Doughnut Muffins

We just had another exciting week with visitors here in Dallas.  The day after my sister and brother-in-law left us, Josh's parents arrived to meet Baby Eli and hang out with Knox, too.  

We have LOVED all the time we've been able to spend with our families this summer...it doesn't always work out like this for us.  It has been a special summer.

 

While Josh's parents were here, I made my newest favorite muffin recipe...these doughnut muffins. 

I think I love them because they remind me of the homemade donuts the older ladies in my town always made for us when I was growing up.  These muffins are reminiscent of old fashioned homemade donuts...only much faster and easier to make.  I found the recipe on the King Arthur baking blog.

 

The only problem I have with this recipe is that my favorite part is the top half, the half dipped in the melted butter and cinnamon sugar.  It just melts in your mouth!  I wish that every muffin could have TWO top halves.  :) 

But I did discover a remedy to this problem...just mix up a little extra cinnamon sugar and sprinkle it on the bottom half of your muffin before you eat it...with a little butter, if you're feeling especially indulgent.

 

 

  

Doughnut Muffins

Batter:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg, to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 2/3 cups flour 
• 1 cup milk

Topping:

• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

Batter

• 2 ounces butter
• 1 3/4 ounces vegetable oil
• 3 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 ounces brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg, to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 11 1/4 ounces King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 8 ounces milk

Topping

• 1 1/2 ounces melted butter
• 1 3/8 ounces Cinnamon-Sugar Plus or cinnamon sugar

Directions:

 

1) Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin. Or line with 12 paper muffin cups, and grease the cups with non-stick vegetable oil spray; this will ensure that they peel off the muffins nicely.

2) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars till smooth.

3) Add the eggs, beating to combine.

4) Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.

5) Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.

6) Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the cups nearly full.

7) Bake the muffins for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they're a pale golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.

8) Remove them from the oven, and let them cool for a couple of minutes, or until you can handle them. While they're cooling, melt the butter for the topping (this is easily done in the microwave).

9) Use a pastry brush to paint the top of each muffin with the butter, then sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Or simply dip the tops of muffins into the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar...that's what I did.

10) Serve warm.

Yield: 12 muffins.