These muffins taste like a fresh cake donut, but they come out of a muffin tin. The batter is made with buttermilk, so the crumb is soft and tender, and cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of cardamom give it a warm spice that plain donut muffins never have. They bake tall and golden, and while they are still warm they are dipped in melted butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar. The coating sets into a crackly sweet crust, just like a donut shop donut. They are best eaten the same morning, warm from the oven, with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients
- 200 g plain flour
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for the batter
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom — a pinch is enough; too much cardamom will overpower the cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 180 ml buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted, for the batter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted, for dipping
- 100 g granulated sugar, for the coating
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, for the coating
Method
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Grease a 12-hole muffin tin well, or line it with paper cases.
- Whisk the flour, 150 g granulated sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a jug, whisk the buttermilk, egg, 60 g melted butter, and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir gently with a spoon until the flour just disappears. Do not overmix — a few small lumps are fine, and overmixing makes muffins tough.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin holes, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the muffins are tall and golden and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
- While the muffins bake, mix the 100 g granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt the remaining 60 g butter in a second small bowl.
- Leave the muffins in the tin for 2 minutes, then take them out one at a time while they are still warm. Dip each muffin in the melted butter, then roll it in the cinnamon sugar until it is coated all over. The coating only sticks while the muffins are warm, so work quickly and do not wait for them to cool.
Common Mistakes, Substitutions, Serving and Storage
Common mistakes: overmixing the batter, so the muffins turn tough and dense; waiting for the muffins to cool before dipping, so the cinnamon sugar will not stick; using too much cardamom, so it overpowers the cinnamon.
Substitutions: use whole milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice instead of buttermilk if you cannot find it; leave out the cardamom for a plain cinnamon version; use brown sugar in the coating for a deeper flavour.
Serving ideas: serve warm for breakfast or brunch with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. They are also good packed into a lunchbox or served as a sweet snack in the afternoon.
Storage and reheating: store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The sugar coating will soften a little as they sit, so warm a muffin in the oven at 160°C (325°F) for 5 minutes and roll it in a little fresh cinnamon sugar if you like. Do not freeze the coated muffins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why use buttermilk? Buttermilk makes the crumb soft and tender, and its slight tang balances the sweet cinnamon sugar coating. It also reacts with the bicarbonate of soda, which helps the muffins rise tall.
When do I dip the muffins? Within a few minutes of leaving the oven, while they are still warm. The melted butter soaks in a little and the cinnamon sugar sticks. Cold muffins will not hold the coating.
Why are my muffins tough? The batter was mixed too much. Stir only until the flour disappears — a few small lumps are fine. Overmixing develops the gluten and makes muffins dense.
Can I make the batter ahead? It is best to bake the muffins straight away. The baking powder and bicarbonate of soda start working as soon as the wet and dry mixtures meet, so the batter loses its rise if it sits.
You May Also Like
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins with Buttermilk and Cardamom
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Grease a 12-hole muffin tin well, or line it with paper cases.
- Whisk the flour, 150 g granulated sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a jug, whisk the buttermilk, egg, 60 g melted butter, and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir gently with a spoon until the flour just disappears. Do not overmix — a few small lumps are fine, and overmixing makes muffins tough.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin holes, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the muffins are tall and golden and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
- While the muffins bake, mix the 100 g granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt the remaining 60 g butter in a second small bowl.
- Leave the muffins in the tin for 2 minutes, then take them out one at a time while they are still warm. Dip each muffin in the melted butter, then roll it in the cinnamon sugar until it is coated all over. The coating only sticks while the muffins are warm, so work quickly and do not wait for them to cool.
