Bite-sized pumpkin donut muffins are the perfect way to welcome fall. These spicy muffins have a donut texture and are dipped in butter and cinnamon sugar! Recipe loosely adapted from Martha Stewart
2teaspoonsespresso powder OR 1 tablespoon instant coffee grounds
½teaspoonvanilla
6tablespoonsunsalted buttersoftened to room temperature
½cupdark brown sugar
2large eggs
2tablespoonsnonfat plain Greek yogurt
Sugar coating:
½stick4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted, browned, and cooled See how to brown butter here
½cupgranulated sugar
2 ½teaspoonsground cinnamon
Special equipment:
Cooking spray
Mini muffin pan
2ouncedough scoop
Silicone pastry brush
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a mini muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, espresso powder (or instant coffee), and vanilla. Set aside.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy; this should take about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Add the Greek yogurt and mix until combined.
Alternately add the flour mixture in 3 additions and buttermilk mixture in 2 additions to the mixer bowl, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until barely just combined, and use a rubber spatula at the very end to lightly fold in any remaining flour mixture that may be at the bottom or sides of your bowl. Be careful not to overmix; as this may result in muffins that are tough and dense!
Use a cookie dough scoop or spoon to scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan; filling the muffin wells ¾ full. Bake the muffins for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool slightly for a few minutes in the pan before transferring muffins to a wire rack.
While the muffins bake, brown your butter and let it cool slightly after transferring it from the pan to a small bowl. Measure out your cinnamon and sugar for the topping into another small bowl.
While the muffins are still warm, use a pastry brush to lightly coat the tops of each muffin with the browned butter. Then use a spoon to sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the tops of the muffins (this will keep your cinnamon sugar mixture from becoming wet and clumpy). Place the muffins back on the wire rack to cool completely OR serve them freshly dipped and still warm. Either way, they will be DELICIOUS!
Keep leftover muffins stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition information per serving: Calories 164,Total Fat 6.6g, Saturated Fat 3.8g, Trans Fat 0.0g, Cholesterol 34mg, Sodium 168mg, Potassium 130mg, Total Carbohydrates 23.9g, Dietary Fiber 1.5g, Sugars 9.7g, Protein 3.2g