This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy.
These easy cinnamon sugar donut muffins are soft, tender, and cake-like! Baked until golden, then brushed with melted butter and dunked in cinnamon-sugar, they’re super simple to whip up. Sour cream adds rich flavor that reminds you of an old-fashioned donut, no deep frying required. Recipe makes 12 muffins.
These cinnamon sugar muffins are the kind of muffin you inhale warm from the cooling rack. I love the contrast between the soft, cake-like centers and buttery, sugary tops.
Flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla (just like my apple cinnamon muffins), they puff up beautifully in the oven with a tender crumb. It’s easy to see why they’re one of my favorite homemade muffin recipes!
Step by Step: Donut Muffins
Beat butter, oil, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. During my recipe testing, I found that combining butter and oil gives you the best of both worlds: rich flavor from butter and extra moisture from oil.
Add one large egg and vanilla extract to the bowl, and mix until smooth.
Add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with sour cream mixture.
Mix just until incorporated. The muffin batter will be somewhat thick, similar to my New York crumb cake or coffee cake muffin recipe.
Fill each baking cup 3/4 full of batter. Bake the muffins at 425°F for 5 minutes, then drop the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue baking for 14 minutes, until the tops spring back to the touch.
Set the cooling rack over a piece of wax paper or parchment. While the muffins are still warm, brush the tops with melted butter, then dip them in cinnamon-sugar to coat.
If you crave even more cinnamon-sugar goodness, you can peel off the liners and roll the warm muffins in cinnamon-sugar to coat them completely. Yum!
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins with Sour Cream
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 19 minutes
- Total Time: 34 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These easy cinnamon sugar donut muffins are soft, tender, and cake-like! Baked until golden, then brushed with melted butter and dunked in cinnamon-sugar, they’re super simple to whip up. Sour cream adds rich flavor that reminds you of an old-fashioned donut, no deep frying required. Recipe makes 12 muffins.
Ingredients
Muffins
- 1 1/2 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tsp (7 g) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (56 g) neutral baking oil
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg (50 g), at room temperature
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 g) milk, at room temperature
Topping
- 3 Tbsp (37 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line a 12-cup standard muffin pan with baking cups; spray baking cups lightly with nonstick spray.
- Make muffins: Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter, oil, and sugars in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in egg and vanilla. Combine sour cream and milk in a small bowl. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream mixture (begin and end with flour mixture), just until incorporated.
- Fill each baking cup 3/4 full of batter.
- Bake muffins: Place muffin pan in the oven and bake for 5 minutes at 425°F. Without opening the oven door, reduce temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 14 minutes (for a total baking time of 19 minutes), until muffins are light golden, tops spring back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
- Let muffins cool in pan on a wire rack for 3 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
- Cinnamon-sugar coating: Place wire rack with muffins over a piece of wax paper or parchment. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush warm muffin tops with melted butter and dip in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.
- Muffins are best freshly baked. Store any leftover muffins overnight in an airtight container. Reheat for about 15 seconds in the microwave or for about 10 minutes in a 300°F oven before serving.
Notes
Nutmeg: Adds rich, nutty flavor to the muffins. If you don’t love nutmeg, use 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg for a more mild flavor. If you opt for freshly grated nutmeg, use 1/8 teaspoon or 1/4 teaspoon. Freshly granted nutmeg is much stronger than pre-ground nutmeg.
Freeze leftover muffins: Wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze muffins up to 2 months for best texture and flavor. When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat in a warm oven (325°F) for 10 minutes or until heated through before serving. If desired, re-brush the tops with melted butter and dip in fresh cinnamon sugar.
Make ahead and freeze: Bake muffins and let them cool completely on a wire rack (do not add the melted butter and cinnamon-sugar topping). Wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a warm oven (325°F) for 10 minutes or until heated through. After reheating, brush the tops with melted butter and dip in cinnamon-sugar for a just-baked finish.
Recipe inspired by King Arthur
Came out great, my kids loved them! These are so easy to make, too.
So happy to hear this, thank you Brittany!
What kind of baking oil do you recommend? Thank you.
Hi Susie, any kind of neutral oil with a mild flavor works well (canola, vegetable, safflower). You can also use unflavored coconut oil in liquid state. Happy baking!