These Easy Donut Muffins are super soft and fluffy and make a delicious morning or anytime snack. and they're guaranteed to satisfy both your muffin and donut cravings.
Two favourites in one. How about giving these easy Donut muffins a try
Easy Donut Muffins
Donut muffins are so simple to make. Using basic ingredients that are mixed in one bowl and baked until lightly brown. The warm donuts are then dipped in butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar.
These are seriously delicious with a cup of coffee or tea.
What I really love about these donut muffins is the variation in the recipe. They can be made with or without any filling.
For this recipe, I topped half of the batter with a little strawberry jam then covered it with the remaining batter to create the most amazingly delicious jam-filled donuts.
If you are not a fan of jam, then please feel free to leave it out. Simply fill the muffin tins with the batter and bake as normal.
This bake is best eaten while still warm and on the same day, it has been baked.
However, if you do have any leftovers (Really? that's a thing?) then just reheat in the microwave for a few seconds before eating.
But, I repeat, they’re definitely on another level of deliciousness when eaten still warm.
These ingredients create the magic
While the full recipe is written below, this is the section to read if you’re wondering about ingredient substitutions or how these ingredients work in the recipe.
Butter: The butter for this recipe should be at room temperature. Take the butter out of the refrigerator at least an hour before baking.
Oil: Just ¼ cup of oil is needed which contributes to the soft, tender texture of this bake. Use a neutral flavoured oil like canola or sunflower.
Sugar:
Buttermilk: The buttermilk in this recipe serves to add moisture and keeps the donuts soft, light, tender, and fluffy.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make some by adding 2 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice to ½ cup (125ml) milk Leave it aside for 2 minutes which will allow it to curdle. Use in place of the buttermilk.
Baking powder and Baking soda: These are the raising agents used in the recipe. The baking powder and baking soda should be level and not heaped onto the spoon.
Ground Cinnamon Powder: I use just ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder in this recipe. If you prefer a stronger cinnamon flavor, then feel free to add more according to your taste.
Salt
Vanilla extract
Flour: I used cake flour for this recipe. Cake flour creates a soft, light, and tender texture.
If you do not have cake flour, then you can make your own by adding 4 ½Tablespoons of cornstarch (cornflour) to 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour. Sift it well together so that it is properly incorporated and aerated.
Milk
Jam (optional) This is used as a filling in the donuts. It adds a delicious variation to this bake. You can leave it out if you prefer plain donut muffins just rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar.
Variation
Donut muffins can be baked with or without filling and the topping can also vary. Here are a few ideas if you would like to give it a try.
Filling:
- Nutella or any hazelnut spread: Fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full with batter, Place about ½ teaspoon of hazelnut spread in the centre of each filled muffin cup. Top with just enough of the reserved batter to cover the jam.
- Use your favourite flavours of jam/jelly in the recipe
- Fill with thick chocolate spread or ganache.
- Add a piece of chocolate: Fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full with batter, Place a little block of chocolate in the centre of each filled muffin cup. Top with just enough of the reserved batter to cover the chocolate
Topping:
- Top with a simple glaze. You can try the same glaze recipe which I used as a topping in my one bowl lemon cake
- Dip the top of the baked muffins in melted white or dark chocolate
Tips to create the perfect Donut Muffins
- To get a soft, fluffy texture, ensure that you do not overmix the batter. Mix until just combined.
- If you are using a jam filling, then just add ½ teaspoon in each muffin. Adding too much will result in the jam bubbling out when baking, creating soggy muffins.
- Roll the muffins in the butter and cinnamon sugar while still warm. This ensures that some of the butter is absorbed and the cinnamon sugar adheres well to the donut muffins
How to Make Donut Muffins
While the full recipe is written below, this is the process with step-by-step pictures to help guide you.
Use a handheld blender or stand mixer to cream the butter, oil, and sugar. Add in the buttermilk and continue beating until combined.
Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon powder, and vanilla extract.
Add in the flour alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix
Divide two-thirds of the mixture between the muffin cups.
Carefully add 1 teaspoon of jam into the centre of each, then cover with the remaining mixture. If you do not want to use jam, then please feel free to leave it out. Simply fill the muffin cups up to ¾ full with the batter.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until risen, golden and springy to touch. Leave the muffins to cool for 5 mins before lifting out of the tin and rolling in the melted butter and cinnamon sugar
Enjoy ♥
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out my other amazing muffin and bread recipes
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Easy Donut Muffins
Ingredients
For the donut muffins
- ¼ cup / 56g butter at room temperature
- ½ cup / 100g white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup / 60 ml oil See note 1
- ½ cup / 125ml buttermilk See note 2
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon / 5 ml vanilla extract
- 2 ⅔ cup / 335g cake flour See note 3
- 1 cup /125ml milk
- ¼ cup jam See note 4
For the cinnamon sugar
- ½ cup / 113g butter
- ⅔ cup / 150g castor sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon powder
Instructions
To make the donut muffins
- Grease or line a 12 cup muffin pan with cup cake liners.
- Use a handheld blender or stand mixer to cream the butter, oil, and sugar. Add in the buttermilk and continue beating until combined.
- Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon powder, salt and vanilla extract.
- Add in the flour alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix
- Divide two-thirds of the mixture between the muffin cups.
- Carefully add one teaspoon of jam into the centre of each, then cover with the remaining mixture. If you do not want to use jam, then please feel free to leave it out. Simply fill the muffin cups up to ¾ full with the batter.
- Bake in a preheated oven of 320°F (160°C ) for 15 to 20 minutes until risen, golden and springy to touch. Leave the muffins to cool for 5 mins before lifting out of the tin and rolling in the melted butter and cinnamon sugar. See note 5
To make the cinnamon sugar
- Melt the butter in a bowl in the microwave or a small pot on the stovetop.
- In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and ground cinnamon powder.
Notes
- Use a neutral flavoured oil like canola or sunflower.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make some by adding 2 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice to ½ cup (125ml) milk Leave it aside for 2 minutes which will allow it to curdle. Use in place of the buttermilk.
- I used cake flour for this recipe. Cake flour creates a soft, light, and tender texture.
If you do not have cake flour, then you can make your own by adding 4 ½Tablespoons of cornstarch (cornflour) to 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour. Sift it well together so that it is properly incorporated and aerated. - I use jam as a filling in the donuts. It adds a delicious variation to this bake. You can leave it out if you prefer plain donut muffins just rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar. If you are using a jam filling, then just add ½ teaspoon in each muffin. Adding too much will result in the jam bubbling out when baking, creating a soggy bake.
- Roll the muffins in the butter and cinnamon sugar while still warm. It ensures that some of the butter is absorbed and the cinnamon sugar adheres well to the donut muffins.
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