The Humble Donut Muffin
An obsession begins
In college, there was this amazing little Jewish bakery right off campus. It was heaven. When you have an intensive grammar class at 8 in the morning, nothing else quite eases the pain of having to spot examples of a gerund (a verb that functions as a noun, for anyone interested) like a cup of strong black coffee and a bialy smothered in fresh cream cheese. A cup of matzah ball soup was a go-to comfort when that seasonal cold popped up in finals week, and don’t even get my started on their chocolate chunk cookies!
Once, on my nearly daily pilgrimage to the bakery, I saw a stack of something new in the case that I’d never really quite seen before: The Donut Muffin. Anyone who knows me knows that donuts are my jam. I’ve been a fan of this particular breakfast sweet since I was a kid. Growing up, we’d spend our holidays in the little ski resort of Sunriver, Ore., where the village smelled of glazed donuts on those crisp snowy mornings thanks to this little shop that sold the biggest donuts I’d ever seen (it’s called a spare tire and it way too big for small child to eat alone but god knows I tried anyway).
Despite my life-long obsession with donuts, until I was about 21-years-old I had never heard of the donut muffin. Though its name alone, though, I just knew it was something I wanted in my life (I wasn’t wrong). The perfectly moist texture of a cake donut and a sweet dusting of cinnamon sugar all wrapped up in the shape of a muffin. I was in love from my very first order. This became my little reward for finishing term papers or surviving mid-terms. I little pick-me-up on a rough rainy day. … and a sudden source of embarrassment when I realized just how often I showed up at the bakery to buy this sugary, less-than-healthy snack.
Simplicity At Its Best
Obviously, in order to save face (and money, I was still on a college-student budget) and still consume donut muffins at a regular rate, I needed to learn how to bake them myself. I think the appeal to me of the donut muffin is its simplicity—A classic cake donut flavor pallet and the unassuming shape of a muffin. No special tools, no oil, no frying. Just easy ingredients and a muffin tin. I’ve been using this recipe for over a decade whenever I get a craving. I add a little bit of nutmeg to mine for a little extra spice (I have no idea if the bakery in my college town added any nutmeg or allspice but I think it’s a great, subtle little addition).
Donut muffins are a tasty, unassuming little item to add to your breakfast. Sweet without being as sugary as an actual donut, it pairs well with one of my other favorite things in the world: coffee. Easy to bake and always a hit among my friends, these can be made the night before to take to a brunch or for a little breakfast at home (or on the go… I’ve eaten a donut muffin in my car more than once). They are also an excellent little afternoon treat for anyone who craves a bit of sugar and carbs mid-day.
To be completely honest, I hadn’t thought much about the humble little donut muffin over the past couple of years. It has been a few years since I baked them at home, and I hadn’t seen one at a bakery since college. But a couple of weeks ago my roommate very casually mentioned a craving for the donut muffin, a tasty little item the bakery down the road now carried.
“Oh! I can make those!”
“Of course you can…”
Now you can, too.
Donut Muffin
yields 12 muffins
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup whole milk +1 Tbs
2 Tbs buttermilk (if you don’t have buttermilk, use whole and add 1 tsp cream of tartar)
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp (1 1/2 sticks, or 6 ounces)
3/4 cup granulated cane sugar + 2 Tbs
2 large eggs
For topping:
about half a stick of butter
half cup granulated cane sugar
2-3 Tbs ground cinnamon
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prep a standard muffin tin with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Mix and then set aside.
Combine milk and buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. (You can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer.) Add sugar in a steady stream and continue mixing. You will need to scrape the sides of the bowl a couple of fo times. Mix until the mixture lightens to a pale yellow color and is a fluffy and creamy texture. Beat in eggs one at a time until just combined. Don’t over mix.
With a wooden spoon or a spatula, mix 1/4 of the dry ingredients into the butter, followed by 1/3 of the milk. Continue to alternate mixing dry and wet ingredients. Mix until smooth and combined, but do not over mix. The dough will be really thick. Spoon evenly into the prepared muffin tin. Bake until muffins are firm to touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Roughly 25-35 minutes depending on your altitude.
As muffins start to cool, prep the topping. Melt butter into a bowl. Combine cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.
When muffins are cool enough to handle but still warm, brush on melted butter (really make sure you give it a nice coating) and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until completely covered. Do this with each muffin, working one at a time. Let the muffins finish cooling on a cooling rack (I often put the rack on top wax paper or a cutting board to help catch any excess sugar).
Muffins will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days but are best within the first couple of days. The dough itself can be made ahead of time and kept for up to 3 days covered and chilled.