Donut Muffins: Easy Baked Donut-Style Muffins for Breakfast!

When you pull a batch of donut muffins from the oven, the kitchen fills with the warm, nostalgic scent of browned butter, toasted sugar and cinnamon — a fragrance that feels like Sunday mornings and small, perfect celebrations. Each muffin wears a delicate, crackled crown and yields to the touch with a gentle spring, revealing a tender, slightly crumbly interior that is both familiar and surprising: part muffin, part donut, wholly irresistible. As you bite into one, there’s a satisfying contrast: a soft, pillowy crumb tempered by the crisp, cinnamon-sugared exterior or a silky, glossy glaze that clings to every curve. This recipe invites you to create that moment — the aroma, the texture, the warm sweetness — and share it around a table or tuck a handful into a paper bag for a treasured snack.

Why You’ll Love This Donut Muffins:

These donut muffins are a deliciously hybrid treat that capture the best qualities of donuts and muffins: the airy, tender crumb of a muffin with the delightful finish of a donut. They are versatile enough to be gentle breakfast companions with coffee, festive options for brunch, or an indulgent afternoon pick-me-up. The exterior can be finished with a cinnamon-sugar coating that crackles lightly, or with a simple vanilla glaze that pools luxuriously in every nook. The batter is forgiving and quick to assemble, so you can move from mixing bowl to oven in under 15 minutes. Each bite balances sweet and buttery notes with a hint of vanilla and warm spice; the texture is moist yet structured, making these muffins sturdy enough to hold up to a glaze or a thick dusting of sugar. They present beautifully on a platter—golden domes speckled with cinnamon or shining with glaze—and they create an immediate sense of comfort and celebration. Best of all, the recipe scales easily, so you can make a dozen for a family breakfast or a larger batch for gathering and gifting.

Ingredients for This Donut Muffins:

Step-by-Step Instructions for Donut Muffins:

1. Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease each cup well with butter. When the oven warms, the air will smell faintly of readiness — a quiet promise of the golden domes to come.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until evenly blended. The dry mix should smell warmly spiced and look homogenous, with flecks of brown sugar lending depth.
3. Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract, stirring to combine. The mixture should feel silky and slightly thick; the butter’s aroma will make the batter feel indulgent even before it meets the flour.
4. Bring wet and dry together: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. The batter should be lumpy but uniform—avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender. Overworked batter yields tough muffins, so stop when no streaks of flour remain.
5. Fill the tins: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. A gentle tap on the counter will help settle the batter and release large air pockets. You will notice the batter’s soft, almost doughy texture and a buttery scent.
6. Bake: Place the tin in the center of the oven and bake until the tops are golden and spring back lightly when touched. Expect 18–22 minutes, depending on your oven. The kitchen will become fragrant with caramelized sugar and spice.
7. Check for doneness: Use a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin — it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. For a more precise check, the internal temperature should read about 200°F (93°C). Do not underbake; a set interior is essential for coating later.
8. Cool briefly: Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack. Cooling slightly makes them easier to coat and prevents the butter from melting away the sugar or glaze.
9. Coat with cinnamon-sugar: If using the cinnamon-sugar finish, brush each warm muffin lightly with melted butter, then roll or sprinkle generously with the cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated. The sugar will cling and create a textured, crackling surface that smells divine.
10. Or glaze: For the glazed finish, whisk powdered sugar, milk and vanilla to a smooth, pourable glaze. Drizzle or dip the tops of slightly cooled muffins and set on a rack so excess glaze can drip. The glaze will harden to a thin, glossy shell that complements the tender crumb.

How Long to Cook:

Bake the donut muffins at 350°F (175°C) for 18–22 minutes. Start checking at 18 minutes: insert a toothpick into the center — it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. For an accurate measure, the internal temperature should reach about 200°F (93°C). Allow the muffins to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack; this brief rest helps the crumb finish setting and prevents the tops from collapsing. If you choose to use a glaze, wait until the muffins are warm but not hot so the glaze will adhere and set into a glossy coat rather than run off.

Tips for Perfect Results:

• Use room temperature eggs and buttermilk so the batter mixes evenly and traps the right amount of air for lift.
• Measure flour by spooning and leveling or weigh it — packed flour leads to dense muffins.
• Do not overmix after adding the wet ingredients; a few lumps are fine and will yield a tender crumb.
• Fill muffin cups consistently (three-quarters full) for uniform domes and even baking.
• Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots, for an even golden color.
• Cool briefly before coating — warm, not hot, muffins allow butter and sugar to adhere without melting entirely.
• For extra richness, brown the butter before adding it to the wet ingredients; it adds a warm, nutty depth that pairs beautifully with cinnamon.
• Make the glaze slightly thicker for a glossy finish or thinner if you prefer a delicate sheen that soaks into the top.

Options for Substitutions:

These donut muffins are forgiving and adapt well to swaps if you need dietary or flavor variations. Swap buttermilk with whole milk mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice (let sit 5 minutes) to keep tang and tenderness. For dairy-free: use plant-based milk (soy or oat) plus 1 tablespoon vinegar, and substitute melted coconut oil for butter; note coconut adds a subtle tropical note. Replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend — make sure it contains xanthan gum for structure. Use coconut sugar or maple sugar instead of granulated sugar for a deeper, caramel-like flavor; brown sugar can be replaced with 2 tablespoons molasses plus granulated sugar. For a lower-fat version, substitute half the butter with unsweetened applesauce, though the crumb will be slightly less rich. Vary the spice profile with cardamom, ginger or pumpkin pie spice for seasonal twists. If you prefer a lemony finish, omit cinnamon and add 1 tablespoon lemon zest to the batter, and finish with a lemon glaze.

Watch Out for These Mistakes:

• Overmixing the batter will develop gluten and produce dense, tough muffins rather than light, tender ones.
• Underbaking can leave a gummy, raw center that ruins the texture and prevents proper coating adhesion.
• Using cold wet ingredients leads to uneven mixing and can affect rise; bring eggs and buttermilk to room temperature for best results.
• Measuring flour incorrectly by scooping with the measuring cup can compress flour and yield heavy muffins; spoon and level or weigh.
• Applying glaze to piping-hot muffins will cause the glaze to run off completely; allow muffins to cool slightly to set the glaze beautifully.
• Skipping the brief cooling in the tin may cause the muffin tops to break or collapse when removed too quickly.

Estimated Nutrition:

These values are approximate and based on one muffin when the recipe yields 12 muffins, coated with the cinnamon-sugar finish (no glaze). Individual results will vary depending on exact ingredients and portion sizes.

• Calories: ~320 kcal
• Protein: ~4 g
• Carbohydrates: ~45 g (of which sugar ~24 g)
• Fat: ~14 g (saturated fat ~7 g)
• Fiber: ~1.5 g
• Sodium: ~220 mg

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I make the batter ahead of time?

Yes — you can prepare the batter and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours in an airtight container. Before baking, gently stir the batter to recombine and allow it to come closer to room temperature for about 20 minutes. Note that chilled batter may require an extra minute or two in the oven.

How should I store leftover donut muffins?

Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If coated in cinnamon-sugar, place parchment between layers to prevent sticking. For longer storage, freeze muffins individually wrapped in plastic, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in a low oven.

Can I adapt these to mini muffins or jumbo muffins?

Yes. For mini muffins, reduce baking time to approximately 10–12 minutes. For jumbo muffins, increase baking time to about 22–28 minutes. In all cases, watch for visual cues (golden tops and spring-back) and use the toothpick test for doneness.

Is there a way to make them less sweet?

To reduce sweetness, lower the granulated sugar by up to 1/4 cup and use only a light dusting of cinnamon-sugar or omit the glaze. You can also balance sweetness with a tangier coating, such as a light cream cheese glaze with less sugar, or a lemon glaze that cuts through the richness.

Conclusion

Donut muffins are a small, generous invitation — easy enough for a weekday morning yet special enough for gatherings. They provide warming aromas, tender insides and a playful exterior that evokes both comfort and delight. Whether you tilt toward a crackling cinnamon-sugar finish or a glossy citrus glaze, the act of baking them becomes part of the reward: the mixing, the scents that unfurl through the kitchen, and the shared smiles when the first warm muffin is offered. Take these steps slowly and confidently; with a few simple tips and the sensory cues shared here, you will bake muffins that bring people together and transform a moment into something memorable.