let them cool for 10 minutes before popping them out of the pan and transfer to a wire rack.
- Sugar cinnamon instructions: Now, mix the cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
- Coat the muffins: Last, brush each pumpkin muffin with the melted butter and then toss it in the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Serve: Finally, serve warm or let them cool completely on the wire rack before refrigerating.
How to make air fryer donut pumpkin muffins from scratch?
- Preheat: First, preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F and grease a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter.
- Mix dry ingredients: Meanwhile, mix flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and cloves in a medium bowl until well combined.
- Mix wet ingredients: After, add pumpkin and both sugars to a large bowl and whisk before beating in the vanilla extract, oil, and eggs.
- Combine the two: Next, mix the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture just until there are no more lumps. Fill mini muffin cups with batter evenly about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake muffins: Then, air fry muffins for 8 to 10 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of each muffin should come out clean when they are done. Let them cool for 10 minutes on the counter before taking them out of the pan and cooling them on a cooling rack.
- Make the cinnamon sugar mixture: Next, mix the cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg in a shallow bowl.
- Melt butter: Now, melt the butter during the last minute of cooking.
- Coat the muffins: Lastly, brush each pumpkin donut muffin with the butter and then roll it gently in the sugar mixture.
- Serve: Finally, serve the mini muffins warm or let them cool completely on a cooling rack before refrigerating.
Recipe variations:
- Pumpkin donuts: To make pumpkin donuts, use a donut pan instead of a muffin pan.
- Different flour: For healthier donut pumpkin muffins, use whole wheat flour instead of regular.
- Chocolate: Add a 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter for chocolate chip pumpkin muffins.
- Extra flavor: You can add pumpkin pie spice to your cinnamon sugar coating for extra pumpkin flavor.
- Mini muffin tins: To make mini muffins, use mini muffin pans and reduce cooking time to 10 to 12 minutes.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Reduce prep time by using pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Beat butter: Similarly, you can beat your melted butter with pumpkin spice to make your cinnamon sugar coating even more flavorful.
- Buttermilk: Add buttermilk for extra moist pumpkin muffins. If you don’t have buttermilk, add one teaspoon of lemon juice to 1/3 cup of milk.
- Pumpkin swirl muffins: Add cream cheese whipped with one egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla to your batter and swirl it around gently. Do not mix it in completely if you want the swirls.
How to serve:
If you love pumpkin, you will want to double or triple this recipe, so you have plenty for the fall season. You will not need many ingredients because you probably already have most of them. Here are some great serving suggestions for this easy recipe.
- Top these with a dollop of preserves or jam. This recipe for persimmon jam is easy and delicious.
- Sprinkle warm muffins with powdered sugar before serving for extra sweetness.
- You could also top these pumpkin treats with a small spoonful of whipped cream. Try our simple and delicious recipe for homemade whipped cream.
- Add some rainbow sprinkles or other kinds of candy decorations on top for festive muffins.
- These taste delicious with some type of frosting. Our easy cream cheese frosting recipe is perfect.
- Use plastic wrap to separate these and bring them to your next family get-together for a yummy treat.
- Love donuts? Try these ricotta doughnuts made with ricotta cheese, vanilla beans, and graham cracker crumbs.
- Enjoy these pumpkin donut muffins with a cup of coffee. You may like our Starbucks copycat pumpkin latte recipe.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make pumpkin pie spice?
To make pumpkin spice, mix 1 teaspoon of ground allspice, 1 teaspoon of ground cloves, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg with 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon and 2 teaspoons of ground ginger. For a secret ingredient, try adding a pinch of black pepper as well.
How do I make my own pumpkin puree?
If you have the time, making your own pumpkin puree is a great idea. With our simple pumpkin puree recipe, all you need is a pie pumpkin and some fall spices. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds before baking with the cut sides down for 35 to 40 minutes at 400 degrees F. Let them cool to room temperature, peel off the skin, chop them into cubes, and then puree them in a food processor.
Why are my muffins dry?
The most common reason muffins come out dry is that they are overmixed or overbaked. Be sure to mix your batter as little as possible for the ingredients to be just combined. Also, make sure your oven is cooking at the right temperature. Buy an oven thermometer to check the internal temperature if everything you have been baking seems to come out overdone.
What are the nutrition facts in this recipe?
Each muffin has 200 calories, 9 grams of fat with 1 gram of saturated fat, and 24 milligrams of cholesterol. They also contain 35 grams of carbs, 29 milligrams of sodium, and 18 grams of sugar. But you also get 1 milligram of iron, 89 milligrams of calcium, 3,360 units of vitamin A, and 5 grams of protein.
How to store leftovers:
- Store: Keep leftover pumpkin donut muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
- Freeze: Put extra muffins in a freezer bag and they will stay fresh for up to three months in your freezer.
- Thaw: Remember to move your frozen leftovers to the fridge to thaw overnight before serving.
- Reheat: To warm one doughnut muffin, wrap it in a paper towel and microwave for 30 to 60 seconds. The cook time may vary depending on the wattage of your microwave.
More pumpkin recipes:
Baking tips:
- If you are using an air fryer, you may have to make mini muffins in a mini muffin tin instead of a regular muffin tin.
- For best results, make sure eggs and other ingredients are at room temperature before you begin.
- If you eat these the same day, they will be light and fluffy. However, the next day they are more of a dense muffin with a light donut texture.
- Be sure not to overmix the batter. That creates gluten and makes your muffins tough and dry.
- Use an internal oven thermometer to check the temperature of your oven. Some ovens cook at higher or lower temperatures than indicated.
- These are easy to make in advance and store for surprise guests.
- You can use muffin cups if you like but they can take away from the sugar mixture.
Donut Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch of cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Cinnamon sugar coating:
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Grease a non-stick muffin pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Stop to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times.
- Slowly whisk in the flour mixture, until there are no lumps and the batter is just fully combined and smooth.
- Fill in the muffin tins 3/4 full with the batter mixture.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the muffins in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then pop them out of muffin tins and arrange them on a wire rack.
Cinnamon sugar coating:
- Combine the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a shallow bowl and whisk.
- Then, working take one muffin, brush it all over with melted butter and quickly toss in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated.
- Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
