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Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins taste like your favorite old-fashioned cinnamon sugar donut from the bakery – in muffin form. Soft donut muffins are dipped in melted butter and a cinnamon and sugar topping. Just like a donut ❤︎
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins (That Taste Just Like Bakery Donuts!)
These cinnamon sugar donut muffins are one of the very first recipes I ever posted to this food blog of mine! I can’t even count the number of times I have made this recipe for my family ❤︎
If you love the nostalgic flavor of old-fashioned cake donuts – but don’t love the deep frying – these muffins are a must-make.
They’re soft, buttery, perfectly spiced, and rolled in a buttery crackly cinnamon sugar coating while still warm. The result? A tender muffin that tastes just like a fresh bakery donut, especially when eaten warm.
Why You’ll Love These Donut Muffins
- ✔️No Frying Required
- ✔️Super Soft and Fluffy
- ✔️Irresistible Cinnamon-Sugar Buttery Crunch
- ✔️Tried & True Family Favorite Recipe
Ingredients Needed
Donut Muffins Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour : I use unbleached all-purpose flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Ground Cinnamon
- Salt : I use sea salt when baking
- Whole Milk : You need a higher fat milk like whole milk or half and half
- Large Egg
- Melted Butter : I use salted butter but unsalted butter can be used if preferred
- Vanilla Extract
Buttery Cinnamon Sugar Topping Ingredients
- Melted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
How To Make Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray each cup in a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray OR place a parchment paper muffin liner into each cup. If using liners, very lightly spray the liners with nonstick spray.
Donut Muffins : In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until combined.
In a separate smaller bowl, using the same whisk, whisk together the whole milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the larger bowl of dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to gently combine everything together just until no flour streaks remain in the batter.
Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 of the way full with muffin batter.
Bake for 18-22 minutes. When done, the muffins should be puffy, rounded, and domed on top and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean with no wet batter on it.
Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool for about 10-15 minutes or until you can safely handle them.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping : Place the melted butter in one bowl and stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
Take a muffin, turn it upside down, and dip the top of the muffin into the melted butter, and then immediately put it into the cinnamon sugar; moving it around to ensure that it gets a good coating of the cinnamon sugar.
Place the dipped muffins onto a cooling rack and repeat with the remaining muffins. Let the muffins cool to room temperature or eat one warm (my preferred way).
How To Store Leftover Muffins
Keep the muffins stored at room temperature, inside an airtight container or Ziploc bag, for up to 3-4 days.
You can also freeze the baked muffins by wrapping each muffin in plastic wrap, and placing the wrapped muffins inside a freezer-safe container or bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Let the muffin(s) thaw in the fridge overnight or out at room temperature for a few hours. I recommend warming up the muffin for the best treat.
Pro Tips From The Test Kitchen
- Spray each muffin tin well with nonstick cooking spray. Or use parchment paper liners for each muffin cup. I prefer using liners because then the sides of the muffins don’t get too browned. Either way works and I have made it both ways.
- The muffins will be done baking when the tops are puffy, domes, and rounded. You will also be able to gently press your finger on the muffin and it should spring back. Or use a toothpick to check for doneness; insert the toothpick into the top of the muffin and it should come out with no wet batter and instead it will be clean or with a few crumbs.
- Use whole milk or half and half for the best results. You want a higher fat milk so the muffins have moisture and a richness to them.
More Must Try Muffin Recipes
- Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins
- The BEST One Bowl Applesauce Muffins
- Coconut Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
- Nutella Banana Muffins
- Double Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
- Cranberry Muffins Recipe
- Cinnamon Banana Bread Muffins
- Apple Cider Muffins
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins
Ingredients
Donut Muffins
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon & Sugar Topping
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray each cup in a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray OR place a parchment paper muffin liner into each cup. If using liners, very lightly spray the liners with nonstick spray.
Donut Muffins
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until combined.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1½ cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- In a separate smaller bowl, using the same whisk, whisk together the whole milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until combined.1¼ cups whole milk, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the larger bowl of dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to gently combine everything together just until no flour streaks remain in the batter.
- Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 of the way full with muffin batter.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes. When done, the muffins should be puffy, rounded, and domed on top and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean with no wet batter on it.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool for about 10-15 minutes or until you can safely handle them.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- Place the melted butter in one bowl and stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.4 tablespoons butter, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Take a muffin, turn it upside down, and dip the top of the muffin into the melted butter, and then immediately put it into the cinnamon sugar; moving it around to ensure that it gets a good coating of the cinnamon sugar.
- Place the dipped muffins onto a cooling rack and repeat with the remaining muffins. Let the muffins cool to room temperature or eat one warm (my preferred way).
Notes
- Spray each muffin tin well with nonstick cooking spray. Or use parchment paper liners for each muffin cup. I prefer using liners because then the sides of the muffins don’t get too browned. Either way works and I have made it both ways.
- The muffins will be done baking when the tops are puffy, domes, and rounded. You will also be able to gently press your finger on the muffin and it should spring back. Or use a toothpick to check for doneness; insert the toothpick into the top of the muffin and it should come out with no wet batter and instead it will be clean or with a few crumbs.
- Use whole milk or half and half for the best results. You want a higher fat milk so the muffins have moisture and a richness to them.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love to see it! You can share it with me on @togetherasfamilyblog and follow on Pinterest @together-as-family-blog-recipes or Facebook @togetherasfamilyblog for more!
Jessica, these muffins are just so adorable! Want to see how many I can pop into my mouth! Yum!! Pinned, printed,now to make and bake! Thanks HUN!!
Aww, thank you 🙂 I hope you like them as much as we do! And yes, mini muffins are just about the cutest thing there is!
Can you make this in a cake pan?
Hi Kelly. I have never done that so I can’t promise that it will work. But I suppose you could always try it. I would just watch the checking time because it would need to cook a bit longer. Just a thought. If you want the cinnamon sugar flavor (like a cinnamon roll) in cake form, try this cinnamon roll cake —> it’s crazy yum and I’ve made it before, several times! http://www.melskitchencafe.com/cinnamon-roll-cake/
** cooking time not checking time 😉
Can someone tell me if buttermilk can be used in place of regular milk.
What I found online- “To substitute buttermilk for milk in a recipe, use 2 teaspoons less baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon more baking soda than called for in the recipe for every cup of buttermilk used.”
Best of luck!
Has any body used 2% milk? I want to make these but don’t have any on hand.
Sorry I’m just seeing this! 2% milk should work just fine.
Easy and delicious
awesome recipe, easy to follow but I need more butter and cinnamon sugar for the muffins at the end.
Your recipe was easy for me to substitute to make it gluten free. I also made donuts instead of muffins. Absolutely delicious! I am going to make the recipe again using Bob’s GF baking flour (blue bag). This time I’m going to make muffins.