Irresistible Pumpkin Donut Mini Muffins: Your Ultimate Fall Treat Recipe

Embrace the cozy flavors of autumn with these truly irresistible Pumpkin Donut Mini Muffins! These delightful bite-sized treats feature incredibly fluffy pumpkin muffins, each delicately dipped in melted butter and then generously coated in an aromatic, crunchy cinnamon sugar topping. Imagine the perfect fusion of a tender muffin and a classic donut hole, all in one easy-to-make package – that’s exactly what you get with this amazing recipe.

As the leaves begin to turn and the air grows crisp, nothing quite signals the arrival of fall like the warm, comforting scent of pumpkin and spice wafting from your kitchen. These cinnamon sugar pumpkin muffins are the epitome of my autumn dreams, bringing together all the best elements of the season in a single, convenient bite.

The magic happens with this simple yet brilliant method: each perfectly baked mini pumpkin muffin is first given a luscious dip in rich, melted butter, creating a moist and tender exterior. Then, it’s rolled into a fragrant blend of cinnamon and sugar, which adheres beautifully, transforming the muffin into a treat with the delightful texture and taste of a fresh, homemade donut. The contrast between the soft interior and the sweet, spiced crunch of the coating is simply divine.

When I first introduced these to my family, they were an instant sensation! Every single person, from the pickiest eaters to the most discerning dessert connoisseurs, fell in love with them. It’s no surprise, really, as these pumpkin donut muffins offer such a fun, festive, and utterly delicious way to celebrate the fall season with your loved ones. They are ideal for breakfast, a coffee break snack, or a sweet finish to any meal.

Why You’ll Adore These Pumpkin Donut Mini Muffins

There are countless reasons to add this pumpkin donut mini muffin recipe to your fall baking repertoire. Beyond their undeniable deliciousness, they offer a perfect blend of convenience, charm, and seasonal flavor that makes them truly special:

• Effortlessly Easy: With straightforward steps and common pantry ingredients, this recipe is incredibly simple to follow, even for beginner bakers.
• Perfectly Portioned: Their mini size makes them ideal for snacking, sharing, or serving at gatherings without the need for plates and forks. They’re great for little hands too!
• Bursting with Fall Flavor: The combination of real pumpkin puree and warming pumpkin pie spice creates an authentic taste of autumn in every bite.
• That Donut-Like Experience: The butter and cinnamon sugar coating isn’t just for show – it provides a tender, slightly crisp exterior that truly mimics the beloved texture of a fried donut hole, without any deep frying!
• Crowd-Pleaser Guaranteed: These mini muffins are universally loved. They disappear quickly at potlucks, brunches, or simply as an everyday family treat.
• Versatile for Any Occasion: Serve them for breakfast with your morning coffee, as a delightful afternoon snack, or as a charming dessert. They’re also perfect for school lunchboxes or holiday platters.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: Prepare a batch in advance and store them for a convenient grab-and-go option throughout the week.

Crafting Your Delicious Pumpkin Donut Mini Muffins: A Step-by-Step Guide

Making these glorious pumpkin donut mini muffins is a simple and rewarding process. Follow these detailed steps to achieve perfectly fluffy, cinnamon-sugar-coated treats every time.

Step 1: Prepare Your Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Use a whisk to thoroughly mix these dry ingredients together. This ensures that the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed, leading to a consistent rise and flavor throughout your muffins.

Step 2: Combine the Wet Ingredients. In a separate, medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the canned pumpkin puree, melted and slightly cooled butter, vanilla extract, brown sugar, milk, and eggs. Ensure the butter isn’t too hot, as it could scramble the eggs. Whisk until all these wet ingredients are well combined and smooth, creating a vibrant, fragrant mixture.

Step 3: Gently Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures. Pour the prepared dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Using a spatula or spoon, gently mix them until they are *just* combined. It’s crucial not to overmix the batter; a few small lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can result in tough, dense muffins instead of light and fluffy ones.

Step 4: Fill the Muffin Tin. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray, ensuring every cup is coated to prevent sticking. Using a mini cookie scoop or two small spoons, carefully distribute the muffin batter evenly into the 24 mini muffin cups. Fill each cup about two-thirds full to allow for proper rising.

Step 5: Bake to Golden Perfection. Place the muffin tin into your preheated oven and bake the mini pumpkin muffins for approximately 14-17 minutes. Baking times can vary depending on your oven, so keep an eye on them. The muffins are ready when they are golden brown, spring back lightly to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached.

Step 6: Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar Topping. While the muffins are baking, or as soon as they come out of the oven, prepare your coating. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon until thoroughly combined. In a separate, microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter for dipping. Having both ready ensures a smooth coating process while the muffins are warm.

Step 7: Coat Your Mini Muffins. This step is where the “donut” magic happens! As soon as the muffins are cool enough to handle but still warm, remove them from the tin onto a wire cooling rack. Take each muffin individually, brush all sides generously with the melted butter using a pastry brush, then immediately roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture until it’s evenly coated. The warmth of the muffin helps the butter absorb and the sugar adhere beautifully. Repeat this process with all remaining muffins. Once coated, return the mini muffins to the wire cooling rack to cool completely, allowing the cinnamon sugar to set.

Expert Tips for Muffin Perfection

• Don’t Overmix the Batter: This is arguably the most important tip for any muffin recipe. Overmixing develops gluten, which leads to tough, chewy muffins. Mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined; a few lumps are perfectly acceptable.
• Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Eggs and milk at room temperature incorporate more smoothly into the batter, leading to a more consistent and well-emulsified mixture.
• Measure Flour Correctly: For accurate baking, spoon your flour into the measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge. Scooping directly from the bag can compact the flour, leading to too much dry ingredient and a dense muffin.
• Bake Just Until Done: Overbaking can dry out your mini muffins. Start checking for doneness at the earlier end of the suggested baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
• Coat While Warm: The muffins must still be warm (but not piping hot) when you brush them with butter and roll them in cinnamon sugar. The warmth helps the butter absorb and the sugar adhere, creating that signature donut-like coating.
• Prepare Your Muffin Tin Well: Even if your muffin tin is non-stick, a good coating of cooking spray is essential for mini muffins to ensure they release easily without sticking.

The delightful cinnamon sugar topping truly elevates these muffins, adding an irresistible texture and flavor that makes them taste remarkably like a classic donut hole. It’s the perfect finishing touch that transforms a simple pumpkin muffin into an extraordinary fall indulgence.

Whether you’re hosting a fall brunch, looking for a special breakfast treat, or simply craving something warm and comforting, these pumpkin donut mini muffins are a phenomenal choice. Make a batch of these for your next fall baking day, and prepare to watch them vanish almost as quickly as you make them!

Creative Variations & Serving Suggestions

While these Pumpkin Donut Mini Muffins are perfect as is, they also lend themselves beautifully to a few creative twists and serving ideas:

• Add-Ins: Fold in a half cup of mini chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or pecans into the batter before baking for an extra layer of flavor and texture.
• Spice It Up: If you love extra spice, consider adding an additional pinch of ground ginger or nutmeg to your dry ingredients for a bolder flavor profile.
• Glaze Alternative: Instead of the cinnamon sugar coating, you could drizzle them with a simple vanilla or maple glaze once cooled for a different kind of sweetness.
• Make Them Jumbo: This recipe can also be made into standard-sized muffins! Simply use a regular muffin tin, fill cups about 3/4 full, and increase baking time to 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

These mini muffins are fantastic on their own, but here are some serving ideas:

• Breakfast Delight: Serve them with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of cold milk for a comforting breakfast.
• Brunch Spreads: They make a charming addition to any brunch buffet, especially alongside fresh fruit, yogurt, and other pastries.
• Holiday Platters: Their festive flavor and miniature size make them perfect for Thanksgiving, Halloween parties, or any fall-themed gathering.
• Dessert Treat: Offer them as a light dessert, perhaps with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for a special touch.

Storing Your Pumpkin Donut Mini Muffins

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Pumpkin Donut Mini Muffins

By: Joy Shull

These light and fluffy pumpkin muffins are a perfect fall treat! Dipped in butter and coated in a sweet cinnamon sugar mixture, they taste just like your favorite donut holes. An easy, delightful recipe for any autumn occasion!

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Servings: 24

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Ingredients for the Mini Muffins 

• ▢ ¾ cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• ▢ ⅓ cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
• ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

For the irresistible cinnamon sugar topping

• ▢ 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• ▢ 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions 

• In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Set aside.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the canned pumpkin puree, melted and slightly cooled butter, vanilla extract, brown sugar, milk, and eggs until smooth.
• Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix gently with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter; a few lumps are fine.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a mini muffin tin generously with olive oil cooking spray or your preferred non-stick spray.
• Using a mini cookie scoop or two small spoons, distribute the muffin batter evenly among the 24 mini muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
• Bake the mini pumpkin muffins for 14-17 minutes, or until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Once baked, carefully remove the muffins from the tin and place them onto a wire cooling rack to cool slightly.
• While the muffins are cooling, prepare the cinnamon sugar topping: In a shallow bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. In a separate small bowl, melt the additional 1/4 cup butter in the microwave.
• When the muffins are still warm (but not too hot to handle), take each muffin and brush all sides with the melted butter using a pastry brush. Immediately roll the buttered muffin in the cinnamon sugar mixture until it is completely coated. Repeat this process with all the remaining muffins. Return the coated mini muffins to the wire cooling rack to cool completely, allowing the cinnamon sugar to set for the best texture.

Notes

To achieve the best and most even coating, I highly recommend using a pastry brush to apply the melted butter to each warm muffin before rolling it in cinnamon sugar. This method ensures uniform coverage without making the muffins too greasy, which can sometimes happen with direct dunking. It helps create that perfect, delicate crust!

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Calories: 107kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 104mg, Potassium: 43mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1336IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 1mg

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