Kirbie's Cravings

Sugar Donut Muffins

These fluffy little donut muffins taste like old-fashioned donuts but are baked instead of fried. They make a perfect treat any time of the day.

photo of Sugar Donut Muffins on a plate

These mini donut muffins are one of my favorite recipes and I’ve made them several times. Recently I made a batch for a really fun BBQ and game night party and we served them as a dessert, but they’re also great for breakfast or brunch instead of traditional donuts.

It had been a while since I made them, but they were as delicious as I remembered. They are light, fluffy and they taste like old fashioned donuts but are healthier because they are baked instead of fried.

overhead photo of a plate of Sugar Donut Muffins

One-Bowl Donut Muffins

I also love that you only need one bowl to make these muffins. You don’t need a mixer either – you can mix the batter by hand with just a bowl and a spoon. I love it when I don’t have many dishes to clean up after.

Tips for Making Mini Donut Muffins

  • I like to combine the sugar and eggs first so they are well combined before the rest of the ingredients.
  • The batter is quick and easy. Once it’s mixed you just pour it into the muffin pan.
  • I use my mini muffin pan to make small donut muffins, but you can also use a standard muffin pan to make bigger ones. Depending on the size of the muffin molds you will need to increase the cooking time.
  • I love the sugar coating and I like to coat them using a large resealable bag. Just pour the sugar into the bag and then place a few muffins in the bag and shake a few times to coat them.
  • You can also some cinnamon to the sugar for a cinnamon-sugar coating. Or try adding nutmeg, cloves, or even ground ginger to switch up the flavors.

Are baked donuts healthier?

These mini donuts are made with sugar like regular donuts, so I wouldn’t call them health food. You will save some calories since frying requires a lot of oil that is absorbed in fried donuts. Baked donuts have a lot less oil, which is healthier than fried ones.

close-up of a muffin

I hope you enjoy these mini donut muffins as much as we do. If you want to try some of my other recipes be sure to check out some more of my favorites:

close-up photo of a plate of Sugar Donut Muffins

You might like to try my chocolate chunk muffins, too.

Mini Sugar Donut Muffins

Servings: 30 muffins
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
These fluffy little muffins taste like old-fashioned donuts but are baked instead of fried. They make a perfect treat any time of the day.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking power
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup fat free milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • additional 1 cup granulated white sugar for rolling

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and egg until combined. Add in remaining ingredients and whisk until batter is smooth.
  • Fill each mini muffin cup about 3/4 full.
  • Bake for 10-11 minutes. Let muffins cool. Put 1 cup sugar in a Ziploc bag and add a few muffins in at a time, rolling them around until completely coated in sugar. (You can also add 1 tsp cinnamon to the sugar mixture if you want a cinnamon sugar mix)

The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.

Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Mention @KirbieCravings and tag #kirbiecravings!

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Recipe Rating




13 comments on “Sugar Donut Muffins”

  1. I made them came out right. My grandchildren can’t stop asking for more

  2. I’ll take a dozen of those “healthy” baked donuts 😉 

  3. Would I be able to use regular milk instead of fat-free?

    • I haven’t tried it with whole milk. I’d recommend low fat or fat free if you are following the recipe exactly. If you use whole milk you may need to add a little more liquid than the recipe calls for to get the right balance.

  4. Made these today in two regular-sized muffin tins (I don’t own a mini version, but I think I might be running out to get one after this) and they are DELICIOUS!! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, I will DEFINITELY be making it again. 🙂

  5. I have been using the same baking powder for months, it is not expired 🙂

    • Hmm, I’m not sure what the issue could be then. I know this recipe works. It’s one of used a dozen times and shared with many family and friends and they’ve always had success. Perhaps you can have someone on hand to double check to make sure you got all the quantities right? i know sometimes I think i followed a recipe and then someone points out I did something wrong.

  6. Mine did not turned out nice and fluffy,  it didn’t rise as well.  🙁 I followed the recipe exactly.  What could have been the problem? 

  7. Sounds delish… will be making soon! 😀