Bite sized Pumpkin Donut Muffins! Roll your baked pumpkin mini donuts in butter and cinnamon sugar for a bite sized breakfast treat no one can resist.
Everyone loves pumpkin for breakfast, right? Be sure to give our Pumpkin Streusel Donut recipe a try next! Or bake up a batch of Starbucks Pumpkin Scones. Both are freezer friendly!
Why this recipe works
When you can’t decide between donuts and muffins, this recipe gets you both!
These are baked like pumpkin muffins, conveniently bite sized like a donut hole and with a taste that stradles the line between fry cake and fluffy muffin.
They remind me of my favorite cinnamon sugar muffins only, with a pumpkin twist!
Since I’m into all things pumpkin in the fall, it was only a matter of time before I needed to make pumpkin donuts.
This recipe combines pumpkin and cinnamon sugar–my two favorite flavors to accompany my morning coffee. Pumpkin Donut Muffins freeze well too, so bake a big batch now and save some for later!
If you love today’s muffins, be sure to add our copycat Starbucks pumpkin muffins to your baking list!
Ingredient Notes
Aimee’s Reminder
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the blog post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements and directions.
- Pumpkin puree – You need real, canned pumpkin to make this recipe, NOT pumpkin pie mix.
- Cinnamon – I use both ground cinnamon and allspice in the batter AND more cinnamon in the topping. You can swap it out for equal amounts of pumpkin pie spice too.
- Unsalted butter – You can sub salted butter if needed, just reduce the salt in the recipe a bit to compensate.
PRO TIP- We love making our own homemade vanilla extract, but if using store bought, be sure it’s pure extract, not imitation (for best flavor).
Step by Step Instructions
- Make the muffin batter. Beat butter and sugar until it’s creamy, then add the egg, vanilla and pumpkin puree. Add the dry ingredients and blend to combine.
- Bake. Fill the cavities of a greased mini muffin tin about half way full. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the donuts to cool.
- Roll in cinnamon sugar. Combine cinnamon and sugar on a plate. Roll the cooled donuts in melted butter, then dip them into the cinnamon sugar, rolling to coat completely.
Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container. . . or freeze in a ziploc bag! These are so delicious with your coffee in the morning but just as good as a snack or a party food.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! If using a regular muffin tin, double the recipe and fill the cavities about 2/3 of the way full to get a rounded muffin top that you can dip in melted butter and cinnamon sugar. You’ll need to add a few minutes of baking time, too.
I use a tablespoon cookie scoop to measure a precise amount of batter into each mini muffin tin. You only want to fill them up HALF the way so they’ll come out with a flat bottom and nicely round on the sides and top.
If you’re freezing the donut holes, they should stay good for up to 3 months. Pull them out of the freezer to thaw at room temperature the night before.
More Breakfast Recipes
- Pumpkin Waffles
- Waffle Mix– make your own waffles!
- Sopapilla Cheesecake
- Apple Cider Donuts
- Blueberry Muffins
- Powdered Sugar Donut Holes
Easy Muffin Recipes
See all Muffins recipes
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Pumpkin Donut Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the topping:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a mixer, blend butter and sugar until creamy. Add in egg and vanilla, beat until combined. Blend in pumpkin puree. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and cinnamon.
- Fill cavities of a greased mini muffin pan about half full (I use a metal 1Tbsp scoop). Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Remove and cool on wire rack.
- Meanwhile, mix cinnamon and sugar and a small bowl. In a separate bowl, melt butter.
- Dip each muffin top into the melted butter then into the cinnamon sugar mix. Repeat until all muffins are dipped. Store in an airtight container for up to one week. Or freeze for up to one month.
Notes
- I use baking spray, such as Pam for Baking, to lightly coat my mini muffin pans.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice- swap out the cinnamon and allspice in the batter for 1 tsp homemade pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Whip up a batch of homemade cinnamon sugar, or use the store bought blend.
Nutrition
Part donut, part muffin, this Pumpkin Donut Muffins with cinnamon sugar are a fall favorite.
These are excellent and so easy! Keeping this recipe on file.
I just made a batch of these omg they are AMAZING!!! so easy to make cooked so beautifully just perfect my 12 yr old loved them too taste just like donuts yum!! I quickly put some in the freezer before we ate them all! 🙂
So glad they were a hit! Thanks for stopping by to let me know 🙂
I pretty much love pumpkin anything and this definitely would not be an exception! haha A great breakfast idea my whole family would enjoy!
I have made these 3 or 4 times and always get requests for the recipe. Soooooo good.
So glad to hear it Beth, thanks for letting me know!!
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These look yummy! I think you are doing your part by supplying your kiddos with these muffin/doughnuts – brain food! 🙂
Pumpkin donut muffin? The muffin in the title totally makes these healthier right? p.s. 5th grade math is already making me feel uneducated, I can’t imagine what it’ll be like once he’s in middle or high school!
They are SO cute and I bet they are to die for!
WOW! I’ll say it’s a muffin so I can guiltlessly have a bunch for breakfast 😉
Made these last night. Wow. Easy and delicious. My sweetie seriously ate like five of them within an hour. Donut? Muffin? Who even care. SO. GOOD.
Well Aimee, you know that they say that nutrition is the most important ingredient to success at school 🙂 These “donut muffins” surely qualify! I am dreading high school homework. I was an Electrical Engineer and took LOTS of math but I’m sure I will be absolutely worthless by the time the boys hit high school! I don’t even want to think about it!
I am horrified when my gets get to school and will need help. I think I will stick with the nutrition too. I can practice now with these donuts.
Yes, donuts are always the answer 🙂
Made these last night – so good and so easy and fast! Thanks!